Bear Lake Hot Springs reopens

Liz Lindmark, from Lexington, KY, skims the surface of the pools at Bear Lake Hot Springs.

The Historic Bear Lake Hot Springs is open to the public once more after a year of being closed.

Liz Lindmark, from Lexington, KY, works for Epic Rentals. She hopes things will get busier at Bear Lake Hot Springs when the vacation season heats up.

Jamon Norda, general manager for Epic Rentals, announced they have a contract to open Bear Lake Hot Springs near North Beach Recreation for the 2019 summer season.

Bear Lake Hot Springs is located right on the beach at the northeast corner of Bear Lake, Idaho or 6668 North Beach Road, St. Charles Idaho.

There is a campground adjacent to the property. The two outdoor hot mineral pools are clean and ready for use. The indoor pool will not be open any time soon, Norda said.

Right now, we are going to open the two pools on the outside and the changing rooms,” he said. “We have a lot of work to do on the inside pool.”

Epic Rentals is a full-service water sports rental concessionaire on-site at the beach area.

Norda, who has worked for the water sports rental company for eight years, said if he could find a cook for the snack bar he thought he could open that this season, too.

Bear Lake Hot Springs is a historical landmark in the Bear Lake Area. It was first owned by Ethel Bates, who built the Grand Hotel in 1911 on the property adjacent to the hot springs. In 1939 the hotel burned to the ground.

Kalon Weston from Laketown, Utah puts the cover on one of the Epic rental boats at Bear Lake Hot Springs. His father learned how to swim at the hot springs’ pool.

In 1949, Lorenzo and Ruth Hemmert purchased the property and made many improvements over the years, including the existing pool house. The Hemmert family claimed the minerals in the hot springs had healing properties, which attracted many of their guests. The family owned it until 2018 when the Hemmert family sold the hot springs and property to a developer. The developer closed the hot springs to the public and had plans to build a lodge.

Bear Lake Hot Springs was recently purchased by a private party. The purchaser contracted with Epic to manage it and give the place a new life. With the rentals and the soaking pools, it is a worth a trip around the lake.

It was reported the hot springs produce 75,000 gallons of steamy water every day to flow through the outdoor shallow soaking pools.

Liz Lindmark, from Lexington, KY, is cleaning up the pools, getting them ready for the season. She is taking a break from her studies at Utah State University.

“Things have been a little slow, but we expect them to get busier as it warms up,” she said. “This is my first year, so I don’t know what to expect.

The Bear Lake Hot Springs Hotel built in 1911 later burned down in 1938.

“I’ve known other people who have worked here during the summer and really liked it,” Lindmark continued. “I like to be outdoors, and the mountains and lake are pretty.”

Kalon Weston from Laketown, Utah  has worked for Epic for four years.

“My father learned how to swim here,” he said. “Other than that, I don’t know much about the place.”

For more information about Bear Lake Hot springs contact Epic Recreation at (435) 946-3742.

 

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6 Comments

  • Joey Johnson June 15, 2019 at 1:37 pm Reply

    So who owns the campground and how can I make reservations now?

  • Becci June 16, 2019 at 8:07 pm Reply

    This is the best news! Is the camp ground open? If so how do we make reservations

  • Mary Moreau June 17, 2019 at 2:20 pm Reply

    Please provide directions from Logan.

  • Debbie Leishman June 18, 2019 at 10:33 am Reply

    I am so excited about this new opening. our family has been coming to Bearlake hot springs for 60+ years. I would really love to make reservation for our Family reunion, and continue our Family tradition.
    Herzog Reunion

  • Marilin July 2, 2019 at 11:58 pm Reply

    Where can I make a reservation?

  • jay August 4, 2019 at 3:33 pm Reply

    The description at all these sites are BS the place was disgusting unclean n unkempt. The restrooms are atrocious. 40 years the ago the place was awesome it has gone to shit. How dare u even charge 20$ a car for just the “got springs”.
    Signed extremely dissatisfied visitors

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