Buffalo: History, Trails and Culture

If you’re looking for a hotel in Buffalo, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: Would you like to explore the historic downtown and its cultural connections, learn about crafts, or make time for trails and recreational spots? Buffalo brings these themes together in a variety of ways. The following places and routes offer practical guidance for planning your trip and vary in theme and character.

History in the Downtown Area

All of downtown Buffalo is listed as part of a historic district on the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Register of Historic Districts. The historic downtown includes shops, restaurants and galleries. Donated items such as rifles, medical bags, bows and arrows, and clothing help tell Jim Gatchell’s story at the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum. The museum received a medal from the Institute for Museum and Library Services in 2023. Another historic landmark is the Occidental Hotel: in the fall of 1880, it was rebuilt as a permanent log structure along with A. J. McCray. For years, it hosted most of the major political, social and cultural gatherings in Johnson County.

Crafts and Seasonal Market

Mountain Meadow Wool offers visitors a self-guided tour of its factory and gift shop in Buffalo. The tour shows how wool is washed, dried, combed, spun and hand-dyed. The process, from washing to dyeing, makes the production steps easy to follow. Check the latest visitor information before you arrive. From June through August, the Wednesday Market takes place every Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Crazy Woman Square. Local vendors and farmers sell goods to the public there. If you want to make the market a definite part of your plans, check the latest market dates before your trip.

Trails with Different Features

The Clear Creek Trail System includes more than 20 miles of mostly interconnected trails. The Centennial Trail connects the motels and restaurants along U.S. Highway 16/Hart Street with Artisan Row and Buffalo’s historic downtown. A marked one-mile nature trail runs through Mountain Plains Heritage Park on the east side of Buffalo. Nearby, a 0.8-mile interpretive loop trail in the Dry Creek Petrified Tree Environmental Education Area passes preserved petrified trees. The two trails offer different thematic focuses: a nature trail on one, and petrified trees on the other. The Grouse Mountain Trail features challenging switchback sections for hikers and advanced mountain bikers. The trails described also differ in their character—from nature and interpretive trails to challenging switchbacks.

Routes and Other Recreational Destinations

Buffalo lies along scenic U.S. Highway 16, which connects Mount Rushmore National Memorial with Yellowstone National Park. Near Buffalo, Crazy Woman Canyon Road runs about 12 miles south of downtown alongside a creek, from Highway 87/196 to the western end of U.S. Highway 16. Crazy Woman Canyon is also nearby and offers opportunities for camping, climbing and trout fishing. Buffalo Golf Club is a public 18-hole course with mountain views. Washington Memorial Park is home to Buffalo Municipal Pool, the largest freshwater swimming pool in Wyoming. These varied destinations give you specific themes to consider when planning your trip, whether you’re interested in history, trails, a scenic drive or recreational activities.

For the broader travel overview: Johnson County.