7 Top Things To Do In Wyoming (2024)
Wyoming is one of the most beautiful and most visited states in the United States. Home to the stunning wonders of the world – the Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Teton National Park, the state of Wyoming is all about wilderness and natural beauty. Wyoming is a mecca for all nature lovers and outdoor adventurers. The state of Wyoming is equally rich in history and culture, as you get to take in the frontier life and relieve the days of the Wild West right in front of you. From start to finish, a trip to Wyoming is going to be unique and breathtaking.
7 Top Things To Do In Wyoming
While in this amazing state of Wyoming, here are some of the best things to do.
1. Visit the Stunning Yellowstone National Park
The famous Yellowstone National Park is the first and oldest national park in the world. Even today, it is one of the most awe-inspiring and stunning wilderness areas on the planet. Your vacation to Wyoming would not be complete without visiting the Yellowstone National Park. This wonderland of geothermal activity has so much more to offer than its stunning landscapes and abundant wildlife. Visitors are left amazed to see steam hissing out of the ground while walking along the many hiking and walking trails that crisscross the park.
As you explore the park, you will get to see huge herds of bison roaming free in the valleys. The abundant wildlife includes gray wolves, elk, grizzly and black bears, majestic bald eagles, and trumpeter swans.
Established in 1872, the Yellowstone National Park is one of the biggest geothermal wonders in the world. You get to see hissing geysers, steaming hot springs, and bubbling mud pots that come forth from the staggering landscape formed millions of years ago. You get to see some of the most stunning waterfalls that come gushing down steep ravines and mesmerizing lakes and rivers that seem to stretch on for miles on end.
You can take a drive through the park, but the best way to explore the park is on foot through the huge network of hiking trails. This is the best way to see the park’s diverse ecosystem and experience the beautiful wilderness as you camp in one of the scenic camping grounds of the park. Some of the top-rated tourist attractions at the park include Yellowstone Lake, Old Faithful geyser, and the breathtaking cascades of Lower Falls.
In fact, the first thing to check out when you are at the Yellowstone National Park is the multicolor Grand Prismatic Spring. This is the star attraction of the Midway Geyser Basin. The Grand Prismatic Spring is the largest hot spring in the entire United States and also the third-largest in the world. It is also one of the most unique natural wonders on earth. You will easily recognize the grand Prismatic Spring as it is one of the most photographed landmarks of the Yellowstone National Park.
Without a doubt, the Yellowstone National Park is one of the best places to visit in Wyoming, and you can visit the park all year round as each season paints the beautiful landscape in hues of different colors. However, summertime is the most popular tourist season.
2. Spend Some Time At The Old Faithful Geyser
One of the most remarkable landmarks of the Yellowstone National Park is the Old Faithful Geyser. This is an absolute visit when you are in the park. It is the most famous one out of the approximately 500 geysers in the park. Old Faithful was also one of the first geysers to receive a name. It was named during the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition in 1870, following which the park was established in 1872.
The Old Faithful Geyser has been ‘faithful’ since the last 150 years. It erupts in around intervals of 90 minutes, and it is one of the only geysers in the park that can easily be seen in action. However, it is important to be patient and keep waiting. The eruption usually lasts long enough for you to take plenty of pictures while admiring its awe-inspiring eruption.
Along with the Grand Prismatic Spring, Old Faithful is one of the most popular places to check out in Yellowstone. To get the best spot at the front row on the benches near the Old Faithful is to arrive at least 20 to 30 minutes before the estimated eruption time. However, even if you don’t make it early, you can still see the geyser erupt from quite a distance as well.
3. Check out the Magnificent Grand Teton National Park
Just after the magnificent Yellowstone National Park, the second most visited attraction in Wyoming is the Grand Teton National Park. Surrounded by the majestic peaks of the impressive Teton Mountain Range, the Grand Teton National Park is indeed one of the crowning jewels of Wyoming. The mountains, located in the northwest of the state, formed millions of years ago, with a fault in the earth’s crust giving in and creating 12 majestic peaks that reached heights of over 12,000 feet. The highest of these peaks is the Grand Teton, soaring 13,770 feet above sea level.
There is an abundance of wildlife here at the park, with over 60 species of mammals, 300 species of birds, and many freshwater fish. The park is a paradise for nature lovers, photographers, kayakers, hikers, and climbers.
The best way to explore the park and take in the spectacular scenery is by hiking the many trails and staying overnight at the many camping grounds located inside. It is best to avoid visiting in the winter months as many of the roads and access points are closed during the winters.
4. Relive History at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody
If you are visiting Wyoming to get an opportunity to sneak a peek into the Wild West, then you must plan a visit to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in the town of Cody.
The Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody showcases an important part of American history through a series of five fascinating museums. Beginning with the Buffalo Bill Museum, you get to check out the many artifacts from the life of Buffalo Bill Cody, the legendary American showman, and soldier.
The second museum is the Cody Firearms Museums, which is home to a huge collection of firearms from all over the world. The third museum, Draper Museum of Natural History, has Wyoming wildlife and geology as the central theme, and you get to learn about the culture of the prairies’ first inhabitants at the Plains Indian Museum as you go through a multimedia show and exhibits.
Apart from the five museums that include all historical artifacts and exhibits, the center is great for art lovers who love visiting the Whitney Gallery of Western Art, where works by George Catlin, Frederic Remington, and Charles Russell all showcase the Wild West theme.
There are rodeo grounds located near the center, and you can catch many of the best cowboys in the Wild West performing during the summer.
5. The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center
The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center is not just a mere museum. This is an interactive look at the role Wyoming, and the west played in shaping the US. This center presents a recreation of life on the old pioneer trails through multimedia and life-size dioramas and is a huge favorite with families with small children.
This is the ideal place to visit for tourists who want to learn how life was for the first citizens of Wyoming, the importance of the Mormon Trail, the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, and the renowned Pony Express route. You can take guided tours and be a part of special events that take place throughout the year.
6. Relax in the Granite Hot Springs in Jackson
Perhaps the most famous hot spring in Wyoming is the Granite Hot Springs, located just outside the city of Jackson. The granite hot Springs are nestled away just above the granite Creek Falls, and the area is also home to an artificial swimming pool and the famous 104-degree, waterfall-fed soaking pool. These pools are typically closed off to the public at the end of October, and they open again in December to allow some much-needed winter soaking.
During the winters, though, you can only reach the Granite Hot Springs by skis, snowmobile, or snowshoes. Some people choose to arrive here by dog sled, and for visitors, this proves to be quite an exhilarating option. There are options available to book a half-day or full-day dog sled tour with Iditarod Sled Dog Tours.
7. Check Out the Devils Tower National Monument
Hundreds of years of erosion have created this strange attraction in Wyoming – the Devils Tower. This is a massive, once-hidden monolith that appears massive, towering 1267 feet over the Belle Fourche River near Sundance. There is a park that surrounds this national monument, which is home to many deer, prairie dogs, and many other wildlife. The monument is surrounded by exotic woodlands, fragrant pine forests, and grasslands.
Many people also know this monument as Bear Lodge. The monolith is considered to be a sacred place for many Indian American tribes in the region, including the Cheyenne, Crow, Arapaho, Kiowa, Shoshone, and Lakota. Devils Tower was also designated as the country’s first national monument in 1906 by then President Theodore Roosevelt.