Places to visit in Wyoming offer breathtaking natural beauty and unforgettable adventure. That is making it one of the most scenic states in the U.S. It offers from towering mountain ranges to serene lakes. The Wyoming’s landscapes will leave you mesmerized and ready for exploration.
When I read about Wyoming’s geography, its multiple attractions led by the Rockies (image above), and poured over the state’s tourism statistics, I concluded it is one of the under-visited states in America.
I wonder why the state’s authorities are not taking active steps to promote tourism in a massive way.
After you have completed this post, you will tend to agree with me. Not only that, but you will also plan your next vacation in Wyoming.
The state capital is Cheyenne. It is one of the coolest cities in the United States, sitting at an altitude of 6,100 feet!
The state’s major attractions include:
- Rockies Mountain Range
- Yellow Stone National Park
- Aerial Tram ride in Jackson
- Jackson Hole Valley
- Grand Teton National Park
- Devils Tower
23 Breathtaking Places to Visit in Wyoming for an Unforgettable Adventure!
Let us begin our tour of the major places to visit in Wyoming.
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Devil’s Tower
5100 feet is the height of this ‘butte’, (a vertical, steep, solo hill). It is seen 14 km from Hulett town in the region of Black Hills.
It’s an important national monument that is not to be skipped. In addition, it is the United States’ first national monument.
There is an interesting folklore behind the formation of this giant, steep, and bald rock. Subsequently, four more stories were chronicled behind the creation of Devils Tower.
I find all of them fascinating.
In spite of the difficult access, adventure-travellers try to climb the rock. Some climbers succeed,
The remoteness of the landmark is a habitat to some wildlife, especially the bald eagles that dwell in the rock crevices.
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Black Hills
This is a long mountain range that begins from South Dakota and extends into the state of Wyoming. Its summit is measured and found it to be 7200 feet high.
The nature lovers’ haven, Black Hill National Forest is within the mountain range. It occupies a staggering 1.25 million acres! Imagine the diverse flora and fauna that make up the forest.
The great American Bison is the star attraction that pulls thousands of tourists to Wyoming.
Hikers have spotted many species of snakes, squirrels, and woodpeckers.
Black Hills and the Black Hills National Forest are two wonderful places to visit in Wyoming because of the above said reasons and a few more spectacular attractions nearby including:
- Wind Cave National Park
- Bear Butte State Park
- Custer State Park
- Jewel Cave National Monument
With hot springs and a couple of hill resorts, tourism is a thriving industry in and around the Black Hills Mountain Range.
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Grand Teton National Park
What you see in the photo is the 64 km long Teton Mountain Range. As part of the Rockies, the region is beautiful, with snow caps, and lovely meadows.
The Grand Teton National Park is located just a stone’s throw away from the highly-visited Yellow Stone National Park.
Numerous wild animals, and mountain birds draw tourists in large numbers.
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Jackson Hole
It’s a fertile valley within the Grand Teton National Park. Anyone can get down as the valley is not amidst a steep gorge.
The valley’s river, mountain streams, and wildflowers make the place dreamy and romantic.
Among the wildlife, the fearsome and powerful elk is easily spotted.
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Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
The Grand Teton Mountain Range is part of the Rockies, that begins in Canada. Throughout its range, it snows heavily, making way for skiing adventure to be available.
Wherever skiing is possible, a resort comes up quickly offering boarding, lodging, skiing lessons, and renting out skis and accessories.
The nearest city is Jackson. The resort boasts of high demand due to conditions that are conducive for some steep skiing.
For the sake of children and other family members that accompany you to the ski resort, the spectacular aerial tram ride exists.
Oh my God! The view is simply sweeping. They are also useful to bring the skiers to the starting point of skiing, located at over 10,000 feet!
The cable tram ride lasts only 12 minutes, but the adventure is absolutely memorable.
During the off season (non-snowing period) also, the resort’s booking is full because of the availability of numerous activities such as the scary bungee jumping, mountain biking, mountaineering, and paragliding.
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Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest
Don’t you think this one scene is worthy of making the list of breathtaking places to visit in Wyoming?
Comprising a staggering 1.10 million acres, the forest reserve is located close to the state capital, Cheyenne.
Three forests were combined to make the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest. The region has long tracts of grassland, a lengthy snow-capped mountain, and great wilderness.
There is also a ski resort in the Medicine Bow Mountains.
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Grand Targhee Resort
This is another ski resort in Wyoming. Thus far, I mentioned about three resorts for skiing in Wyoming. Since ski resorts are transformed into a beehive of summer activities, they pull quite a lot of tourists to the state.
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Grand Prismatic fountain
The name indicates the striking seven colors of a prism. The spring is actually a thermal spring and is seen within the Yellow Stone National Park, the pride of Wyoming State, and envy of its neighboring states.
The added attraction is the changing colors in different season. The change is due to the amount of minerals present in the water.
When you go to this wonderful place to see in Wyoming, don’t try to test the temperature of the water. It will be around 70 degree C.
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Multi-color mud pool
It is also known as Fountain Paint Pot. It is similar to the prismatic spring; the only difference, it is not the water but the mud that wears different colors.
This geological wonder is also in Yellow Stone National Park. The whole area looks like a natural sauna bath.
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Mammoth Hot Springs
A series of natural sulphur springs within the Yellow Stone NP is one of the biggest natural attractions in Wyoming.
The white platform from which the steam is venting out is known as Traventine Terrace consisting of limestone deposits
The sight is one of the biggest such geological attractions in the world, and it is obviously a terrific place to see in Wyoming.
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Old Faithful
Oh, what a name for a natural hot water spring! Also known as natural geological geyser, it is one of the much-talked about attractions until 2000.
Till that time, the geyser erupted several times a day. The frequency of hot water fountain eruption was recorded anything between 45 minutes to two hours.
Old Faithful geyser is seen in Yellow Stone National Park.
I think because of eruptions at very regular intervals, it got the name ‘faithful’.
The hot water fountain’s throw range was 100 to 185 feet upwards. That’s a lot powerful. The subterranean natural pump must have a lot of built-in energy.
Man, what an amazing sight! Surely, the Yellow Stone National Park is one of the best places to visit in Wyoming.
Throughout the Yellow Stone NP, you can see as many as 10,000 such geothermal activities that are categorized under fumaroles, geysers, hot springs, and mud pots.
Your guide to the Yellow Stone National Park will take you to some of the following geothermal pits.
- Upper Geyser Basin
- Lower Geyser Basin
- Norris Geyser Basin
There are many more such basins. Under each geyser basin, several geysers are placed which I believe is geographically based.
For example, over 400 hot springs are put under the Upper Geyser Basin, Similarly, there are 193 geysers under Norris Geyser basin.
The Old Faithful is an independent hot water fountain and is not attached to any other major basin.
You may find it amusing to note that several of these hot springs were used as laundries in early days.
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Kepler Cascades
The cascades are not accessible and hence, we have to watch the falls, from a viewing platform erected at a distance.
The cascades are located inside the Yellow Stone National Park. If you can walk 4 km (I think walking is the only way) from Old Faithful, you can reach the observation platform to view the Kepler Cascades.
Since it is a cascade type, it may not generate any big sound.
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Curt Gowdy State Park
The state park is quite large comprising roughly 4000 acres. The destination is only 38 km west of Cheyenne.
The state park is known for extensive hiking trails, In addition, a few streams, and reservoirs allow you to fish.
There is a basic lodge that offer boarding, and lodging. The landscape is both mountainous, and plains.
Wildlife watchers would be rewarded with sightings of a few species of deer. Adventure seekers are in for a surprise because of several activities such as canoeing, camping, water-skiing, etc,
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Hot Springs State Park
As if the number of hot springs of Yellow Stone National Park is not enough, here is a state park that is exclusive for geysers.
The talking point of this state park is a separate bathing house where you can experience of bathing in the mineral-rich natural geysers. The temperature is controlled and let out at 40 Deg C.
Very convenient-eh?
Interestingly, the name of the county in which this state park is located is called, ‘Thermopiles’.
For the visitors, a picnic area is earmarked. In addition, there is a picturesque suspension bridge constructed over the Big Horn River.
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Flaming Gorge Reservoir
What a beauty! Doesn’t it deserve to be on the list of the most beautiful places in the U.S.?
Green River, a tributary of the mighty Colorado River, is trapped in this dam. The Flaming Gorge Reservoir occupies some part of Utah state, apart from the major part of Wyoming.
Two sisters of the Green River, namely Blacks Fork, and Henrys Fork also fall prey to the trapping design of the reservoir.
It is an alpine reservoir, built at an altitude of 6000 feet! Its length is 146 km!
Naturally, such a vast water body is bound to develop into a recreation area.
Activities such as fishing, boating, windsurfing, are indulged in here. During the winter time, the area and the reservoir freeze, allowing cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling adventure possible.
Snowmobiling that is also called motorized snow-sledding
In addition, to promote tourism, camping, and RV parking facilities have also come up around the sprawling reservoir.
Several species of trout get caught abundantly. Salmon and Bas fall prey to fly-fishing.
Rock Springs City is the gateway to this stunning place in Wyoming. It lies 256 km west of Cheyenne.
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National Elk Refuge
This is the first time I am coming across a sanctuary for elks. When you visit Jackson Hole, remember to visit this elk refuge also.
As many as 7500 elks come here in the winter. At other times, they live happily in Yellow Stone National Park.
The antlers of elk are very powerful.
The frequent fight between them results in getting their antlers locked.
Do you know?
Elks shed their antlers after breeding season.
Since the elks are seen only during the snow period, to spot them, sleds (sleighs) that are drawn by the horses are available for the visitors to move around the sanctuary.
During your sledding, you can also spot heavy, fur covered herds of bison.
Moreover, it is easy to spot the scary grizzly bear, bighorn sheep, a few species of deer, and some wolves.
Birders too can enjoy sighting of several species of avifauna.
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National Museum of Wildlife Art
Have you visited or even heard of a museum dedicated to displaying paintings of wildlife?
I think it is a unique museum and one of the biggest crowd pullers of fine arts.
Isn’t it a brilliant art?
The museum itself is set up on a hill slope. The settings are appropriate for painters who like to pursue their art on open grounds.
As a matter of fact, the Elk Refuge is located close by.
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Wyoming Dinosaur Museum
This is one of the must-visit places to visit in Wyoming. The great Dinosaurs have kept the mankind captivated in spite of the scare it throws.
Not many museums in the world are dedicated to educate us about the dinosaurs.
All age groups would be amazed to look up the skeletons of real dinosaurs.
The fatal remains of the beasts were excavated near the museum. Rather, the museum has come up nearby where, the great animals were roaming once.
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Sinks Canyon State Park
Canyons seem to have favorited this part of America, The many canyons including the Grand Canyon are found nearby.
The Sink Canyon have been attracting thousands of visitors every year, but I feel there is scope for increased tourism.
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Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
I have never seen a photo of canyon when it is covered in snow. This is a refreshing sight.
The canyon is quite large (12 million acres!) and spills over in the neighboring state of Montana, to the north of Wyoming.
Other interesting attractions nearby include the serene Bighorn Lake, Yellow Tail Dam, and wild horses.
Like any other canyons, here also, you can find numerous trails, and campgrounds.
There are several things to do here, and it attracts about 100,000 visitors every year. Bighorn Canyon is certainly one of the main places to visit in Wyoming.
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Yellow Stone National Park
Not many people know that the Yellow Stone National Park is the first national park in the U.S. The park’s age is 152 years!
As a matter of fact, this is the first national park in the world. Surely, the Americans are very proud of this fact.
The park’s diverse flora, landscape, geography, fauna, numerous hot springs, several waterfalls, canyon, all bring over 4 million of visitors annually.
Most of the natural geysers that I have mentioned in this post are located in the Yellow Stone NP.
In addition, the Yellow Stone Lake is a wonderful water body to fish trouts, one of the favourite fish species for the Americans.
The icing in the cake is the dormant volcano and the large caldera it created.
This is really a huge caldera, the mouth of a volcano.
Among the wild animals that have chosen to live in the park’s premises, the elk, bison, cougar (mountain lion), and wolves are commonly sighted.
The Grizzly Bears also happily co-exist. They love the region when it is covered with snow.
Waterfalls in the Yellow Stone National Park.
What a voluminous waterfall!
Numerous waterfalls dot the national park. As many as 45 falls that include cascades are in inside the park.
I believe several more waterfalls are there but yet to be identified, and christened.
The above image is of the Lower Falls that pour the water from a big 310 feet!
Firehole Waterfall is another voluminous one in the park.
Here are some of the falls that you will be taken to by the park guide.
- Wraith Falls
- Undine Falls
- Rustic Falls
- Colonnade Falls
The park’s size is beyond human visualization. It comprises a whopping 9,000 sq. km! Therefore, you require a minimum of 3 days to see all the important landmarks that include the waterfalls, geysers, animals, the caldera, and the canyon.
Grand Canyon of the Yellow Stone
For accommodations to stay, you can find several options that include inns, forest lodges, and cabins.
Since the park’s size is very large, it extends into the nearby states of Montana, and Idaho.
There are cities close to the entrance of the park in all the three states.
Cady is the closest city in Wyoming to enter the park. I read the park is still 80 km away from the city.
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Morning Glory Hot Spring
Yes, it is another natural hot spring with a gaping hole. It is put under the Upper Geyser Basin, inside the Yellow Stone National Park.
A kind of bacteria presents underground, gives the greenish-blue color to the pool of hot water,
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Haydon Valley
It is located inside the Yellow Stone NP. The valley ground hosts several hot springs apart from a mud geyser. Even a mud volcano is present in the valley,
If you are interested to see all the wildlife of Yellow Stone in a single place, this is where you can achieve that,
Wyoming has much to offer for the tourists, but I am of the opinion, the state’s attractions are under-visited.
