Things to Do in Wyoming

*For a list of Wyoming's top yearly events, click here.

Cheyenne

Cheyenne's Frontier days, every July, is the world's largest outdoor rodeo and western celebration. In the mornings, they have free pancake breakfasts for all takers where the pancake batter is "mixed in a cement truck" so there's enough for everyone. The lines are HUGE…but the people of Cheyenne have this running so smoothly, the line doesn't take long at all. There are parades, rodeos, shopping, crafts, concerts, a frontier town, an Indian village, a carnival with rides, and gunfights in the street!

Terry's Buffalo Ranch is a fun stop nearby, where you can go on a bison tour by train and feed the bison, go horseback riding, there's a kid play area, a petting zoo, and cabins or campsites if you'd like to stay a night or two in the Cheyenne area.

Devil's Tower

Devil's Tower National Monument is a 1200 foot tall volcanic formation in an otherwise flat plains area of Wyoming. Its shape, filled with hundreds of vertical cracks, makes it one of the best places in the world for crack climbing. Besides the climbing fun, it's a good area for hiking and also fishing, in the nearby Belle Fourche River.

You may remember the tower being prominently featured in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, if so, make some mash potatoes and bring 'em with you so you can sculpt away during a climbing or hiking break.

Grand Teton

The Grand Teton National Park covers the 40 miles of peaks of the Grand Teton mountains as well as most of the Jackson Hole Valley. So, you'll likely go through Jackson just before or after the park. Jackson, the town, is in Jackson Hole, the valley. Having never been there before, I had always wondered why the two names were used somewhat interchangeably. Now I know, and so do you.

As for the park, you can enjoy over 200 miles of hiking trails, like Lake Taggart Trail, see moose, bears, and elk, horseback riding, see the overlook pulloffs on Highway 89, boating out into Colter Bay, or floating down the part of the Snake River that flows through the park.

We chose to do the Snake River float, which was beautiful, peaceful, and serene. It was truly an experience not to be missed. Detached from all forms of technology, floating quietly down the river, you could hear every single animal sound and just sit back and soak in the environment around you.

Views of the Tetons from Jackson Lake

Oxbow Bend

Tetons Mountain Range

Tetons above Jackson Lake

Floating down Snake River

Yellowstone

Yellowstone Park is probably the most famous park in the US. Or, at least it's the most famous park that I think of AS a park. Grand Canyon is a park ... but people really just go there to see the canyon. The trails, different viewpoints, and donkey rides are mostly different ways to experience the canyon. Yellowstone, however, is a true park. Hiking, swimming, boating, canoeing, kayaking, wildlife viewing, fishing, biking, camping, horseback riding, skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing.

Then there are ALL of the natural sites and wonders to see! Old Faithful tops that list of course. There are also other geysers, acidic hot springs, like the Morning Glory Pool, mudpots, the Upper Geyser Basin (which is supposed to be great at sunrise, so get up early), and midway geyser basin. This park has the highest concentrated area of hydrothermal features, like hot springs and geysers, in the world. For that matter, HALF the world's hydrothermal features are in Yellowstone! All of these are near each other and the big lodge, aka Old Faithful Inn. Still other sites are Mammoth Hot Springs, Roosevelt Towers, the Grand Prismatic Spring, and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone (2 hrs from the Inn) which includes Artist Point.

Following Firehole Canyon drive, known for great wildlife viewing, you will also find a good swimming spot. Swim? At Yellowstone? The place filled with acid water or water so hot it would immediately boil you? Most of the trails to the various features in Yellowstone have signs at the trailhead with a drawing that looks like a boy scout getting boiled alive as a warning for you to keep an eye on your kids! So, when we went to Firehole Canyon, I made sure we weren't the first people there to get in the water...just to be sure.

There's still more to do in Yellowstone. Don't forget the guided tours and Ranger-led programs like "Canyon Talks at Artist Point." Your child can become a Junior Park Ranger of Yellowstone!

The park has a hotel in each of the major areas of the loop around Yellowstone. Old Faithful Inn and Lodge is in the Old Faithful area in the southwest region. Mammoth Hotel and Cabins is in the Mammoth Hot Springs section in the northwest. Due south, Grant Village Lodge is in Grant Village and near Yellowstone Lake. In the Southwest, you have Lake Lodge and Hotel, also near Yellowstone Lake. Then, about halfway up on the East, you'll find the Canyon Hotel near the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone/Artist's Point. Finally, in the northeast area, Roosevelt Lodge is near Roosevelt Towers.

Animal viewing...Bison and mule deer are all over the place and not too hard to find. Bison seem to enjoy slowly walking down the paved roads with tourists' cars lined up behind them, unable to get around. So, be patient...it could take a while to get from one area to another within the park. Elk can be found anywhere in the park as well, but they aren't as numerous. The best place to find wolves is Lamar Valley. Grizzlies are most common in Lamar Valley and Hayden Valley. Black bears can usually be seen best along the north part of the loop between Mammoth Hot Springs and Roosevelt Lodge. Bears and wolves are harder to spot, they generally only come out at night or at dawn. So, be up early, but be prepared to not see them, it's iffy.