Every state in America has its own symbol, and just as it’s impossible not to associate Florida with sunny beaches and a tropical climate, you can’t help but identify Wyoming with those iconic elements so typical of cowboy country: rodeos, dance halls, endless pastures… It’s true that there’s much more to this state than that, but the most authentic spirit has its roots right here: in the legend of the Wild West and the American frontier, in this unique setting: that of the dizzying peaks of the Rocky Mountains.
In this article, I will try to provide some important information for planning a road trip to Wyoming: what to do, how to prepare for the trip, the most important attractions and the best places to visit, how long to stay, etc. … so let’s start!
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Best things to do in Wyoming
The state is quite large (the ninth-largest in the USA) and from the point of view of tourist attractions, the most popular area is undoubtedly the northwest, which can boast two natural wonders that would make any other state envious: Grand Teton National Park and, above all, Yellowstone National Park, which for many is the US national park par excellence. However, as we will see, there is much more to explore, such as pleasant western-style towns like Cody and Buffalo, the Bighorn Mountains, the unheard-of monolith of Devils Tower that stands in the middle of nowhere, some of the best scenic roads in the United States, and a “cowboy” lifestyle to enjoy, with the possibility of participating in rodeos or, why not, even sleeping on ranches!
Wyoming: places of visit and tourist attractions
So let’s come to the essence of our preparation for a road trip itinerary, the choice of places to visit in Wyoming. I have divided the things to see and do by category, in order to facilitate planning. As for geographic coordinates, feel free to refer to the Wyoming attractions map below:
Wyoming National Parks
Wyoming’s 2 national parks (Yellowstone and Grand Teton) are also the 2 main attractions and tourist destinations in this state. I would say that they are 2 must-see stops, not only for their beauty but also for their position next to each other, which makes it easy to include them in the many possible road-trip itineraries. We have provided specific insights for both of them below:
Unusual and little known natural beauties
While it’s true that the most unusual natural beauty can be found in Yellowstone (especially the Grand Prismatic Spring), Wyoming also reserves many surprises outside of its magnificent park, especially for those in search of the most unlikely shapes and colors that nature is capable of exhibiting. Here are 5 stop-offs that will leave you speechless:
Devils Tower National Monument
This is a striking monolith, protagonist of the film Close Encounters of the Third Kind, a rocky tower that stands alone on an immense prairie, one of the most iconic landscapes of all Wyoming. For information on how to reach and visit it check out our article on Devils Tower.
Hole in the Wall – Red Wall Country
At some point, wandering along the prairies of Wyoming in your car, you may be surprised to find a landscape made of red rock, typical of states such as Arizona or Utah. Do not worry, you have not taken a wrong turn, you are in the so-called Red Wall Country, an area of Johnson County characterized by an immense red wall. Particularly well known in this area is Hole in the Wall, an escarpment that Butch Cassidy and his gang usually used to transport horses and cattle in secret.
Red Desert
In the southwestern part of the state, in the tectonic trench of the Great Basin Divide, you’ll find one of the world’s few high-altitude deserts, featuring sandstone towers, constantly shifting dunes (Killpecker Dunes) labyrinthine canyons, hoodoos (if you don’t know what they are, check out our article on Bryce Canyon) and fossil remains. One of the most unusual yet least explored regions in all of Wyoming.
Intermittent Spring
Located at the foot of a mountain just outside of Afton on the Wyoming/Idaho border, Intermittent Spring (also known as Periodic Intermittent Spring), is a true rarity, one of only three springs in the world that start and stop their water flow every few minutes. The reasons for this strange phenomenon are still unknown.
Hell’s Half Acre
This half-acre of hell’s land near the town of Casper is larger than its name implies (a whopping 300 acres!) and looks like a geological landscape from another planet, featuring jutting rocks, pinnacles, caves, and bizarrely colored, layered valleys, similar to what you might see at Badlands National Park or Death Valley‘s Artist Palette. To learn more you can read our tips on how to visit Hell’s Half Acre.
The Canyons of Wyoming
Wyoming also has its Grand Canyon and it is the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, but scattered here and there through the state, there are also other fascinating chasms, that can give you goosebumps. These are Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, on the Utah border, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, in the north of the state, not far from the Montana border, and Wind River Canyon, in the central part of the state, near the town of Thermopolis.
Crystal clear lakes, lush valleys, green forests and wildlife
The most distinctive feature of Wyoming’s nature is its ability to alternate between its high peaks and lush green valleys, such as Star Valley, where the Mormon church known as Star Valley Temple stands. The state’s most beautiful lakes, in addition to those inside the national parks, are Seneca Lake and Green River Lakes, while near Grand Teton you will find the beautiful Bridger-Teton National Forest. These are ideal places for admiring Wyoming wildlife, consisting of so many animal species, especially bison, elk, deer, antelope, and bears.
The most interesting Wyoming towns
In Wyoming forget the big cities. You will find mostly small towns, each with its own references to the Wild West era. Of these, Cody deserves a special mention. Here you will find the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, the largest national collection of items from the Old West, with 5 separate museums: the first dedicated to Buffalo Bill, the second to the life of Native Americans, the third to art, the fourth to firearms and the fifth to the area’s wildlife and geology. Even more interesting is the Old Trail Town, an open-air museum that reconstructs a western town using only original buildings that have been imported from various parts of America.
The other major town in the western region is Jackson, located close to the mountains and an ideal outpost for visiting Grand Teton. Its symbol is the Town Square Arch, made entirely of elk antlers. For a rural settlement of the West, Jackson is home to a surprising number of galleries, boutiques, and elegant hotels. To learn more, read our article on how to visit Jackson.
Moving east we find Thermopolis, the town that is home to Hot Springs State Park, a hot spring where you can soak in a nice bath without paying a dime, pleasant Buffalo, whose Main Street still reminds you of the town’s western past, and Cheyenne, the capital, where you’ll find some interesting museums, such as the Wyoming State Museum (about the Wild West) and the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum (about the history of the railroad and the myth of the frontier).
Finally, one of the best things to do in Wyoming is to visit its ghost towns. 2 suggestions? Nevada City and Bannack.
Sites of historical interest
Wyoming doesn’t just offer natural beauty; it also has some historically interesting sites, such as Fort Laramie National Historic Site, an important trading outpost during the 19th century, Wyoming Frontier Prison, a 1901 prison open for tours and guided tours, the Medicine Wheel, a mysterious primitive monument in the Big Horn Mountains made of flat stones arranged in a circle to form a 28-spoke wheel, and Fossil Butte National Monument, where you’ll find some of the world’s best-preserved fossils (including fish, insects, plants, reptiles, birds and mammals).
Wyoming Bizarre Attractions
There is no shortage of weirdness in the USA, and Wyoming is certainly no exception! The list of strange and weird places of interest is endless, but if you are interested in this kind of attraction, try not to miss the ghost towns of Lost Springs (3 inhabitants) and Buford (1 inhabitant, with adjoining Tree in the Rock), the Smith Mansion, a rather enigmatic yet far-fetched construction, the Greater Green River Intergalactic Spaceport, interesting only if you are fond of UFOs or conspiracies about them, Ames Brothers Pyramid, a pyramid-shaped monument that reflects the ego of the Ames brothers, who financed the construction of the first transcontinental railroad.
Bear in mind that there in many of these sites there is not that much to see, so I would suggest you visit them if you find them along the road, just out of curiosity. Driving miles and miles to see an abandoned house or a road sign in the middle of nowhere may leave you a little disappointed.
Cowboy life? Rodeos and country dancing
If you want to unleash your inner cowboy and aren’t content with sleeping on a ranch, you could choose to go to a rodeo. How? On this page, you will find all the opportunities for watching a rodeo in Wyoming. Don’t miss the opportunity to listen to a live concert of country or bluegrass music either. Just enter one of the many saloons that you will find in the towns on your route and take part in the locals’ line dancing. For a list of the state’s historic saloons check out this article.
Visit Wyoming: how to plan a road trip
Distances should not be underestimated. I suggest you use the interactive map above to calculate the routes between the main things to see in Wyoming, as it is a good starting point for organizing your itinerary. Here are some actual directions:
How to search for flights to Wyoming: the airports to select
In Wyoming there are a few airports in the main towns, one of which is also international (Natrona County International Airport in Casper). However, to get there, you will have to be prepared to take flights with 2 stopovers of at least 20 hours (probably more). Therefore, the best option is often an airport in the 2 bordering states:
- Salt Lake City Airport in Utah (near the southwest area of the state), is especially suitable for those who want to visit Yellowstone and Grand Teton.
Search flights to Salt Lake City
- Denver Airport, in Colorado (near the southeast area of the State), is advisable in particular for those who, besides Wyoming, want to visit the beauties of South Dakota, especially Badlands National Park and Mount Rushmore
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How long to stay in Wyoming
This question is not an easy one to answer, especially given the fact that, when planning your tour, you will likely be enticed by the possibility of exploring the sights of neighboring states (e.g. Idaho Falls, Scottsbluff in Nebraska, the aforementioned attractions in South Dakota, or a few sights in Montana, from Bannack to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument). Given the size of the state, the miles to cover, and the many things to see, I would say that you should allow at least ten days, although I would personally recommend 15.
Where to stay in Wyoming
In Wyoming, you will find all types of accommodation, from hotels to motels, B&Bs, and hostels, but to fully experience the atmosphere and lifestyle of this state you should consider spending at least one night in a ranch or at least in a lodge, a typical rustic mountain accommodation, made from wood and full of the inevitable stuffed animals. For a list of this type of accommodations throughout the state, take a look at this page.
To save a little money, on the other hand, here is a list of 2/ 3-star hotels with excellent reviews by guests, so you can realize what prices are going to be: list of cheap accommodation in Wyoming.
However, I also recommend you read our recommendations for individual cities that you can find for example in the article on where to stay in Yellowstone and Grand Teton.
