American bison may be the most quintessentially western animal — Photo courtesy of Christine Loomis
There’s a deeply rooted romanticism to that time in America when the West was wide open, legends lived large and life was hard, but stunning grandeur and limitless opportunity were everywhere. Nowhere is the authentic American West more enduring than in Park County, Wyoming, nearly 7,000 square miles of quintessential Western landscape, including more than half of Yellowstone National Park. At its heart is Cody, a city fiercely proud of its Western heritage.
Discover Park County on a loop from Cody to the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park, past Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Mammoth Hot Springs, through the park's northeast gate then back to Cody. No need to rush. Take your time and discover Park County's special places.
Here are 12 can't miss sights.
Cody, Wyoming
Vintage cash register on the bar at the Irma Hotel — Photo courtesy of Christine Loomis
Cody, gateway to Yellowstone and a destination in its own right, was founded by William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody, a man who epitomized the Wild West. Take a 60-minute tour on the Cody Trolley for an overview of the town and its history. Bed down at Buffalo Bill’s historic Irma Hotel and belly up to its cherrywood bar, a gift from Queen Victoria in 1900. It doesn’t take much to imagine Buffalo Bill himself striding through the premises.
See the "new West" at By Western Hands, a store celebrating works by contemporary Western artisans.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
Give yourself time to explore these very cool museums — Photo courtesy of Christine Loomis
Buffalo Bill Center of the West houses five museums collectively dedicated to William Cody, firearms, natural history, Western art and Indigenous Peoples of the Plains. Together, they celebrate Western spirit, ingenuity and untamed nature in its many forms. The center offers a slew of tour options from daily tours of each museum, VIP "Tours & Tales" events and after-hours VIP experiences to private, expert-led tours providing a deep dive into one of the museums including access to objects not currently on exhibit.
Old Trail Town
Old Trail Town recreates the dusty, tumbleweed reality of Western life in the early 1900s — Photo courtesy of Christine Loomis
Well-worn boardwalks connect 27 historic buildings in Old Trail Town, where Buffalo Bill laid out the original site for the town of Cody. Check out Butch Cassidy’s Hole-in-the-Wall cabin, Native American artifacts and the historic cemetery – final resting place of “Liver Eating” Johnson – among many exhibits.
Cody Firearms Experience
Experts at Cody Firearms Experience teach visitors to shoot authentic firearms of the Old West — Photo courtesy of Christine Loomis
Test your skill with historic firearms at Cody Firearms Experience, guided by experts who provide historical context. Shoot black powder rifles or try a Colt revolver. If cranking and firing a Civil War-era Gatling gun sounds fun (it is), you can do that, too.
Explore: Why you should visit charming Cody, Wyoming
Heart Mountain Relocation Center
Heart Mountain today is filled with photos like this one of Japanese internees in the 1940s — Photo courtesy of Christine Loomis
This National Historic Landmark tells the stories of the Japanese men, women and children, many of them U.S. citizens, incarcerated here following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Propaganda, fear and prejudice drove the forced imprisonments between 1942 and 1945. Conditions were harsh and the treatment often inhumane. Today, Heart Mountain provides a powerful account of life in this internment camp.
Buffalo Bill Dam & Reservoir
Buffalo Bill Dam & Reservoir is an interesting quick stop between Cody and Yellowstone National Park — Photo courtesy of Christine Loomis
First stop on the drive to Yellowstone – a drive that President Roosevelt called "the 50 most beautiful miles in America" – is Buffalo Bill Dam & Reservoir. If harrowing heights don’t immobilize you, a narrow walkway atop the 350-foot dam demands a selfie. Learn about the dam’s past and present significance and why it’s a National Civil Engineering Landmark in the visitor center.
Shoshone Lodge & Guest Ranch
At Shoshone Lodge & Guest Ranch, riding into the hills is just one activity — Photo courtesy of Christine Loomis
Live the Western lifestyle, if only briefly, at more than a dozen Park County dude and guest ranches, including Shoshone Lodge & Guest Ranch, just three miles from Yellowstone’s east entrance. Family-owned and -run for four generations, Shoshone offers week-long stays in cozy cabins, trail rides, rafting and trips into Yellowstone.
Pahaska Tepee Resort
Two miles from the national park, Pahaska Tepee Resort is an excellent base for exploring the area — Photo courtesy of Christine Loomis
An avid hunter, William Cody built Pahaska hunting lodge in 1904 under towering spruce trees, just two miles from Yellowstone. The original lodge still stands among the cabins and other buildings of Pahaska Tepee Resort. Today, it melds a rustic Western aesthetic with contemporary amenities, including cabin accommodations, a restaurant, lounge and espresso bar. Hike trails Buffalo Bill once did or saddle up and ride them.
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is among the park's most inspiring views — Photo courtesy of Christine Loomis
A thousand feet deep in a landscape of mutable hues, hydrothermal features and plummeting falls, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the river that carved it put the park’s complex geologic history on riveting display. This canyon has inspired artists and photographers for more than a century; stand at Artist Point to understand why, but any view will move you.
Explore: Explore the spectacular scenery of the Wild West on this luxury train
Wolves in Lamar Valley
Seeing a wolf in Yellowstone never gets old — Photo courtesy of National Park Service
Park County provides critical habitat for wildlife, including bears, bison, wolves, mountain lions and moose. Seeing any of them is thrilling, but Yellowstone's wolves with their unfettered wildness and fierce power stirs something deep within us. Lamar Valley offers the best chance to see them.
Stop wherever a crowd with spotting scopes lines the road; wolves are likely nearby. Take a guided ranger tour for in-depth understanding of Yellowstone's wildlife and the complex ecosystems of the West.
Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel
Nature as artist: The travertine terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs — Photo courtesy of Christine Loomis
Three of Yellowstone’s lodges sit in Park County: Canyon Lodge, Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Roosevelt Lodge, along with Fishing Bridge RV Park. All have their attributes and history, but Mammoth, with the multicolored geothermal travertine terraces just outside its doors is my pick. Follow the boardwalk and photograph often.
Chief Joseph Scenic Byway
Canyons and mountains of the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway — Photo courtesy of Christine Loomis
Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, named for the Nez Perce chief who fled through Yellowstone in 1877 in a desperate attempt to save his people from forced removal to a reservation, links the northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park with Cody 80 miles away via Beartooth Highway, Shoshone National Forest and the Absaroka Mountains. Stop and read the interpretive signs along the way.
The American West endures in our history and culture, and it remains a land of stunning grandeur and opportunity. Find it in Park County.