We arrived in Thermopolis in the early afternoon and drove downtown to the Hot Springs State Park that is located in the downtown area of this small Wyoming town. A modern Wyoming State Bath House awaits visitors. People have been enjoying these therapeutic hot mineral springs starting with Native Americans hundreds of years ago. The State Bath House fulfills a treaty requirement with the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Indian tribes made 120 years ago for free use of the hot mineral water flowing from the springs in Thermopolis. The pools are filled with 100 percent mineral water with no chemicals or municipal water added. The temperature is kept at 104 degrees and the pools are drained and cleaned every day. There is a 20 minute soaking limit. However, you can get out for about that same amount of time and then get back in. We found that in July 20 minutes was more than enough. It did feel really great, if you can stand the mineral smell. So......been there and done that!
The view from pool looking toward the back of the State Bath House. And true to their word, there was not charge to enter the pool or the entire park.
Had a good soaking!
There was even a chair lift for special needs folks.
A view of the pool from the boardwalk around to the mineral formations.
We took a walk along the wooden boardwalk around the oozing mineral water.
The hill in the background says World's Largest Mineral Hot Springs......with an arrow pointing downward toward the springs.
Up on the walkway looking down toward the river.
We walked on the swinging bridge that crosses the Big Horn River. This was the first suspension bridge that spanned the river in 1916.
Hot mineral water flowing.....
The Rainbow Terraces along the boardwalk.
This is a beautiful natural mineral formation in the park.
Wyoming's state herd of Bison are located in the park in two pastures allowing the massive animals to roam the north and east sides of town. Public roads loop through the large pastures so you can get an up-close view.
The Wyoming Dinosaur Center:
After looking over some visitor information, we saw where there was a dinosaur center less than a mile from the campground. We were due to leave that day, but since they opened at 8:00 am and check-out time at the rv park wasn't until 11:00 am, we decided to go. They have dig site tours and they have certain days that you can go with the team to the dig site ("Dig for a Day" and "'Shovel Ready" programs) where you can help with the dig and perhaps be a part of the next big discovery . They have a small bus that transports you to the dig and you get a bagged lunch. We would have liked to have been able to at least take a dig site tour, but we were on a timeline......maybe next time. Since we were at the museum so early, we were the only ones inside. There were several out of state cars in the parking lot, but we soon realized they must have gone on the tour or dig.
The back of the building could be seen from other roads in town to draw you in. :)
The signs says these are the most successful group of animals in history. Of course, a spider had to be one of them!
In the Hall of Dinosaurs lies "The Termopolis Specimen" the only Archaeopteryx in North America," Jimbo" a Supersaurus, one of the largest dinosaurs ever mounted, "Stan" a 35 foot T_Rex and Triceratops the Wyoming state dinosaur.
Lots of fossils.
Now that's a big leg bone!
Shown below:
Small beak, Big teeth......
Preparation Tools:
More fossils....
There is always one.......
