City of Buffalo, Wyoming

     On Main Street in Buffalo, Wyoming, there are a number of locally owned and operated shops and restaurants that you can experience.  You will find all sorts of interesting treasures along Main Street, including sporting goods, health foods, locally made arts and crafts, antiques, jewelry, and Western wear.  You can also sample the local fare at the Busy Bee and Virginian restaurants attached to the historic Occidental Hotel, the oldest hotel in Wyoming.  Or, if your tastes are more exotic, you can sample the cuisines of Mexico, Italy, or Memphis at some of the other restaurants along the strip or elsewhere in town. 

     The Occidental Hotel, the Johnson County Courthouse, and the Carnegie Wing of the Jim Gatchell Museum of the West, and many of the other buildings on Main Street are listed in the National Registry of Historic Buildings.  Owen Wister stated that, in writing his classic Western novel, “The Virginian,” he was inspired by the gunslingers and other characters he observed at the Occidental Hotel.  Also, next to the Gatchell Museum and across Main Street from the Bank of Buffalo, you can see life-sized bronze statues that depict events from the infamous Johnson County cattle war.  Those statues were sculpted and bronzed by local artist D. Michael Thomas.  If you go to Willow Grove Cemetery, you can visit the graves of some of participants of that war.  Or, if you are here during the Johnson County Fair and Rodeo Week, you may be able to take a living history tour of the cemetery and hear the “spirits” tell you about their lives and experiences in early Buffalo history firsthand.  As you can see, Western history is alive and well in Buffalo!

Downtown Buffalo, Wyoming

Gatchell Museum of the West

Fort Phil Kearny

     If you enjoy Western history, you are in for a real treat as Indian Campground is located directly on the Historic Bozeman Trail.  If you drive within one half hour of our location, you can tour the sites of the Wagon Box and Fetterman Fights as well as Fort Phil Kearny.  At Fort Phil Kearny, you will learn about Portugee Philips’ epic 250-mile horseback ride through a raging blizzard.  He was sent to bring reinforcements to the Fort, which was under siege by hostile Native Americans.  There are many other Indian battle sites in this area as well. 

     Just south of town, you may tour the site of the historic TA Ranch where vigilantes and smaller ranchers fought a desperate gun battle during the Johnson County cattle war.  If you venture a little farther south of town, you will find the famous “Hole in the Wall Country” where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid holed up with their rebel band.

The Big Horn Mountains & Bighorn National Forest

     If your interests are more in outdoor activities and incredible scenery, the Big Horn Mountains and the Big Horn National Forest are just a short drive away.  There are many mountain roads that are open to and accessible by automobile.

     Sheep Mountain, High Park Lookout, and the Petrified Forest are nearby and provide easy hiking opportunities for folks of all ages and fitness levels.  For the more adventuresome, however, the Cloud Peak Wilderness offers medium to difficult hiking trails.  The mountains also provide a spectacular place to enjoy fishing, horseback riding, biking, bird watching, camping, and much, much more.

Romeo Lake - Bighorn Mountains

Bull Moose

Flora and Fauna

     Regardless of the season, Buffalo and the surrounding Johnson County area contain diverse plant and animal species.  The area is especially beautiful when the wildflowers bloom in spring and when the leaves begin to turn in the autumn.  Crazy Woman Canyon is a must see in almost any season.  In the late summer, you might even get lucky and beat the bears and the birds to the wild raspberries that grow along the roadside.  The region is full of wildlife, including Pronghorn Antelope, Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Moose, and Elk.  You will never tire of seeing them.  Be sure to bring your camera!

Rodeos

     Whoa Nellie!  The Annual Johnson County Fair and Rodeo is held early in August at the County Fairgrounds in Buffalo.  A Fair and Rodeo Parade is held on Main Street in Buffalo the Saturday morning of Fair and Rodeo Week.

     In addition to the Annual Johnson County Fair and Rodeo, there are other amateur, youth, and other rodeo events scheduled frequently all summer long at the Fairgrounds.

Johnson County Fair and Rodeo

Buffalo Municipal Golf Course

Other Recreation

     The Buffalo Golf Course, which was rated #2 in Wyoming by Golf Digest, is an outstanding 18-hole course with inspiring views of the Big Horn Mountains.  Although the views may not improve your score, they will certainly add to your overall golfing experience.  There is also a Certified Volkswalk Path just a hop, skip, and jump away.

     If you are interested in Country, Blue Grass, Folk, or Americana music, you should not miss the local jam session at the Occidental Hotel every Thursday night.  If you play a guitar, mandolin, banjo, bass, or fiddle, bring your instrument and join in the fun.  You might also venture down to Kaycee to see a memorial sculpture honoring Chris LeDoux, Johnson County's own Country Music Artist and Rodeo Champion who died prematurely after a battle with cancer.  If you plan your trip for the first weekend after the 4th of July, you will want to attend the Big Horn Mountain Music Festival.  It is a three-day celebration of Blue Grass music that attracts talented musicians from all over the world.

     No matter what your outdoor pleasure, we have it in abundance in the Buffalo area.  Just ask us or stop by the local Forest Service office, the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce, or visit the Discover Historic Buffalo website for more cultural and natural wonders around Buffalo and Johnson County.

     Also, do not miss Buffalo’s public pool.  It is fed by the waters of Clear Creek (Brrr!) and provides speedy relief from a hot summer day.  The kids will love the slides and other water-related attractions the pool has to offer.

Clear Creek Trail