Rock Springs, Wyoming

Life in Rock Springs, Wyoming, explained by people who’ve lived in Rock Springs:

*Response format = Answer (Your name, How long you’ve lived in Rock Springs)

Rock Springs Favorites

What’s your favorite thing about living in Rock Springs?

Convenience. (Katie, 9 months)
No traffic! (Jessica, 2 years)
Downtown isn’t boarded up! (Hilary, 4 years)
Nothing. (Lee, 4 years)
It’s small. (Heather, 5 years)
Small enough town, know people and have community spirit, but big enough to provide services and amenities for a good quality of life. (Tony, 5 years)
Cooler summers. (Anonymous, 6 years)
The people. (Jeanne, 9 years)
The college, being near the Gorge and a variety of restaurant choices. (Heather, 15 years)
The recreation space. (Trysha, 16 years)
The small community. (Chloe, 17 years)
The city is trying to make the town look nice in certain areas, the city still looks bad though. (Anonymous, 20 years)
The community. (Marianne, 29 years)
The wide open space. (Paul, 30 years)

What’s your least favorite thing about living in Rock Springs?

Lack of variety of restaurants and things to do with young kids, as they can’t be outside much. (Katie, 9 months)
Lack of restaurants and places to shop. (Jessica, 2 years)
Windy. (Hilary, 4 years)
Everything. (Lee, 4 years)
City council not wanting any big businesses here. (Heather, 5 years)
Wind. (Tony, 5 years)
Cold winters, bad customer service everywhere, dishonest business practices, lack of shopping, lack of sit – down restaurants, morality of school district, bullies with big trucks, should I keep going? (Anonymous, 6 years)
Lack of store variety. (Jeanne, 9 years)
The wind, crime rate and the scenery. (Heather, 15 years)
How distant the people are from each other. (Trysha, 16 years)
The lack of variety. (Chloe, 17 years)
The roads are designed horribly, traffic, not much for shopping, potholes. (Anonymous, 20 years)
Not sure I love it here. (Marianne, 29 years)
Nothing but bars and gas stations. (Paul, 30 years)

What are fun things to do in Rock Springs?

Gym and craft classes. (Katie, 9 months)
Hike. (Jessica, 2 years)
Escape307. (Hilary, 4 years)
Haven’t found them yet. (Lee, 4 years)
Rec center. (Heather, 5 years)
Hiking, exploring, family rec center, flaming gorge. (Tony, 5 years)
Hiking, I guess. Flaming Gorge. Rodeo. Movie theater. Some swimming. (Anonymous, 6 years)
Hiking. (Jeanne, 9 years)
Go to the rec-center, the Gorge or eat good food. (Heather, 15 years)
Paint and hide rocks, take classes at the college or library, and go to the movies. (Chloe, 17 years)
The fair, maybe. (Anonymous, 20 years)
Lots of parks, fun sports, lots of outdoor activities. (Marianne, 29 years)
Fishing, golfing. (Paul, 30 years)

What’s Rock Springs known for?

56 different nationalities- I question this claim a lot. (Katie, 9 months)
Mining. (Jessica, 2 years)
Being a mine town. (Hilary, 4 years)
Meth and dirt. (Lee, 4 years)
Meth. (Heather, 5 years)
Rough and tumble boom days of the 70’s. (Tony, 5 years)
Home of many nationalities. Oil fields. (Anonymous, 6 years)
Rocks. (Jeanne, 9 years)
Being a true wild west town. K-Street, Butch Cassidy, The Chinese Massacre and The Ed Cantrell trial. (Heather, 15 years)
Meth. (Anonymous, 20 years)
To me it’s the people, we have some pretty awesome people. (Marianne, 29 years)
Coal mining. (Paul, 30 years)

What’s the crime like in Rock Springs? (hot spot areas, etc.)

Not sure yet. (Katie, 9 months)
There is not much crime. (Jessica, 2 years)
Some areas have drug issues, but all cities have similar issues. (Hilary, 4 years)
Stay home after dark. (Lee, 4 years)
I don’t think there’s a lot. Some of the trailer park are hot spots. (Heather, 5 years)
People say it’s bad, but I disagree. There is a small group on derelicts, but they pretty much keep to themselves and don’t bother the rest of us. (Tony, 5 years)
Drugs everywhere, domestic abuse. (Anonymous, 6 years)
Drug related or DUI. (Jeanne, 9 years)
I’m from Pinedale, people up there warned me that “Rock Springs was a rough town.” Worst crime areas mostly is in the old part of town but truly it’s all over. (Heather, 15 years)
Lots of DUI’s. (Trysha, 16 years)
Hot spot areas include the trailers out by cruel jacks and the homes by the Astro. (Chloe, 17 years)
It’s all over the place. (Anonymous, 20 years)
It’s got it’s areas of crime like any town but generally a safe place to live. (Marianne, 29 years)
Average. (Paul, 30 years)

Any advice for people moving to Rock Springs?

Don’t. If you enjoy shopping and eating out at different restaurants and like warm weather. Decent childcare is lacking. (Katie, 9 months)
It’s all what you make of it and who you surround yourself with. Welcome to RS. (Hilary, 4 years)
Don’t. (Lee, 4 years)
Give yourself time to adjust. You get out of Rock Springs what you put into it. (Heather, 5 years)
There are lots of opportunities to get involved in the community, and there is something for everyone. Get involved. (Tony, 5 years)
Don’t. (Anonymous, 6 years)
Utilize the College and different programs there is to offer here. (Heather, 15 years)
There is not a lot of shopping, we have stores but they most likely won’t carry what you need, SLC and Amazon will be your friend. (Anonymous, 20 years)
Have an open mind about moving here, it’s not the prettiest but it’s got character and the community here is awesome. We watch out and help each other and that’s the way it’s supposed to be. (Marianne, 29 years)
It’s another world with not a lot to do. (Paul, 30 years)

Share an experience you’ve had in Rock Springs (fun, crazy, dangerous, etc.).

It’s peaceful and the people are great. (Jessica, 2 years)
Married in Train Depot. (Hilary, 4 years)
Most recent memorable experience was when my ex husband and I were stranded out at Boar’s Tusk for 7 hours because our vehicle got stuck. (Heather, 15 years)
I have so many but growing up here swimming at the different Parks was the most fun. (Marianne, 29 years)
Wyoming big show Florida Georgia line concert was epic. (Paul, 30 years)

How do you think Rock Springs will change over the next 10 years?

Hopefully it will grow. (Katie, 9 months)
Hopefully it will grow. (Jessica, 2 years)
Remain the same, with maybe a loss of population from the coal and power plant down turn. (Hilary, 4 years)
It won’t. (Heather, 5 years)
I think we will see continued economic diversification and an increased amount of pride in the community. (Tony, 5 years)
It’s potential is great if old timers and old families that don’t want to see it grow, would step out of the way and let it happen. The oil field doesn’t have to be it’s only economy. Bring in more stores and restaurants. Let it grow. It could do very well. (Anonymous, 6 years)
Hopefully less crime and more curb appeal. Happier people. More to do. (Heather, 15 years)
It will either boom or deplete due to the declining mine jobs. (Chloe, 17 years)
Possibilities are endless. (Marianne, 29 years)
It’ll be a ghost town, the economy here is in the tank. (Paul, 30 years)

Any other interesting facts about Rock Springs?

The history is pretty cool. (Hilary, 4 years)
There’s a lot of really neat history. (Anonymous, 6 years)
Only other place I have felt at home. (Heather, 15 years)
We were on 60 Minutes once. (Chloe, 17 years)
We have a lot of history, learn about it and have fun. (Marianne, 29 years)
The Chinese massacre happened here, the loop tour around the gorge is awesome. (Paul, 30 years)