Day 18: Grace to Lava Hot Springs

May 25, 2022

Today started with some exploring. First I pedaled a mile west of Grace to see the Bear river in Black Canyon. The river has cut through a lava flow.

The source of the Bear river is above 12,000 feet elevation in the Uinta mountains. For millions of years it flowed north to the Snake river. 140,000 years ago, lava flows and cinder cones changed the course of the Bear river, giving it a U-turn south into the Great Basin.

Black Canyon is where the river cuts through a lava flow.

The Bear river had an enormous flow before white settlers arrived. Now nearly all of the water is diverted to irrigated farms. Very little water flows into the Great Salt Lake.

I pedaled north out of Grace on ID 34. Just outside of town I passed the first of many small dams on the Bear River. The reservoirs feed irrigation canals.

Huge irrigation pipe coming out the side of the dam. Later I learned it's part of the Last Chance canal.

Just north of Grace I turned east on an unpaved road to the Flume. I didn't know what it was, but it sounded interesting. Early settlers built a log flume as part of the Last Chance Canal construction project which spanned from 1898 to 1905. Upgrades in 1918-1920 included a tunnel and a higher flume across the river.

The road to the Flume stays close to the Bear river.

I stopped to look at an unusual bridge across the Bear river. It's a canal bridge, or aquaduct.

The bridge is part of the Last Chance Canal.

A bit farther upstream I stopped at the Flume overlook. The concrete arch once supported a wooden flume. The wooden flume was replaced with the steel trestle and flume in 1946. On the left, the canal exits a 1800 foot long lava tunnel that was dug with hand tools. A sign boasts: The engineering masterpiece was built without federal assistance and without outside capital by local farmers who worked cooperatively in the best spirit of Mormon settlers.

Site of the former wood flume that was replaced with steel in 1946.

A missed turn took me to the uppermost part of the Last Chance canal. I could see the head gates where the water is diverted from a small reservoir.

Before the tour I plotted a back roads route along the Bear river. That route turned out to be impassible. I went 0.9 mile down a little-used double track before I had to turn around at a locked gate.

I backtracked 4 miles to return to the highway. Nearly all downhill. I don't mind the extra miles. Today is short and easy, a good day to explore. It was my last chance to see the Bear river and a good opportunity to see irrigation infrastructure.

I pedaled north on ID 34 until it connects to US 30. I could turn left and take US 30 straight into Lava Hot Springs, over a big ridge. Instead I continued straight on Old US 30 which goes around the big ridge.

Old US 30 has rolling hills with a downhill trend. On the first or second hill I exited the Great Basin. There was no sign. Now I'm in the Pacific watershed again, about to join the Portneuf river.

Just because I have it, now is a good time for a map of North America's 6 major watersheds. Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of St. Lawrence, Hudson Bay, and Arctic Ocean. 7 watersheds if you count the Great Basin.

Old US 30 goes alongside a busy Union Pacific railroad track. I haven't seen many trains during this tour but I saw several today.

Old US 30. First train I've seen in a long time.

I stopped to look around the little whistle stop village of Bancroft. The trains don't stop now.

Old US 30 joins the Portneuf river a few miles beyond Bancroft. When joining the river, Old US 30 turns south into the wind. The headwind offset the downhill trend. Unfortunately, the railroad track is between the old highway and the river. The track is almost always higher than the road, obstructing any possible views of the river.

Old US 30. The railroad obstructs the view of the Portneuf river.

I turned to one of the "Sportsmans Access" areas that crosses the railroad track to give access to the river. Finally a good view of the Portneuf river.

I expected the headwaters area of the Portneuf river to be an unpopulated canyon, but it's wide enough to have many irrigated farms. It was actually quite populated. Traffic was very light. The old highway is much longer than the new highway, so it only has local traffic. No thru trucks.

Old US 30 crosses under the new US 30 and goes directly into the town of Lava Hot Springs. It's a nice little resort town, founded around the hot springs in the early 1900's. Low key and kind of nostalgic. No chain stores.

At the east end of town is the big Lava Hot Springs Resort. It's the main day use resort in town. At the west end of town is an an outdoor splash park with an indoor Olympic size pool, but it was closed. Lava Hot Springs also has several old lodging places. One fancy historic place has hot soaking, but only in tubs in the basement.

The "World Famous" Lava Hot Springs Resort.

The Portneuf river flows rapidly through the middle of town. A riverside path allows inner tubers to float the same 1/4 mile segment of the river over and over. The combination of the river and the hot springs makes Lava Hot Springs a popular little resort town.

This trail allows tubers to float a 1/4 mile section of river multiple times.

I'm staying at the 1927 Lava Hot Springs Inn which has multiple outdoor soaking pools. Good thing the weather has been cool lately because the inn doesn't have air conditioning. My basic room cost $110, with a good breakfast. The room doesn't even have a sink. It has a shared bath across the hall. But it comes with hot spring soaking privileges.

1927 Lava Hot Springs Inn was originally a hospital.

Lava Hot Springs Inn has multiple soaking pools. A pair of small cascading pools are on a deck overlooking the Portneuf river. The upper pool was far too hot, 113F. The lower pool was 105F in the afternoon, then 103F in the cool evening.

Riverside pools at Lava Hot Springs Inn. 103F and 113F.

The Aztec pool seems to be the most popular soaking pool.

The lap pool was also popular because it's cooler and has some shade.

The Therapy Pool is a good place to escape talkative crowds and cavorting. It was much warmer than what the sign indicated.

Today was one of the sunniest days of the tour. High of 70F, much warmer than the last several days.

Old US 30 was kind of a disappointment because the railroad obstructs the river view. But Lava Hot Springs is an interesting little resort town.

Distance: 41.9 mi. (67 km)
Average Speed: 10.1 mph (16.2 km/h)
Ascent/Descent: +911/-1387 ft. (+278/-423 m)
Miles 614-653 on the route map

Today's ride: 42 miles (68 km)
Total: 733 miles (1,180 km)

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