Inland Scuba: 5 Landlocked Dive Spots Out West

Summer road trips are in full effect, and we’ve got a whack idea for those venturing to the mountains out West: Scuba diving!

That’s right. You don’t need the ocean to get your scuba fix. Here are five awesome dive spots worth adding to your grand adventure out West.

Glacial Adventure – Patricia Lake, Jasper, Alberta

Patricia Lake packs an adventure punch that can knock out your entire carload’s desires. You can log a wreck dive while learning about the top secret WWII mission at the Habbakuk Wreck.

You will practice your dry suit diving skills as these pristine glacial waters are not bathtub temperature whatsoever. The hunter among your crew will be wetting his pants as he pops up from the depths to see a moose or black bear along the banks!

Prices vary from $50 to $425. jasperdiveadventures.com

Dive With Sharks – Denver Aquarium, Denver, Colo.

If your road trip has you roaming straight through Denver, check out the Denver Aquarium, where you can not only get your PADI SCUBA certification but even dive with sharks. Diving by day and a show at Red Rocks Amphitheater at night? Awesome!

Prices vary from about $85 for a basic “swim with the fish” to $255 to get your PADI certification. divedowntown.com

Triple Play – Homestead Crater, Midway. Utah

Utah road trippers looking for the ultimate multi-discipline adventure need to look no further. Bike Moab. Climb Indian Creek. Dive the Crater. This trifecta will be sure to get you a couple of beers on the house at your neighborhood pub as you recount this epic trip.

Inside “The Crater” is a geothermal spring hidden within a 55-foot tall, beehive-shape limestone rock on the Homestead property. It’s the only hot-spring scuba dive in the continental United States.

Call the Activity Center at the Homestead Resort for pricing. 435-657-3840

Get Extraterrestrial – Blue Hole, Santa Rosa, N.M.

Extend that biking trip to Angel Fire and Taos a couple hours southeast and you’ll be able to dive the Blue Hole in Santa Rosa. This is the famed the diving capital of the Southwest. Complete this outer world road trip by paying a visit to Roswell.

Call Santa Rosa Dive Center at 575-472-3370 and they will get you set up.

True American Dive – Yellowstone National Park, Wyo.

Escape the geyser hoards and bison traffic jams by submerging yourself and checking out what lies below this famed American landscape. Hone your river diving skills at Firehole River with the Mystic Falls as your backdrop. Another option is to explore Yellowstone Lake, but be aware of the thermal vents.

Contact Teton Aquatic at 303-733-3127 to get sorted out.