Buffalo Bill's Blog

Days are getting shorter, the weather is getting cooler, the air is crisper and the summer crowds have returned home. Fall has definitely arrived in Cody/Yellowstone Country. We so appreciate the summer visitors that come here each year and let us share our wonderful part of Wyoming with them but cooler weather doesn’t mean that we don’t have anything to offer - we do! » Read More

If you’re visiting Cody, Wyoming, then one place that you must visit is the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. This is the place to find out everything about the town’s founder and the history of the area. The Buffalo Bill Historical Center incorporates several museums.

The Buffalo Bill Museum looks at the personal and public lives of William Frederick Cody, Buffalo Bill. Find out about cowboys, dude ranching, life on the frontier and the Wild West. There’s information about Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show which ran for 30 years and traveled around the world. William Cody was also famed as a hunter, so it’s fitting that the Cody Firearms Museum houses the world’s most comprehensive collection of American firearms.

You can’t look at the history of the West without considering the Plains Indians. The Plains Indian Museum charts the traditions, cultures, lives and histories of the Plains Indians then and now. Most of the collection consists of artifacts from the Cheyenne, Shoshone, Crow, Arapaho and Lakota from the 1880-1930 period.

Other museums within the Buffalo Bill Historical Center are the Whitney Gallery of Western Art. This museum has a wide range of works by respected artists. It’s currently closed for refurbishment and will reopen in June 2009. However, a temporary gallery is open on the lower level. The Draper Museum of Natural History opened in 2002 with the aim of presenting a wider perspective on the American West.

Explore Buffalo Bill’s Historical Museum and many other museums located in Cody, Wyoming

If you’re looking for an active holiday, then Yellowstone Country is the right place for you. There are many activities that pay tribute to the area’s Wild West history, such as sport shooting at the Cody Shooting Complex. Buffalo Bill himself shot more than 4,000 buffalo - can you pop as many clays or skeets?

Horseback is a great way to explore the region. You can take a guided tour or spend a day at a dude ranch and ride out from there. With miles of trails, there’s always somewhere to explore. The Shoshone National Forest and Yellowstone National Park are just two of the possible destinations in this area. This is a mountainous area, so consider doing some rock climbing as well.

Not all the fun activities are on land; there’s also plenty to do on the water, such as fishing for trout or spending half a day floating through the Shoshone River Canyon. If you prefer your thrills on four wheels, then consider some off road excursions through the hills and gorges. Even the winter months won’t cramp your style, as there are plenty of winter sports on offer in Cody and neighboring towns.

One of the best ways to experience this region is to take a guided tour, and one of the best of those tours is the Cody Trolley Tour. The town founded in 1895 by Buffalo Bill still has a Western feel and the trolley tour takes you on a tour of the area’s history. Led by two guides, the one hour tour covers a 22 mile route and more than 100 years of the best of Cody’s history.

The tour includes a wealth of information about Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley, as well as the thrilling bank robbery by the Hole in the Wall gang in 1904. See where the Crow Indians lived, visit the DeMaris hot springs and view the wildlife (mostly deer, with the occasional bear) as you go past.

Other sights on the tour include:

• the historic downtown area
• the Irma Hotel
• Buffalo Bill Dam
• the rodeo grounds
• the west’s largest model railroad, Tecumseh Miniature Village
• pioneer homes, and more

You can even hear clips of Buffalo Bill himself. Don’t miss this tour.

If you have decided on Yellowstone Country for your next vacation, then you’ve made an excellent decision. With 300 days of sunshine a year and a temperature ranging from 24 degrees in January to an average of 72 degrees in July, it’s almost always a good time to visit. Even in summer, it will be cool in the evenings, which means you won’t swelter as you would in other places. There are plenty of places to stay in all price ranges, whether you are looking for a motel, a campsite or a mountain lodge.

Just driving to the area is an experience in itself, as you can pass through scenic routes and towns such as Powell and Meeteetse. Once you’ve arrived, it’s time to start seeing the sights. Don’t miss the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. With five museums, it will take you a while to see everything that’s on offer. Luckily your admission ticket is valid for two days, so you won’t have to miss anything.

If you’re visiting between July and September, then don’t miss the Cody Nite rodeo, held nightly. It’s a thrill a minute, especially when it’s time for the final bull riding event. Earlier in the evening, watch out for gunfight reenactments at the Irma Hotel. It’s your chance to experience the Old West.

Wyoming is great for those who love the outdoors, so consider exploring the area on horseback, taking a half day fishing trip or checking out the wildlife. You won’t be disappointed with your vacation in Yellowstone Country.