Lava Hot Springs and Sunken Gardens
Lava Hot Springs was not on our initial itinerary, but when we realized that the entirety of Salt Lake City was booked for the first night of our vacation (thanks so much Young Living ladies for filling up the plane cabin with wafts of oils at every spot of turbulence), I used Google maps to zoom in on various towns looking for spots to stay in route to the Tetons. As the road zigzagged through Idaho, this little town caught my eye. Tubing? Check. Natural hot springs? Check. Affordable rooms? Check.
Home Hotel was a short walk from these public pools and Sunken Gardens. While we ended up not tubing because of our four hour plane delay in Denver, we did really enjoy the hot springs! There was a series of pools ranging from 102°F to 112°F, and we all agreed that this would have been an awesome spot to visit at the end of the trip after we had exhausted ourselves.
Breakfast at the Chuckwagon was excellent, thanks in part to the huckleberry syrup. After breakfast we took a walk through the Sunken Gardens. Gardens inspire me, and this was no exception. This Sunken Gardens were created in the 1930s and are maintained by the town. From the town’s website:
“The natural setting of the Sunken Gardens showcase native and imported plants and flowers throughout the entire season. Just off Main Street above the World Famous Hot Pools, these gardens are free of charge and used for relaxation and viewing enjoyment. Watch the birds and feel the cool breeze all season long. The rock walls which look like lava are actually the remains of algae reefs formed in the Portneuf River long ago and now provide a beautiful setting of flowers, wildlife and nature.”
My dad has been out west so many times, and as such was an invaluable resource in planning this trip. So I was very happy to hear that he was pleasantly surprised by this stop. I think my parents enjoyed the hot pools even more than the kids did.
