I realized I had no idea what I was getting into after I signed up for a paddleboard yoga class in the Homestead Crater with Park City Yoga Adventures!

Striking a Warrior II pose on a steady yoga mat? No problem. Paddleboarding on a calm lake? Sure. But I wasn’t sure what to expect from the combination of the two — in the form of a Paddleboard Yoga class with Park City Yoga Adventures. Luckily, the pros at Park City Yoga Adventure made the experience a fun fitness challenge that was both memorable and enjoyable.

The Details

  • What: Paddleboard Yoga at Homestead Crater with Park City Yoga Adventures
  • Where: Homestead Crater, at the Homestead Resort in Midway, UT
  • When: Park City Yoga Adventures rent the crater specifically for their sessions, so timing may vary depending on availability.
  • Who: Sessions can fit up to 12 people. Inquire about availability.
  • How Much: 2 Yogis: $150 per guest; 3+ Yogis: $100 per guest
SUP yoga in the Midway Crater is truly unique experience!

The Experience

On a chilly fall morning, I drove to Midway’s Homestead Crater, located at the Homestead Resort in picturesque Midway, about a 30-minute drive from downtown Park City.

Unassuming from outside, the Homestead Crater is a natural, geothermal hot spring found within a 55-foot tall, beehive-shaped limestone rock formation. Upon entering, I was greeted with a bust of welcome warmth and humidity, as the instructor, Bree, introduced herself and set up the paddleboards for class.

The hot spring was crystal-clear, steaming hot and inviting, and my fellow practitioners and I nervously dipped our toes into the water. I was astonished by how warm the water temperature was! Turns out, the mineral-rich water maintains a consistent temperature of around 90 to 96 degrees Fahrenheit year-round! This makes it a warm, aquatic oasis for swimming and other activities, like paddleboard yoga, in any season.

We chuckled about how it was all of our first times trying out paddleboard yoga — let alone in a crater in the middle of Utah. As class began, our nerves were quickly assuaged by Bree, who was extremely knowledgeable and reassuring as she took us through a quick history of the crater and what to expect in our yoga session. 

Jumping in the water and climbing on the board for the first time might have been the trickiest part of the whole class! The board was surprisingly steady and easy to maneuver, and was held in place with attached ropes that prevented it from drifting away. 

Bree guided us through some gentle yoga stretches as we adjusted to being on the board on all fours, such as cat-cow and child’s pose. We began heating up our core and preparing our bodies for more advanced poses on the board with some planks and downward dog poses. Then came the fun part — as we “flipped our dog,” we flipped over into the warm water!

After climbing back on board, Bree proceeded to teach a beautiful vinyasa flow with a perfect playlist, punctuated with lots of laughter and more falls — er, dips — into the hot spring’s inviting water. Warrior one and two were surprisingly challenging while balancing on the water, and I was pleasantly surprised when I was able to hold myself in tree pose on the board!

The scale of the crater makes it worth seeing alone!

Bree encouraged us to play around and enjoy ourselves — it was a lovely reminder that yoga doesn’t have to be *so* serious.

Toward the end of the class, we were brought into a peaceful savasana on our boards, with our feet in the water, gazing up at the clear blue sky out the top of the crater. After class I felt a sense of peace as well as accomplishment — it was a challenge, but one that was so much fun and rewarding.

All in all, I’d highly recommend paddleboard yoga for anyone, though ideally you’d have a little bit of yoga experience to be familiar with some of the poses. It’d be a great addition to a  bachelorette party, romantic couples retreat, girls’ getaway, or even a guys’ golf trip (you know you could use the stretching!).

Know Before You Go

  • Wear something you’d be comfortable getting wet — think: bathing suits or quick-drying shorts.
  • You can also opt to go on a nature hike or a snowshoe hike in Wasatch State Park before the yoga session if you have more time.

Advice

  • Make sure to arrive on time as the doors will be closed and locked once class begins
  • Bring a towel and change of clothes
  • Bring two masks, as I jumped in the water with my mask on, and having to wear a wet mask out in the cold was not ideal
  • In the winter, wear surf leggings, a rashguard, or a wetsuit top as it does feel quite chilly out of the water on your board once you get wet.