What’s so special about the metropolis of Thermopolis? It’s a great place to stay to see several amazing attractions nearby.

Thermopolis is a small city located in central Wyoming. In 2020, its population was 2,725. Its name means “hot city” in Greek. Here’s a view of it in the distance from Hot Springs State Park. Though I didn’t take pictures of the downtown, the sights within and near the city are very photogenic.

As you can see in the photo below, they proudly advertise their hot springs. “World’s Largest Mineral Hot Spring” is spelled out in big white lettering. Visitors can pay to soak in two commercial hot springs or soak for free in the state-owned State Bath House.

We stayed in our campervan for much of our recent multi-state trip, but our driver needed a break, so we stayed in a Thermopolis hotel for a couple of nights.

The Best Western Plus Plaza Hotel is the only hotel in the city allowed to pipe hot spring water into its pool. We’ve stayed here before and it’s a nice place to use as a home base. Note this hotel, on the National Register of Historic Places, does not have air conditioning.

River Bend Bark Park is a big off leash dog park a couple minutes away from the hotel. Our dogs gave it their stamp of approval.

Sights not to miss in and near the metropolis of Thermopolis

Thermopolis has a variety of restaurants and places to shop. One of the well-known businesses, Merlin’s Hide Out, features products made from bison skins.

Since our last visit here, a new brewery has opened. One Eyed Buffalo Brewing Company has sixteen beers on tap. In Bend, where we live, there are thirty breweries nearby so we know a thing or two about beer. We were impressed with the beer we ordered at this brewery and the American-style food.

Visitors can enjoy nature watching, fishing, hunting, hiking, and playing golf while visiting this area. Big events include the Gift of the Waters pageant and Wyoming Discovery Days in August, and the Cowboy Rendezvous PRCA Rodeo, in June.

While staying in the metropolis of Thermopolis last spring, we visited several attractions.

Wind River Canyon Scenic Byway (south of town)

Though we didn’t make any stops here, it’s a beautiful photogenic drive—one of my favorites!

Smorgasbord Rock Collecting Site (south of town)

This site, east of Boysen State Park, contains a smorgasbord full of rocks. You can find tons of beautiful rocks here, lying on the ground everywhere you look. The book, Rockhounding Wyoming, notes you can find “petrified wood, agate, quartz, mica schism, and others yet to be discovered” at this site.

On one of our previous trips here, temperatures reached 126 degrees Fahrenheit, so avoid visiting during the hottest times of the year.

Here’s what I collected at the Smorgasbord in 2023.

Click the links on the following attractions to see my previous posts with more details.

Hot Springs State Park (in Thermopolis)

Hot Springs State Park, in the northeast part of town, is the oldest park in the state. We explored the park by car and on foot. We saw the swinging bridge, white hot springs, several bison and calves, and Teepee Geyser.

Here’s another view of the town from the park. The sign tells of explorers in 1884 mistaking the steam from the hot springs for smoke from fires.

The Wyoming Dinosaur Center (in Thermopolis)

The relatively small building at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center contains an enormous quantity of dinosaur fossils and articulated skeletons on display. It’s a great stop for dinosaur fans of all ages.

The Center is famous for its Archaeopteryx fossil specimen, one of only two on display of the twelve found in the world. You may know this species as the first feathered dinosaur.

The Legend Rock Petroglyph Site (northwest of town)

Legend Rock State Petroglyph Site is a remarkable attraction with over three hundred petroglyphs carved into a quarter-mile long cliff. I’ve seen several petroglyph and pictograph sites in the past, but the number and variety here is AMAZING!

Other attractions in and near the metropolis of Thermopolis include the Safari Club restaurant, Hot Springs County Museum, Wyoming Whiskey distillery, and Boysen State Park.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Cityscapes

Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP) – Photogenic