Hot Springs State Park

The park's springs pour out an enormous flow of hot mineral water every day, one of the largest such flows found anywhere. As the water reaches the air and cools, dissolved minerals settle out and slowly build travertine terraces, layered mounds and basins of stone tinted in oranges, browns, and greens by minerals and heat-loving microbes.

The most striking of these is the Rainbow Terrace, spilling toward the Bighorn River in a steaming, colorful cascade of rock. These formations grow and change over time, a slow sculpture made by the water itself, best appreciated from the boardwalks that let you look without harming them.

In 1896 the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho, whose Wind River Reservation lies to the west, transferred this land to the government. Chief Washakie of the Eastern Shoshone is remembered for insisting that some of the healing waters always remain free for all people to use, a wish written into the agreement.

That promise endures. The State Bath House in the park provides a free soak in the mineral water to any visitor, a rare and generous thing among the world's famous hot springs. It roots the park in respect for the peoples who knew and valued these waters long before it became a park, and their descendants remain a living presence in the region.

The free State Bath House offers indoor and outdoor soaking pools kept at a comfortable warmth, and nearby commercial pools add water slides and play features for a fee, making the park a favorite for families. The mineral soak has drawn people seeking its comforts for generations.

The Bighorn River curves through the park, and a historic swinging suspension footbridge lets visitors cross above the water, once used to reach the bathhouses. Paths wind among the terraces, along the river, and past flower gardens, making for an easy and rewarding walk between soaks.

The park maintains a small herd of bison on pastures in the hills above the springs, a nod to the animal that shaped life on these plains, and they can often be seen grazing from the park drive. Mule deer, waterfowl on the river, and a range of birds add to the wildlife, and the warm water keeps parts of the park green even in winter.

Because the springs run hot all year, the park is a true four-season destination. Summer brings warm days and busy pools, fall is crisp and quiet, and winter is spectacular, when frigid air turns the steaming terraces into billowing clouds and frost rimes the boardwalks around the bright, warm water.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.