If you're looking to visit Wyoming, we have highlighted 8 places that you should absolutely not miss!
Forget big cities like New York, London or Tokyo. While these are fine places, nothing beats the natural splendor of the great outdoors. A visit to Wyoming is a perfect example, with sprawling untapped wilderness, secluded cabins in Jackson Hole, natural wonders and historical sites of the Wild West, Wyoming is a place that will leave an endearing impression.
If you enjoy outdoor activities and nature, you simply must visit Wyoming. Mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, swimming and rafting are just some of the many activities you can enjoy here. On top of that, there are so many beautiful natural features to enjoy, as well as many interesting historical sites.
Visit Wyoming Bighorn County
Here you will find stunning mountain views and many Native American historical sites. If you plan to visit Bighorn County make sure you check out these great places:
Bighorn Mountains
Located at the border of Wyoming and Montana, these imposing mountains stretch from the Rocky Mountains to the Great Plains. The two highest peaks, Cloud Peak and the Black Tooth Mountains are never out of sight at 13,175 feet and 13,005 feet high respectfully.
At the base of the mountains lies the Bighorn National Forest. This 1.12 million acre forest features lush flora and wild roaming fauna, such as bears, elk and wolves. At the Bighorn Recreational Area, you can find some incredible panoramic views from the Devil's Canyon Overlook.
Bighorn Medicine Wheel
At the summit of the Medicine Mountain, you can find the Bighorn Medicine Wheel. The Native Americans that once inhabited the area constructed this "wheel" from large stones. These "sacred hoops" were discovered by Astronomer Jack Eddy, and Eddy estimated that they were built between 300-800 years ago to predict the sun's position. The wheel is very interesting, as the wheel has never been claimed by any specific native people. Even peoples that have traditionally inhabited the area do not claim it as their own, but see it as a place of religious significance.
Visit Wyoming Devil's Tower National Monument
This was the first declared national monument in the United States and has a summit that is a whopping 5,112 feet above sea level and 1,200 feet above the Belle Fourche River. Native American legend says that a group of girls once climbed the rock while being chased by a bear. They prayed to the Great Spirit for help and the spirit saved the girls from the bear by raising a rock from the ground. The monument's strange appearance is a mystery and there are many theories to explain its origin.
There are eight miles of trails here that cut through the dense forest that surrounds the Monument into the surrounding meadows, where wildflowers bloom in the springtime. This is the perfect place to visit for water lovers. The nearby Belle Fourche River is ideal for swimming, kayaking and fishing. There is plenty of wild fish inhabiting the river, so fishing is a very good option. Here you can find Smallmouth Bass, Black Bullhead and Channel Catfish among others.
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
The Teton and Gros Ventre mountain ranges border this slope side town. Here you can find beautiful snowy peaked mountains that are perfect for skiing and snowboarding. For the more adventurous, there is also paragliding at 3,200 feet above the valley or white-water rafting in one of the many waterways in the area. If you are looking for a more relaxed visit, there are plenty of campsites in the forested areas of the region. From here there are many leisurely activities to take part in, such as swimming, fishing and mountain biking.
The National Elk Refuge is also a great place to visit when in Jackson Hole, particularly in the winter months. The refuge was designed to help support the elk, because they have difficulty finding food in the window months. You can watch the elk from your car or even take a sleigh ride! This is your chance to get up close and personal with these beautiful creatures.
Jackson Hole is the ideal base for visiting Yellowstone National Park, which leads to the next suggestions.
Visit Wyoming Yellowstone National Park
No visit to Wyoming would be complete without experiencing the first and oldest national park on earth. Yellowstone National Park is home to 2.2 million acres of untouched wilderness where nature runs free. Yellowstone is one of the most popular and sought-after tourist attractions in the United States, let alone Wyoming. There are many, forests, boiling lakes and geysers in the area, some of the most famous are:
Old Faithful Geyser
This aptly named geyser erupts at regular intervals, allowing tourists to time their visits to perfection. The 200 degree Fahrenheit water spews from the Geyser and reaches heights of up to 190 feet! The local people once used the geyser as a kind of washing machine too. They put their clothes on the ground where the eruptions occur and the heat and pressure simultaneously threw the clothes into the air and cleaned them.
Grand Prismatic Spring
You have probably never seen waters like you will see at the Grand Prismatic Spring. The waters vary in color with deep hues of blues and turquoise. The vibrant colors are due to the pigmented microbes that live within its warm waters. Since different colored microbes thrive at different temperatures, the color of the spring is ever changing. The warmer summer waters allow the red and orange microbes to flourish giving the pool a red/orange hue. The green colored microbes prefer the colder waters and are much more prominent in the winter months.
Wyoming is filled many incredible places that will leave an indelible mark, we hope these seven sights will get you started exploring this marvelous part of the Untied States.
