Hot Springs State Park – Thermopolis, Wyoming – Ultimate Guide

Did you know that the world’s largest mineral hot springs area is located in Thermopolis, Wyoming? This is an off-the-beaten path attraction in Central Wyoming that you can visit to get a little R&R in the hot mineral water! Let’s take a look at Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyoming – I’ll let you know what to see, where to soak and where to stay in this guide to Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis.

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Where is Hot Springs State Park?

Hot Springs State Park is located in the small town of Thermopolis, Wyoming, in Central Wyoming. If you’re en route to Yellowstone National Park, depending on your route, you may end up passing through Thermopolis on your way.

Hot Spring State Park – Quick Overview

Admission: Free to visit, some hot springs charge a fee for soaking, but we’ll get into that later.
Hours: You can access the park at all hours, however if you want to soak in the hot springs you’ll need to note their operating hours.
Hiking: 6.2 miles of hiking trails throughout the park. Boardwalks take you over the mineral terraces to get a closer look.

Visiting Hot Springs State Park

Hot Springs State Park is actually Wyoming’s most visited state park – and I can see why! It’s amazing and is the world’s largest mineral hot springs.

Before we get into the actual ‘soaking’ hot springs, there are a few other things you can do inside the state park.

The other main point of interest here (besides soaking in the hot springs) is exploring the boardwalks. You can walk along the boardwalks to check out the terraces formed by deposits and mineral spring waters before it reaches the hot springs you’re going to soak in. It’s cool to get an up-close view of the mineral waters and see all the colors.

There’s a swinging bridge that you’ll want to walk over that’s pretty cool – you can get a great view of the mineral terraces and the Bighorn River as it winds through the park.

There is a bison herd that lives in the park, but I’ve only seen them around during the fall. You can drive up the park road to see the bison. State Park rangers feed the bison during the fall and winter months at 8:30am, and visitors are welcome to watch.

Don’t forget to check out the Teepee Fountain in the park. It was originally built in 1909 as a vent over a stack of rocks, but over the years, mineral buildup from the steam vent at the top created the mound of minerals you see today.

Other amenities you’ll find here are a boat ramp to access the Bighorn River, fishing areas, and picnic tables and grills if you want to enjoy a lunch here. You’ll also find fish food vending machines if you want to give the local fish a treat.

Hot Springs for Soaking at Hot Springs State Park

Here’s what you came here for – the actual hot springs you can soak in! There are four different hot springs for soaking at Hot Springs State Park — one of which is free! Here are your options

Wyoming Hot Springs State Park Bath House

This is the free hot spring and I absolutely love it! When the Native Americans gave the access to the land and hot springs, one condition of this was that everyone had to have some type of free access to the hot springs. Thus, the State of Wyoming Bath House allows each guest a free 20 minute soak in the hot springs here.

I’ve soaked here several times and I’ve always loved it! All you need to do when you visit is sign in at the front desk and make your way into the changing rooms, and then you’re ready to soak. I guarantee you’ll feel rejuvenated after soaking here! It’s amazing.

Both an indoor and outdoor soaking pools are available – I prefer the outdoor pools, but I’ve also only visited in summer and fall. In the winter, it might be more comfortable to soak indoors! There are no waterslides or pool floats or any raucous behavior here; it’s just a soaking pool. So if you have children who want to run wild (or you, yourself want to run amok – no judgment here, I get it!), you might just want to skip this, even though it’s free, and head to the Star Plunge.

Both pools are kept at 104 degrees.

Hours:
Monday – Saturday: 8:30 – 5pm
Sunday: 12pm – 5pm
The bath house is open year round.

Star Plunge:

The Star Plunge is the most popular hot springs in the park, as it’s the largest and has the most amenities. Here, you’ll find both indoor and outdoor pools, hot tubs, waterslides and a ‘vapor cave.’ You’ll also find a fitness center with cardio and weights, a gift shop and a snack bar.

Hours: 9am – 9pm, year round
Admission: $15.50 for most – age 5 and up, $7 for children under 4. This price is for the entire day.
Towel and swimsuit rentals are available. You can also rent tubes and pool noodles.

The Star Plunge is very popular with families, so if you’re looking for more of a relaxing hot springs experience, this is not it. This has more of a ‘community swimming pool’ vibe.

Hellie’s Teepee Pools

You’ll find most of the same type of indoor/outdoor pools, hot tubs and waterslides at Hellie’s Teepee Pools as you will the Star Plunge, however Hellie’s Teepee’s attracts a less…rambunctious crowd, so if you want more of a quiet, relaxing experience, you might want to opt to go here instead. Additionally, Hellie’s offers steam rooms and massages.

Hot Springs Hotel and Spa (aka the Days Inn Athletic Club)

This was formerly the Days Inn Thermopolis, and is now known as the Hot Springs Hotel and Spa. When this was a Days Inn, they allowed non-guests to purchase a pass to use the hot springs. However, with new ownership, I’m unsure of their policies as their website is not updated yet.

Read more: My review of the Days Inn Thermopolis Wyoming

This would honestly be my last choice, as, although the water is mineral-fed, there is no ambiance here. You’re basically in a run-of-the-mill outdoor hotel pool. I even stayed at the Days Inn, which allows you unlimited access to the hot spring pool, and didn’t bother to soak in it.

Where to stay when visiting Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyoming:

Thermopolis itself has a handful of motels and hotels in town, as well as a few hotels right inside the state park itself.

If you want to stay right in the park, you have two options:

Days Inn (now called the Hot Springs Hotel and Spa: (lol, they make it sound so bougie, and unless they’ve done some major, major renovations in the last 9 months, there’s nothing bougie about it!)
You can read my review of the former Days Inn Thermopolis here, or you can check current prices and availability here.

Best Western Plus Plaza Hotel: Personally I would chose the Best Western over the Days Inn any day, but I was traveling with my dog and dogs were not allowed in this hotel. Check their current availability here.

Otherwise, outside of the park, you can stay in the town itself (don’t worry, Thermopolis is a small town, so if you stay outside the park, the drive is only a matter of minutes). You can check out the current prices and availability for all the hotels in Thermpolis Wyoming here.

Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyoming – Final Thoughts

This is a wonderful, free state park to visit – I visit Hot Springs State Park whenever I’m in the area. Soaking in the mineral water here is absolutely amazing and I feel so relaxed after a soak. I’m partial to the free state-run bath house, as I just prefer the quieter experience, but the other paid options are nice too, and offer more amenities and longer soaking hours. If you’re in the area or just passing through, you’ll definitely want to stop here!