Thermopolis, Wyoming

Thermopolis is the site of the largest mineral hot springs on Earth. There are numerous hot springs in the area but the biggest is at Hot Springs State Park. As the result of a treaty signed in 1896 with the Arapaho and Shoshone tribes, the springs at the state park are open to the public for free.

The Thermopolis area was first settled in the late 1800's. The hot springs drew people from all over the world but business really picked up after the Overland Stage Company began running regular stagecoach service into Thermopolis. Eventually, the railroad arrived by building their way through the Bighorn River Valley and the visually spectacular Wind River Canyon.

Lots and lots of dinosaur, fish and vegetation fossils have been found in the countryside around here.

Thermopolis is located at the southern end of the Big Horn Basin, the most desert-like area of Wyoming. The area may see 8" of precipitation in a wet year. What that means is the topography of the area is very sharp while the fantastic colors of hundreds of millions of years of exposed geology shine bright and clear almost everywhere you look.

As remote as this area seems when you look on a map, many folks pass through on their way to Yellowstone National Park.