Recently I took a trip to Thermopolis in Wyoming. Home to the largest hot spring on earth. It’s a small town with many interesting attractions. In the hopes that you will be inspired to visit, I’ve created a list of the best things to do in Thermopolis.
Why do they call it the largest hot spring on earth?
It may not look like much but the Big Spring at Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis issues 3.6 million gallons of water per day! All of this water is at a scorching 127 degrees and contains twenty-seven different minerals.
Due to the fact that this little town is home to some impressive museums and incredible scenery. I’m surprised that Thermopolis doesn’t get a tremendous amount of tourists. Since there are a number of things to do in Thermopolis, plan a minimum of three days if you want to have time to do everything on my list.
1- Spend the day at Hot Springs State Park
Walk along the beautiful colored terraces at Hot Springs State Park. Then across the largest swinging bridge of it’s kind in Wyoming. See a huge man-made fountain, the largest mineral hot spring in the world, as well as roaming buffalos. Lastly, go relax in hot spring water at the bathhouse.
2- Visit The Wyoming Dinosaur Center
One of the best dinosaur exhibits I have ever seen. It features more than fifty mounted skeletons including a 106 ft long Supersaurus. The Wyoming Dinosaur Center also has fossils and reptiles from before the dinosaur era. Not only can you visit the museum and excavation site but you can also participate in a dig if that interests you.
3- Wander Around Gebo Ghost Town
Established in 1907 as a coal town by Canadian Samuel Wilford Gibault (his last name was Americanized to Gebo) The town of Gebo flourished until 1938 when the mining stopped and the town was abandoned. At its peak, it had 20,000 inhabitants. Then in 1997, the town was bulldozed. All that is left is a few buildings and a cemetery. The cemetery shows how hard life in this area was. Sadly mostly children are buried here. Make sure you have a high clearance vehicle with a spare tire if you want to come here. There are shards of metal on the road. Also, watch out for mine shafts as you walk the grounds!
4- Take A Walk In Gooseberry Badlands
Beautiful scenic overlook in the heart of Wyoming. One of the few places on earth where the rock formations change colors every time you visit! Visit this site first and the Petroglyphs after.
5- Check Out Legend Rock Petroglyphs
With over 283 different petroglyphs on 92 individual sandstone “panels”. Some as old as 10,000 years. Located just 23 miles west of Thermopolis. Legend Rock is definitely worth the detour!
6- Visit Hot Springs County Museum & Cultural Center
The best cultural museum in the west! Come see thousands of artifacts from the pioneer days dating from 1880-1930. Including the famous “Hole in the Wall” bar where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid drank. As well as Indian artifacts, local geology and an exhibit on Gebo.
Directions
|
Hot Springs State Park 220 Park Street Thermopolis, WY 82443 |
Wyoming Dinosaur Center 110 Carter Ranch Rd, Thermopolis, WY 82443 |
Gebo, Wyoming |
|
Gooseberry Badlands turnoff State Route 431 |
Legend rock petroglyphs County Road 10 Thermopolis, WY |
Hot Springs County Museum & Cultural Center 700 Broadway St, Thermopolis, WY 82443 |
Accommodations
There are a few accommodations in Thermopolis. My link will search through all the online sites to find you the best price available. By purchasing your trip through my link, this site will earn a small commission on your purchase. Rest assured that it will not cost you anything extra! The only difference is that this site will earn a commission instead of another booking site. Thank your sponsorship!
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