How does the unique environment of hot springs foster well-being and ultimately invite community and connection? Welcoming a Sense of Place is the topic kicking off our re-introduction of cityhome’s First Fridays “Welcoming” speaker series, featuring Maple Grove Hot Springs + Retreat Center owner Jordan Menzel. With Jordan as our guide, we'll learn about how he has created lasting community connections through the natural and built environment.

please Join us ON JANUARY 1ST AT 1:00PM for a virtual visit to this beautiful place of cultural, historical, and environmental reference.

Jordan Menzel is a graduate of the University of Utah and completed his M.S. in Foreign Service, International Development and Business Policy at Georgetown University. After working internationally in the field of community development (and ventures into tech and tiny homes), he returned to his hometown of Salt Lake City and turned his attention two hours north, to the small community of Thatcher, Idaho. It’s the historic home to Maple Grove’s natural hot springs (read our story here), the site of which had fallen into disrepair over the years. With some SLC-based partners, he founded Maple Grove Hot Springs + Retreat Center in February of 2019 and has reimagined the fully off-grid experience, tackling the rebranding, relaunch, and revival of the 45-acre riverfront hot springs. It’s an intentional collection of rental yurts, cabins, tent/van camping spots and group experiential congregation spots that allow for community connection in an environment fostering physical and mental well-being centered around experiencing natural hot springs. 

Jordan sums up his philosophy thusly: "Human growth comes from new experiences, and new experiences are best served up in hot springs."

Join us for Jordan’s video tour of Maple Grove Hot Springs and an online discussion of how hot springs and wild places create conduits for community and connection. Find out more about Maple Grove Hot Springs + Retreat Center here.

Please pre-register here and a link to the online event will be emailed to you the day before the event!