The Great American Adventure - Travel Taste and Tour Magazine

Here, the west isn’t just a direction. It’s our heritage and our soul. Its something you can feel as soon as you get to Cody, Wyoming.

Cody’s been the home base for epic adventures for over a century. Where explorers, trailblazers, outlaws and natives once walked our streets after long days of adventure, you’ll now see mountain bikers, kayakers, photographers, historians and hikers strolling through. That’s because not only is the area abundant with beautiful mountains and rivers, but its also nestled next to one of the most scenic places on Earth, Yellowstone National Park.

It’s historical and easy to imagine what it was like decades and centuries ago. The scenery hardly changes, and geology and wildlife still put on a classic show.

The Great American Adventure awaits travelers, and they need to look no further than Cody Yellowstone.

Founded in 1896 by the most authentic representative of the Old West – Colonel William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody – the town of Cody lies about 20 miles east of the Shoshone National Forest, the country’s first national forest, and 52 miles east of the eastern entrance to the world’s first national park, Yellowstone. Nestled at the base of the Wyoming Rocky Mountains, Cody blends the old with the new without sacrificing any of its truly Western character.

What is there to do in Cody Yellowstone? Here are a few ideas:

Visit the Buffalo Bill Center of the West (BBCW). Widely regarded as America’s finest western museum, this acclaimed affiliate of the Smithsonian features five separate museums under one roof. The Whitney Art Museum presents an outstanding collection of masterworks of the American West, including original paintings, sculptures and prints of the West from the early 19th century to present day. The Cody Firearms Museum houses the world’s largest and most important assemblage of American arms, as well as European arms dating back to the 16th century. The Plains Indian Museum ranks as one of the nation’s finest interpretations of the American Indian civilization.

The Buffalo Bill Museum contains a wealth of material relating to the life of Buffalo Bill Cody, celebrating his varied careers as Pony Express rider, frontiersman, scout, buffalo hunter, rancher, creator and star of the first Wild West Show. The fifth museum, the Draper Natural History Museum is a dynamic state-of-the-art, user-friendly exploration of relationships between humans and nature in the Greater Yellowstone area.

Go to the rodeo. Cody is “the Rodeo Capital of the World” with the Cody Nite Rodeo which is the only rodeo in the country that runs every night June through August. Contestants from across the country come to compete. It is true family entertainment at its best.

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Garner a different perspective of WWII. Heart Mountain Interpretive Center tells the story of how and why thousands of Japanese-Americans lived in internment camps during World War II. This powerful, award-winning museum is situated at the site of the Heart Mountain Internment Camp and is designed to resemble the typical barracks-style accommodations that housed its 14,000 internees. The center depicts how families lived in poorly lit small rooms, slept on cots and endured a harsh climate and lack of privacy. There are also displays highlighting poignant stories of friendship, endurance and patriotism.

See where Butch Cassidy slept. Old Trail Town & Museum of the West was created with authentic frontier buildings that were collected from an 80-miles radius of Cody. Some of these historically documented buildings include the cabin used by Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid and their Hole-in-the-Wall Gang. Among the many buildings is Curley’s Cabin, General Custer’s Crow Indian scout that survived the Battle of the Little Big Horn. One of the town’s six gravesites belongs to Jeremiah “Liver Eating” Johnston – portrayed by actor Robert Redford in the 1972 film.

Check out the “Hotel in the Rockies.” Another authentic Cody landmark is the Irma Hotel, built in 1902 to accommodate hunters, businessmen and travelers on their way to Yellowstone. It was named after Buffalo Bill’s youngest daughter Irma. Today, it remains the gathering place of tourists and townspeople, and during summer is the place to watch a reenactment of an Old West gunfight.

Listen to Dan Miller’s Cowboy Music Revue. Hailing from Nashville, singer Dan Miller and his Empty Saddles Band entertain crowds with cowboy songs, poetry and jokes. Presented six nights a week during the summer, the show includes a variety of Western music, from cowboy ballads to love songs.

Keep your eyes peeled.

Set against the beautiful backdrop of Yellowstone National Park and the Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains, Cody is the doorstep to some of the nation’s most scenic country. From awe-inspiring wonders like the Old Faithful Geyser and Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone to the lofty peaks, emerald valleys and sparkling lakes of the Beartooth Mountains. West of Cody, the East Yellowstone Valley is home to extraordinary wildlife. A sharp eye might spot bison, elk, grizzly bear, bighorn sheep, moose, or deer feeding along the banks of the streams, on grassy benchlands, or amidst steep mountain cliffs.

Stop at Buffalo Bill’s hunting lodge. Buffalo Bill brought his hunting pals – including Theodore Roosevelt and the Prince of Monaco – to his rustic lodge just outside of the East entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Cody was nicknamed “Long Hair” by American Indians in the region, which in their tongue was pronounced “Pahaska,” and he named the lodge Pahaska Tepee as a result.

Get out. Outdoor enthusiasts will find a myriad of activities here including horseback riding, hiking, biking, fishing, rock climbing, kayaking, river float trips, golfing and camping.

Rough it. Or not. Modern accommodations such as locally owned and chain hotels, bed and breakfast providers, guest houses, cabins, campground and RV parks and guest and dude ranches cater to thousands of visitors each year. Fine restaurants, unique western clothing boutiques, and art and furniture galleries entice from all over the world.

With the perfect blend of western history and outdoor activities, there’s no doubt that Cody is home to the Great American Adventure.