Thermopolis

Native Americans, particularly the Shoshone, considered Thermopolis's hot mineral springs and surrounding land neutral territory. In 1896 they ceded the ground to the U.S. government as a "gift of the waters," stipulating that the springs remain available for the free use of all people. The springs and surrounding countryside were turned into Hot Springs State Park the following year, and you still take the waters gratis at the bathhouse, but a couple of commercially operated pools in the park charge a fee. A 10- to 15-minute walk west of the state park, the community's historic downtown has undergone a bit of a revitalization in recent years and has a handful of inviting eateries and shops. Thermopolis is also a good base for exploring scenic Wind River Canyon to the south and the Bighorn Mountains to the northeast.