Wyoming always seemed to be one of those states that wasn’t talked about a whole lot – at least outside of visits to Yellowstone National Park. Last weekend, I went to visit a friend in Bozeman, Montana from Colorado so I spent a fair amount of time driving through Wyoming on the way there and home.

I did have the pleasure of making spending a day in Yellowstone National Park on the way home, which was amazing, albeit crowded. But on my second day of driving back to Colorado I found a hidden gem in the form of hot springs!

The best kept secret in Wyoming? Saratoga Hot Springs.


The Saratoga Hot Springs (aka Hobo Hot Springs or Hobo Hot Pool) along the North Platte River in Saratoga, Wyoming. They’re really nice – on par with hot springs I have visited in Colorado, but the best part is that they’re free and open 24/7.The hot springs consist of two pools, one larger and one smaller, both outside. I consider the hot springs to be a blend of natural and built-up. The ground inside the hot spring pools is made up of sand and small rocks, there are benches made out of stone under the water that are covered in algae – but it didn’t seem dirty at all to me, and there is concrete poured around the pools. There are bathrooms and showers located inside a building that is next to the larger of the two hot springs. Oh, and they’re HOT hot springs! I would estimate that the temperate of the pools was around 107 degrees on the day of my visit.

Another great thing about the Saratoga Hot Springs is that they are so close to Northern Colorado! It’s only a two and a half hour drive from Fort Collins, CO through the gorgeous Medicine Bow National Forest – worth it on it’s own.

saratoga hot springs

Image curtesy of the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce

While there, I was told about some other hot springs in Wyoming called Thermopolis Hot Springs in Hot Springs State Park that I didn’t have a chance to visit this time around but sounded like they were worth checking out. Again, these hot springs are free for the public to use and look absolutely wonderful! Apparently, these hot springs are the world’s largest mineral hot springs.

thermopolis hot springs

Image curtesy of Yellowstonepark.com

I’m looking forward to visiting the Thermopolis Hot Springs the next time I am passing through central Wyoming and visiting the Saratoga Hot Springs again soon since they are so close to my base in Colorado!