Frisky Elk, Epic Hiking, Fun Food; Here are All the Reasons to Plan a Fall Getaway to Cody Yellowstone This Year

CODY, Wyo., July 14, 2025 – If slow travel is your vibe, if you like to linger in pretty places, or if you want to forgo crowds and seek solitude instead, then a fall visit to Cody Yellowstone will check all of your travel-preference boxes.

While this beloved destination’s famous summer season attractions like the Cody Nite Rodeo are done for the year, many other adventures continue. And fall tends to be grown-up season, when more adult travelers – who no longer need to be concerned about school schedules – road trip to Cody Yellowstone.

“Northwestern Wyoming is an idyllic destination for fall travelers who want to play outside without the crowds,” said Katrina Southern, marketing manager for Cody Yellowstone, the marketing arm for the region that includes the towns of Cody, Powell and Meeteetse, parts of the Shoshone National Forest and a large swath of Yellowstone National Park. “And travelers who enjoy a good show will be thrilled to watch the antics of our wildlife population like elk, a species that is especially amorous during the fall season. Along the way there’s also exceptional art and fun food that celebrates the harvest.”

Planning a fall trip to Cody Yellowstone is exceptionally easy, noted Southern. She suggests prospective visitors begin by downloading a free travel guide that lists activities, outfitters and attractions and includes sample itineraries.

Here are four things that shouldn’t be missed during a trip to Cody Yellowstone this fall.

Farms and food

Culinary choices in restaurants throughout the destination are wide-ranging and interesting. And many of the ingredients used to prep fresh restaurant food are sourced from local ranches. Travelers who like to know where their food comes from can participate in an agricultural tour arranged through the Powell Chamber of Commerce. Especially interesting during the fall harvest season, the tours stop at farms such as Arrowhead Alpacas, Enchantment Creek Apothecary and Wyoming Heritage Grains. Breweries such as WyOld West Brewing Company, for example, serve beer that uses locally harvested barley, and Sitti’s Table, an immensely popular Cody restaurant that was nominated for a James Beard award, uses locally harvested grains and produce.

Pro tip: Check out the Cody Yellowstone highly walkable Sippin’ Trail, which connects the destination’s many breweries and watering holes.

Frisky Wildlife

Once fall hits and the temperatures cool off, the wildlife of the region shake off their summer-season sloth and become much more active. Grizzlies and black bears can be spotted foraging for pine nuts and other foods as they kick their caloric intake into high gear in preparation for hibernation. The entire region is a haven for enthusiastic anglers, and the abundant trout in the rivers and streams are in an especially biting mood in the fall. And then there’s the elk. Male elk court prospective mates by shrilly bugling their versions of love songs to the females of the species while at the same time challenging other males to battle in a show of masculine prowess. As fall goes on, visitors will see expanding harems of females surrounding a single triumphant male elk.

Pro tips: We beg you – don’t get too close to wildlife, for your safety and theirs. Consider a driving tour with knowledgeable guides. There are several tour companies that operate fall wildlife tours into the park.

Style and Art

The biggest art event in Cody Yellowstone, Rendezvous Royale, is held in the fall, and it is a doozy of a high-end celebration of art. The multi-day September event includes the Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale, a Patron’s Ball and participatory events like painting classes, studio tours, workshops and lectures. Visitors who prefer a more solitary exploration of art will find plenty of places to roam, including the five museums at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West; By Western Hands, a museum and gallery that celebrates functional art; and the Cody Country Art League, with artwork crafted by more than 200 local and regional artists. Cody is also home to numerous art galleries showcasing paintings, sculptures, jewelry and other original pieces created by local and regional artists and photographers.

Pro tip: Get a jump on your holiday shopping and buy locally crafted gifts at the Cody Country Art League.

Outdoor Fun

There are endless ways to play outside in Cody Yellowstone. Hiking is especially epic in the fall, with typically moderate temperatures and miles of trails near town as well as in the surrounding forestland. There’s also biking, climbing, rafting, camping, horseback riding and ATVing. An especially fun outdoor excursion is to drive or ride in an ATV to the ghost town of Kirwin, high above the tiny town of Meeteetse.

Pro tip: Dress for success. Although fall weather is typically mild, there’s always the possibility of rain or even snow. Layer up!

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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 the valley east of Yellowstone National Park. 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

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