Buffalo Bill Reservoir Springs

Park County, Wyoming · Near Cody
44.4980°N, 109.1930°W · 5,530 ft
Warm 43°F air · Good soaking weather 5,530 ft Open Short Walk SPR Camping nearby (20.3 mi)

Buffalo Bill Reservoir Springs is a warm spring in Buffalo Bill Reservoir State Park near Cody, Wyoming, in Park County. No measured temperature is on file, only that it is warm. The state parks agency owns the land and access is open. The record holds two entries under this name; this is the one closer to Cody, about seven miles out.

Location

North Fork Highway comes nearest, leaving a fifth of a mile to walk. Mid elevation and dry country. Winter snow is moderate. Bobcat-Houlihan Campground, roughly twenty miles away, is the closest camping listed.

No best months are recorded. With no temperature reading there is nothing to say about soaking. State park rules and any park entry fee apply; none is listed specifically. A photo is on file.

Terrain

Aircraft with laser scanners measured this ground to within inches. The scan strips out trees and buildings, leaving the bare shape of the land around Buffalo Bill Reservoir Springs.

Aerial view of the ground around Buffalo Bill Reservoir Springs LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Buffalo Bill Reservoir Springs
Aerial LiDAR bare earth

Drag the handle to compare the two views. The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.

Setting
Canyon floor
Steep ground climbs away on both sides of the spring.
Highest ground nearby
476 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the southeast
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from west to east, about 0.6 miles end to end.

Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.

Heat Below
68 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's close to the US average of 65. It's higher than at 4% of the springs on this site.

Heat flow measures the warmth working its way up through the ground from deep inside the earth. Where it runs high, rain and snowmelt that seep down through cracks in the rock come back up hot.

Heat flow estimate: Stanford Thermal Earth Model (Aljubran & Horne, 2024), CC BY 4.0.

Monthly Climate
21°
Jan
20°
Feb
30°
Mar
37°
Apr
48°
May
60°
Jun
69°
Jul
67°
Aug
57°
Sep
42°
Oct
29°
Nov
19°
Dec
Annual Precip: 19.1 in Annual Snow: 63.5 in
Current Conditions
43°F
Clear SW 20.7 mph 61% Good soaking weather
Tuesday 65° Low 40° Sunny
Wednesday 65° Low 47° Sunny 1% precip
Thursday 70° Low 46° Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 41% precip
Friday 68° Low 52° Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 39% precip
Saturday 65° Low 46° Chance Rain Showers 35% precip
Where to Stay

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Nearby Camping
Bobcat Houlihan Campground 20.3 mi away

The Bobcat-Houlihan Campground is at the trailhead of the Bobcat-Houlihan Trail. It features interpretive kiosks, horse trailer parking, horse hitching rails, food storage boxes and toilet facilities.

Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Mile-High Advisory 5,530 ft

Buffalo Bill Reservoir Springs sits at 5,530 feet above sea level, way above the mile-high mark. You may not feel the altitude strongly, but hot water still dehydrates you faster at elevation. UV is about 22% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.

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Temperature
Warm
Warm Hot Boiling
Avg Air Temp 42°F
Access
Open
Road Access Short Walk
Nearest Road North Fork Highway
Distance to Road 0.2 mi
Land
Ownership State
Agency SPR
Designation State Park
Unit Buffalo Bill Reservoir State Park
Manager Bureau of Reclamation
Protection 3 - Protected, subject to extractive use
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Buffalo Bill Reservoir Springs?
Buffalo Bill Reservoir Springs is classified as warm. An exact temperature measurement has not been recorded.
Where is Buffalo Bill Reservoir Springs located?
Buffalo Bill Reservoir Springs is located in Park County, Wyoming at 5,530 feet elevation, near Cody. Coordinates: 44.4980°N, 109.1930°W.
How do I get to Buffalo Bill Reservoir Springs?
Buffalo Bill Reservoir Springs has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being North Fork Highway (0.2 mi from the road).
Is Buffalo Bill Reservoir Springs free to visit?
Buffalo Bill Reservoir Springs has Open access. It is managed by SPR.
Can I camp near Buffalo Bill Reservoir Springs?
Yes, Bobcat Houlihan Campground is located nearby (20.3 miles away).