Wyoming#

Phase: 2 — Pacific Coast & Northwest (connects to Phase 3 — Southwest & Rockies) Best Time to Visit: Mid-June through September for Yellowstone and Tetons; January–March for ski season; late September–October for fall color and elk rut Avoid: Yellowstone in July–August without reservations (absolute gridlock); winter driving on Teton Pass (US-26/89) without AWD/chains; late spring in the Wind Rivers (snow through June at altitude)

Wyoming is two states layered on top of each other. The northwest corner holds perhaps the greatest concentration of superlative American landscape — Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Jackson Hole — in the smallest geographic footprint of any comparable region on Earth. Then the rest of Wyoming unfolds: high desert, wind-scoured plains, the Wind River Range's remote granite cathedrals, Devils Tower rising like a fist from the prairie, Fort Laramie marking the Oregon Trail, Thermopolis with the world's largest mineral hot spring. The northwest is deservedly famous; the rest is almost entirely empty. Plan for both.

Recommended Driving Route Through the State#

Cooke City, MT → Beartooth Highway (US-212)
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      | Enter Yellowstone — Northeast Entrance
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Lamar Valley (wildlife — morning/evening)
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      | West through Yellowstone interior
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Yellowstone Village area:
  - Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
  - Norris Geyser Basin
  - Grand Prismatic Spring / Midway Basin
  - Old Faithful
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      | South on US-89/191/287
      v
Grand Teton NP
  - Snake River Overlook
  - Jenny Lake / Cascade Canyon
  - Mormon Row (Moulton Barns)
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      | South on US-26/89 to Jackson
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Jackson (town square, resupply)
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      | Option A: East on US-26 → Dubois → Wind River Canyon
      | Option B: North via Togwotee Pass (scenic) to Dubois
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Dubois / Wind River Reservation
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      | South on US-287
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Lander (Wind River Range gateway)
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      | East on US-26
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Casper
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      | North on I-25 / US-16 → Gillette → US-14
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Devils Tower NM (near Hulett)
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      | South on WY-24 → I-90 east or south
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Thermopolis (via US-20 south) — detour worth it
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      | OR continue south on I-25
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Cheyenne / Fort Laramie NHS (southeast)

Camping (Free/Van-Friendly)#

Free BLM/National Forest Dispersed#

• Shoshone National Forest — dispersed east of Yellowstone (North Fork/Wapiti Valley, US-14/16/20): The corridor from Cody into Yellowstone's east entrance is lined with dispersed camping on Shoshone NF land. Pull-offs along the North Fork Shoshone River. Excellent and often overlooked.
• Bridger-Teton National Forest — dispersed east of Grand Teton: Forest roads off US-26/89 east of the Tetons. Good access to backcountry, no NPS crowds.
• Wind River Range BLM / Bridger-Teton NF: Dispersed camping throughout the Boulder Lake and Big Sandy trailhead corridors. Requires planning and dirt road navigation. Dark skies are extraordinary.
• BLM — Lander / Sinks Canyon area: Multiple dispersed sites in Sinks Canyon State Park's surrounding BLM land. Popo Agie River corridor. Free, accessible.
• BLM — Bighorn Basin, Worland area: Vast, remote, almost zero visitors. Good base for Wind River Canyon exploration.
• Vedauwoo Recreation Area, Medicine Bow NF (~free dispersed nearby): Granite formations near Laramie — much smaller scale than City of Rocks but striking. Some free dispersed camping adjacent to the fee area.

Paid (Notable)#

• Gros Ventre Campground, Grand Teton NP (~$25/night): Largest campground in the park, on the east side. Less crowded than Signal Mountain. Good cottonwood grove. America the Beautiful covers entry, not camping.
• Pebble Creek Campground, Yellowstone NP (~$20/night): Northeast corner of Yellowstone near Lamar Valley — perfect position for early morning wildlife. First-come, first-served (no reservations). Arrive by noon in summer.
• Curtis Canyon Campground, Bridger-Teton NF, Jackson (~$15/night): USFS campground above Jackson with views of the Teton range. Underutilized alternative to the NPS campgrounds.
• Sinks Canyon State Park Campground, Lander (~$17/night): Excellent base camp for Wind River Range day hikes. Along the Popo Agie River — the river literally disappears underground ("the Sinks") and re-emerges 300 yards later.
• Keyhole State Park, Moorcroft (~$10-17/night): Near Devils Tower. Reservoir, basic facilities, quiet.

Van-Friendly Overnight#

• Walmart, Jackson (near Broadway Ave): Smallest Walmart lot on this route — confirm current policy before relying on it. Jackson is expensive everywhere.
• Walmart, Cody (Sheridan Ave): Standard overnight, confirmed reliable.
• Walmart, Casper (multiple locations): Eastern Wyoming hub, good resupply.
• Pilot Travel Center, Rock Springs (I-80, Exit 99): Full truck stop, 24hr.
• Love's Travel Stop, Rawlins (I-80, Exit 214): Mid-Wyoming overnight, convenient.
• Walmart, Lander (Main St): Good base for Wind River access.

Shower Stops#

• Planet Fitness — Casper (CY Ave): Black Card, central Wyoming.
• Planet Fitness — Cheyenne (Dell Range Blvd): Southeast Wyoming.
• Thermopolis State Bath House (FREE): Star Valley Hot Springs State Park. The State of Wyoming operates a free public soaking facility at the world's largest mineral hot spring. No charge. Open daily. This is extraordinary — a legitimate hot spring soak at zero cost.
• Granite Hot Springs, Bridger-Teton NF (~$8/person): 30 miles south of Jackson via a gravel road. Developed pool at 93°F fed by natural springs. Accessible by car in summer, snowmobile in winter. One of the best soaks near Jackson.
• Astoria Hot Springs, Jackson area (~$10/person): Reopened as a community pool/hot spring complex on the Snake River. Close to Jackson, good facilities.
• Saratoga Hot Springs (Hobo Pool), Saratoga (FREE): Outdoor soaking pool on the North Platte River. Free, open 24 hours, managed by the town. Genuinely excellent.
• TA Truck Stop, Rawlins (I-80): Pay showers ~$12-15.
• Flying J, Cheyenne (I-80): Reliable truck stop showers.
• Rec Center, Lander (Lander Community Center, ~$5 day pass): Clean facility, good option for Wind River base camp.

Historical Sites#

• Fort Laramie National Historic Site, Fort Laramie (free with America the Beautiful): Established 1834 as a fur trading post; became the most important US Army fort on the Northern Plains. Every westward migration route — Oregon, California, Mormon, Pony Express — passed here. Multiple original buildings intact. Allow 2-3 hours.
• Devils Tower National Monument, Hulett (free with America the Beautiful): America's first national monument, designated 1906 by Theodore Roosevelt. A phonolite porphyry volcanic plug rising 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River. Sacred to the Lakota (Mato Tipila — Bear Lodge), Cheyenne, Kiowa, and multiple other nations. The climbing community has a voluntary closure in June out of respect for Native ceremonies.
• Yellowstone National Park — early geothermal history: First national park in the world (1872). The Upper Geyser Basin, including Old Faithful, was being studied and named as early as the 1871 Hayden Survey. The architecture of the Old Faithful Inn (1904) is a national landmark.
• Independence Rock, Alcova area (free): Called "the Register of the Desert" — emigrants carved their names en route to Oregon. Thousands of names, some still legible. A profound physical connection to the 1840s-60s migration.
• Martin's Cove / Handcart Historic Site, Alcova: Site of the 1856 Martin Handcart Company tragedy, in which members of a Mormon handcart company were caught by early October snow. Over 150 people died. Now administered by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (free, open to all).
• Register Cliff, Guernsey: Another emigrant carving site — cleaner and more accessible than Independence Rock. Names from the 1840s-1860s clearly visible.
• Fossil Butte National Monument, Kemmerer (free with America the Beautiful): 50-million-year-old fish, insects, and plant fossils in the Green River Formation. Some of the most complete Eocene period fossils in the world. Remarkably undiscovered.
• Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site, Laramie (~$7): Original 1872 territorial prison. Butch Cassidy was incarcerated here 1894-1896. Preserved and interpreted well.
• Little Bighorn / Rosebud context — Powder River country, Kaycee area: Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site — site of the 1866 Fetterman Fight, where Sioux and Cheyenne warriors led by Crazy Horse defeated a US Army column. (~$4)

Museums#

• Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody (~$20, but exceptional): Five museums in one complex — Buffalo Bill Museum, Whitney Western Art Museum, Plains Indian Museum, Draper Natural History Museum, Cody Firearms Museum. Arguably the best western American museum complex in the country. Worth the entrance fee.
• Wyoming State Museum, Cheyenne (free): State history, paleontology, geology. Good stop if passing through Cheyenne.
• National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson (~$15): World-class collection of wildlife art — Carl Rungius, Albert Bierstadt, John James Audubon. Built into a hillside above the National Elk Refuge. Overlooked by most Teton tourists.
• Teton Geoscience Center / Jackson Hole Historical Society, Jackson (~$6): Good regional geology and history interpretation for the Teton context.
• Fossil Butte NM Visitor Center (free): Excellent interpretive exhibits on the Green River Formation fossils. Knowledgeable rangers, hands-on fossil examples.
• Wyoming Pioneer Memorial Museum, Douglas (free): Covers Oregon Trail, homesteading, and early Wyoming territory. Undervisited, well-curated.

Sightseeing & Scenic Overlooks#

• Grand Prismatic Spring overlook, Yellowstone: The overlook on the Fairy Falls trail (~1.6 miles one-way from the trailhead) provides the iconic aerial-perspective view of the spring's rainbow rings — blue center, green, yellow, orange, red. This is one of the most photogenic landscapes in North America. The spring itself is 370 feet wide. The overlook shot is arguably better than any drone image.
• Old Faithful Geyser, Yellowstone: Erupts every 60-110 minutes, ~130 feet high, for 1.5-5 minutes. The Upper Geyser Basin has more geysers per square mile than anywhere on Earth. The boardwalk loop is essential.
• Lamar Valley, Yellowstone: The best wildlife watching in North America. Wolf packs are frequently observed from roadside pullouts at dawn and dusk — bring binoculars or a spotting scope. Bison herds, bears, pronghorn, elk. Go in early morning or evening.
• Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone: Artist Point overlook is the classic view — the 308-foot Lower Falls thundering into a yellow-walled canyon. The canyon walls are the source of the park's name.
• Snake River Overlook, Grand Teton NP: The Ansel Adams photograph — the Snake River curving in the foreground with the full Teton range behind. A highway pullout on US-89/191, just north of Moran Junction. Sunrise is the definitive shot.
• Mormon Row / Moulton Barns, Grand Teton NP: Historic 1890s homestead barns with the Tetons behind them. The most photographed location in the park after Snake River Overlook. Sunrise in autumn (late September–October) with snow on the peaks.
• Jenny Lake and Cascade Canyon, Grand Teton NP: Boat shuttle across Jenny Lake, then hike to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. The cirque at the head of Cascade Canyon is among the most dramatic in the Rockies.
• Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone: Terraced travertine formations — surreal, constantly changing architecture. The Liberty Cap and Main Terrace boardwalk is one of the park's most distinctive and underrated areas.
• Devils Tower: Walk the 1.3-mile Tower Trail loop around the base. The columnar basalt structure (actually phonolite porphyry) is more impressive at close range than any photograph conveys.
• Wind River Canyon, US-20 between Shoshoni and Thermopolis: A 10-mile canyon where the Wind River cuts through geological strata spanning 2.5 billion years. One of the most compressed geological timelines visible from a highway in the US.
• Vedauwoo Rock Formations, Medicine Bow NF: Rounded granite tors and boulders piled improbably high near Laramie. Less visited than any comparable formation in the region.
• Bighorn Mountains, US-14 Alt (Chief Joseph Scenic Highway): Drives from Lovell into the Bighorns offer panoramic views of the Bighorn Basin to the west. Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark is accessible from here (high-clearance recommended for last miles).

Cultural & Heritage Landmarks#

• Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark, Bighorn Mountains: An 80-foot diameter stone wheel at 9,642 feet, at least 700 years old, possibly much older. Sacred to multiple Plains nations. Access requires a 1.5-mile walk from a locked gate. Deeply significant — approach respectfully.
• Wind River Indian Reservation, Fort Washakie: Home of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Nations. Fort Washakie is the burial site of Sacajawea (disputed — two burial sites exist; the Wind River location is recognized by the Eastern Shoshone). The Shoshone Tribal Cultural Center has exhibits.
• Oregon / California / Mormon / Pony Express Trail corridor: US-26 from Fort Laramie through Guernsey and Casper follows the actual emigrant trail route. The wagon ruts are physically visible in the prairie at Guernsey — 5 feet deep carved into sandstone by tens of thousands of wagon wheels.
• Cheyenne Frontier Days (last full week of July): The world's largest outdoor rodeo. If timing aligns, this is a legitimate cultural event — not a tourist trap. Professional rodeo, Native American dances, chuck wagon races.
• Jackson Hole, WY cultural context: Jackson is the most expensive small town in the US (median home price >$3M). The wealthy resort culture is in direct and visible tension with the surrounding public lands and the working ranches in the valley. Worth understanding before spending time here.

Golf#

• Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis Club, Jackson (~$150-200+): One of the top public courses in the US. Teton views on every hole. Expensive but genuinely iconic if golf is important to you.
• Olive Glenn Golf & Country Club, Cody (~$35-55): Affordable, well-maintained. Good views toward the Absarokas. Best value golf near Yellowstone.
• Airport Golf Club, Casper (~$25-35): Municipal, affordable, functional.

Wyoming golf is limited and seasonal (May–September). Jackson Hole Golf is the one genuinely stand-out option — everything else is secondary.

Ski / Snowboard#

Best season: January–March for Jackson Hole. Targhee regularly receives more snow than Jackson Hole and is often better in December and late March.

Drone Photography#

No-fly zones (check before every flight):

• All NPS land: Yellowstone NP (total ban, zero exceptions), Grand Teton NP (total ban), Devils Tower NM, Fossil Butte NM, Fort Laramie NHS
• All designated Wilderness areas: Bridger, Fitzpatrick, Popo Agie, Washakie, North Absaroka, Teton — motorized equipment prohibited
• Wind River Indian Reservation — tribal jurisdiction, separate rules, obtain specific permission
• Within 5 miles of airports without authorization: Jackson Hole Airport (inside Grand Teton NP — extremely sensitive airspace), Cody, Casper, Cheyenne, Laramie
• Fire TFRs summer–fall — check NOTAMs daily

Legal standouts:

• Shoshone National Forest east of Yellowstone (Wapiti Valley, US-14/16/20): The North Fork Shoshone corridor is NF land outside any Wilderness boundary. Dramatic canyon walls, the Absaroka Range, and river meanders. One of the finest legal drone territories in Wyoming. The terrain just outside Yellowstone's east entrance is world-class.
• BLM land east of Grand Teton (Gros Ventre area): Verify parcel boundaries carefully — BLM and NPS land is intermixed. Some BLM parcels have Teton views without NPS restrictions. Use the BLM Geoportal to confirm.
• Wind River Range BLM / Bridger-Teton NF (outside Wilderness): The lower approach zones to the Wind Rivers — Big Sandy Lodge area, Boulder Lake approach — are outside Wilderness designations. The scale of the range from altitude is extraordinary.
• Bighorn Basin BLM: Vast open BLM land in the basin between the Beartooth/Absaroka range and the Bighorn Mountains. Badlands topography, almost no visitors, zero restrictions. Thermopolis area BLM land around the Hot Springs is accessible and underflown.
• Devils Tower vicinity (BLM/NF land): The tower itself is NPS (no drones). The surrounding Belle Fourche River valley and grassland is BLM and private — some legal vantage points exist outside NPS boundaries. The tower from a distance over prairie is an extraordinary aerial composition. Verify parcel boundaries.
• Note on Grand Prismatic Spring: The famous overhead shot is NOT achievable by drone (Yellowstone NPS ban). The Fairy Falls trail overlook provides a legal foot-accessible high-angle view that rivals any aerial image. This is the shot to plan for.

Photography & Scenic Opportunities#

• Snake River Overlook at sunrise (Grand Teton NP): Arrive 30-45 minutes before sunrise. The classic Ansel Adams composition. The river needs some volume (spring/early summer) for the best reflection quality. A polarizer is useful.
• Mormon Row / Moulton Barns at sunrise (Grand Teton NP): Mid-September to mid-October with snow on the Tetons and autumn light on the barns. The east-facing barn faces catches first light directly. This is one of the ten most photographed locations in the American West — know that going in, but it's famous for a reason.
• Grand Prismatic Spring from Fairy Falls overlook (Yellowstone): 1.6-mile walk to the overlook. Morning provides the best steam behavior and color saturation. Overcast light reduces harsh shadows and improves color. The full ring pattern is only visible from height — this overlook is the accessible solution.
• Lamar Valley at dawn (Yellowstone): Position at a pullout near the Confluence (Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek junction) before sunrise. Wolf activity is highest 30 minutes before and after sunrise. A 400mm+ lens is strongly recommended for wildlife.
• Old Faithful eruption with storm clouds: The combination of the geyser at maximum height with dramatic storm sky behind it is a classic shot. Afternoon thunderstorms in July–August are common in Yellowstone.
• Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone — Artist Point at golden hour: The falls catch the last light while the canyon walls glow yellow. Bring a neutral density filter for the long exposure on the falls.
• Devils Tower at dusk: The prairie grassland in the foreground transitions to the tower at golden hour. The columnar structure catches warm light exceptionally. The 1.3-mile loop trail provides multiple angles.
• Wind River Canyon from US-20: Stop at designated pullouts along the 10-mile canyon. The exposed geological strata are color-banded and best photographed in mid-morning light from the east.
• Mammoth Hot Springs terraces, Yellowstone: Overcast or early morning light eliminates the harsh contrast problem. The white and orange travertine against blue sky or storm light is extraordinary.
• Jackson Hole aerial from Snow King or Tram: The Jackson Hole valley from altitude — the entire Teton front visible to the west, the town below. Accessible by paying for the Aerial Tram at JHMR.
• Fossil Butte NM at low sun angle: The eroded buttes cast long shadows at golden hour. The BLM land adjacent to the monument has similar topography without NPS restrictions.
• Thermopolis Hot Springs State Park: The mineral terraces flowing from the world's largest hot spring. Steam and color — best photographed in early morning before crowds.

Practical Notes#

• Yellowstone crowds and reservations: Yellowstone camping fills entirely months in advance on recreation.gov. Arrive at first-come campgrounds (Pebble Creek, Slough Creek) by noon or earlier in July–August. Consider basing outside the park — Gardiner (MT), Cooke City (MT), Cody (WY), or Dubois (WY) — and doing day trips.
• America the Beautiful covers entry to Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Devils Tower, Fossil Butte, and Fort Laramie. Does not cover camping fees within parks. Two parks (Yellowstone + Tetons) alone justify the annual pass cost.
• Yellowstone wildlife safety: Bison gore more visitors per year than bears. Maintain 25-yard minimum from bison and elk, 100 yards from bears and wolves. These rules are enforced. Do not approach animals.
• Jackson Hole costs: Jackson is among the most expensive small towns in the US. Budget-conscious travelers should shop at the Albertsons or the weekly Farmers' Market, cook in the van, and use free public lands east of town.
• Cell service: No service in most of Yellowstone interior, Lamar Valley, the Wind River Range approaches, and much of the Bighorn Basin. Download offline maps (Gaia GPS) and the Yellowstone NPS app before entering.
• Grand Teton airspace: Jackson Hole Airport is inside Grand Teton National Park — the surrounding airspace is highly restricted. The NPS drone ban and the FAA Class D/E airspace overlap. Do not fly anywhere near Jackson without thorough NOTAM and sectional review.
• Wind River Range planning: Access roads to trailheads (Big Sandy, Elkhart Park, Green River Lakes) are long dirt roads. Passable in a stock minivan in dry conditions — confirm with Bridger-Teton NF ranger station before committing. Bigfoot / boulder creek crossings may be required.
• Elevation: Yellowstone sits at 7,733 feet average. Beartooth Pass reaches 10,947 feet. Jackson is 6,237 feet. Altitude sickness is possible — hydrate aggressively, allow 24 hours to acclimate before strenuous hikes.
• Fuel: Fill in every town — Cody, Jackson, Lander, Dubois, Thermopolis. Gas in Yellowstone gateway towns is significantly more expensive ($0.50-1.00/gallon) than Casper or Cheyenne. Between Cody and Cooke City (56 miles of US-212) there is no fuel — fill before entering.