Day 19-June 19, 2015-To Thermopolis, WY-Casino and Hot Springs
Drove 178 miles in 6-3/4 hours. Yes, we did stop. Needed an extra blanket last night but it got up to 97 during the day.
Long day today, started at 5:15 with dogs barking and a lady yelling at them to be quiet. Then people started leaving the campground, slamming doors, talking, etc. We took route 20/26 which went through not much except snow fences to keep blowing snow off the highway and lots of pronghorn antelope munching on sage brush. At a rest stop they had a sign saying Wyoming had 2/3 of the world’s population of these antelope. I think we saw more antelope than we did people on this stretch of road. At Shoshoni we took a side trip about 25 miles out of our way to the Wind River Casino in Riverton, WY run by the Arapaho tribe. For being new players we each got $5 in free play, $5 for the black jack table and $5 at the deli/snack bar. Because it was Harry’s “birthday month” he got an extra $5 free play and $20 in the restaurant. We played for a while, had a nice, almost free, lunch then played some more and won enough to pay for the campground tonight. Stopped at the deli and got some cookies for dessert.
Drove back 25 miles to route 20/26 which turned into Wind River Canyon Scenic Byway, a 10 mile windy, down hill road which followed the Wind River with 2500’ rock walls on either side. Most of this road went through the Indian Reservation. There were three tunnels, one right after the other, and in the last one we passed a semi going the other way-a bit scary.
Our campground is at the bottom of the canyon and the Wind River has now joined the Bighorn River in the “Wedding of the Waters” and become even faster flowing. We’re in Thermopolis, WY, which has the world’s largest mineral hot springs, a dinosaur museum, a bison herd, a bar that the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid frequented and one stop light.
We were checked into the campground by “Dude”-yes, his mother really did name him that. After we set up we drove about 10 minutes to the Hot Springs State Park-a big park with mineral hot springs pools, a hot tub, a teepee pool (an indoor pool that has a ceiling like a teepee and a slide that comes from outside through the roof and dumps you in the pool), lots of community buildings, a swinging bridge for great views, a bison herd up a huge mountain and all of this is free. The pools are 100% mineral water, (mostley gypsum, but 27 other minerals have been indentified) and people seemed to be enjoying them. The sulfur smell permeates the entire area. The water comes in at 135 degrees but they keep it at between 94 and 106. Supposed to be healing, but we didn’t have time to try them. A lot of roads are underwater in the park and they said they’ve had too much rain too. Drove up the mountain past gorgeous rock formations, saw a llama farm, a cattle ranch and finally found the buffalo just sitting by the side of the road. Only a few of them but we saw them up close and personal. On the way down the mountain we saw a deer that didn’t seem to be at all afraid of us. And the weirdest thing-on the side of a mountain three huge piles of rusted out cars that looked like they had been tossed over the mountain. There was a private road up above where they could have been tossed from. Back to camp for a late dinner. Off again tomorrow.