The Star Plunge
The Star Plunge
4.5
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
About
Hot Springs Water Park Year Round, Open Daily, 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM 2 Large Pools,2 Hot Tubs, 3 Water Slides, Vapor Cave, 3 Jacuzzis, 2 Baby Pools, 10 foot High Jump, Weight Room, 2 Tanning Beds, Game Room, Gift Shop, Sack Bar
Duration: 1-2 hours
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See what travellers are saying
- PhillipABukowski217 contributionsLots of fun at the Star PlungeThis is the better of the two pay pools in Thermopolis. We felt the place was clean and well maintained. Staff was friendly. There was a ton of space in the pools for our kids to play. Fair warning though. After swimming here getting into any pool below 90 degrees is a really sad experience.Visited September 2023Travelled with familyWritten 11 November 2023
- Julie MDenver, Colorado35 contributionsMake this a stop on your road trip!I love hotsprings and had to add this stop to our Yellowstone road trip. We made a pit stop at both Star plung and the Hotsprings Park. You don't want to miss either, especially the bison! For around $15 a person, you can go all day. I enjoyed the water while my husband and boys enjoyed the watersides. Don't mill this Wyoming gem❤️Visited June 2024Travelled with familyWritten 21 June 2024
- Jerri LJohnston, Iowa4,129 contributionsAmazing hot baths! Take the plunge!While visiting the hot springs state park we chose to take the plunge at Star Plunge. The outdoor area and overall look was inviting - beautiful flowers, clean area - we were drawn in! The desk staff were most helpful and kind checking us in, giving us information and answering questions and it added to our satisfaction with our choice. We paid for lockers, changed and looked around. The indoor pool had some younger kids, the cave saunas were not too busy, but we were drawn outdoors to the fresh air and hot baths. We soaked in the hot tub then moved into the pool where I took the big plunge from the high board. The entire experience and time was absolutely relaxing and rejuvenating and we were glad we gave it the time.Visited August 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 6 August 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
833 reviews
Excellent
619
Very good
125
Average
57
Poor
19
Terrible
13
Gia Swasey
1 contribution
Jun 2021 • Family
First thing. I’m a local but travel
For work and have my children here with my family year round. I traveled 2000 miles anxious the whole time to come to star plunge and play with my kids. I’m now regretting that. First thing, girl at front, “Lea” or “ lee according to a lifeguard... how does the staff not know each other?? Anyways, rude AF. Not only did they raise their prices but some chick had to act like I’m inconveniencing her by paying money to go
In. This is the last time. You just lost the business of a family of 7 that’s local and everyone on my blog, currently over 27,000. I’ve advised that I was looking forward to this but you may as well use any of the other bathhouses instead... it’s not worth it to be angry and sitting here hating the experience.
For work and have my children here with my family year round. I traveled 2000 miles anxious the whole time to come to star plunge and play with my kids. I’m now regretting that. First thing, girl at front, “Lea” or “ lee according to a lifeguard... how does the staff not know each other?? Anyways, rude AF. Not only did they raise their prices but some chick had to act like I’m inconveniencing her by paying money to go
In. This is the last time. You just lost the business of a family of 7 that’s local and everyone on my blog, currently over 27,000. I’ve advised that I was looking forward to this but you may as well use any of the other bathhouses instead... it’s not worth it to be angry and sitting here hating the experience.
Written 10 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Suedester
Gretna, NE44 contributions
Jun 2022 • Friends
Former lifeguard here. The 1980’s (maybe even 1950’s) called. It wants its water park back. Does Wyoming have any water safety regulations? If so, does anyone enforce them? This place would fail miserably.
The women’s locker rooms are adequate, with curtained off changing rooms, three showers, only two bathroom stalls, and lockers to store things. The men’s was out of hot water and brimmed with athlete’s foot and every other bacteria under the sun.
The front desk made it very clear that shoes are not to be worn on the pool deck at all. Yet every lifeguard, save the one seemingly most competent (more on that shortly), was not only wearing socks and shoes, but were fully dressed. Three men, two who I would not want attempting to save anyone, nor do I have any belief they would notice anyone drowning, did not look in the least bit ready, willing, or capable of performing anything remotely resembling life saving actions. One young man had ear pods in. I find it hard to believe any one wearing a lifeguard shirt was properly trained, save the one girl who was at the bottom of the largest slide.
Speaking of the slides, all three look as if a cleaning product has never touched them. The small outside one was stained from side to side the entire way down. The lack of adequate lifeguards was obvious when a parent sent their small toddler (maybe 18 months) down the slide in her baby float, which promptly flipped over, putting the tiny child underwater. Thankfully the father was there to flip the child over. Zero regulation. Rules state one rider at a time, kids were going down together, backwards, not on their back or feet first. The fact that the combination of zero supervision and zero enforcement hasn’t resulted in serious injury or death is mind boggling.
The indoor slide had a mold covered stairway (that didn’t have a single rail) with no one at the top, or bottom, supervising. While I appreciate the “slide at your own risk”, not having anyone there is not sufficient. There is a pulley system that relies on the person exiting the slide to pull on a rope with a buoy tied to it, which then moves the rope and buoy at the top of the stairs, signaling the person at top that they can slide. The pool at the bottom is incredibly shallow and the dip from the slide to the pool is enough to make it a hazard.
The outside large slide has the same rusted metal, thin supports that were originally used when it was first installed. The walkway to the top is an absolute nightmare. Narrow, uneven concrete path with again, zero rails or anything to keep people from falling. Zero stairs, a really steep slope, and again, amazed that no one has been seriously injured.
All that said, three of my four kids enjoyed it. The concept is great and the water was amazingly warm. Sulfur smell was definitely present, requiring a shower before departure.
The women’s locker rooms are adequate, with curtained off changing rooms, three showers, only two bathroom stalls, and lockers to store things. The men’s was out of hot water and brimmed with athlete’s foot and every other bacteria under the sun.
The front desk made it very clear that shoes are not to be worn on the pool deck at all. Yet every lifeguard, save the one seemingly most competent (more on that shortly), was not only wearing socks and shoes, but were fully dressed. Three men, two who I would not want attempting to save anyone, nor do I have any belief they would notice anyone drowning, did not look in the least bit ready, willing, or capable of performing anything remotely resembling life saving actions. One young man had ear pods in. I find it hard to believe any one wearing a lifeguard shirt was properly trained, save the one girl who was at the bottom of the largest slide.
Speaking of the slides, all three look as if a cleaning product has never touched them. The small outside one was stained from side to side the entire way down. The lack of adequate lifeguards was obvious when a parent sent their small toddler (maybe 18 months) down the slide in her baby float, which promptly flipped over, putting the tiny child underwater. Thankfully the father was there to flip the child over. Zero regulation. Rules state one rider at a time, kids were going down together, backwards, not on their back or feet first. The fact that the combination of zero supervision and zero enforcement hasn’t resulted in serious injury or death is mind boggling.
The indoor slide had a mold covered stairway (that didn’t have a single rail) with no one at the top, or bottom, supervising. While I appreciate the “slide at your own risk”, not having anyone there is not sufficient. There is a pulley system that relies on the person exiting the slide to pull on a rope with a buoy tied to it, which then moves the rope and buoy at the top of the stairs, signaling the person at top that they can slide. The pool at the bottom is incredibly shallow and the dip from the slide to the pool is enough to make it a hazard.
The outside large slide has the same rusted metal, thin supports that were originally used when it was first installed. The walkway to the top is an absolute nightmare. Narrow, uneven concrete path with again, zero rails or anything to keep people from falling. Zero stairs, a really steep slope, and again, amazed that no one has been seriously injured.
All that said, three of my four kids enjoyed it. The concept is great and the water was amazingly warm. Sulfur smell was definitely present, requiring a shower before departure.
Written 5 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hike2dy
Hillside, CO95 contributions
Jan 2021 • Family
We took a 3 hour detour to visit this long time favorite of our now 3 generation star plunge visiting family only to be disappointed by lack of Covid protocol. We called before we came here to see what they were doing. We were told masks were required in all areas except in the water. We asked about capacity and the guy laughed and said they’d never even come close to full capacity and since it had never been packed when we visited before we believed it would be like past visits. We were disappointed. The parking lot was packed all day (we drove by several times), nobody entering or exiting were wearing masks and the outside pool was packed. All we could think of was super spreader event. We are so disappointed.
Written 4 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dorothea
4 contributions
Aug 2022
In general, the whole place seems outdated and somewhat dirty. Especially the shower cabins are not up to standard. The towels we rented were dirty and had stains (presumably rust) on them.
You can get scratches in the Thunder Run slide because it is very bumpy. Additionally, there was rust in the slide and the stairs to it seemed to be in a poorly maintained condition.
The big Star Plunge Slide, with which the pool advertises (it's also its name) was closed, although the website said it would be open until Labor Day. This slide was the original reason to visit. The receptionist mentioned that there were only two slides open, one of which turned out to be a toddler slide and the other one was the above mentioned Thunderrun. Our kids were very disappointed.
The roughly $100 we paid for a family of five (including the rent for towels and lockers) were definitely not worth it.
We do not recommend a visit.
You can get scratches in the Thunder Run slide because it is very bumpy. Additionally, there was rust in the slide and the stairs to it seemed to be in a poorly maintained condition.
The big Star Plunge Slide, with which the pool advertises (it's also its name) was closed, although the website said it would be open until Labor Day. This slide was the original reason to visit. The receptionist mentioned that there were only two slides open, one of which turned out to be a toddler slide and the other one was the above mentioned Thunderrun. Our kids were very disappointed.
The roughly $100 we paid for a family of five (including the rent for towels and lockers) were definitely not worth it.
We do not recommend a visit.
Written 10 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cam9999
Tucson, AZ9 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
This place is disgusting. It needs a lot of work and a lot of cleaning. It was $15.50/adult to go in and once we went in I was thinking I should go get a refund. We weren't allowed to wear our shoes in the pool area and now I'm waiting for a bad case of athlete's foot. They have a vapor cave and we tried going in, but the snell was so strong, I turned around immediately- i do understand it was the sulfur, but the condition of the floors and was was terrible and filthy. The slides looked Luke they needed to be replaced. The shower area had huge hairballs on top of the drain. It was just gross.
Written 5 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Candi S
49 contributions
Aug 2023
This is the best place to get in the water at Hot Springs State Park. The tube slide was closed but the mat slide was fum. The other areas are good too. The lifeguards were friendly and informative. Front desk help was rude multiple times. We bought all day tickets and left to go to lunch but when we returned they were closed down because of a technicallity. Bummer!!
Written 18 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jerri L
Johnston, IA4,129 contributions
Aug 2024 • Friends
While visiting the hot springs state park we chose to take the plunge at Star Plunge. The outdoor area and overall look was inviting - beautiful flowers, clean area - we were drawn in! The desk staff were most helpful and kind checking us in, giving us information and answering questions and it added to our satisfaction with our choice. We paid for lockers, changed and looked around. The indoor pool had some younger kids, the cave saunas were not too busy, but we were drawn outdoors to the fresh air and hot baths. We soaked in the hot tub then moved into the pool where I took the big plunge from the high board. The entire experience and time was absolutely relaxing and rejuvenating and we were glad we gave it the time.
Written 6 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
B Green
Santa Rosa, CA22 contributions
Jun 2020
Makes a body feel so good and the folks that work there are a joy. Lots of warm pools. Didn’t try the steam cave yet but hopefully will someday. Can’t wait to bring our grandkids here to use the slides and jumping board. The Star Plunge is close to the park’s roaming buffalo and Wyoming’s dinosaur center too. I want to experience the outdoor hot tubs when it’s snowy. What a bargain, $10 for seniors for the whole day (we got hand stamped went back at night). Don’t miss this place.
Written 15 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
brittineyb626
Gillette, WY7 contributions
Mar 2022 • Family
The facility was clean. The pools seemed well taken care of. The locker room/shower rooms could be updated but overall nice. The kiddie pool for Littles was nice and sectioned off. The water was nice and warm. Loved seeing all the hanging plants. The only downfall was the indoor slide had ice cold water! And because of the time of year we didn't get to experience the outdoor big slide or hiving board. But it's understandable. Will be going back for sure!
Written 8 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Teammilitello
Des Moines, IA2,792 contributions
Jul 2021 • Family
The highlight of our trip to Thermopolis. The warm water felt great. The kids loved the water slides. We spent 2 hours here. Got a smashed penny, too, as a souvenir. We walked from there around the State Park on a boardwalk to see some geysers.
Written 8 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Are the water slides open in winter?
Written 16 March 2017
Dani P
Thermopolis, Wyoming
There are two of the three water slides open during winter. The big water slide outside is open from May to August I believe.
Written 23 December 2017
What is the radon exposure in the star plunge?
Written 11 March 2017
radon is a element Rn odorless tasteless gas with an atomic #86. is very low content in this mineral water.
Written 14 March 2017
Is the pools open on Thanksgiving day?
Written 5 November 2016
Are the pools and spas handicap accessible? Are there food and beverage services? Do you accept credit cards?
Written 13 July 2016
The main pool has a ramp that would allow for most handicap accessibility. The outdoor pool also has a ramp. Neither have a lift however that I noticed. The have a few snacks available but not a full snack bar. However there are restaurants a few minutes drive away (Thermopolis is a very small town) and you are allowed to come and go all day without paying extra. As of our visit (March 2016) they did not accept credit cards, cash only.
Written 13 July 2016
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