Northern Wyoming News - Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years

THERMOPOLIS - Thermopolis' own Hot Springs State Park was named one of the "absolute best state parks in the U.S." by wideopenspaces.com

HSSP Superintendent Kevin Skates said there are 10,000 state parks across the country and it is great for HSSP to be named in the top 25 on this particular webpage.

"I think it's great. I realize this is just one of thousands of websites but this guy recognizes we're one of the top 25. We work hard to keep it that way," Skates said.

According to the post on the website by Travis Smola, "State parks don't get quite as much love as the National Parks, but there are still some absolute gems out there if you do a little research."

He lists the 25 parks, of which Hot Springs State Park is the only one listed in Wyoming, in no particular order of preference. Smola says of HSSP, the first state park in Wyoming, that with its thermal pools and buffalo it has "something for everyone."

Skates said, "Our No. 1 draw is the mineral water. I think probably the unique thing about it is that our pools use 100 percent mineral water. We don't filter it or use chemicals in any of our water at the bath house, Star Plunge or TePee. Everybody uses 100 percent mineral water and I think that's a big selling point for us."

He added, "The mineral water is very comparable to Yellowstone, but the big thing about our park is that you get to enjoy it, you get to sit in it. You don't have that opportunity in Yellowstone."

Hot Springs State Park, with its picnic shelters, volleyball nets and other amenities, is also a "great place to come and relax and enjoy the day and sunshine. We have a lot of people come and do that," Skates said.

The park also features 17 buffalo, 13 in the pasture and four on T Hill. There is the swinging bridge that allows people to cross above the Big Horn River. Skates said they have seven miles of trails and they try and keep the walkways and river walkway plowed for people to enjoy a brisk walk in the winter.

The author, Smola, lived in Wyoming in 2014, working as a reporter for the Cody Enterprise for a few months. He said he happened to visit Hot Springs State Park just shortly before he left Wyoming.

"I really liked it," he said, adding that he was only able to visit for an afternoon and wished he'd had more time.

He said when he was assigned the story about the parks, he knew since he had lived in Wyoming he had to include one of Wyoming's state parks. He also wanted a variety of parks, parks that were unique and stood out, such as the thermal water at HSSP.

He said uniqueness was one of the reasons he included Hot Springs State Park, just as it was for the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas.

Parks in neighboring states named in the top 25 list include Custer State Park in South Dakota; Makoshika in Montana and Dead Horse Point in Utah.