Blue Lake Salt Springs- Utah
Blue Lake Salt Springs is a Geo-Thermal hot spring, though it is a little light on the ‘hot’. Sitting right around 70 degrees all year round, this is a popular destination for spring and fall dives, when the air temperatures are moderate, and you want some water that is as well. While the drive through the salt flats can be incredibly boring, this is a short hop away from Salt Lake City, and a popular destination for divers from all over. Set up with underwater navigation lines and multiple training platforms, plus attractions such as a sunken boat, a turtle sculpture, and a SpongeBob statue, this is a fantastic area for training, practice, and generally enjoyable dives.
Location- Blue Lake 15-25 minutes South East of Wendover on the Utah/Nevada Border.
Water Conditions- Temperatures stay right around 70 degrees, and typically get warmer the deeper you go. Visibility depends on the buoyancy of those before you, with 20-30 feet typical, and 5-10 feet possible if you kick the bottom. The bottom is silty, and very easy to disturb.
Weather- Typical of Utah, the weather here can be unpredictable, though because of the geography, you can pretty well count on it being windy, no matter what the temperatures are.
Wildlife- Various species of fish call this lake home, and you will often find anglers here fishing from the docks.
Notes- There is on site camping permitted, so you can come and stay the weekend for a very affordable dive trip. The ground is hard and there are your typical desert critters, so plan your camping accordingly. Many people choose this site for off-roading as well, so there are often rambunctious groups out here making noise at all hours. The dock to the lake varies greatly in condition, and is very uneven at all times.
Special Considerations- High clearance vehicles are advised, as the road to access the hot springs can get really rough in between gradings. In the wet season, 4 wheel drive can be advantageous for the soft mud.
A video is available here, showcasing this dive site.
