Known for its wide open spaces and expansive plains, Wyoming also has more than its share of hot springs. Yellowstone National Park holds the most dramatic of the springs, but most are too dangerously hot for soaking. Wyomingites and visitors alike love the great outdoors and you will find no dearth of campsites scattered around the state. Whether you want to pitch a tent by a lake or park your RV in a place with a mineral pool, your love for camping and hot springs can be combined in Wyoming.
The focal point of Wyoming's Hot Springs County is Thermopolis -- Greek for "hot city" -- a charming little town with three choices of hot springs venues. All are fed by the Big Spring, the largest medicinal hot spring in the world. Star Plunge (starplunge.com) caters more to the younger crowd, even though neighboring Hellie's (tepeepools.com) has two water slides. The state pool is free but soaking time is limited to 20 minutes. There are three campgrounds within a short distance of the springs. Eagle RV Park (eaglervpark.com) offers cabins, campsites and RV parking. Fountain of Youth RV Park (fountainofyouthrvpark.com) has its own mineral pool, a playground and a general store. The most economical campground is Wyoming Gardens (wyominggardensrvpark.com), which offers free Wi-Fi.
Camping in Yellowstone National Park is strictly regulated (nps.gov) and you must have a permit as well as an entrance fee for each vehicle. Ask for a map and a list of campgrounds when you pay your fee. Come into the park from the northern Gardiner gate -- the only entrance open all year -- and you'll find yourself at Mammoth Hot Springs. It is not possible to bathe in these springs, but in nearby Boiling River you can soak in a series of small natural hot tubs. The entrance to Boiling River is marked as the 45th Parallel. Wear your bathing suit as there are no restrooms or changing areas. Nearby Mammoth campground has both tent and RV sites, but there are no showers or laundry facilities. The other warm-water spot is the Firehole Swimming Area near Madison campground. Madison campground is open only from May to October.
In the mountains south of trendy Jackson Hole, Granite Hot Springs has a large, natural hot springs soaking pool as well as a traditional swimming pool and adjoining campgrounds. Campground and pool entrance fees are surprisingly reasonable, but the campgrounds are open only from Memorial Day through September. The hot springs are open throughout the year with occasional closings because of weather. The Jackson Hole/Snake River KOA campground (koa.com) provides a tour bus to the hot springs. A dozen more campgrounds in the area are operated by the National Forest Service (fs.usda.gov).
Saratoga is named after the Iroquois word "Sarachtoue," meaning "miracle water in the rock." The Hobo Hot Pool (saratoga.govoffice2.com) is located in town and is open to the public at no charge around the clock every day of the year. In addition to the hot pool, there is a "Not So Hot Pool" and a picnic area. Free showers and dressing rooms are on the premises. Nearby Saratoga Lake has a campground with electrical hookups and water for a small fee. The upscale Saratoga Resort and Spa (saratogaresortandspa.com) features a 70-foot-long mineral pool, a health spa, robe rental and individual tepee-covered hot pools.
