Hot Springs State Park (Thermopolis)

Hot Springs State Park lies along the Bighorn River in Thermopolis, Hot Springs County, Wyoming, and is run by Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails. Mineral water from the springs flows over colorful terraces beside the river. Wyoming State Parks lists the spring water at a constant 135 degrees Fahrenheit. A suspension footbridge across the river, known locally as the Swinging Bridge, gives a view of the mineral terrace and the river.

The park entrance is at 51 US Highway 20 North in Thermopolis. It is a day-use park with no overnight camping, and the grounds are open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. year-round. The park has 6.2 miles of trails, including universally accessible paths, plus a Volksmarch trail, fishing, boat docks and three group picnic shelters that can be reserved. The State Bath House is a state-run building with no fee. Wyoming State Parks lists its summer hours as 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday, with winter hours ending at 5:30 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Other businesses operate inside the park and set their own prices.

The park keeps a bison herd that Wyoming State Parks describes as the central herd for the state park system, and bison are to be viewed only from inside a vehicle. The springs came under federal ownership in 1896, when the government purchased a tract from the Eastern Shoshone and Arapaho in an agreement negotiated by Indian Inspector James McLaughlin. In 1897 a one-square-mile section was released to Wyoming, and it became the state's first state park. Thermopolis is the nearest town, and the Wyoming State Archives holds records on the cession.