Are you looking for a vacation with a little adventure? Maybe you’re a history buff ready to get in touch with the Wild West. If so, you might want to consider a trip to Wyoming.
Along with the incredible landscapes, you can enjoy visiting Wyoming’s museums, recreational areas, and historic sites. There’s plenty to see and do with attractions for every taste.
19 of the Best Places to Visit in Wyoming
Wyoming is a truly amazing state with incredible natural wonders to explore, including towering mountains and some unique landmarks. You can spend time at national parks, impressive lakes, and large ski resorts.
In addition, you’ll love the history you find as you peruse the sites and outstanding museums. You can even check out a rodeo or two! But if you don’t know the absolute best places to visit in Wyoming, don’t worry — we’ll be your guide!
1. Yellowstone National Park
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Yellowstone National Park has 2.2 million acres to cross with a multitude of wildlife and flora to see. The national park’s geothermal regions mark another epic attraction.
Yellowstone National Park has more than half of the world’s geysers within its borders.
You’ll also love seeing the Yellowstone River and wildlife like bison and deer. Campers may enjoy immersing themselves in nature when the campgrounds open up in May.
Read Next: The Best Times to Visit & Where to Stay in Yellowstone
2. Grand Teton National Park
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The Grand Teton National Park is a hiker’s paradise. Over 200 miles of trails cover mountains, weave through valleys, and roll around lakes and rivers with idyllic rest points to catch your breath and capture photos.
Campers should plan spring or summer trips by reserving a campsite because they fill up fast. If you’re planning a winter, you can go skiing or snowshoeing across the winter wonderland.
Read Next: The Best Time to Visit Grand Teton National Park
3. Yellowstone Lake
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Though you can find Yellowstone Lake within Yellowstone National Park, it’s often considered its own destination. Sitting 7,733 feet above sea level, the clear blue waters expand 20 miles in length and 14 miles in width.
Choose a spot somewhere along the 141 miles of shore for a picnic or game of frisbee. Anglers will also appreciate Yellowstone lake. It happens to have the biggest population of cutthroat trout in North America.
4. Teton Range
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You will find the Teton Range mountains in northwestern Wyoming, extending for 40 miles from the southern edge of Yellowstone into Idaho. Grand Teton, the highest peak, is over 13,770 feet above sea level and towers some 7,000 feet over Jackson Hole.
The Snake River moves through the mountain range, marking the fault line that formed the range and valley millions of years ago. The Teton Range is popular among mountain climbers and a great destination for hikers as well.
5. Bridger-Teton National Forest
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Bridger-Teton National Forest provides as much as 3.4 million acres of public land for visitors to enjoy. Wildlife lovers will appreciate the chance to see plenty of creatures, critters, and birds throughout the forest.
Greys River Road leads you to numerous campgrounds if you’re looking to go camping in Bridger-Teton National Forest. You can easily spend days hiking through the Alpine trails.
6. The Wind River Range
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The Wind River Mountain Range boasts over 40 mountain peaks standing over 13,000 feet high. Gannet Peak is the highest in Wyoming at more than 13,804 feet.
Explore over 2.25 million acres with access to the Green River, over 2,300 lakes and ponds, and seven massive glaciers. It’s the ideal trip for hikers and backpackers.
7. Grand Targhee Ski Resort
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Do you enjoy a good ski vacation? Check out the Grand Targhee Ski Resort with everything you could want in one gorgeous package. The ski resort offers wonderful lodging options with hot tubs, dining, and shopping options.
By day, you can hit the slopes or take skiing lessons. If you’re looking for more adventure, or something a little different, explore the various trails with snowshoes or fat bikes.
8. Hot Springs State Park
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Hot Springs State Park is a free attraction near the Big Horn River. As the name suggests, it’s a series of hot springs that have therapeutic properties thanks to the consistent temperature and natural minerals in the water.
You can have lunch at a local restaurant or picnic at the full-service park. It’s also a hot spot for boaters hoping to explore the river.
The park also has notable historic roots. It started as the Big Horn Hot Springs State Reserve in 1897 and became Wyoming’s first state park. Over the years, more attractions and accommodations emerged to welcome visitors.
9. The Buffalo Bill Center of the West
Wyoming, JUL 4 2022 – Sunny view of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West/Kit Leong/Shutterstock
In Cody, Wyoming, you can check out The Buffalo Bill Center of the West Center. Be sure to set aside plenty of time because you can explore five museums at once. Learn everything you ever wanted to know about Native American culture, cowboys, and the wild west.
10. Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
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The Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area sits in the southwestern part of Wyoming. It holds 43 campgrounds with more than 700 campsites, including a few dozen group sites.
The recreation area also permits primitive camping for backpackers and multi-day river trips. You can also enjoy going fishing in the region and going boating. You’ll find visitors waterskiing and wakeboarding on the lakes as well.
11. Fort Laramie Historic Site
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History buffs and Oregon Trail players will recognize Fort Laramie as a fur trading post before it expanded to the state’s largest military post. Dating back to 1834, the site now exists as a historic site that’s open year-round for visitors.
The Fort Laramie Historic Site features multiple exhibits and offers a 30-minute interpretive talk to learn more about the area’s culture during summer months. You’ll love learning the history of Fort Laramie by taking a tour of the site.
12. Old Trail Town in Cody, Wyoming
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At Old Town Trail, you can sign up for a historical tour where you’ll learn about Buffalo Bill and the history of the Western Frontier. OId West historians, like Bob Edgar, disassembled and moved many historic buildings to reassemble them at Old Trail Town.
You’ll also love hearing more about the real Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, as well as visiting the grave sites of Western historical figures.
13. National Historic Trails Interpretive Center
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The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center is one of the best destinations in Wyoming for history buffs. Visitors can learn more about the Oregon Trail and the Pony Express Trail.
If you bring your children, they can enjoy the Kids Corner, and meet Seymour the Pronghorn Antelope who serves as the center’s mascot.
14. Devil’s Tower National Monument
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The Devil’s Tower National Monument in Wyoming is an impressive geological feature sitting in the middle of a prairie near the Black Hills. Indigenous people in the Northern Plains consider the monument to be sacred land.
You can spend a day hiking around the monument or seeing nearby locations. Best of all, the Devil’s Tower National Monument is open to visitors any time of day or night, including holidays.
15. Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
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The Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area covers over 20,000 acres with some of the state’s most spectacular views, and that’s saying something.
Though it’s one area, you can explore two separate districts that sit hours apart, one up north near Montana and the other in Lovell, Wyoming.
Hike over 17 miles of trails, take a boat out on Bighorn Lake, or arrange to camp for a few days in the canyon. It’s the perfect place to see wildlife and spend a week with your family.
16. Jackson Hole
Jackson Hole, WY – May 13 2008: Ski slopes in Jackson Hole with panorama of vintage houses/WitGorski/Shutterstock
Wyoming’s Jackson Hole is a visitor’s haven with plenty to do in the valley and easy access to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. There’s plenty to do any time of year and something for every taste.
Skiers flock to the area during winter months because they can choose between three local ski resorts: Snow King Mountain Resort, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, and the Grand Targhee Resort.
Art lovers will appreciate the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole. You can see pieces by legends like Georgia O’Keeffe and Andy Warhol.
Read Next: The Best & Worst Times to Visit Jackson Hole in 2024
17. Hole-in-the-Wall
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The Hole-in-the-Wall mountain region in Wyoming is a historical site thanks to its past as a mid-1800s hideout. Outlaws liked to lay low in the range, including some famous names, like Jesse James, Butch Cassidy, and the Sundance Kid.
The log cabin used by Butch Cassidy and his crew to hide in this region is one of the features moved to Old Trail Town.
Today, people visit the remote region in the Big Horn mountains to hike up the red sandstone walls to see where the outlaws hid.
18. Wyoming Frontier Prison Museum
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The Wyoming Frontier Prison Museum is a unique place showcasing a piece of the state’s history. The Old Wyoming State Penitentiary held a wide range of prisoners from 1901 to 1981, including train robbers.
Stop by to tour three cell blocks, the prison cafeteria, and the outdoor grounds.
19. Cheyenne Frontier Days Arena
Cheyenne, Wyoming – July 27, 2019: Several wagon and carriage entries in a Cheyenne Frontier Days parade. One wagon driven from atop, likely carried liquid due to its wooden barrel-like construction/MLambousis/Shutterstock
If you love the rodeo, do not miss out on the Cheyenne Frontier Days Arena. It holds the largest rodeo in the world every summer.
Even if you can’t make it to the July rodeo, you can visit the arena in June, August, and September to explore the exhibitions and even host events. For those lucky enough to attend the main event, be sure to sign up for the chuckwagon experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Below, we answer a couple of popular questions about visiting Wyoming:
What is the number 1 attraction in Wyoming?
Yellowstone National Park is considered the number 1 destination in Wyoming, with millions of visitors every year.
What is the most visited city in Wyoming?
Jackson, Wyoming, is the most visited city in the state, thanks in large part to Jackson Hole valley.
What are the best months to visit Wyoming?
The best months to visit Wyoming are April, May, September and October. You’ll see fewer crowds and nicer weather during these months.
How far is Jackson Hole from Yellowstone?
Jackson Hole is 57 miles from Yellowstone National Park’s South Entrance.
So, What Is the Best Place to Visit in Wyoming?
Yellowstone National Park is widely considered Wyoming’s top attraction. It’s beautiful and loaded with things for everyone to do.
Whether you love relaxing by a body of water or hiking trails, exploring historical roots or fishing, there’s an opportunity to do so in Yellowstone. But don’t limit yourself — there’s plenty of other places to visit in this beautiful state.
So, with so much to see and do, and natural beauty around you wherever you choose to go, what are you waiting for — book your trip to Wyoming today!