Family-Friendly

Hobo Hot Springs in Saratoga

This listing covers Saratoga's public Hobo Pool, not Saratoga Hot Springs Resort. The town-run soaking area sits beside the North Platte River. The Carbon County Visitors Council describes it as free, with a published 24-hour, seven-day schedule. The town's facility page reported it open when checked on October 5, 2026. Check that page again before your trip for changes.

Public pool or resort?

The public Hobo Pool and the commercial resort are separate destinations. The resort's published information restricts its pools to eligible guests and members and describes access with spa treatments. Do not use resort booking details, teepee-pool photographs or cleaning schedules to plan a visit to the free public facility.

Finding the public pools

The visitors council places Hobo Hot Springs in Saratoga's City Park on Walnut Street. Approach Saratoga on WY-130 and follow local signs for Hobo Pool. Use designated parking rather than assuming every riverbank pullout is public access. The existing map point is approximate, not a source-verified entrance.

Facilities and posted rules

Restrooms and changing facilities are documented by the visitors council. Bring swimwear, a towel and drinking water. The town requires bathing outfits and prohibits alcohol consumption, tobacco use and glass containers. Its page also identifies the Not So Hot Pool and a picnic area behind Hobo Pool. Ask about any specific accessibility needs before traveling; the presence of a developed pool does not establish every access feature.

The river is not a managed cool-down pool

The North Platte River and its thermal seeps are separate from the public soaking facility. This guide does not recommend entering the river to cool down or infer permission from photographs of rock-lined water. Respect barriers and posted restrictions. A river-side pool can change with flow, and a photo cannot establish temperature, depth or current conditions.

Plan to follow the instructions posted at the pools, including any temporary maintenance restrictions. We have not measured water temperature, verified a lifeguard service or inspected the site in person. For municipal questions, the Town of Saratoga lists 307-326-8335; this is a town contact, not a dedicated pool booking line.

Sources: Town of Saratoga Hobo Pool, Carbon County visitor information, and separate resort pool information.

Hot Springs State Park: the State Bath House

For a free mineral-water soak in Thermopolis, look for the State Bath House within Hot Springs State Park. This is a managed bathing facility, not an invitation to enter the spring source, mineral terraces or Bighorn River. Other pool businesses have their own admission arrangements and operating status.

Outdoor pool construction: confirm before visiting

Wyoming State Parks announced an outdoor soaking-pool closure starting August 24, 2026, with work expected to last about a month. The notice said the indoor pool would remain available during construction. On our October 5 review, the official park page still displayed the August 24 to September 24 closure notice. We did not find an explicit reopening confirmation in the pages checked. Call 307-864-2176 before making a trip specifically for the outdoor pool; an expected completion date is not proof that work is finished.

Bath House hours and fees

The State Bath House is free. A February 2025 announcement extended its schedule to 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday. The August 2026 construction notice repeats those hours, although an older winter-hours panel still lists a 5:30 p.m. closing time. Confirm your intended visit time by phone, particularly in winter or on holidays. Park grounds hours are not the same as pool hours.

Finding the right facility

Reach Thermopolis via US-20 and follow signs for Hot Springs State Park, then the State Bath House. The official park contact address is 51 US Highway 20 North; that address and the general park map point should not be treated as a verified pool entrance. Use designated parking and check for construction detours.

A soak and a day in the park

The park is day-use only, with trails, picnic areas and restrooms. View mineral terraces from designated routes. The park asks visitors watching its bison to remain in their vehicles. Pool temperatures are managed separately from the much hotter spring source, so photographs of steaming water do not identify a bathing area.

Bring swimwear, a towel and drinking water. Ask staff about session limits and any assistance you need. Accessibility improvements were announced for the outdoor pool, but this guide does not certify that the new equipment is installed or available.

Sources: official park information, 2026 pool project notice, and extended Bath House hours. Desk reviewed October 5, 2026; not an onsite inspection.

Granite Hot Springs near Jackson

Granite Hot Springs is a developed, spring-fed concrete soaking pool in Bridger-Teton National Forest. Plan around the access season rather than treating it as a roadside swimming stop. The pool and the nearby creek are different settings; this listing does not recommend entering Granite Creek or the waterfall.

Summer road access and winter travel

Granite Creek Road is the final unpaved approach, approximately 10 miles long. Summer visitors can drive when the road is open. Jackson Hole tourism guidance says the road is closed to cars from November through April, but that is not a promise of opening on a particular date. Check road conditions and pool operation before leaving.

Winter access involves snow travel, such as a snowmobile outing or an arranged dog-sled trip. Independent skiers must plan for the return journey as well as the approach. A guided trip may suit visitors unfamiliar with winter travel here. Transport availability and pool opening are separate things to confirm.

Fees, facilities and what to bring

Call 307-690-6323 for opening hours, admission prices and payment arrangements. We have removed the old 2010 fee rather than presenting it as a usable budget. A dressing room is documented by the local tourism board. Bring your own swimsuit, towel, drinking water and weather-appropriate layers, and ask about any accessibility needs before making the journey.

Camping and trip planning

Granite Creek Campground is a separate Forest Service camping destination in the same corridor. Check its current booking information and notices on Recreation.gov. Do not assume a roadside pullout permits overnight camping. The campground warns visitors to secure food and other scented items against bears.

Check before setting out

This is a desk-reviewed planning guide, not a same-day opening report or a water-temperature measurement. Follow current pool rules and staff instructions. Neither photographs nor a map pin establish present access conditions.

Sources: Jackson Hole hot springs access, local tourism visitor information, and Granite Creek Campground.