Riverside, Utah
A small farming community on the west bank of the Malad River, about 10 minutes north of Tremonton. Riverside is a peaceful, rural corner of the Bear River Valley, minutes from Belmont Hot Springs and the open farmland of northern Box Elder County.
Quick Facts
A Pretty Little Place on the Malad
Riverside lies along the west side of the Malad River in the northern Bear River Valley, with I-15 and the foothills to the west and Highway 30 to Logan just to the south. It’s a quiet place of family farms, irrigation canals and big skies, where meadowlarks sing from the fence posts and the Wellsville Mountains rise to the east.
There’s no main street to speak of, and that’s the appeal. Riverside is a scenic, slow-paced stop between Tremonton and the Idaho border, and an easy base for soaking at Belmont Hot Springs, exploring the Bear River Valley’s small towns and heading west toward Golden Spike.
Riverside is surrounded by some of the Bear River Valley’s best hot springs, small-town stops and historic sites.
Belmont Hot Springs
Soak in warm, spring-fed ponds along the Malad River near Plymouth. The resort also has RV camping and a nine-hole golf course, and its clear, warm water draws scuba divers for winter training.
Tremonton
Head into Tremonton for the closest hotels and restaurants, the Main Street murals, the Bear River Valley Museum and the Box Elder County Fair & Golden Spike Rodeo each August.
Crystal Hot Springs
In Honeyville, hot and cold natural springs flow into outdoor soaking pools, a lap pool and waterslides. It’s open year-round and especially good on a cold winter night.
Golden Spike National Historical Park
Drive west through Tremonton to Promontory Summit, where the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. See the replica steam locomotives in season and drive the historic auto tours.
Dining in Riverside
Dining in Riverside is small and local. Stop at Riverside Corner for a casual bite, or drive 10 minutes south to Tremonton for smokehouse barbecue, family-run Mexican restaurants and more.
Riverside Corner
Things to Do
in Riverside
SOAK AT BELMONT HOT SPRINGS
Just up the road, Belmont’s warm, spring-fed ponds are a relaxing year-round soak. Bring your clubs for a round on the nine-hole course along the Malad River.
PICNIC AT THE TOWN PARK
Riverside’s park sits on the grounds of the town’s old schoolhouse, which closed in the 1940s. Local women’s clubs raised the money to turn it into a green space for the community.
FOLLOW THE CANAL COUNTRY
The Bear River Canal, built in the 1890s, turned this dry valley into farmland. Drive the back roads to see the canals, fields and farmsteads that grew up around it.
LISTEN FOR THE MEADOWLARK
Locals say the western meadowlark perched on Riverside’s fence posts sings, “Riverside is a pretty little place.” Spring and early summer are the best time to hear it.
A Bit of History
Riverside’s townsite was surveyed in 1894, when church leaders reorganized the Plymouth wards and created the new communities of Fielding and Riverside. Because the settlement sat so close to the river, it was simply named Riverside. By January 1895, seven families had arrived, many from Farmington and Centerville. A meetinghouse built that same year served as both church and school, and a post office soon followed.
Water shaped everything here. The Bear River Canal split into two branches, one running between the Bear and Malad rivers and another crossing the Malad bottoms on a huge wooden flume to water the west valley. Irrigation made sugar beets possible, and for most of the 20th century Riverside farmers supplied the sugar factory in nearby Garland, which ran until 1979. Today, residents work at Northrop Grumman (formerly Thiokol), the steel plants and other area employers, but Riverside remains the same quiet farm community it has always been.
Before You Go
Getting here
Riverside is on State Route 13, about 10 minutes north of Tremonton, 25 minutes north of Brigham City and about 1 hour 20 minutes north of Salt Lake City.
SERVICES
Riverside has no hotels and few services. Tremonton, about 10 minutes south, has the closest lodging, gas and grocery stores.
PRIVATE LAND
Most of the land around Riverside is working farmland and private property. Enjoy the views from public roads and respect posted signs.
SEASONS
Spring and early summer bring green fields and singing meadowlarks. Summer is event season in Tremonton, and winter is perfect for a hot springs soak.
Frequently Asked Questions
Plan Your Visit to Riverside
Slow down in Riverside’s farm country, soak at Belmont Hot Springs and grab dinner in Tremonton. The best of the Bear River Valley is only a short drive away.