A trip to the Ogden "Hot Pots" could result in criminal citation

Feel like going for a nice soak at a natural hot spring?

While the Ogden "Hot Pots" may have been a viable option in the past, taking a soak in the Ogden Canyon pools now could be costly and dangerous.

Temporary fences were placed near the Hot Pots access point in August after construction began in the mouth of canyon. But people are still trying to get to the man-made pools.Recently, a passing motorist called authorities reporting two people climbing over the fence near the Hot Pots. Deputies located a man and his daughter, and cited the man for criminal trespass, according to the Weber County Sheriff's Office.

Weber County Sheriff's Sgt. Lane Findley said Thursday that the area is a safety hazard, and deputies have been diligently patrolling the area to keep people from parking on the narrow road and trying to climb over the fences.

While construction on the road and the pipeline above is a safety concern for falling rocks, Findley said the parked cars are popular for break-ins.

"There's been a lot of problems in the evening with cars being broken into," he said. "It's been kind of a magnet for criminal activity."

Findley also said the area is located on private property, though the owners have allowed access through the years.

Several people have died while at the pools, which are fed by a natural hot spring, including two men in 2012.

Jessica Miller