The Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody is a necessity when visiting the Cody area. The Center is often referred to as the “Smithsonian of the West.”  My family never tires of the Center. You can learn about Buffalo Bill, the Plains Indians, western art and Yellowstone. The Center also boasts the largest collection of firearms in the world-a favorite of the males in my family! Don’t forget to check out the gift shop for great souvenirs. You can bundle your museum trip with the Cody Trolley Tour at a discounted rate. The Trolley will pick you up at the front door of the museum and take you on an hour long tour.  This 22-mile tour in a classic trolley explores places, people and lore of the area.

Step back in time as you stroll through the original town site of Cody located at Old Trail Town. Historic buildings of the area have been carefully moved to the site in addition to authentic artifacts. My favorite building is the saloon. It is a quaint building with great character. This saloon could probably hold about 20 people. We forget that Hollywood has depicted saloons as sprawling buildings when in fact they were small. That is why western boom towns had so many saloons!

Buffalo Bill had many dreams for Cody and the Buffalo Bill Dam was one that was achieved. When it was completed in 1910, it was the tallest concrete dam in the world.  The dam visitor center is a great spot to enjoy tranquil waters of the reservoir and take the audio tour to learn about the dams construction and the area wildlife. The dam is also a great spot for a picnic lunch.

One of Cody’s best kept secrets is Tecumseh’s Trading Post out by the Rodeo grounds. Tecumseh’s is an old west museum and old west miniature village. My kids can’t get enough of the 7000 sq. ft. miniature village that depicts the historical events in Wyoming and Montana from the 1600’s to the 1800’s. The miniature train that can be controlled by visitors is a favorite for kids of all ages. The western artifacts rival most museums. This family owned and operated collection is truly special. They graciously share their collection with the public at no charge!

Meeteetse also has a wonderful treasure in the Meeteetse Chocolatier! Sample gourmet confections made by owner Tim Kellogg who is also a bronc rider and working cowboy. These chocolate delights are made by using only the finest ingredients and are meant to be enjoyed in the “here and now.” Don’t miss this unique shop with amazing treats located on the quaint boardwalk in Meeteetse!

Heart Mountain Interpretive Learning Center between Cody and Powell is an amazing learning opportunity for everyone in the family.  Ten thousand Japanese-Americans were interned at this facility during World War II. Learn about why and how the internees spent their time at the camp. The Center offers a self-guided tour in addition to the Learning Center.  You can pick up the Cody Trolley for a tour to the Center and through area farm land.

Cody has the longest running nightly rodeo in the country which has earned it the distinction of being the “Rodeo Capital of the World.” Rodeo season begins June 1st through August 31st. Enjoy this outdoor rodeo with plenty of excitement and mountain views.  Whether this is your first rodeo or you are a connoisseur, it is sure to be a great time!  

Dan Miller’s Cowboy Music Revue is a wonderful Branson/style music show that is a family favorite.  Enjoy classic cowboy favorites, poetry and much more. If you want to truly experience the West, you must take in the Dan Miller’s show!

These are just the highlights in Cody/Yellowstone Country. There are so many great things to do from the relaxing to the adventurous. Don’t forget to minimize the stress of planning by allowing everyone in the family a voice in the vacation!

Until next time, happy traveling in Cody Country!

It does not have to be overwhelming.  It can actually be fun! Start by requesting the Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country 2012 Vacation Guide or go to www.yellowstonecountry.org . Both are full of great information on activities, lodging and events happening in the area. The website even offers sample itineraries. I love sitting down at the kitchen table with all the vacation planners, travel guides and web materials spread out.  Each member of our family gets a different color highlighter and goes through all the materials and highlights the attractions/activities with things that look fun to them. My ten year old tends to have twice as many picks as everyone else because everything looks exciting when you are ten!  Remember, this is round one.  In round two, everyone has to pick their top 3 choices. It is always great when multiple family members pick some of the same choices. Those become the “must-dos.”  In round three, everyone gets to defend their choices with a question and comment period from the family.  Some options are easily eliminated at this point as it is probably not appropriate for the three year old to learn to kayak on this trip!

Your family should finally have a list of activities and lodging options that work for everybody.  I love this process because every family member feels like they had a part in planning the trip and aren’t just along for the ride. We also set ground rules like no complaining about an activity that wasn’t your pick. Who knows, your 16 year old may really enjoy the horseback ride his 12 year old sister chose! 

On our trips, we allow our children to choose where we eat lunch each day. One rule is it has to be local fare, no chain fast food. We rotate through the kids so everyone has their day. Mom and Dad have exclusive rights to the dinner meal!  We have a lot of fun with this. Sometimes we are in a town that has a great ice cream shop so we allow the kids to choose ICE CREAM for lunch!  We instantly become the coolest parents ever! Because this precedent has been set, our kids get real creative and make some interesting choices.  This tradition makes for great leverage at the evening meal when the kids aren’t thrilled with our pick.  I just say, “Remember, you had a funnel cake for lunch.”  They just can’t argue with that! Cody/Yellowstone Country has great options for dining for the whole family. Be sure to request or pick up a dining guide from the Chamber of Commerce (www.codychamber.org) or ask your front desk staff at your hotel. And yes, Cody does have a great place to get ice cream for lunch!

 Check back next week for the “Must Dos” in Cody/Yellowstone Country!

 Until next time, happy traveling in Cody Country!

It is that time of year when we reflect on the past year and start making resolutions and plans for the upcoming year.  Do you resolve to make the same changes each January?  The ever-so-popular “lose weight,” “get fit,” “get organized,” “quit smoking,” seem to be on many lists. Why not resolve to do something fun like traveling more in 2012? You don’t have to think “globally” when it comes to travel. Why not explore some of the treasures we have in Wyoming! Have you been to Yellowstone? Has it been 20+ years since you were there? Have you explored the area around Yellowstone? Make 2012 the year to really get to know Cody/Yellowstone Country! 

Dan Miller's Cowboy Music Revue

Let me help you plan your trip!  Start your Wyoming vacation by flying into Yellowstone Regional Airport in Cody on jet service from either Salt Lake City or Denver.  I recommend spending two nights in Cody right from the start. Stroll the downtown shops and mosey over to the Irma Hotel for the Gunfighters street theatre performance. Dine at the restaurant in Buffalo Bill’s historic Irma Hotel. After dinner, check out Dan Miller’s Cowboy Music Revue. Spend another day at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, dining at a local restaurant and an evening at the Cody Nite Rodeo.

Now let’s head out to experience Yellowstone. The drive from Cody to the East Entrance of Yellowstone is incredibly scenic! There are several lodges and ranches that offer horseback riding, fishing and lodging in the East Yellowstone Valley. Spend the next three days exploring Yellowstone. Marvel in the wildlife, geothermal activity and breathtaking scenery. Whether staying in an RV or in one of the Park’s hotels, you will be experiencing the majesty of spending the night in one of the most spectacular places on Earth! Three days in the Park allows you to explore the Park’s features. If you want to get into the backcountry, plan on spending another day. I recommend exiting the Park through the Northeast Entrance in Cooke City, MT and travel down Hwy 296 to the Beartooth All-American Highway (Hwy 212) into Red Lodge, MT. The Beartooth Highway is the highest elevation highway in Montana and Wyoming. Expect to see pristine mountain landscapes, several lakes, forests and alpine tundra. You may even get to see a herd of mountain goats!  The pass always makes me want to sing “the hills are alive with the Sound of Music!”

On your way back to Cody, don’t miss to Heart Mountain. It is the prominent mountain you will see to the north of near town. It is a geological wonder! Scientists come from all over the world to study it. It’s unique because the rocks at the summit are 300 million years older than the base and are of a different type and era. It is believed that a massive landslide occurred from the Cooke City area due to volcanic activity. Whatever the cause, it has created a majestic landscape that is visible throughout the Cody area!

Spend your last night in Cody enjoying a nice dinner and picking up those last souvenirs to mark your amazing trip to Cody/Yellowstone country! One of my family’s favorite dinner options is Zapata’s and a visit to the adjoining Cowtown Candy store – sometimes we go there first!

Let your trip to Cody Country/Yellowstone be the start of a travel tradition. I think I will start planning my 2012 Yellowstone getaways right now! 

Until next time, lovin’ life in Buffalo Bills’ Country!

1.  Elk – the Sunlight Basin northwest of Cody is a popular place for herds of elk to gather.  Drive north of Cody on Highway 120, go about 16 miles, then turn west onto the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway.  The Sunlight Basin road will take you past some beautiful ranches and into the valley where the elk feed.  It’s a gorgeous drive, and the opportunity to view these animals in their natural habitat is worth going the distance!

2.  Bison – without a doubt, Yellowstone National Park is THE place to get your fill of these wild and wooly critters.  They literally own the roads in Yellowstone – anyone who’s been there recently will be able to tell you that the bison traffic jams rival any big city traffic snarls… but there’s a heck of a lot less road rage here!

3.  Big Horn Sheep – the highway that follows the South Fork of the Shoshone River leads to a beautiful mountain valley that is home to herds of big horn sheep.  In the fall, the sheep are feeding in the low country before the hard winter kicks in, and in the spring, the sheep babies can be found frolicking on the ranchland in the valley.

4.  Mountain Goats – Clark’s Fork Canyon just northwest of Cody on Highway 120 is one of the few places in this region where you can spot these elusive rock dwellers.  I haven’t figured out how they can actually climb from one precipitous rock face to another – they’re incredible!

5.  Moose – east of Cody across the Big Horn Basin are the awesome Big Horn Mountains, home to black bear, deer, and the massive moose!  Highway 14A, from Lovell across to Sheridan, is a great place to spot these enormous creatures.  They’ve also been frequently seen in the Wood River Valley southwest of Meeteetse.

6.  Wild Horses – two wild mustang herds call Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country home: the McCullough Peaks area just east of Cody in the Big Horn Basin; and the Pryor Mountains northeast of the Big Horn Basin.  The Pryor Mountain Mustang Center is an educational center dedicated to preserving the legacy of these beautiful wild animals.

7.  Wolves – the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park is prime viewing for all sorts of animals, but it’s one of the best bets for spotting wolves.  The wolf population is thriving in Yellowstone after the animal’s re-introduction in the 1990s. The Lamar Valley is in the northeast corner of Yellowstone Park, between Mammoth Hot Springs and Cooke City, Montana.

8.  Mule Deer – believe it or not, if you’re looking to get up close and personal with a mule deer, go no farther than downtown Cody!  Dozens of deer roam around the community – and it’s either a curse or a blessing, depending on who you talk to… they love to munch in residents’ gardens!

9.  Bears – as you travel closer to Yellowstone National Park on Highway 14-16-20, the odds of seeing a grizzly or black bear grow greater!  Bear are regularly seen on the stretch of highway from about ten miles outside Yellow stone until the entrance to the Park, so keep your camera at the ready, but don’t get too close!  Remember, bears are dangerous creatures that move faster than you think they can…

10.  Antelope – … although pronghorns are actually the fastest land animals in North America.  But here in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country, they’re pretty content to move a little slower and graze in the lush grass of the Wapiti Valley about 20 miles west of Cody on the Yellowstone Highway.

11.  Waterfowl – Beck Lake and Alkali Lake on the east side of Cody aren’t just beautiful City parks; they’re also prime waterfowl habitat.  There’s a viewing area that was constructed a few years back by a local service organization that provides a fantastic place to sit and watch the ducks, geese, loons and other birds that use these lakes as a resting point along their migration routes.

There you are – Corrie N. Cody’s Top 11 list of the best wildlife watching places in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country!  Next time you plan a trip this direction, take this list along to build your itinerary… and don’t forget your camera!

Until next time, I’ll be watching the wildlife in Buffalo Bill’s Country!

Corrie N. Cody

Many people that I talk to in the summer ask what the town does in the winter – do the sidewalks roll up?  Do the shops close down?  How do we get around, with all the snow?Well, let me answer the last question first – a lot of folks don’t realize that here in Cody, Powell and Meeteetse, we actually don’t get a lot of snow that sticks around – the mountains to the west catch most of the moisture, and we’re left with very little that the wind doesn’t kick up and blow away!  But that snow in the mountains makes for amazing recreation opportunities…

Like skiing!  Sleeping Giant Ski Area re-opened a few years ago as a community ski hill, run by a local foundation whose goal is to get as many families and kids up there as possible!  Check out their magic carpet for the lesser-skilled skiers on the hill (like me), or take the chair lift to the top of the mountain for great downhill runs.  According to reports, the winter this year should bring us about as much snow as we had last year, so that means there will be fantastic skiing all winter long!

And let’s not neglect to mention cross-country skiing, as well – there are two fantastic trail systems in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country that are maintained throughout the winter.  One is near Sleeping Giant, maintained and highly utilized by the Park County Nordic Ski Association, and the other is in the Wood River area outside of Meeteetse.  And keep an eye out for wildlife while you’re skiing – you never know what kinds of critters might be enjoying the winter weather along with you!

The Yellowstone Quake thrills local audiences at the Riley Arena in Cody with exciting Junior-A Class hockey.  The spectators have lots of chances to get involved with the action, as well – puck chucks for a chance to win half the pot; community groups doing giveaways during the games; special events; and the enjoyment of the game!  Find their schedule at http://yellowstonequake.pointstreaksites.com/view/yellowstonequake.

The Riley Arena also offers folks the chance to do a little ice skating, as does Homesteader Park in Powell.  During the winter, Homesteader Park fills their little ice rink with water and the locals have a ball.  And at the Riley Arena, the local kids’ skate clubs will have performances to show off the talented youth on the ice!

If you’re up for an adventure, Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country is THE best place in the lower 48 to go ice climbing!  The South Fork of the Shoshone River has some incredible waterfalls that freeze during the winter and provide easy access to exciting ice climbing during the winter.  In February, the annual Waterfall Ice Festival draws climbers from all over to climb, learn, and socialize with others who share their passion.

And if you’re more the stay-indoors type, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center is full of incredible interactive displays and fantastic exhibits that focus on different themes – natural history, firearms, western art and the Plains Indians (the Buffalo Bill wing of the Historical Center is closed until May so it can be completely re-done in time for next summer’s big season).  And if you’re here over the holiday season, the BBHC hosts a community open house, featuring local entertainers and an opportunity to spend the day exploring the museums for free!  

Until next time, I’ll be lovin’ winter in Buffalo Bill’s Country!

Corrie N. Cody

If you missed my last blog on Robin, she’s been a ranger at the East Gate for the last three years, and enjoys every day that she gets to welcome folks to the country’s first National Park.  She lives in a mountain cabin halfway between Cody and Yellowstone, so she gets to see wildlife almost every day!  And the visitors love to see all the animals before they even get in the Park – just this week Robin heard two different reports of grizzly bears crossing the highway just 5 miles east of the gate, and others spotted a wolf just up from the pass that same day.  And something even more unusual – Robin said that visitors reported seeing a mountain lion in the Hayden Valley, along with a wolf and eagles, all in the same area! 

Robin says that visitors are REALLY enjoying the beautiful weather we’re having right now – in fact, some have jokingly asked if they have to pay more to enter the park because the weather is such a bonus!  She says that after the cold snap we had last week, the leaves started changing colors, and now the warm temps and sunny skies are just enhancing the natural beauty of the region. 

On a sad note, Robin reports that over the last weekend, there were two bison hit and killed on the highway in Yellowstone.  It’s a reminder to visitors, though, that watching for wildlife in Yellowstone actually needs to start once you get to Cody itself!  We’ve got dozens of deer that live right here in town, and they don’t necessarily follow traffic signals… the same goes for the bison, elk, moose, and bear that populate the North Fork valley on the highway to Yellowstone.  And we’re in peak wildlife-watching season – the fall months and late spring are the BEST times to catch a glimpse of the amazing creatures that we co-habitate with here in Yellowstone Country!

Robin says that there have been quite a few inquiries about the two fatal grizzly attacks that have occurred this summer – the first fatal attacks in 26 years in Yellowstone.  The rangers’ message to visitors who are planning to hike?  ALWAYS CARRY BEAR SPRAY.  Ranger Robin and her husband have hiked in these mountains for the last thirteen years and always carry bear spray.  She says they’ve thankfully never had to use it, but on many occasions they have seen fresh bear tracks on their hikes.  If hikers have questions about the proper use of bear spray, they can check out a “Bear Aware” video at the public library in Cody.  The video was produced by the Buffalo Bill Historical Center’s Draper Museum of Natural History just a couple of years ago, so the information is very current.  

I asked Robin about the visitors who are frequenting the park right now, and she said that there are a TON of foreign travelers here right now!  A large percentage are German, which she says is pretty easy, because most of the German visitors speak English.  Many of the Italian tourists have trouble with the language barriers, though, as do quite a few of the French.  Robin says that at the East Gate, there are rangers on duty who can speak enough German and Norwegian to help out visitors from those countries; and Robin herself can converse in sign language, which has come in very handy over the past three years that she’s worked there.   She says that deaf visitors are always so pleased to find out that she can sign, which is so important when it comes to communicating about lodging and other necessary information. Since lodging and campsites fill up almost every day during peak season, it’s important to be able to get that message across as soon as folks get in the gate.

Robin’s got such a great job!  Her season is winding down there – the Park will close up the first weekend in November to wheeled vehicles, and will remain closed to wheeled vehicles until next May, when the season comes ‘round again… and Ranger Robin hopes to be there to greet enthusiastic visitors to this amazing, unique place that is Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country!

Until next time, I’ll be lovin’ life in Buffalo Bill’s Country!

Corrie N. Cody

Robin works as a Park Ranger at the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park.  This is her third 6-month season working for the National Park Service, and she says she is simply blessed to be doing what she does!  Robin greets people as they come to the world’s first National Park, and she says the reactions of folks who are visiting for the first time can really touch your heart.

Robin’s day on the job begins when the first visitors pass through the gate at 8 a.m., and is ready with her fellow gate-keepers to issue their familiar greeting – “Welcome to Yellowstone!”

And it truly is a welcome, and sometimes a profound, event for most of the folks who come through that gate, according to Robin.  She relayed several heartfelt stories to me about people who have been checking a visit to Yellowstone off their “Bucket Lists”… like the elderly couple who drove to the east entrance one day in 2009.  As the couple pulled up to the gate, it was obvious to the rangers that the woman in the passenger seat was not well.  As the supervisor (who is an EMT) was working to help the woman, her husband was patting her shoulder, repeating over and over, “Honey, we made it.  We made it to Yellowstone.”

 Another story that Robin told centered around a 99 year old man who pulled up to the entrance, parked his vehicle and told the ranger at the gate that he had served in World War II and Korea, and that this visit to Yellowstone would be his last trip.  The man began weeping as he was relaying this to the young ranger, and the young man wept with him.

One of the most important messages that Robin passed on to me was that Yellowstone’s boundaries are just imaginary lines – the wildlife and the scenery don’t just begin and end at the gates.  She stressed to me how important it is for folks to realize that this entire area is “Yellowstone Country”!  Sometimes she says her heart breaks when she sees animals on the side of the highway that have been struck by cars whose drivers are in such a hurry to get to Yellowstone that they forget that in many ways, they’re already there.  Robin says that the best place to see wildlife in this region is actually the 52 miles between Cody and the East Entrance, on the highway to Yellowstone.  She says that every day, like clockwork, she sees moose.  She also sees elk, bear, bighorn sheep, deer, turkeys and bald eagles.  She said that she saw all these animals IN ONE DAY this spring!

Robin and I talked for a long time, and she had a lot more stories to tell me than what I can write in one blog, so I’ll save her other stories for another time.  For those of you who have yet to experience the wonders of Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country, I hope you’ll appreciate the area as much as Robin and I do!

Until next time, I’ll be lovin’ life in Buffalo Bill’s Country!

Corrie N. Cody

1.  How far is it to Yellowstone National Park?

-  Answer:  It’s 53 miles from Cody to the East Entrance in Yellowstone.  However, once you get into the Park, you don’t run into any services until you get to Fishing Bridge, which is another 27 miles.  So don’t expect to just get in the entrance to the Park and be greeted by a friendly Yogi-type bear… you’ll have a ways to go before you can stop for a meal and a tank of gas!

2.  Is there lodging in the Park?

-  Answer:  There are some absolutely fabulous lodges and campgrounds in Yellowstone National Park, all operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts!  (My personal recommendations:  Old Faithful Lodge and the Lake Hotel – AMAZING historic buildings!)  Reservations can be made by calling Xanterra at (866) 439-7375.  Better contact them early, though – they sell out many nights during the summer!

3.  What are the hours at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, and how much does it cost?

-  Answer:  The BBHC, one of the top attractions in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country, is open daily from May 1-September 15 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.  A two-day admission for adults is $18, seniors and college students are $16, youth ages 6-17 are $10, and ages 5 and under get in free.  And believe me, you’ll want to use the two-day admission – you’ll be blown away by how huge the facility is! (And by the way, it’s open year round!)

4.  Tell me about the Cody Nite Rodeo.

-  The Cody Nite Rodeo is the longest-running outdoor nightly rodeo in the country!  Every evening from June 1-August 31 visitors will see real rodeo action, with cash prizes awarded every night.  Tickets are sold at the Visitor Center, but can also be purchased at the gate.  If you’ve got kids with you, they can get down in the arena and chase a calf around and win a prize!

5.  What else can I do while I’m here?

-  Wow, there’s so much to do!  Go river rafting; visit Old Trail Town; eat dinner at the historic Irma Hotel and take in the Dan Miller Cowboy Music Revue; see a gunfight; get a chuckwagon dinner with musical entertainment; shop downtown; learn about the history of this region at places like Tecumseh’s Miniature Village, the Cody Dug Up Gun Museum, the Cody Murals, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, the Buffalo Bill Dam Visitor Center, and the Heart Mountain Relocation Camp; go mountain biking; take a trolley tour; hike a trail in the Shoshone National Forest; fish the Shoshone River with a seasoned guide; take a horseback trail ride; the list goes on and on!

6.  What are the road conditions in Yellowstone?

-  The road conditions in this mountainous region vary based on the season or weather conditions.  My advice is to stop in and chat with the well-informed staff at the Visitor Center before you make your plans for the day – or you can call Yellowstone National Park’s dedicated phone number for road conditions: (307) 344-2117.

7.  Where can I get supplies?

-  Believe it or not, the town of Cody (population around 9,000) is the shopping mecca for the Big Horn Basin – because we have the Super Wal-Mart!  We also have a K-Mart, Walgreens, Albertsons, banking services, several pharmacies, sporting goods stores and other places to stock up on necessities before heading on down the road.

8.  Is there someplace I can connect to the Internet?

-  Many fast-food restaurants and most of the coffee shops offer free wi-fi for folks who have their own laptops.  Also, the Park County Library has a bank of computers that are available for use by the general public.  And many local lodging properties offer Internet hookups, as well.

Then there are those questions that AREN’T asked frequently.  I asked Karen Miller, who runs the Visitor Center here in Cody, to list a few of the more unusual questions that have been asked.  Here’s what she came up with:

1.  Where are the fences to keep the animals in at Yellowstone?
2. When do they let the animals out in Yellowstone?
3. Who controls the button that sets Old Faithful off?
4. How do you see Mount Rushmore from here?

Since, obviously, the animals roam free in Yellowstone, Old Faithful is “faithful” naturally, and Mount Rushmore is a good 7 hours and two mountain ranges away, these questions are always answered pleasantly and with a smile…

If YOU have questions about visiting Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country, you can find out more at www.yellowstonecountry.org, or call (800) 393-2639. 

Until next time, I’ll be telling more folks about all there is to do here in Buffalo Bill’s Country…

Corrie N. Cody

One of the things that I have discovered that I really like to do is to participate in 5k races.  I’m not fast, I usually finish in the last third of the pack, but I do finish!  And for me, the most fun is not the actual running of the race, but the social aspects of the event, and the sense of accomplishment I feel when the race is over.

Another neat by-product of running a 5k around here is the incredible scenery that you’re surrounded by as you run!  When I participated in the Runner’s Stampede on July 4, the route took us to Beck Lake, which is a pretty park on the east side of Cody that affords a great view of Cedar and Rattlesnake mountains to the west.  Even MORE incredible was the setting for the Meeteetse Wagon Box Social 5k/10k/13k in June – that race was in the Wood River valley near Meeteetse, and was absolutely breathtaking!  (The scenery AS WELL AS the running part…)

I have always thought that building a vacation around a race would be a neat experience, and I know there are folks out there who do just that!  So in case YOU’RE that kind of runner, I’ve compiled a list of upcoming races in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country (and nearby areas) that you might want to consider:

Just next weekend (August 6 & 7), in neighboring Red Lodge, Montana (just 60 miles away) is the Beartooth Run and Ride – a two day event set in the beautiful Beartooth Range.

August 20^th is the Sugar Beet Classic in Powell – this race features a 5k run/walk, a Duathlon and a Triathlon!  The event starts and ends at Homesteader Park, and the iconic Heart Mountain is visible throughout the race.

The Tails and Trails 5k is a relatively new event that takes participants from West Park Hospital in Cody down to the Paul Stock trails next to the Shoshone River (the “trails” part of the race).  The “tails” part of the race refers to the fact that dog owners are encouraged to take their pets along – plus, the race is hosted jointly by West Park Hospital and the Park County Animal Shelter.

Meeteetse’s Labor Day Celebration is a HUGE event in this area, and extreme sports and running enthusiasts look forward to the Meeteetse Mountain Run, which is part of that annual event.  This race is EXTREME – I’m quoting from the Meeteetse Rec District’s web page here:  “The 5k, 10k race will run up the Timber Creek jeep trail which will be set up so the whole family will be able to participate. The 15k mountain run is an extreme race and not for the faint of heart. It continues up and around the mountain with a 2000′ rise in altitude to around 9700′, then through some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in all the Rocky Mountains. It concludes with a descent down a 1000′ mountain face. According to local mountain running legend Fred Thomas and other participants from past races, it is one of the most RADICAL FINISHES around with the makings of a classic!”  In other words, with my level of ability, I’m probably NOT going to participate in this one!

So if you love the outdoors and you love being active, consider participating in one of these fabulous events – and maybe I’ll see you there!

Until next time, I’ll be huffin’ and puffin’ in Buffalo Bill’s Country…

Corrie N. Cody

1.   The Buffalo Bill Dam was an incredible feat of engineering when it was constructed in 1910.  At the time, it was the tallest concrete dam in the world, and the Hoover Dam outside of Las Vegas was actually modeled after this structure!  The visitor center is free to the public (donations are always appreciated, though), and presents the history of the area as well as the construction of the dam itself.  It’s open 8 am to 8 pm from May through September.

2.  The only thing that you have to pay for is a license to experience one of the best recreational activities in this area – fishing!  The various rivers and lakes in the region are full of all sorts of species of trout, and while most fishing spots are “catch-and-keep”, there are a few that are “catch-and-release” only.  Be sure to check the Wyoming Game and Fish regulations before you drop your line in the water.

3.  Hiking is a favorite pastime for so many of the locals here, and they’re glad to share their favorite hiking trails with visitors!  From the walking trails along the Shoshone River right in Cody to the top of Heart Mountain, there are so many day hikes that it would take years to get to them all.  The folks at the Shoshone National Forest office in Cody would be glad to get you headed in the right direction, no matter what distance or how strenuous of a hike you’re looking to take.

4.  The museums in the tiny ranching town of Meeteetse and the agriculture center of the area, Powell, are full of stories and artifacts detailing the colorful history of the area.  The Meeteetse Museum features the photography of Charles Belden, and has turned its historic bank building into an exhibit, as well.  And the Homesteader Museum in Powell celebrates the homesteading families and rural life in the early 1900s.  There are also several free historical exhibits in Cody – Tecumseh’s Miniature Village, the Cody Mural Visitor Center, and the Dug-Up Gun Museum all have fantastic artifacts that highlight the historical events that shaped the west.

5.  The rich history of this region wasn’t just limited to the wild west – World War II brought an unexpected notoriety to this area, as it was the site of the Heart Mountain Internment Camp between Cody and Powell.  The Camp was the residence for 11,000 Japanese and Japanese-Americans who were rounded up by the federal government after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941.  An interpretive walking tour at the site details the history of the camp and its residents.  A new learning center is in the process of being constructed, and will open to the public in August of this year.

6.  Cody is the home to the official Wyoming State Veteran’s Memorial Park.  A group of Korean War veterans and other hard-working supporters have made what was a simple memorial to the local soldiers who died in the Vietnam War into an extensive park at the southeast entrance to the community.  The park features monuments to the veterans and the fallen from the Vietnam, Korean and second World wars.

7.  The City of Cody is noted for its extensive and beautifully well-kept park system!  The Cody Parks and Recreation department maintains nearly 300 acres of park land and almost 9 miles of trails for use by residents and visitors alike.  Some parks have tennis courts; one has a climbing wall; there’s even a well-designed skate park, in addition to picnic shelters, horseshoe pits and of course, playground equipment!

8.  If you love western art, but don’t necessarily want to pay an entrance fee to one of the local museums to view it, just stroll through downtown Cody and you’ll see some of the finest art that the area has to offer.  From photography to oil to watercolors to sculptures, the various art galleries would be glad to show off the talented western artists whose work hangs on their walls.  And don’t forget about the Cody Country Art League, which is housed in the same building as the Cody Visitor Center – it features professional and amateur artists who all have ties to the community.

9.  Adventure-seekers have found Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country to be one of the best playgrounds in the country!  From ice-climbing and cross-country skiing in the winter to mountain biking, kayaking, and rock climbing in the summer, there are incredible experiences just waiting to be had in the mountain ranges surrounding the area. 

10.  If you thought that all horses were domesticated in this day and age, wait until you take in the McCullough Peaks wild horse range!  This herd of wild horses lives just east of Cody and can be seen almost any time.  There are an estimated 450 animals in the herd, and if you’re willing to pay just a bit, there are guides in the area who have really gotten to know the individual horses and would be glad to introduce you…

11.  … but if your favorite type of horse happens to have four wheels and is gasoline-powered, all you have to pay for is a tank of gas and you’ve got one of the most frugal ways to enjoy this region.  There are five fantastic scenic loops that all begin and end here in Cody, and offer everything from wildlife viewing to incredible vistas that go on forever!

There it is – at least, everything that I could fit into 11 categories!  If you’re looking for a memorable vacation that won’t drain your bank account, stop out and see us here in Yellowstone Country… you’ll be glad you did!

Stretchin’ a buck in Buffalo Bill’s Country,

Corrie N. Cody