Memorial Day weekend signals the kick off to summer in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country! The area comes alive with the opening of roads, area attractions and summer time events.  It is a great time to visit because the temperatures are very comfortable and it is not too busy yet.  Here are my recommendations for the long weekend trip to Cody/Yellowstone Country.

The Buffalo Bill Historical Center should always be on the list of “must dos” when visiting Cody.  This world class facility has five western museums under one roof! The various museums feature Yellowstone’s natural history, Buffalo Bill, Plains Indian arts and culture, western art and a renown firearms museum.  The Buffalo Bill museum had been recently redesigned and is reopening on May 19^th. The Center has its own eatery and coffee bar so you can spend all day exploring!

There is a little extra going on Memorial Weekend this year.  The Cody Wild West Show Concert series presents Grammy-award winning singer, Kathy Mattea, on Saturday, May 26^th.  Kathy will be performing hits like “18 Wheels and A Dozen Roses,” “Where Have You Been” in addition to new songs from her upcoming album.  Kathy, along with her band, will perform concerts at 5:00 and 8:00 p.m in the Wynona Thompson Auditorium.  Contact the Cody Country Chamber of Commerce at 800-393-2639 for ticket and lodging package information.

Plan another evening of music with Dan Miller’s Cowboy Music Revue in downtown Cody.  This award- winning variety show features Americana, bluegrass, songs of the American West and cowboy poetry.  Located in the historic Cody Theatre, this Branson-style show is great for the entire family. The theatre is across the street from Buffalo Bill’s Irma Hotel and offers a Dinner and Show package. The Irma is famous for their prime rib buffet that you won’t want to miss either!

Old Trail Town and Museum of the Old West are located on the original town site of Cody City.  The town is a collection of 26 area frontier buildings. Thousands of artifacts are displayed throughout the buildings. A small cemetery contains the gravesite of Jeremiah Johnson and other notorious characters of the area.  My favorite building is the saloon.  It is a quaint building with red wallpaper and bullet holes in the walls. Hollywood depicts western saloons as large halls full of people when in reality most saloons were quite small.

You might not realize there is a wild horse herd that roams on BLM land just outside of Cody. Take a 2 ½ hour tour with Red Canyon Wild Mustang Tours and get up close to the horses. Your guide will share the history and information about the behavior of wild horses.  You may also see pronghorn antelope, golden eagles, coyotes and black-tailed prairie dogs.

Located between the towns of Cody and Powell, Heart Mountain Interpretive Center is the historical site where 14,000 Japanese Americans were confined during World War II. The relocation center was open from August 1942 to November 10, 1945 and at one point was the third largest city in Wyoming.  The Center shares the experiences of the internees through a museum, exhibits and a walking trail. The Center preserves a very important part of American history.

Complete your weekend with a trip into Yellowstone!  All roads within the Park will be open by Memorial Day weekend and it should not be too busy. Wildlife viewing is good as many animals are still hanging out in the lower areas because of snow and temperatures in the high country. It is also a great time to get a glimpse of bear cubs, bison calves, and many other animal babies. I like visiting early in the season because everything is so green and the wildflowers are popping up all over.

There are lots of things to do in Cody/Yellowstone Country over Memorial Day weekend. Take in all of my recommendations or just a few on this visit. Whatever you decide, you won’t be disappointed!

Until next time, I’ll be lovin’ the beginning of summer here in Cody/Yellowstone Country!

As the seasons are changing and spring is in full bloom, I am excited to get the camera out and capture the new life that is emerging. I am fortunate to live in an area that is so spectacular and has so much to photograph. Whether you are a professional or just want to capture photos from your vacation, Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country is a photographer’s dream.

One of the most photographed places in the world is Yellowstone National Park. Once you have visited the Park, you understand. You will want to capture the beauty to take home with you.  The Park landscapes and geological features will be on your photo list. There are also great spots to take a family photo that would be great for your Christmas card!  Don’t forget the wildlife. You will want to photograph every animal you see. Be sure you do so safely, most of the time from your car. Remember there are regulations on how close you can be to wildlife.

A drive from Cody to the East entrance of Yellowstone is also a great opportunity to take some wildlife and scenic shots. The drive will take you past the Buffalo Bill Reservoir, into the Wapiti Valley and along the North Fork of the Shoshone River. Expect to see bison, big horn sheep, moose, elk, deer, grizzly bears, a variety of birds and maybe even some otters. The Wapiti Valley is surrounded by volcanic rock outcroppings and mountains.

If ghost towns are your thing, you might want to take a drive just outside of Meeteetse up the Wood River.  This is a scenic 4×4 drive that is only accessible from July to September. The ghost town of Kirwin is located up this road. Gold was discovered in Kirwin in 1885. By 1887, the town had a population of 200 and 38 buildings. Unfortunately, the quality of the gold was low. Due to extreme snows, the town became a ghost town by 1908. People left the town abruptly and left many of their belongings there. Today there are several buildings still standing and remnants of the mine. A photographic visit to Kirwin provides a great glimpse into our mining past.

You probably are not aware that a significant piece of WWII history is located between Cody and Powell. Heart Mountain Interpretive Center is the site where more than 14,000 Japanese Americans were confined during the war. The Center captures this tragic yet important part of American history with photographs, artifacts and interactive exhibits. There is a memorial walking trail around the site that takes visitors around the remaining buildings. There are great opportunities for historical photographs on the walk in addition to the views of the Heart Mountain peak and the surrounding valley.

Do you want your Yellowstone vacation photos to be different? Take a scenic flight tour of the area from the Cody Airport. On these flights, you will see Yellowstone National Park, Sunlight Basin and the Big Horn Mountains.  Why not get photographs of your vacation from a larger perspective!

Whatever the reason you are visiting Cody/Yellowstone Country, be sure to bring your camera! You will not run out of things to photograph.

Until next time, I’m snapping pictures in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country!

When we think about the West and Wyoming, we can’t help but think about Buffalo Bill Cody!  He was the embodiment of the spirit of the west to the world. In fact, at the turn of the century, Buffalo Bill was the most famous American in the world.  Let’s shine the spotlight on The Man, The Show, and The Town.

The Man – He was born William F. Cody in 1846 and raised on the prairies of Iowa and Kansas. At the age of 14, he joined the Pony Express. He became one of their most fearless and daring riders. During the Civil War, he served as a Union scout against the Kiowa and Commanche. After the war, he married and was hired to hunt buffalo to feed the crews building the Kansas Pacific railroad. This occupation earned him the nickname, “Buffalo Bill.” He returned to scouting for the Army in 1868 and was earning a reputation for skill and bravery. His fame began to take shape when he became a character in Ned Buntline’s dime novels that mixed his real life stories with fiction. Buntline convinced Buffalo Bill to star as himself in a stage play. This is where Buffalo Bill fell in love with the spotlight. He spent eleven seasons on stage but returned to the West between theater seasons to guide hunting parties.

The Wild West Show  - In 1883, Cody organized Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. It was an outdoor show that dramatized elements of frontier life from buffalo hunts to Indian attacks. The show mixed elements of rodeo, circus, pageant and theater and emphasized Cody’s showmanship and charisma. The show also featured sharpshooter, Annie Oakley, Chief Sitting Bull for one season and a “Congress of Rough Riders of the World.”  Needless to say, the show was incredibly popular and toured the country for 30 years and traveled to Europe for about 10 of those years.  The Wild West Show made Cody a wealthy man. Unfortunately, he was not a good businessman and fell prey to many bad investments. It is said that he made a million dollars twice in his lifetime to only lose it all. At the time of his death in 1917, he was broke.

The Town – Cody fell in love with the Big Horn Basin and in 1896 helped found the city of Cody.  He had many visions for the town.  The original town site was situated, at what is now the West end of town, near a hot springs. Cody had visions of making the town the next Glenwood Springs. Unfortunately, there was not an easy way to navigate the canyon below town to access the springs. The town site was moved a mile down the river where the railroad set up a station and Cody opened his “Hotel in the Rockies,” The Irma. Cody had visions of making the Big Horn Basin an agricultural center.  Cody spent large sums of money on irrigation to the basin.  He convinced his friend, President Teddy Roosevelt, to start the Bureau of Reclamation and finance projects like the Buffalo Bill Dam. When completed in 1910, the dam was the tallest concrete dam in the world. Today, you can visit the Buffalo Bill Dam Visitor Center to learn more on the history of the dam and Cody’s influence on the areas agriculture.

The Buffalo Bill Historical Center – The five museums of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center share the history of the west that Cody was so proud of.  The Buffalo Bill Museum is dedicated to the life and times of William F. Cody. He was more than an actor and showman. Cody was a noted hunting guide, scout, frontiersman, entrepreneur, town founder and American Icon.  Authentic artifacts, exhibits and interactive displays tell the story of the multifaceted Buffalo Bill. This winter, the museum has been undergoing a renovation and is scheduled to re-open on May 19^th.

William F. Cody was definitely a renaissance man. One of the most impressive things about Cody was his rise to international stardom as a showman, historian and proponent of the American West in a time without the mass media of our day.  Next time you are in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country, be sure to explore more about The Man, The Show and The Town!

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

When I mention I live in Cody, Wyoming, people are interested and wonder what there is to see and do here. Many think it is just a town you fly into or drive through to get to Yellowstone.  They have no idea what a great place it is. I decided it is time for the Top 11 reasons to visit Cody/Yellowstone Country!

1.  Amazing Scenery – We have everything from the most remote wilderness in the lower 48, sage brush deserts, rivers, lush valleys and Yellowstone National Park. There are two spectacular scenic drives outside of Cody, the Beartooth All-American Road and the North Fork Highway. Both are considered to be some of the most scenic drives in America.

2. History - Be sure to jump on the Cody Trolley to learn more about Buffalo Bill and a tour of the area’s historical sites, geology, wildlife and old and new west attractions. In an hour, you will get a hundred years of history! Visit the Cody Mural Visitors Center to learn about the Mormon pioneer’s life in the Big Horn Basin. Tecumseh’s Old West Miniature Village and Museum is a great treasure with a huge diorama of Wyoming and western history.

3. Yellowstone - America’s first National Park is one of the most unique places on earth. From your car, visitors can view wild animals in their natural setting. Not unlike an African safari, you can drive through the vast herds of bison in the Lamar Valley and spot a pack of wolves, coyotes or a grizzly bear.

4. Rodeo - Cody is rodeo! The Cody Nite Rodeo is the longest running nightly rodeo in the country. Contestants compete every night from June 1 to August 31^st at Stampede Park. You can watch cowboys compete in roping, bareback and saddle bronc riding and the exciting event of bull riding. This is truly a night of western entertainment.

5. Western Art - There are several wonderful art galleries in Cody. You will find about every type of art from bronzes, oil paintings, watercolors, wildlife photography and furniture. The Whitney Gallery inside the Buffalo Bill Historical Center features the work of Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russell and Thomas Moran to name a few.

6. Dude Ranch Roots - Dude ranching got its start in the Cody area with the Valley Ranch. Today there are still several dude and guest ranches in the area catering to guests that want to experience the cowboy lifestyle. Most guests stay a couple of days to a week and are able to choose from a variety of activities.

7.  Wildlife Viewing - The drive from Cody to the East gate of Yellowstone is beautiful and full of wildlife.  Big Horn sheep and bison are known to hang out right on the road. Deer and elk can be spotted in the hayfields in the evenings and on the mountain ridges during the day. If you are looking carefully, you may spot a grizzly bear on the river or a moose!  You may even see a fox, coyote or wolf hanging out near Pahaska Tepee, Buffalo Bill’s historic hunting lodge.

8.  Buffalo Bill - No one symbolizes the American West better than Buffalo Bill. He was a man of many talents – showman, businessman, hunter and scout. He had great visions for Cody and the surrounding area. The Buffalo Bill Historical Center pays tribute to this legend with a museum solely dedicated to him.

9.  Adventure - Outdoor experiences are abundant in Cody/Yellowstone Country. The area is home to tons of trails for horseback riding, hiking, and mountain biking.  To help plan your excursion, check out Sunlight Sports Outdoor Concierge.

10.  Western Hospitality - This is cowboy country and with that comes a hospitality you may not have experienced in a while. Don’t be surprised by the relaxed and uncomplicated lifestyle of the folks you meet while visiting.

11.  Music - Dan Miller’s Cowboy Music Revue is a Branson-style family variety show. This special evening of music features Americana, bluegrass, songs of the American West and cowboy poetry in the historic Cody Theatre. You can also take in a dinner and live Western music show at the Cody Cattle Company each evening before the rodeo.   

There you have it – Corrie N. Cody’s Top 11 reasons to visit Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country! Now you know why you need to plan your next vacation here! 

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

 Corrie N. Cody

As the days get longer and warmer, my anticipation for a summer vacation heats up!  I am ready for a change of scenery and new adventures! I like to figure out “the best” way to reach my vacation destination so I look for the most creative way to get there.  If you are going to Yellowstone on vacation this summer, you really have to plan on starting in Cody, “the wildest way into Yellowstone”.  You might not realize how much there is to do and see in Cody and on the road from Cody to Yellowstone.  Be sure to plan at least two nights in Cody!

Cody is home to Yellowstone Regional Airport (YRA) which is serviced by Delta Airlines through Salt Lake City and United Airlines through Denver.  The airport offers competitive fares and is very convenient. I love that it is a small airport but modern. Not to worry about long lines for check in, security or getting your luggage. Renting a car is also very convenient at YRA. There are 5 major rental car agencies at YRA. There is also a great little restaurant, The Landing, in the airport, a local favorite! Since the airport offers free parking, you will always find a variety of folks eating at the airport!

Cody is the “Rodeo Capital of the World” with a rodeo every night from June 1^st to August 31^st. It is said that every major rodeo champion has spent time at the Cody Nite Rodeo honing their skills. You never know who will be competing at the rodeo!  The rodeo is also proud to have one of the best bull fighters in the country, Dusty Tuckness. If you have never experienced a rodeo, you have to go to the Cody Nite Rodeo. If you have experienced a hundred rodeos, you still should experience the Cody Nite Rodeo! It will be a wild, western night you won’t forget!

There are several “wild” outdoor activities to do while in Cody. River trips and kayaking are popular on the Shoshone River that runs right through Cody. The rafting is just “wild” enough for everyone in the family! You can also get on the water and learn to fly fish. The local fishing outfitters offer guided fishing excursions on the river or area lakes.  No need to worry about packing gear. Your fishing guide will have everything you need to hook a nice fish! Cody is horse country and what better way to immerse yourself in the culture than to take a horseback ride in the mountains. There are several guest ranches (just east of town) that offer riding.

Did you know that there is a wild Mustang herd just outside of Cody?   You can drive out to the McCullough Peaks Wild Horse Management area to view the horses on your own or take a guided van tour from Red Canyon Wild Mustang Trips. This colorful herd of horses is fascinating to observe. Your guide will even let you do a little hiking to get closer to the herd to observe and take photos. You may also see antelope, coyotes or a golden eagle on your tour.

The drive from Cody to the East gate of Yellowstone is 52 incredibly scenic miles full of wildlife.  The road takes you past the Buffalo Bill Dam Visitor’s Center and reservoir. The tour at the Dam Visitor Center is free and worth the stop. There are also several great picnic spots along the reservoir.  In early summer, you might even see a pelican or two on the reservoir. The wildlife viewing is great on this route. Be sure to watch for deer and elk in the valley. Big horn sheep, bison and moose are often seen as the road follows the river. I have even seen river otters.

These are just a few of the “wild” activities you can do on your way to Yellowstone. Cody/Yellowstone country has much more to offer. 

So until next time, I will be lovin’ life in the wild country!