Wyoming: Fossils, History and Landscapes

Wyoming appeals to a wide range of interests: striking rock formations and fossils sit alongside places where history comes to life. For your travel planning, you can consider these highlights separately: learning about historic trading and military posts offers a different perspective from exhibitions, interpretive trails or outdoor activities. If you’re looking for a hotel for your stay in Wyoming, these themes can help you decide what kind of trip you’d like to take.

Rock Formations, Fossils and Landscapes

Devils Tower rises 867 feet from its base to its summit. Devils Tower National Monument can be reached by a single road, WY Highway 24. Check current road conditions before setting out.

Red Canyon Overlook offers a particularly scenic viewpoint in Wyoming. Fossil Butte National Monument provides another perspective on the landscape, with hiking trails, a scenic drive and unpaved roads that can also be explored. The scenic drive may be closed seasonally.

The visitor center at Fossil Butte National Monument displays fossils of fish, insects, plants, reptiles, birds and mammals from Eocene Fossil Lake. The exhibits span plant fossils and finds from a range of animal groups. Another paleontological perspective can be found in southwest Wyoming, home to some of the best-preserved fossils in the world.

You can boat on Bighorn Lake beneath rock walls that rise up to 1,000 feet. Access and regulations may vary by season. If boating is part of your plans, check seasonal conditions in advance.

Historic Places and Stories

Fort Laramie grew from a private fur trading post, founded in 1834, into the largest and best-known military post on the Northern Plains. The visitor center at Fort Laramie National Historic Site includes visitor information, an auditorium, a museum and exhibits. South Pass City is another historic gold-mining town.

The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center tells the stories of Native Americans, early explorers, and the Oregon, Mormon, California and Pony Express Trails. Interactive exhibits offer simulated rides in covered wagons and stagecoaches. Here, history comes to life not only through stories but also through recreated journeys.

The grounds of the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center include more than four miles of interpretive trails. They complement the exhibits, offering a way to explore the topics outdoors. These different formats provide a range of ways to engage: exhibits and simulations inside the Interpretive Center sit alongside the interpretive trails on the grounds.

Planning a Trip to Wyoming

Four designated travel regions, along with pre-planned road trips and routes, provide a framework for planning a trip through Wyoming. The Wyoming Office of Tourism operates two visitor centers. If you plan to visit one, check the latest information before you go. This can help you shape your plans around the topics that interest you most while also taking seasonal conditions into account for a drive or outing.

Discover more destinations: Natrona, Teton, Park, Sublette, Carbon, Laramie, Campbell, Albany, Sheridan, Johnson County, Weston County, Sweetwater County, Hot Springs County, Uinta County, Fremont County, Platte County, Crook County, Big Horn, Niobrara County, Converse County, Washakie, Lincoln.

For the broader travel overview: USA.