Hot Springs County, in Wyoming, sits in USDA hardiness zone 4b — enough range to grow cool-season vegetables, hardy fruit, and warm-season crops that mature before the first hard frost.
On paper, potato, indian paintbrush, cottonwood, and rhubarb all suit these conditions — on the ground, soil, sun, and drainage make the final call.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Hot Springs County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Hot Springs County, so your frost dates and drainage aren't the county average. Enter your address and we'll score 1,112 plants against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Quick Facts
USDA Zones
4b
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Apr 22
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Oct 16
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
1.3M acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Hot Springs County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Hot Springs County
Across Hot Springs County, the ground is predominantly Aridisols, where Razsun-like, Hiland, and Bunkwater are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 6.8–7.8, neutral. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group D soils.
Soil order
Aridisols
Drainage
Well drained
Hydric soils
1%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Hot Springs County
Plants matched to Hot Springs County's USDA zones 4b — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Hot Springs County?
Usually not — gardeners here simply switch what goes in the ground as the season moves. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 25; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 22 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 16 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. The tail of the season still works: sixty-day crops into late summer, quick greens after, garlic last of all.
Growing Challenges in Wyoming
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Extremely short growing season (60-90 frost-free days)
At 60-90 frost-free days, a greenhouse or high tunnel isn't optional equipment — it's where the season actually happens.
Very low rainfall requires irrigation
Drip irrigation under mulch makes scarce water go the distance — build the system before the first bed.
Persistent high winds desiccate and damage plants
Windbreaks first, plants second — a sheltered bed loses a fraction of the moisture an exposed one does.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Wyoming, the University of Wyoming Extension is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Hot Springs County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Hot Springs County — 131 documented sites across 6 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 1 Superfund site. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
There's a meaningful federal record across Hot Springs County — worth a look before you plant food, not a reason to hold back from growing. Proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard. A soil test before new food beds is the sensible precaution here, and the map shows exactly which sites sit where, so you can see what's actually near you.
Sources: EPA, USGS — 1.8M documented sites tracked nationwide across 9 federal source types.
Environmental Intelligence
Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.
Sources Checked
across Hot Springs County
Severity Distribution
across Hot Springs County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Hot Springs County, Nitrate runs higher than the national average — 56 sites nearby. Knowing it is half the work — and it's nothing a thoughtful grower can't plan for.
Nitrate: Nitrate contamination primarily comes from agricultural fertilizer runoff and failing septic systems.
Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).
Check your specific parcel in Hot Springs County
Get exact proximity distances to contamination sources for your specific parcel — plus soil, sun, drainage, and 1,112 plant recommendations.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
Your Specific Parcel Matters
Hot Springs County Average
- ●USDA Zones 4b
- ●Generic soil type for the area
- ●State-average frost dates
YOUR Parcel
- ✓Your exact hardiness zone
- ✓Your SSURGO soil type & pH
- ✓Your sun exposure, cast in 3D
See MY Growing Report
Read your parcel in Hot Springs County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Hot Springs County, Wyoming — soil, sun, drainage, frost risk, and scored plant recommendations.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
Key Growing Facts for Hot Springs County, Wyoming
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 22 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 16 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~177 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 1.3M acres (US Census TIGER 2025)
Zone data: USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Climate data: NOAA NCEI. County boundaries: US Census TIGER/Line 2025.
Frost dates here are the Hot Springs County average. Low spots and tree cover move them by days on any one yard — see your exact frost windows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zone is Hot Springs County, Wyoming?
Hot Springs County sits in USDA hardiness zone 4b, per the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Zones reflect average annual extreme minimum temperatures from 1991–2020 weather data.
Is it too late to plant in Hot Springs County?
Usually not — gardeners here simply switch what goes in the ground as the season moves. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 25; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 22 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 16 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. The tail of the season still works: sixty-day crops into late summer, quick greens after, garlic last of all.
When does frost risk typically end in Hot Springs County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Hot Springs County typically lands around Apr 22, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals — an earlier marker than the light-frost dates many planting charts quote. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost — light frosts can still bite for a few more weeks, so tender transplants usually wait another 2–3 weeks.
How long is the growing season in Hot Springs County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Hot Springs County sees about 177 frost-free days — roughly Apr 22 through Oct 16, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. Tender crops get a somewhat shorter practical window, since lighter frosts reach a few weeks past the hard-freeze dates on both ends.
What vegetables grow in Hot Springs County?
Hot Springs County's zone 4b supports a wide range — strong performers include Potato, Indian Paintbrush, Cottonwood, Rhubarb, and Chokecherry. What actually takes on any one site comes down to its soil, sun, and drainage, and we score each plant against the real conditions at your address.
Which hardiness zone is Hot Springs County, really?
Officially, Hot Springs County sits in USDA zone 4b (USDA PHZM 2023) — but a zone is a 30-year average of winter's coldest night across an area, and it can't see any one yard. A south-facing slope, a tree line, or a low frost pocket can shift a single site by half a zone either way, which is why neighboring gardeners often quote different numbers. We read the conditions at your exact address — soil, sun, slope, and frost — and score 1,112 plants against what's actually there.
Is the soil safe to grow vegetables in Hot Springs County?
The federal record around Hot Springs County is a meaningful one — 131 documented sites — so a soil test before new food beds is a sensible precaution here, not a reason to hold back from growing. Remember that proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard; the contamination map shows exactly what sits where.
Just moved to Hot Springs County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Hot Springs County sits in USDA zone 4b, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Apr 22, with about 177 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 131 documented sites sit on the federal record here, so a soil test before food beds is the smart first step. From there, matching plants to your actual soil and sun is the fun part.
Everything on this page is a Hot Springs County average. Your yard writes its own version — we read soil, sun, drainage, and frost at your exact address. Try it for 14 days — no card required.
Will It Grow Here?
Zone fit is the first question — each answer below reads Wyoming's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.