Thermopolis Hot Springs & An Awesome Campground
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Guess there are hot springs here, huh?
We expected that the world famous hot springs and hot baths in the state park of the aptly named town of Thermopolis would be closed because of… you know… Covid 19. We were somewhat disappointed to find them unexpectedly open. We weren’t really interested in the world’s largest hot springs. We stopped because there is a very short section of the GART here in Thermopolis… about ¾ mile worth... and we planned to ride it without interfacing with many people. Luckily, most folks were here for the hot springs and not the bike path, so we were easily able to avoid each other.
We’re in Hot Springs State Park… not for the Hot Springs, just for a short bike ride
The ride was brief considering the mileage even though we rode it in both directions. The hardest part was avoiding the sprinklers which sprayed the bike path with a vengeance and enduring the strong sulphur - hot springs smell of the Big Horn River. Since the ride was pretty much over as soon as it began, we had plenty of time to explore the rest of this state park which turned out to be quite interesting.
We stopped to examine the ‘tepee fountain’ and I took the opportunity to dip my feet into the warm water. The fountain was built in 1909 to vent steam from the hot springs which were piped throughout the park. Over the years, the hot mineral spring waters, as they cooled, have deposited layers of travertine resulting in what we see today.
Lower Rainbow Terraces
A close-up of the Lower Rainbow Terrace looks like a waterfall frozen in place, but water trickles on.
The Upper and Lower RainbowTerraces are fascinating. Blue was parked near the lower terrace and we examined it first. According to the Thermopolis website, the terraces were created by the deposits of hot spring water minerals, algae and plankton forming a vibrant waterfall of natural color and texture. Though it looks as if the water is flowing rapidly and in abundance into the Big Horn River, in actuality, only constant trickles make their way down the cliff face. Swallows darted in and out of their tenuous nests on the cliffside and merganzers dove in the placid warm waters below.
Upper Rainbow Terrace boardwalk
A paved walkway meanders through the hot pools on the Upper Rainbow Terrace where kildeers and their chicks plodded in the hot springs water hunting for a tasty lunch. Seagulls, chatting amongst themselves, stood ready for any feasting opportunity.
Kildeers didn’t seem to mind the hot springs waters.
It always seems odd to see seagulls so far from the sea.
A swinging suspension bridge spans a narrow part of the Big Horn. Originally built in 1916 as a pedestrian bridge to the Springs and a hospital/sanitarium on the other side, it was deemed unsafe in the 1980s. Local organizations banned together to restore it in 1992. It swayed and swung a bit as we walked across, increasingly so every time another pedestrian stepped onto it to cross.
The suspension bridge swayed and swung as we walked across.
The grueling leg of the GART at Thermopolis completed, we headed towards Ten Sleep, Wyoming (population: 260) and the turn-off for the Sitting Bull Campground in the Big Horn National Forest. This scenic byway (US16) known as the Cloud Peak Skyway is just magnificent. Sheer cliffs rose above us as the road threaded its way up from 5,000’ to 8000’ through canyons and along creeks with S-turns and hairpin turns galore. It is gloriously breathtaking.
The Cloud Peak Skyway on the road to Sitting Bull Campground was gloriously breathtaking.
Oh, no, the campground is FULL!
We finally reached the Sitting Bull Campground and were quite disappointed to note the FULL sign posted. Experience has taught us that asking the Camp Host directly if there isn’t one site available for the night sometimes gets us a space. Not only was there a site free for the night, but a cancellation had rendered the same site, which was primo by the way, free for three nights. We couldn’t believe our good luck as we settled into camp and marveled at what a lovely spot it was.
The campsites at Sitting Bull Campground were spacious and perfectly lovely.
The sites are well spread out and pristine with fire rings, tables and there was a level parking spot for Blue. We could barely see our neighbors. The most spectacular feature of all was the proliferation of wildflowers. Too many flowers and colors and fragrances to comprehend… simply everywhere. Silver lupine in purples, pinks and lavenders blanketed the shaded areas under the tall evergreens and lent a surreal feel to the beauty of the area. After an hour or so of taking it all in, we’d already decided to stay longer than the one night originally planned. We hoped the 8740’ altitude would not be a problem… and it wasn’t.
Silvery lupine everywhere … absolutely beautiful!
We woke to a blue, blue sky and a perfectly delightful morning. The sun warmed our backs as we sipped coffee. Squirrels chattered and raced across the campground. Birds chirped and tweeted a good morning chorus. The air was fresh and clean. The day beckoned us to get up, walk and explore.
Flower-lined path along Meadowlark Lake
Nearby Meadowlark Lake was just across the street. It’s a busy place for day-trippers with lots of anglers, kayakers, canoeists and picnickers. We watched one older couple gracefully paddling and maneuvering their canoe in the calm lake waters, reminding us of our less-than-graceful canoeing adventure. We didn’t see any meadowlarks at the lake, but the wildflowers were once again abundant… a kaleidoscope of color inviting butterflies and bees to visit. Dragonflies hovered over the grasses at the lake’s edge.
Meadowlark Lake view
Views of the lake against a background of mountains were spectacular. A respectable six mile walk under our belts made relaxing back at camp, sipping wine and eating chips almost guiltless.
Sitting Bull Park
The campground lies on the edge of Sitting Bull Park… not a city park, but rather a natural, expansive meadow surrounded by tall evergreens with snow-dappled mountains in the distance. We set out the next morning to walk a rough, rugged dirt road and explore the park more carefully. Elk thistle, native to the area, studded the meadow midst grasses and more wildflowers. Deep ruts contained puddles of water and butterflies congregated there for baths. The road is used by ATVs and dirt bikes as well as hikers and the dust was nearly suffocating as they whizzed by.
It was late morning when we returned to camp. We pondered staying a few more days then our urge to move on kicked in… it’s hard to overcome… always just a little further. We packed up in no time and were on the road again. We had places to go and rail-trails to ride. Come along with us.