Most Wyoming state parks contain an artificial lake, and are used primarily for fishing, boating and camping. The Hot Springs and Sinks Canyon parks are the most unusual, containing a series of hot pools with travertine terraces, and a short section of underground river.

Other Wyoming listings: national parks.

Bear River State Park Grasslands and low hills around the Bear River on the east edge of Evanston, crossed by 3 miles of trails and home to a small herd of bison.

Boysen Dam Boysen State Park Boysen is the largest state park in Wyoming, containing many miles of desert land around the branched shoreline of Boysen Reservoir, between Thermopolis and Riverton in the center of the state. Most activities take place on the water, especially boating and fishing, though the hills around the lake have some interesting geology and can be explored by cross-county hiking. There are five main campsites beside the lake, all with nice views and a scenic setting. Description and Map

Buffalo Bill State Park Lake-based park 12 miles west of Cody along US 14/16/20 - contains Buffalo Bill Reservoir, set beneath hilly land at the foot of the Absaroka Mountains. Offers fishing, boating, camping, and walking along short trails.

Curt Gowdy State Park Small park near Hwy 210 west of Cheyenne - three reservoirs in undulating, partly wooded land at the foot of the Laramie Mountains.

Edness K. Wilkins State Park Developed park beside the North Platte River, 8 miles east of Casper; has various recreation facilities aimed at families and nature lovers.

Glendo State Park Large artificial lake (Glendo Reservoir) on the North Platte River, popular for fishing, boating and camping. The park is reached via I-25 which runs close to the western shoreline.

Guernsey State Park Lake formed by a dam across the North Platte River, enclosed by low hills and scrubland, which are crossed by over 10 miles of hiking trails. The nearest town is Guernsey, along US 26.

Hawk Springs State Park Remote lake with few facilities; a good birding location. Situated east of US 85, near the border with Nebraska.

Rainbow Terrace Hot Springs State Park Wyoming's first state park contains a series of mineralized hot springs that produce over 3 million gallons of water each day, flowing over a colorful terrace of deposited travertine into the adjacent Big Horn River. The park also contains two bathing pools, a few historic buildings, several other unusual geological features, and a section of prairie where a herd of bison roam freely. Access is from US 20, on the north side of Thermopolis. Description and Map | Photographs

Keyhole State Park Lake in northeast Wyoming at the western edge of the Black Hills, and close to Devils Tower National Monument. Boating and fishing available on the lake, plus camping and hiking in the wooded land around the shore.

Seminoe State Park Reservoir on the North Platte River, surrounded by rather barren hills - 30 miles northeast of Rawlins.

The Sinks Sinks Canyon State Park The Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River originates in the Wind River Mountains and is unremarkable for most of its length, but while flowing through a deep limestone canyon near the town of Lander, the waters tumble down a steep bouldery slope into a sizeable cavern then disappear below ground, re-emerging a third of a mile downstream in a calm pool. Named the sinks and the rise, these two features are linked by a pleasant trail and contained within a small state park that also has an informative visitor center, a fish feeding area and a campsite. Description | Photographs | Video