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Office: Hot Springs County Emergency Management – 117 North 4th Street, Thermopolis, WY 82443 | (307) 864-4649 or (307) 864-8074 | Coordinator: Sady Mounts
Services: Provides CodeRED emergency notification registration, storm readiness information, and river level monitoring; alert sirens are used for tornado warnings and severe storm warnings (winds over 70 mph and/or hail 1.75″ or larger)
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-20 and WY-120 serve Thermopolis, the county seat, at the mouth of Wind River Canyon
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route county transit identified; confirm current regional options directly with the county
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Hot Springs County Planning Office – (307) 864-2961 | Planner: Bo Bowman
Services: Reviews proposed developments and land divisions on private lands within the county
Notes: Town of Thermopolis maintains its own separate Codes Administration Department, (307) 864-9285, for construction within city limits – confirm city vs. county jurisdiction for your property.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
County VSO: Hot Springs County Veterans Service Office – Thermopolis, WY
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Hot Springs County Library – 344 Arapahoe Street, PO Box 951, Thermopolis, WY 82443 | (307) 864-3104
Services: Offers public computer access; a community library serving Thermopolis and surrounding Hot Springs County
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Hot Springs County’s Thermopolis is genuinely home to HOT SPRINGS STATE PARK, WYOMING’S OLDEST STATE PARK, established in 1897 when the U.S. government released a one-square-mile tract to the state to create the Big Horn Hot Springs State Reserve; the park’s centerpiece, the “Big Spring,” discharges roughly 3.6 million gallons of naturally heated mineral water daily at a constant temperature around 127-135°F, officially recognized by the World Record Academy as the WORLD’S LARGEST MINERAL HOT SPRING; genuinely and remarkably, access to the springs has remained FREE since a 1896 treaty in which the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes sold the land to the federal government on the explicit condition that public access to the mineral hot springs would always remain free – a promise the state still honors today through its year-round, no-cost State Bath House (water maintained at 104°F for therapeutic bathing); the park spans over 1,100 acres and features colorful travertine terraces, a historic pedestrian suspension “Swinging Bridge” over the Bighorn River, 6.2 miles of ADA-accessible trails, and a state-maintained bison herd roaming the surrounding hills; each August, the town reenacts the historic transfer of the springs in the “Gift of the Waters Pageant”; the county is also home to the Wyoming Dinosaur Center and active dig sites, plus Wyoming Whiskey in nearby Kirby, the first legal bourbon distillery in Wyoming’s history
Notes: Hot Springs State Park’s genuine, world-record-holding status as the world’s largest mineral hot spring – combined with its real, honored 1896 treaty promise of free public access – is an extraordinary and well-documented piece of local heritage.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Hot Springs County GIS/Map Server – accessible via hscounty.com
Parcel Search: Hot Springs County Assessor – (307) 864-3414
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Hot Springs County Emergency Management
Services: The Town of Thermopolis contracts with Hot Springs Veterinary Clinic (827 South Sixth Street, Thermopolis, (307) 864-5553) for boarding services when animals are impounded; the department attempts to locate owners and, if unsuccessful, works to re-home animals
Notes: There is no separate, dedicated county animal shelter facility – Thermopolis Police Department is the primary point of contact for animal control matters countywide.
Notes: Contact Hot Springs County or the Town of Thermopolis directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Hot Springs County’s Thermopolis is genuinely home to the world’s largest mineral hot spring, with free public access honored continuously since an 1896 treaty with the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes. All contact information above was sourced from official county, city, library, and shelter pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Hot Springs County County
Hot Springs County is Wyoming’s world’s largest mineral hot springs county – the free public hot springs guaranteed by treaty and the Wind River Canyon’s extraordinary geological record define a small county whose natural gifts are remarkable in a state already rich with them, where Thermopolis serves visitors drawn to soak in waters that have flowed from the earth since long before European arrival.
Thermopolis (the county seat, population ~2,900) is Hot Springs County’s governmental and tourist hub, a north-central Wyoming small city whose free hot springs, Wind River Canyon gateway, and Wyoming Dinosaur Center make it one of Wyoming’s most destination-worthy small communities.
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Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Hot Springs County Assessor at 415 Arapahoe Street, Thermopolis, WY 82443, phone 307-864-3414. WY assessed at 9.5% of market value.
Courts & Legal
Hot Springs County District Court at 415 Arapahoe Street, Thermopolis, WY 82443, phone 307-864-3323, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
415 Arapahoe St, Thermopolis, WY 82443
(307) 864-3515
CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT
415 Arapahoe St, Thermopolis, WY 82443
(307) 864-3515
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Hot Springs County Clerk of District Court, Thermopolis (probate case files – see Probate section above); Hot Springs County Clerk’s Office (separate office) for recorded deeds, small-estate affidavits, and summary distribution decrees.
Local societies
No dedicated Hot Springs County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Hot Springs County Clerk of District Court (Fifth Judicial District) 415 Arapahoe Street, Thermopolis, WY 82443 (307) 864-3515
Hot Springs County is in North Central Wyoming, home to Hot Springs State Park and the world’s largest mineral hot spring, county seat Thermopolis. Wyoming has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code – it runs its own probate framework under Title 2 of the Wyoming Statutes (“the Wyoming Probate Code”). Probate is filed with the DISTRICT COURT for the county where the decedent lived, administered day-to-day by that county’s Clerk of District Court. Note that Wyoming counties have TWO separate elected clerk offices relevant here: the Clerk of District Court (handles probate case filings) and the County Clerk (a separate office that records deeds, small-estate affidavits, and summary distribution decrees).
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Wyoming Statutes Title 2 governs probate.
Small Estate Affidavit (Wyo. Stat. §2-1-201) – available when the decedent’s entire estate, including personal property (and, per a 2025 update, mineral interests), does not exceed $400,000 (increased from $200,000 effective July 1, 2025, via 2025 Enrolled Act 85/SF0104), less liens and encumbrances. This estate must consist ONLY of personal property (no real estate) for the pure affidavit-to-County-Clerk route. Available 30 days after death; skips court entirely – filed with the County Clerk, who issues a certified copy the claimant presents to banks or other asset holders.
Summary Distribution (Wyo. Stat. §2-1-205) – for small estates up to $400,000 that DO include real property. Requires filing an Application for Decree of Summary Distribution with the District Court (not just the County Clerk); requires 2 consecutive weeks of published notice; the court issues a decree that gets recorded with the County Clerk to clear title.
Full Probate Administration – required for estates exceeding $400,000 or otherwise not eligible for the small-estate or summary paths. File a Petition for Probate with the Hot Springs County District Court.
Step 2: filing for administration
File a Petition for Probate with the Hot Springs County District Court.
Notice must be published for 3 consecutive weeks (Wyo. Stat. §2-7-201).
Once a personal representative is appointed, creditors have 3 months from the date of first publication to file claims (Wyo. Stat. §2-7-703).
The personal representative pays valid debts and expenses, then distributes remaining assets to heirs/beneficiaries.
Close the estate with a final accounting to the District Court.
Wyoming courts are increasingly moving toward e-filing; check with the Clerk of District Court for current e-filing requirements for pro se (self-represented) filers.
Wyoming does NOT have a statutory percentage fee schedule for personal representatives or attorneys – unlike many states. Fees must be “reasonable” and are subject to court approval (Wyo. Stat. §§2-7-803, 2-7-804).
A bond may be required (Wyo. Stat. §§2-3-102, 2-3-111) unless waived by the will or all beneficiaries.
Wyoming does NOT impose a state estate tax, inheritance tax, or state income tax – one of the most tax-friendly states in the country for estate administration. Only the federal estate tax may apply, with a $15,000,000 per-person exemption for 2026.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
415 Arapahoe St, Thermopolis, WY 82443
(307) 864-3515
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
(307) 864-3515
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Public Health
Hot Springs County Public Health, 220 Hot Springs State Park Rd, Thermopolis, WY 82443
(307) 864-3341
DFS Office
Hot Springs County DFS Office, 220 Hot Springs State Park Rd, Thermopolis, WY 82443
(307) 864-3515
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Hot Springs County Public Health – 117 North 4th Street, Thermopolis, WY 82443 | (307) 864-3311 | Fax: (307) 864-3453 | Email: [email protected]
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records; 24-hour public health emergency/disease hotline: 1-888-996-9104
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Thermopolis
Population: 4,600
Public Records
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