You Know Nothing, Jon Snow

This morning I woke up with a simple plan: drive down to Thermopolis, visit the hot springs, enjoy a proper shower afterward, and call it a day. It was only about an hour away and seemed like a good excuse to get out and explore something different.

One of the things that makes Thermopolis unique is that when the land was transferred from the Native tribes to the state, the treaty required that part of the hot springs remain open to the public forever. Because of that, there is still a free bath house available for anyone to use. Considering how many hot springs around the world have been turned into expensive spa experiences, I thought that was pretty cool.

After visiting, I'm also very glad it was free.

The entire area smells like hot garbage and dinosaur farts.

The drive there was spectacular, though. It starts through the reservation before reaching the reservoir that feeds into the river. A dam sits at the entrance to Wind Canyon, and from there the road winds through some of the most dramatic scenery I've driven through so far.

It was also oddly intimidating.

The canyon walls rise up on all sides, the road twists constantly, and despite the sharp curves the speed limit remains surprisingly high. Outside of a few tunnel sections carved directly into the mountainside, where they slow you down to about 45 mph, you're often doing 70 with only a suggested speed of 55 around many of the turns. It's beautiful, but there were definitely moments where I felt very small surrounded by all that rock.

Much of the drive follows the river. The water moves fast, weaving around enormous boulders that have clearly broken loose from the surrounding mountains over the years. Signs warning drivers about falling rocks appear everywhere, which I found mildly amusing. At 70 mph, I'm not entirely sure what anyone expects me to do if I happen to notice a boulder falling out of the sky, but I appreciated the warning nonetheless.

Once I arrived, I spent a little time driving through the state park. They have a herd of bison there, but at this point in my trip I've seen so many bison that my reaction has shifted from "WOW!" to "Yep, that's another bison."

The staff at the bath house were incredibly friendly and helpful. Since it was my first visit, they gave me the full orientation: the benefits of the mineral water, the recommended soak times, and why they limit visitors to 20 minutes in the pools.

According to them, most of the benefits happen during the first 15 minutes. Beyond that, you're mostly just stressing your body and increasing cortisol levels. They also recommended not showering immediately afterward, since your skin continues absorbing minerals as your body cools.

The pools are kept around 106°F and are fed continuously by the spring water.

One thing I learned today is that I apparently know nothing about hot springs.

Thanks to a lifetime of movies and TV shows, I had somehow convinced myself that hot springs were basically nature's bathtubs. You find one, hop in, and enjoy the warmth.

Turns out that, much like Jon Snow, I know nothing.

Most natural hot springs are actually far too hot for humans to sit in safely. The water either needs to mix with cooler water naturally or be managed like it is here. Otherwise, most springs are hot enough to cause serious burns in a matter of seconds.

My first soak was fantastic.

Afterward, I had a couple of hours to kill before I could do a second soak, so I headed out to explore the trails around the park. Being the genius that I am, I left my sunscreen in the van and completely ignored the fact that the Wyoming sun hits a little differently at higher elevations.

Two hours later I had acquired a mild sunburn.

Nothing serious, but definitely enough to remind me that I am not, in fact, immune to ultraviolet radiation.

The walk itself was beautiful. I followed several trails, crossed the floating bridge, wandered through the old cemetery, and visited a historic lookout point where an early explorer spotted steam rising in the distance. Thinking it might be smoke from Native campfires, he climbed to investigate only to discover it was actually the hot springs.

The entire area is full of interesting history, and I really appreciate that it remains accessible to the public.

My second soak was... less magical.

The first one happened while the morning air was still cool. By the second round I was already overheated from hiking, slightly sunburned, and generally baked by the afternoon sun. Sitting in 106-degree water no longer felt relaxing. It felt like voluntary suffering.

I dutifully completed my twenty minutes and then immediately headed for the showers.

After spending the day marinating in mineral water that smelled like a dinosaur had died in a swamp, that shower felt glorious. I took my time, scrubbed off every trace of sulfur, and enjoyed the luxury of standing under cool running water for far longer than was strictly necessary.

By around 4 p.m. I was exhausted. Between the soaking, the hiking, the sun, and the heat, my body felt wonderfully heavy and completely relaxed. I grabbed a soda water and an iced coffee from McDonald's before starting the drive back.

This time I stopped frequently along the river. On the drive in I had been focused on getting to Thermopolis, but on the way back I took my time. I pulled into overlooks, admired the river, checked out the dam, and simply enjoyed the scenery.

Now I'm back in my familiar Walmart parking lot as the evening cools down. One thing I'm especially grateful for here is how comfortable the nights remain. Even when the days get hot, temperatures still drop into the 50s after sunset, which makes sleeping in the van incredibly pleasant.

Tomorrow should be fairly low-key. I'll call the auto body shop to see whether the parts for my van have finally arrived. Depending on shipping, they could show up tomorrow or Thursday.

In the evening, though, I have something a little more interesting planned.

There's a Pride event in the next town over called the Houlihan Narratives, featuring storytellers sharing experiences about queerness, nature, and the outdoors. It sounded like a unique event and a good excuse to spend some time exploring a town I've been hearing good things about. Apparently it has a strong arts community and plenty of character, so I'm looking forward to wandering around and seeing what I find.

For now, though, I'm content to enjoy a cool Wyoming evening and let the hot springs work whatever magic they're supposed to be working.Read more