Wyoming may be a landlocked state, but that doesn't mean you can't find a scenic and romantic meal on the water! If you're looking for the best waterfront dining in Wyoming, head to Pinedale. Lakeside Lodge is tucked away on the shores of Fremont Lake, and their talented chefs turn out some of the tastiest dishes around.
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Lakeside Lodge is a beautiful oasis on the shores of Wyoming's largest lake. Fremont Lake in Pinedale is a vacation destination all year long.
If you're looking to mix things up a bit, their globally inspired dishes are constantly changing and being updated, so there's something new for each time you dine.
Visit the Lakeside Lodge - JM Horns website here to learn more about the lunch and dinner options offered to visitors and Lodge guests and plan your escape to enjoy waterfront dining in Wyoming.
With a state as rugged and vast as Wyoming, hidden gems can be found around every corner, whether you're looking for a quiet hike sans the crowds, a one-of-a-kind roadside stop, or a scenic overlook that feels like the whole world is yours to explore. Hand-picked for families, history buffs, and solo travelers alike, when you stumble upon these off-the-beaten-path, overlooked hidden gems in Wyoming, you'll discover a whole world of new reasons to fall in love with the beauty and history of the Cowboy State!
Talk about a literal hidden gem! Wyoming's Periodic Intermittent Spring is aptly named — this one-of-a-kind waterfall and spring appears and reappears on a cycle, much like the geysers of Yellowstone. Every 18 minutes, visitors will see water start to bubble up and appear seemingly out of nowhere, cascade down a rock face, and just as quickly disappear. The spring takes a 1.5-mile hike to reach but is definitely worth it.
It's perhaps no secret to long-time residents that Wyoming is jam-packed with prehistoric remnants, from dinosaur bones to ancient marine fossils to native artifacts. Yet somehow, this small-town hidden gem has gotten lost in the shuffle! Just a short stroll away from a nearby rest stop, the Pine Bluffs "Windows On The Past" Archaeology Site is an actual archaeology dig that has a museum built on top of it. Mammoth bones, arrowheads, and other ancient remains are just the start of what you'll discover here - you'll also find a pretty nature trail on site to stretch your legs.
The Snowy Range Scenic Byway is a stunning drive that should be on every Wyomingite's bucket list. Tucked off to the side, a castle-like structure beckons travelers to pull over and provides views south to Rocky Mountain National Park, west toward Medicine Bow Peak, the Sierra Madre Mountains, and Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Area, and east toward the Laramie Mountains. This is true 360-degree beauty!
Of all the ghost towns in Wyoming, there are a few that seem to get the most attention. Others, like Jeffrey City, get overlooked. Unlike the mining camps of the late 1800s, Jeffrey City is a recent ghost town - and technically, only a semi-ghost town at that. Jeffrey City was a booming little town in the 1950s with the discovery of uranium Gas Hills. Not long after, though, the Atomic Age took over and the industry collapsed seemingly overnight, as did most of the townsfolk. Today, this living ghost town isn't entirely empty, but its unique remnants of the past make it one of the coolest places to visit on a Wyoming ghost town adventure.
Just when you think you've seen everything Yellowstone has to offer, even more fantastic surprises pop up! Moose Falls is created by Crawfish Creek, and while it only drops 30 feet (a diminutive cascade in comparison to the others found in the park!), Moose Falls certainly boasts one of the prettiest settings. And ... it's heated.
Beck Lake in Cody may not be a secret to locals, but it deserves some extra recognition! This beautiful body of water is a stunner in every season. And what perhaps makes it extra special is it provides frontage to Beck Lake Park AND the Beck Lake Park Bike Trails, meaning it's a one-stop shop for both recreation and beauty.
Tucked away in central Wyoming, Castle Gardens is a unique natural wonder and historic site in one. Beautiful sandstone sculptures, carved by Mother Nature herself, fill the landscape, and visitors are welcome to explore and awaken their imagination via the crushed gravel nature trail. But that's not all here! The area holds a treasure trove of historic Native American rock art (or petroglyphs), specifically in the Shield Style.
Up to 13,000 feet of classic cars, neon, and vintage Americana awaits visitors at Gillette's Frontier Relics and Auto Museum! Guests will find photo ops galore, a gift shop, and incredible displays of antiques. This hidden gem in Wyoming is certainly worth a drive to visit, no matter which corner of the state you're coming from!
9. Western Wyoming Community College, Rock Springs
As previously mentioned, Wyoming is pretty big on dinosaurs! But perhaps no place is bigger on them than Western Wyoming Community College where FIVE life-sized dinos are on display. Believe it or not, you won't find that at any of our state's other museums, or even on Wyoming's official (or unofficial) dinosaur trail. Pop on by for a cool, non-touristy thing to do and a taste of Wyoming's ancient past.
The Brinton Museum, located in Big Horn country, offers a unique peek into the life of Western art collector, Bradford Brinton. This beautifully curated museum is surprisingly overlooked given how phenomenal it is, and visitors of all ages and abilities will find displays to ogle over. The grounds and scenery are just as gorgeous too, and visitors can even dine at the on-site, garden-to-table café after perusing the three floors of indigenous artifacts, artwork, and beautifully presented modern pieces.
There is no shortage of phenomenal hikes in Wyoming, from backcountry trails to grueling peak summits to leisurely strolls through Wyoming's rolling, untouched landscapes. The Soldier Ridge Trail near Sheridan is the latter - and wildly overlooked! But while you certainly won't find yourself 14,000 feet above sea level, you WILL feel like you're on top of the world.
The Cowboy State is packed with one-of-a-kind natural wonders, historical sites, and small-town secrets, all of which are worth a visit! Of course, it'll take a lifetime to explore all of Wyoming's hidden gems, so be sure to start ASAP!
If you have any favorite small businesses or off-the-beaten path spots that deserve some love and attention, let us know.
Depending on where you live in the Cowboy State, some of the coolest hidden gems in Wyoming are actually just local secrets - like this national monument tucked away in our state's SW corner. Of course, you can always hit up Wyoming's hotspots too!
Tackling all of Wyoming’s incredible natural wonders is quite a challenge, and could easily take a lifetime to complete. But with a little willpower, planning, and some miles on the road, you can witness some of the most exquisite features in the country – because so many of them are right in this glorious state. Here’s a list of some of our favorite Wyoming natural attractions to add to your bucket list.
This iconic waterfall on Tower Creek can be found in the northeast section of Yellowstone. The stunning waters fall 132 feet, creating quite a spectacle among the rugged mountain scenery.
Tower Falls at Yellowstone National Park is another place you may lose yourself in Wyoming nature. Take a peek at the falls in this video from Yellowstone Tours:
The pristine Jackson Lake can be found in the northeastern portion of Wyoming in the famous Grand Teton National Park. This body of water is naturally occurring, although it was considerably enlarged by the Jackson Lake Dam which was built in 1911 and rebuilt in 1989.
Located just outside of Sundance stands this mammoth formation that looms 1,627 feet above the nearby Belle Fourche River. Devil's Tower is actually a butte made of igneous rock and can be found in the Bear Lodge Mountains.
Hot Springs State Park is a must-visit in Wyoming, especially if you're looking for a spa-like retreat. The warm waters from one of the largest standing mineral springs in the world seep out into a public bathhouse that can be enjoyed. Visitors will also notice the unique rock formations and coloring that are a direct result of the mineral properties.
15 miles west of Kemmerer stands a monument that is equally spectacular close up and far away. It includes a collection of ancient fossilized plants and animals which can be seen immortalized in the brilliant rock formations. Some of the fossils date back over 50 million years ago and suggest that the area was once part of a freshwater environment.
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Let's go fossil hunting at Fossil Butte National Monument in this video from America's Parks:
You don't need to travel to Arizona to experience a vast and stunning natural phenomenon. Just downstream of Yellowstone Falls is the first large canyon on the same river. At its deepest, the canyon reaches 1200 feet and and stretches for 24 miles.
The third largest hot spring in the world is part of the Midway Geyser Basin in Yellowstone. While this is an impressive feat, perhaps the most striking feature of the Grand Prismatic Spring is the array of colors emitted. In fact, its colors are an exact replica of a rainbow prism.
Just north of Cody, Heart Mountain ascends from Bighorn Basin at 8,123 feet tall. This summit rests on a rock bed dating back 55 million years, and the rocks at the top of the peak date back almost 400 million years. Its unique shape make for a striking composition against the Wyoming skyline.
This unique and otherwordly formation is actually the core of an extinct volcano. In fact, the only other one in the state is Devil's Tower. The peak reaches an impressive 6,808 feet and can be found just outside of the Killpecker Sand Dunes.
"The Sinks" refers to a cavern into which a flowing river seems to disappear. The water enters crevices of the cavern and eventually reappears in a large pool known as "The Rise." It takes the water nearly two hours to make the 1/4 of a mile journey from the Sinks to the Rise, and geologists believe intricate winding passages inside the cavern cause the delay.
Hell's Half Acre isn't just an expression for the unique site located 40 miles west of Casper. This geological wonder accounts for 320 acres of land and is made up of caves, ravines, and bizarre looking rock formations. This graveyard of eroded earth seems almost ethereal.
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Hell's Half Acre is an incredible spot in Wyoming. Enjoy a flyover of this unique location in this video from Code Brown Productions:
With so many sites to be seen in Wyoming, we know this list just begins to scratch the surface. So we’d love to hear from you – what are some of your favorite Wyoming natural attractions to add to the list?
