Wyoming attractions

Fifty million years ago, “Yellowstone” wasn’t the steaming supervolcano we know and love today. Instead, this corner of Wyoming was covered in towering redwoods, magnolias, maples, and volcanoes. When those erupted, the forests were a casualty, though a few trees survived in fossilized form. Still standing today, the Petrified Tree is the largest in the world.

Of all Yellowstone National Park’s waterfalls, the Upper Falls of the Yellowstone River are possibly the most underrated. At a thundering height of 109 feet (33 meters), the Upper Falls are an impressive sight that’s certainly worthy of a stop—and would more than likely be the highlight of virtually any other park.

A drive along Yellowstone National Park’s 142-mile long (228 kilometer) Grand Loop Road takes you past most of the park’s major attractions. Cruise along the figure-eight-shaped road for a ready-made Yellowstone tour featuring Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, and more, easily completed in one day or spread out over your own timeline.

Stretching 1,080 miles (1,735 kilometers) from Yellowstone National Park to the Oregon border, the Snake River is one of North America's longest rivers. It serves an important role in the ecosystem as a home for tons of wildlife, including wild salmon. It's also a top location for water recreation like rafting, fishing, and kayaking.

Like many other places in Yellowstone, the Firehole River is a scenic spot that lives up to its dramatic name. As it meanders north for 21 miles (34 kilometers) to join with the Madison River, the Firehole acts as a drainage basin for many of the park’s geothermal features and is the ideal spot for a summertime dip.

The log-cabin-style Chapel of the Transfiguration sits against the backdrop of the jagged Teton Range near the southern entrance of Grand Tetons National Park. The rustic church was built in 1925 with a window above the alter framing the majestic mountains. Today it still offers services and its scenic setting makes it a popular spot for weddings, sightseeing, and photography.

Black Sand Basin is a section of the Upper Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park. Though small, it is packed with exceptional thermal features like geysers, colorful pools, and hot springs, and is often less crowded than its big-name neighbors. Visit as a quick stop during your Yellowstone National Park tour—it’s worth every second.

In 1870, when members of the Washburn Expedition happened upon this Yellowstone geyser, they noted that the shape and structure of the crater resembled a castle’s tower. Since then, much of that stoic tower has gradually dissolved and eroded, although a 90‐foot-high (27-meter-high) column of boiling water still erupts with regular frequency.

Situated just outside the entrance to Grand Teton National Park, the National Museum of Wildlife Art features a huge collection of paintings, photography, and sculptures of wild animals from artists around the world. The highlight is the museum’s Sculpture Trail, a paved path dotted with life-size sculptures of elk, buffalo, bighorn sheep, and more, winding up the hillside overlooking the National Elk Refuge.

On the shores of Jackson Lake, Colter Bay Visitor Center is a useful resource for visitors to Grand Teton National Park. Offering detailed park maps and newspapers, educational exhibits, permits, and a bookstore, the visitor center is also home to 35 pieces from the David T. Vernon collection of rare American Indian artifacts.

Created to celebrate the history of its namesake festival, the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum keeps the spirit of the annual event alive year-round. The museum traces the origins of the world’s largest outdoor rodeo, alongside an impressive collection of carriages, folk art, clothing, artifacts, and rodeo paraphernalia.

Since 1966, the Jackson Hole Aerial Tram has been whisking guests and locals of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort 4,139 vertical feet (1,262 meters) in 15 minutes to an altitude of 10,450 feet (3,185 meters) at the top of Rendezvous Mountain. A ride up for the views or a bite to eat at Corbet’s Cabin has become a quintessential Jackson Hole experience.

Even though the Jackson Hole Rodeo is only alive and booming from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day, visitors who come to the Cowboy State flock to this Wyoming wild-west staple. With bucking bronco riding, roping events, barrel racing, and other Western culture competitions, getting a little dirt on your boots is easy, even as a spectator.

Bordered by four giant elk antler arches, Jackson’s Town Square is the picture-perfect centerpiece for this wild western town. The majority of Jackson’s restaurants, boutiques, and outdoor gear shops are centered around Town Square, and the park itself has a monument dedicated to John Colter, one of the region’s most famous mountain explorers. It also features a nightly “shootout” during the summer months.

If there’s one Yellowstone scene that defines the park, it’s the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone—where the Yellowstone River tumbles so mightily and so wondrously down its course, and overlooks have names like Inspiration Point, Artist Point, and Point Sublime. Commemorated in postcards, posters, and paintings, it’s an absolutely must-see for first-time visitors and Yellowstone veterans alike.

Just an hour’s drive from Yellowstone National Park, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming, draws visitors looking to learn about the area's Wild West history. Its museums focus on everything from cowboy and Indian cultures to firearms and Western art—and there is a playground, cafeteria, and special events—so there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Cody’s Old Trail Town offers visitors a close-up look at Wyoming’s American Frontier history. It recreates an 18th-century Western ghost town featuring furnished log cabins, a schoolhouse, a blacksmith shop, a saloon, and more. Inside each building are rare historical artifacts that bring this part of the past back to life. If you’re an American history buff, a few hours here goes by fast.

Once a landable channel of the Snake River, Schwabacher Landing is one of the most scenic viewpoints in Grand Teton National Park, where you can see the central Teton range, framed by trees and reflected in the calm waters of a beaver pond. The area is also popular for viewing wildlife, including beavers, birds, and moose.

Stretching for 5 miles (8 kilometers) and climbing 800 feet (242 meters), Signal Mountain Summit Road offers an easy way to reach the top of the 7,727-foot (2,355-meter) Signal Mountain. Two overlooks near the summit boast panoramic views of the Teton Range, Jackson Lake, and Jackson Hole.

Just off the highway east of Jackson Lake, Willow Flats Overlook offers one of the best panoramic views in Grand Teton National Park. From here, you’ll see expansive willow-filled wetlands backed by the lake and the Teton Range in the distance. It’s also an excellent location for spotting wildlife.

Note: The museum is reopening in June 2024. Explore Jackson's fascinating Wild West history with a visit to the Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum. Exhibits feature stories from Jackson’s early homesteading and ranching days to the development of tourism and mountaineering in Grand Teton National Park. The museum also displays a large collection of Indigenous American artifacts and moose, elk, and deer mounts.

You’d be forgiven if you saw a photo of Grand Targhee Ski Resort—“the Ghee”—and thought you were looking at the Alps. Set in Wyoming’s jagged Teton Range, this is one of the most beloved ski resorts in the U.S. And, of course, where there’s a world-class ski resort, there are world-class views, restaurants, bars, spas, and hiking and biking trails, too.

Best known for its steep slopes and gorgeous views, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort boasts one of the largest vertical drops in US skiing. Notorious for its extreme ungroomed terrain, the mountain also features fantastic beginner and intermediate runs. During the summer months, the resort turns into an outdoor adventurer’s playground, with mountain bike trails, scenic tram rides, and an exhilarating via ferrata course.

Between Cody and Powell in Park County, you’ll find the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center. It’s a former WWII Japanese-American confinement site that looks back at the history of anti-Asian prejudice in the US. There’s a museum, a memorial, and the original relocation camp areas where you can explore photographs, artifacts, and interactive exhibits, including the old hospital and root cellar, plus a replica guard tower.

While next-door Jenny Lake gets the spotlight, in-the-know travelers to Grand Teton National Park love String Lake all the same (or more). Popular for swimming, picnicking, hiking, and beyond, String Lake offers all the fabulous scenery the Teton Range is so famous for, plus it’s easy to access and family-friendly—and did we mention gorgeous?