26 Wild, Memorable and Quintessentially Western Adventures to Experience in Cody Yellowstone in 2026

CODY, Wyo., Oct. 24, 2025 – From a summer-season rodeo to the world’s first national park, plus abundant outdoor adventures and captivating historic places, Cody Yellowstone is a classic destination for every type of traveler.

Situated in northwestern Wyoming, the three small towns as well as a national forest and national park land that comprise Park County, Wyo. – known as Cody Yellowstone – are home to a seemingly endless array of places to visit and things to do.

“Buffalo Bill Cody founded this town 130 years ago with visitors in mind, and this tradition of welcoming hospitality has continued throughout the years,” said Katrina Southern, marketing manager for Cody Yellowstone. “Whether you are experiencing your first rodeo, horseback riding with a wrangler from one of our many dude and guest ranches or learning about the history of the American West, this is a destination where lasting memories are made.”

Here are 26 ideas for fun and adventure in Cody Yellowstone in 2026:

Celebrate the nation’s independence. Cody Yellowstone will host a months-long celebration to mark the 250th birthday of the United States. The celebration kicks off on April 18 with “Two Lights for Tomorrow,” an event at the Irma Hotel marking Paul Revere’s famous ride. Other events include a chuckwagon cook-off, cattle drive and street festival and the Cody Stampede, an annual multi-day celebration that includes nightly rodeos, parades, music and more. Plus, there’s beer. Cody Craft Brewing’s “Two Fifty Pale” was selected as the official beer for the event.
Learn about Japanese and Native American culture. The Mineta-Simpson Institute at Heart Mountain WWII Interpretive Center, site of a Japanese-American internment camp during WW II, hosts year-round Japanese cultural immersive programs to encourage meaningful dialogue and help guests better understand shared history and build empathy. Workshops include origami making and sake tasting. Native American perspective has also been added to Heart Mountain WWII Interpretive Center, with programming focused on the historic roots of the Apsaalooke tribe, who were forced into reservations from their homes in the Heart Mountain region.
Enjoy dinner and a show. Throughout the summer season, Cody visitors can enjoy a Western buffet-style dinner and a one-hour show performed by the talented musicians of the Cody Cattle Company. The dinner show is timed to end prior to the 8 p.m. start of the nightly Cody Nite Rodeo adjacent to the Cody Cattle Company building.
Experience a weeklong celebration of Western art. The annual Rendezvous Royale and Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale includes an online Live Silent Auction, “Scout’s Mini Sale” devoted to small works, workshops, exhibitions, an art walk and other events. Rendezvous Royale culminates in a gala weekend including the Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale on Friday night and the Buffalo Bill Quick Draw and Brunch Saturday morning. The annual Patrons Ball Black-Tie Gala at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West rounds out the week.
Savor the snow. Snowshoers and cross country skiers will find miles of trails throughout the region. Visitors can ski and snowshoe on classic tracks and skate lanes along the Shoshone River at Pahaska Tepee near the East Gate to Yellowstone National Park or the groomed trails of the remote Wood River Valley Ski Touring Park. Adventurers can rent equipment from the friendly outdoor concierge staff at Sunlight Sports in downtown Cody.
Sip and stroll. Cody has been recognized by USA Today for having the top small town beer scene in the U.S. Breweries include Cody Craft Brewing, Millstone Pizza Company & Brewery, Pat’s Brew House, and WYOld West Brewing. Follow the “Sippin’ Trail” by enjoying the region’s vibrant bar and restaurant scene while using an app that provides drink discounts and allows you to accumulate points for prizes.
Get away with your yoga pals. Pure Heart Retreat, a new yoga retreat center in the tiny town of Wapiti, Wyo. between Cody and the East Gate of Yellowstone National Park, is situated in a stunning valley with sweeping views of the Absaroka Mountains. The retreat includes an all-glass yoga dome and several guest domes for overnight visitors.
Enjoy the vistas. With five scenic byways leading into Cody that take travelers past some of Wyoming’s most breathtaking valleys, mountain passes, rivers and forests, it’s difficult to find a route that isn’t spectacular. Download the free TravelStorys app and listen to a GPS-prompted audio tour of the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway or the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway.
Take a tour. Cody Yellowstone tour operators offer a variety of tours in town as well as around the region and into Yellowstone National Park. The one-hour Cody Trolley Tour is a great introduction to the town’s history and current offerings. And several tour operators offer full- and multi-day group tours including customizable tour experiences.
Eat like a cowboy. A husband/wife team known as 2 Mules Chuckwagon can be found in the summer next to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West cooking steaks over an open flame. In addition to the main course, the homemade cobbler prepared in a Dutch oven will be remembered long after the vacation is complete.
Climb a frozen waterfall. With more than 200 climbable pitches within a 10-mile radius, Cody Yellowstone is a celebrated ice climbing destination. Visitors can join a commercially guided ice climbing tour throughout the winter. A great option is to participate in the Wyoming Ice Festival featuring more than 20 climbing clinics for every level from beginner to advanced. The festival features ice climbing clinics by day and nightly speakers and presentations developed to inspire and encourage festival participants.
See Butch Cassidy’s hideout. Butch Cassidy and his Wild Bunch Gang hid out in an 1883 log cabin that is now on display at Old Trail Town along with numerous other authentic frontier buildings. Open throughout the summer season, Old Trail Town also features the gravesites of famous frontier personalities such as mountain man Jeremiah Johnston.
Celebrate the harvest. Agritourism tours are offered through the Powell Chamber of Commerce. The tours include stops at Powell area farms including Arrowhead Alpacas, Enchantment Creek Apothecary and Wyoming Heritage Grains. Many local restaurants and breweries serve products made from locally harvested produce. Breweries such as WyOld West Brewing Company, for example, use locally harvested barley. And Sitti’s Table, an immensely popular Cody restaurant with Lebanese-inspired menu creations, uses locally harvested grains and produce.
Search for a bear named Amelia. Bears in the Basin is a fun scavenger hunt for nine-inch bear statues situated in a variety of spots in Cody, Meeteetse and Powell. The bear statues reflect the heritage of three towns in Cody Yellowstone. Farmer Growl celebrates Powell’s homesteading and farming heritage. It is an apt depiction, as the town of Powell continues to embrace a burgeoning agritourism culture. Amelia Bearhart reflects an interesting piece of Meeteetse heritage. Before she disappeared during her round-the-world flight, aviatrix Amelia Earhart – charmed by the exquisite beauty of the northwestern Wyoming backcountry – had begun building a cabin just outside of Kirwin, now a ghost town near Meeteetse. Intrepid hikers and UTVers can still travel to the cabin site today. And Buffalo Bear Cody is a nod to Cody’s famous founder, Buffalo Bill Cody.
Be a dude.Dude, guest and working ranches are beloved destinations featuring the best of Western-style fun in the region, including horseback riding, fishing, cowboy food, cowboy music and, well, cowboys. There are 17 dude, guest and working ranches that dot the forestland around the region.
Paddle the day away. Multiple outfitters such as Gradient Mountain Sports, Red Canyon River Trips, River Runners of Wyoming and Wyoming River Trips operate a variety of half-, full- and multi-day and custom rafting trips on the Shoshone River, including through the Red Rock Canyon and Lower Canyon. Rafters paddle Class 1- III rapids, making the trips especially popular among Cody visitors who are new to rafting or prefer scenic paddling experiences.
See a bison. Or a bear, eagle, bighorn sheep, river otter, fox, coyote, elk or wolf in the wild. Spotting wildlife is free, and visitors typically don’t have to go far to see an array of species. Visitors are urged to practice safe wildlife viewing. Stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves and at least 25 yards from all other mammals.
Ride a UTV. Drive your four-wheel-drive vehicle or rent a street-legal UTV from Out West Adventures and explore backcountry areas such as the ghost town of Kirwin, located high in the Absaroka Mountains above the town of Meeteetse.
Ride a bike. Cody Yellowstone visitors will find numerous trails for mountain biking including the Beck Lake Bike Park &Trail System with10 miles of purpose-built trails. For expert advice, stop in at Joyvagen Cycles in downtown Cody.
Take a hike. Go for a hike in Shoshone National Forest or Yellowstone National Park. The Sunlight Sports Outdoor Concierge can help visitors decide on the best guided or self-guided adventures for their groups.
Park it. Yellowstone is the world’s first national park, and it is still one of the most intriguing destinations on the planet because of it geology, history, architecture, plant life and wildlife. With the East and Northeast Gates easy to access, Cody is a great home base for trips into Yellowstone. The park’s figure eight road system features a Grand Loop for a comprehensive experience, or it can be broken down into two excursions on the Lower and Upper Loops.
View and buy fine Western art created by local artists. The Cody Arts Gallery + Creative Center, which shares a historic building – the original Buffalo Bill Museum – with the Cody Visitor Center, features an array of creations by local artists including photography, oil and watercolor paintings and sculptures. The center hosts a variety of workshops and classes including watercolor painting and ornament-making led by local artists. There is also an annual art show.
Shoot a Gatling Gun. Visitors to the indoor shooting range at the Cody Firearms Experience can shoot replicas of a variety of guns through history under the close supervision of dedicated instructors.
Cast the day away. Cody Yellowstone is home to an abundance of top-flight fishing spots including the North and South Forks of the Shoshone River and rivers and streams in Yellowstone National Park. Local fishing outfitters offer guides, maps and advice. Blue-ribbon trout fishing is especially popular in the fall, where Yellowstone cutthroat, one of the four subspecies of cutthroat found in Wyoming, can be found throughout the region.
Sample chocolate created by a rodeo cowboy. The Meeteetse Chocolatier got his start when he made chocolates from his grandmother’s recipe to raise funds for a new saddle. While he no longer competes in rodeo, he found a new profession.
See how pioneers settled the region. The Homesteader Museum in nearby Powell is a collection of exhibits showing the world of pioneers, including renovated homesteader cabins, tools, photographs and other artifacts depicting the rugged life of a Wyoming homesteader.

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Home of the Great American Adventure, Cody Yellowstone is comprised of the northwestern Wyoming towns of Cody, Powell and Meeteetse as well as areas inside of Yellowstone National Park and the valley east of the entrance. The region is known for rodeos, authentic guest and dude ranches, world-class museums and recreational adventures that reflect the adventurous spirit of the visionaries and explorers who brought the remote region to the world’s attention.

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Media contact:

Mesereau Travel Public Relations

720-284-1512