Wild Wyoming is one of the world’s premier travel destinations for fans of the great outdoors. The entire state is essentially a patchwork of national parks, national forests, wilderness areas, state parks, and historic sites. A few near-urbanized cities are sprinkled around Wyoming for support, but this is one state where you come to escape into the wild wooly American West rather than indulge in cosmopolitan city life.
Winter in Wyoming is just as popular as summer. The snowmobiling here is the best in the country, and ski resorts like Jackson Hole in the Tetons are as challenging as they come. Summer opens up the wilderness areas for endless hiking, biking, horseback riding, and all the water sports you could possibly conjure. As a bonus, few people really consider Wyoming for their holiday so the backcountry is never crowded and a wealth of wildlife roams free.
With 1,300 miles of marked trail in Wyoming and twice that in neighboring Montana, the snowmobiling here is a major winter activity. Yellowstone National Park is the premier destination, teeming with wildlife like bison and elk, and covering millions of acres of pristine wilderness. There are snowmobile tour companies all over the state, especially in Jackson. Let Old Faithful Snowmobile Tours or High Country Snowmobile Tours guide you to the sweet spots.
Another winter highlight is the skiing and snowboarding. Whether it’s insane downhill runs at Jackson Hole or sublime backcountry, cross-country skiing, Wyoming is one of America’s top destinations for this sport. For a real adventure, let a company like Rendezvous Ski and Snowboard Tours take you into the incredibly beautiful Grand Tetons for a ski trip you’ll never forget.
The 18 million acres of public land in Wyoming is laced with hundreds of hiking trails for all levels of fitness. Yellowstone’s geysers, hot springs, and rivers are ideal for relatively mellow walks, while Grand Teton National Park offers more challenging hikes in its jagged peaks. The Wind River Range is the place to truly escape the world for a few days of backpacking. Outfitters like The Hole and Big Wild Adventures can safely guide you into the heart of Wyoming’s pristine wilderness.
Wyoming is called the Cowboy State for good reason. It’s the perfect place to do some horseback riding with professional guides like Blue Sky Sage or on a real dude ranch like Paradise Guest Ranch. Whether you prefer a day ride through the valley or an overnighter with pack horses, Wyoming has you covered. The Wapiti Valley west of Cody and the Sheridan region are where some of the state’s best dude ranches are located.
Boaters have a full range of rivers and lakes to work with in Wyoming. In summer, the rafting and kayaking here are popular, with rivers like the Snake providing the crazy whitewater and Clarks Fork letting folks take it easy through the beautiful Sunlight Basin. Cody is a good town for rafting, with outfitters like Wyoming River Trips on site. Snake River Kayak is a good choice for whitewater excitement.