Cody has several options for retreats depending upon the size of the group. Area dude and guest ranches are perfect for smaller groups. Ranches typically offer all-inclusive packages for groups so it is easy for the group planner. Most have wonderful lodges that provide unique backdrops for the nitty-gritty meeting times. Ranches also provide a range of activities and relaxation opportunities ensuring that everyone in the group has something to look forward to. Most provide horseback riding, fly-fishing, hiking and spa services. Evening activities such as campfires, cowboy singers and poets,  or wagon rides allow for a casual atmosphere to get to know each other. Fresh air and a change of scenery can do wonders for the creative process. You would be surprised at the ideas people come up with when taken out of the confines of their normal routine!

For groups with up to 75, The Cody is a great choice.  This boutique hotel is quaint yet luxurious. Beautifully appointed guest rooms are comfortable and have all the modern conveniences including iPod docking stations and high speed internet.  The meeting space is beautifully decorated and relaxing. Hopefully you will spend more time outside than inside! The Cody’s location is perfect for setting out on the adventure portion of your retreat.  Each evening refreshments are available for your group to enjoy in the comfortable lobby or on the patio outside. Snack, relax and visit before heading out to one of Cody’s great restaurants. Want to make your employees feel pampered and special, have your retreat at The Cody. 

For large groups, I suggest the Holiday Inn. They know how to handle large groups and they do it well!  They have great meeting space and banquet facilities for groups up to 350. State of the art equipment is available to meet all of your groups technology needs. As the only full service convention property in Cody, the Holiday Inn has a nice restaurant and lounge. Evening banquet dinners are available with western themes to enhance your “western” retreat. The hotel is conveniently located to the downtown area which is great for taking an evening stroll to a restaurant or to check out shops. 

Team building is such an important part of retreats and the Cody/Yellowstone area has so many options. For the adventurous group, I would suggest horseback riding, learning to fly fish, hiking, and river rafting. Take advantage of Sunlight Sports Outdoor Concierge for coordinating activities. For those looking for more relaxed options, I would suggest golf, exploring the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, a sightseeing trip into Yellowstone, a historical visit to the Heart Mountain Interpretive Learning Center or a trip to view the wild horses of the McCullough Peaks. Combining some adventure and sightseeing might be ideal for your group. It is not hard to schedule plenty to do for your group.

So “think outside the box” and plan your company’s next retreat in Cody/Yellowstone Country!

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!

But if the idea of snow shifts your attention to what you can do outside, then there are countless hours you can spend enjoying the fresh air and sunshine here!  Skiing, snowshoeing, skating, wildlife watching – you name it, it’s here.  From Yellowstone National Park to the Beartooth Mountains to the community events happening this winter, there’s no end to the ways you can enjoy winter.

Consider this – Cody is home to the Yellowstone Quake Junior A Hockey team, and they’ve got home games clear through February!  January 13-15 and 19-21, and February 3 and 10-12, come on down to the Riley Arena for some fast paced hockey action.

One of the best places in the world to go ice climbing is right here in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country!  Every February for the past 13 years, we’ve hosted ice climbers from all over the country who gather for the Waterfall Ice Festival.  The falls on the South Fork of the Shoshone River are incredible, and if you’d rather watch than climb, there are several spots along the road where you can view the climbers’ progress.  Contact Don Foote at 307-899-9937 for more information.

And of course, there’s Cody’s own ski area, Sleeping Giant.  The folks who run this community-owned ski hill have worked hard to create fun events for the entire family.  For example, March 9 Sleeping Giant is putting on a “Buffalo Jump”, and a Calcutta the next day.  The prices are amazingly reasonable, and the crowds are minimal.  Join the fun!

Meeteetse has its own winter festival – the 4^th Annual Ice Fishing Derby is February 18 and 19, and folks from around the region compete to see who can pull the biggest and best fish out of Sunshine Reservoir.  There’s a chili cookoff, hot drinks, and warm-hearted people to balance out the winter cold.  To get more information, contact Meeteetse’s Visitor Center at (307) 868-2454.

And if you’re more inclined to stay inside during these warm winter months, we’ve got more than enough to keep you busy.  In addition to our Buffalo Bill Historical Center, which can entertain anyone for days, and the newly opened Heart Mountain Interpretive Learning Center, there are community concerts, the Missoula Children’s Theatre will be in town in January, and Northwest College’s Jazz Festival takes place at the end of February.  For a detailed calendar of events, visit our website.

If you’re visiting from out of town and are looking for a great getaway ideas, the www.yellowstonecountry.org site has a “Travel Deals” page that lists all sorts of really cool packages – places to stay while you play here in the winter.  Check it out!

I guess it’s time for me to warm up my tea – mine has gone cold as I’ve been writing this.  I hope to see many of you taking part in the many fantastic events going on here in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country this winter!

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

Corrie N. Cody

The Cody Community Theatre group has been working incredibly hard to bring one of the most beloved musicals to life for this holiday season – “The Sound of Music” will open to audiences at the Wynona Thompson Auditorium the day after Thanksgiving, for a three-day run. Over 40 community members are involved in the production, either on stage or behind the scenes, and it’s going to be one of the best shows ever put on by the Community Theatre group, thanks to the involvement of theatrical professionals who have elevated this production above what you’d expect for a town the size of Cody – it will be amazing!  If you’re planning to come, you can get your tickets through Wednesday, November 23rd here.

The Cody Christmas Celebration is an event that the entire community looks forward to every year, and this year’s festivities happen the Saturday after Thanksgiving. There will be hay rides, caroling, entertainment, ice sculpting, a lighted parade and, of course, an appearance by Santa! The event encompasses the entire town, from the top of the hill to Sheridan Avenue.

Old Trail Town is hosting a Christmas event this year, as well – “An Old Trail Town Christmas” open house happens Saturday, November 26, from 2:00-8:00 PM. Stop in to see Victorian and old fashioned decorations, and enjoy homemade cookies and confections. Oh, and we can’t forget the hot toddies that they’ll be serving up in the saloon, too!

December 3^rd will be busy – it’s the Buffalo Bill Historical Center’s Holiday Open House, which means entertainment by local musicians and school groups, cookies and punch, and free access to all of the BBHC’s amazing museums (except the wing dedicated to Buffalo Bill himself, that section of the center is closed for renovation until May). It’s also Powell’s Country Christmas, when the downtown shops open their doors for a holiday celebration. There’s also a lighted Christmas parade!

Yellowstone Quake Hockey will be hopping the first week of December – the team plays the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th at the Riley Arena. It’s a great family event, full of action and a great way to get into that winter spirit. But dress warm – it’s cold in that ice rink!

Something that’s become a great annual event is the Christmas Light tours put on by the Cody Trolley. The trolley, along with some local merchants, sponsor a contest to see which businesses and residences can come up with the best lighting designs for the holidays – then the trolley takes a tour of those great locations!

And, of course, what would the holidays be like without a performance of The Nutcracker? Here in Cody, the Rocky Mountain Dance Theatre puts on their version of this classic tale each year (this year’s performance is December 17&18). The number of local children that are involved means that the house is always packed – and there are guest artists that are featured every year that brings a professionalism to the production, along with sets and scene designers from the University of Wyoming. It’s a fantastic family outing, not to be missed.

There is so much happening in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country the next few weeks – if you’re in the area, plan to enjoy the spirit of the holiday season!

Until next time, I’ll be lovin’ the holidays here in Buffalo Bill’s Country!

Corrie N. Cody

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

Obviously, Cody IS Rodeo, and there would be NO rodeo without horses!  They feature in every aspect of the evening’s entertainment – barrel racing, team roping, saddle bronc riding, you name it, horses are the main attraction.  Even in bull riding, the cowboys are watched over and rescued by the faithful outriders on their trusty steeds.  And the Cody Nite Rodeo runs from June 1 through the end of August, so there’s no reason at all to miss the action when you come to visit next summer!

If you’re looking to immerse yourself in the western experience, most of the guest and dude ranches between Cody and Yellowstone Park feature guided horseback rides as an integral part of their guests’ adventure.  From rides lasting a couple of hours to trips that take you deep into the mountains, guest ranch hosts will tailor your stay to fit your level of comfort and experience with horses.

Closer to town, Cedar Mountain Trail Rides operate in two locations – at the KOA Campground east of Cody and at the base of Cedar Mountain, just past the rodeo grounds.  June through September, your entire family can spend a morning or an afternoon seeing Cody Country from a whole new perspective!  With a stable full of horses, most of them gentle enough for children to ride, your visit to Cody/ Yellowstone Country can include a fabulous western experience your family will talk about for years to come!

But here in Buffalo Bill’s corner of the world, the horses aren’t all broke to ride – there are two herds of wild mustangs that live nearby and can be viewed from the comfort of your vehicle.  The Pryor Mountain mustangs are descended from Spanish horses that were brought here by explorers of the New World; and the McCullough Peaks herd roam freely on protected land in the Big Horn Basin between Cody and Greybull.  The Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center near Lovell is the premiere information repository on these amazing animals; and for an unforgettable guided tour of the McCullough Peaks Herd Management area, check out the Red Canyon Wild Mustang tours, based in downtown Cody.

If you love horses, Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country is THE place to spend your next vacation!  Come take a ride on the WILD side…

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

Corrie N. Cody

When I talk to visitors, one of the common topics of conversation is “Gee, how do you handle the isolation?”  Folks are so struck by the distances between communities out here.  I have to admit, when we first moved out west, it was a little hard to get used to – where I’m from, there’s about 3 miles between little towns… out here, there’s at least 15-25 miles between towns!

The fun part about that is that there is such diversity between towns here, where back east it seems one town kind of runs into another.  For example, Cody really feels like a western town – Old Trail Town, the Irma Hotel, the nightly gunfights in summer, the western-themed downtown shopping… they all contribute to the wild west feel that Buffalo Bill Cody set the scene for when he envisioned this jumping-off point to Yellowstone National Park.  In contrast, Powell is very much an agriculture-based community, and also is home to the only community college in northwest Wyoming.  Meeteetse, to the south, is a small ranching town with boardwalks, a local museum and a couple of old-fashioned bar and grill restaurants.

And there are such stand-out features and attractions in each town!  Cody’s Buffalo Bill Historical Center draws visitors to the town all the time – many visitors I’ve met have remarked that they had passed through Cody years before and had always meant to come back to spend time at the museum.  Viewers of RFD-TV watched Dan Miller and his daughter Hannah on “Larry’s Country Diner” in April, and made their plans to come to Cody to see his Cowboy Music Revue based on that!  And, of course, most everyone has planned a trip to Yellowstone National Park, either as a child, or as parents who want their children to experience the wild west here in Yellowstone Country.

Then in Powell, there’s the Homesteader Museum, celebrating and preserving the way of life that brought settlers to this part of the country.  There are farm and ranch tours available through the Powell Chamber of Commerce for those who want to get an in-depth look at the agriculture industry that shapes this region.  And there’s Northwest College, which is the cultural center to the community.

Meeteetse, by contrast, is a throwback to a simpler way of life.  As the central gathering place for local ranchers, Meeteetse’s most high-profile business is actually a fancy chocolate shop!  The Meeteetse Chocolatier, Tim Kellogg, has been a working ranch hand and rodeo cowboy for years, but in the last few years has become world-renowned for his amazing chocolate confections and pastries.  If you stroll the boardwalks in downtown Meeteetse, you can enjoy your chocolate truffle while sitting on a quiet bench near some potted flowers, watching the traffic go by… then step into the Meeteetse Museum, where they have preserved the history of ranching in the Meeteetse area (complete with a brand new display dedicated to the re-discovery of the Black Footed Ferret 30 years ago on the Pitchfork Ranch).  Have lunch at the Elkhorn Bar and Grill, and feel like you’ve stepped back in time 50 years.

And then there’s the benefit of the beautiful drives between towns!  Drivers from Cody to Powell are under the constant watch of the impressive Heart Mountain – which also lent its name to the Heart Mountain Interpretive Learning Center between the two communities (the Japanese American Internment Camp during World War II).  And the drive from Cody to Meeteetse is filled with turns and hills that lead you to the beauty of the mountain foothills where Meeteetse is nestled. 

So, despite our “isolation” here, each community has a uniqueness that makes it stand out – and makes it worth the trip!  I know I’m sure glad to live here…

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

Corrie N. Cody