Snowy Day, Hot Springs

Ahh, it’s June 22, the first day of Summer! So of course, it’s time for our first summer snowstorm! Two days ago it was 84 degrees outside and I was covering the windows of the Airstream with reflective insulation, making the whole thing look even more like a burrito than it already does. But today the high was 47 and we got some snow. It didn’t stick near the trailer, but the mountains and forests nearby got a frosting! Which meant that there was only one place to go… the hot springs!

But first, we drove into Cooke City, MT, for lunch. Not exactly a bustling metropolis, Cooke City lies just outside the Northeast entrance to the park. We had a lunch place in mind, but they were closed today, probably because the seating is outside under umbrellas. But we found a great spot across the street, had lunch, and got to drive through the snowy Lamar Valley twice, there and back. Which was just as well, as we got to see something we’d never seen before: a mother bear digging for bugs in a dead tree while her cubs played in the woods!

Anyway, onward to the hot springs. These are not geothermal features in Yellowstone, they are commercial ventures outside the park and we actually have two to choose from. Yellowstone Hot Springs is closer, but Chico Hot Springs has its advantages too. We go to the springs about twice a week, partly because we enjoy them but also because now that the dorm has filled up, they provide our only opportunity to take a shower.

Today we chose Chico and predictably, they were the busiest we’ve ever seen them! Chico Hot Springs is part of a resort that was founded in 1897. Back then, the springs pool was fully enclosed under a roof, but today, the roof extends only over the small “adults only” pool, which is about 6-10 degrees hotter than the larger pool. There’s also a great bar and grill attached to the pool that offers the same ice cream we serve in the store, but their flavor selection isn’t as good, IMHO.

The resort itself includes a day spa, a beautiful old hotel and cabins, covered wagons you can stay in, horseback riding and fishing. There is also a dining room, a saloon, and an event venue featuring live music several nights a week. We’ve eaten in the saloon and the food was amazing! And we’re hoping to come out to hear some live music some night in the near future. The resort is actually in Pray, MT, which is close to the town of Emigrant, about 30 miles away from the North entrance, and also near the Pine Ridge waterfall trail that we enjoy hiking from time to time. So even though it’s a bit of a trek, there are lots of reasons to love Chico Hot Springs.

Yellowstone Hot Springs is only 7 miles outside the North entrance, so it’s much easier to get to for a quick soak and shower. Unlike Chico, which has two rectangular pools, the pools at Yellowstone Hot Springs are much more naturalistic. There’s the Main Pool, which winds around the property and has sloping ramps to enter. At 96-100 degrees year-round, it’s almost like a nice, hot pond. Nestled within the main pool are the Hot Plunge, which is a blistering 106 degrees, and the Cold Plunge, at 66 degrees. Sixty-six doesn’t sound that bad, but it takes a supreme act of will to submerge yourself for even a few seconds. The rewards for doing so, though, are allegedly that it will jump-start your metabolism and is great for your skin. All we know is that your skin tingles for about 2 minutes once you get back into the main pool.

We also really enjoy the feeling of being surrounded by the mountains at YHS, which isn’t as obvious at Chico because you’re surrounded by the hotel and restaurants. There’s just one thing that’s a little odd about YHS, which is that the gift shop stocks a lot of new-agey spiritual literature that’s all been written by one person, in amongst the flip-flops, t-shirts and sunscreen. Our friends say the springs are run by a cult about a mile down the river whose temple you can see from the road, but who am I to judge? I know they’re not Buddhist, but in amongst their gardens they do feature a beautiful statue of the bodhisattva Quan Yin. So if they are a cult, at least they’re ecumenical. And clean!

One other great thing about having these two springs located kind of near each other is that even though they’re only about 25 miles apart, the weather can change drastically from one location to the other. We went to Chico in the middle of last week, but as soon as we got changed into our suits they cleared the pool due to thunderstorms in the vicinity. So we piled into the truck and headed for YHS, which was completely bypassed by this particular storm and we got a great soak and shower. We used the “free swim” tokens Chico had given us to go back today!

It probably goes without saying that we appreciate the hot springs a lot more on 47-degree days than we do on the days when it’s in the 80’s. But we manage to “tough it out” with cooling beverages and the occasional dip in the cold plunge. And we still count ourselves among the fortunate for having the opportunity to swim in any conditions. Last year, we sat in the pools at YHS and actually watched the snow falling. People wear their winter caps in the pool along with their swimsuits and stay toasty all year round!