Day 1: Museums & Main Street
Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum
Buffalo, Wyoming
The Gatchell, a 2023 recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Services, features the collection of Theodore James Gatchell, who opened the first drugstore in Johnson County in 1900. Gatchell’s pharmacy was the hub of activity for a growing and developing frontier town. Cowboys, lawmen, cattle barons, Native Americans and Army scouts all befriended Gatchell over the years, and they gifted him with items that now tell the story of Johnson County from the time of Native Americans through the early years of the 20th century. In addition to the Johnson County War and other early milestones, the museum also includes a display on the county’s Basque heritage and what was once the world’s largest outdoor pool.
Historic Occidental Hotel & Saloon and Busy Bee Cafe
Buffalo, Wyoming
While in downtown Buffalo, there are several options for lunch, including the Busy Bee Cafe, made famous to fans of the Longmire Mystery Series as a regular stop for Sheriff Walt Longmire. Enjoy the views of the Clear Creek while enjoying the Longmire Usual. The Busy Bee is part of Occidental Row, which includes the Historic Occidental Hotel & Saloon. Founded in 1880, the hotel has hosted the likes of Butch Cassidy, Calamity Jane, Theodore Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover. Tours are available with advance notice early in the afternoon, allowing visitors to see how the award-winning hotel has maintained its history while providing just the right modern touches. The tour will take you through the saloon, which features a few bullet holes from rowdy customers and the table where the property once changed hands in a game of poker. The Occidental was used as the setting for the climax of “The Virginian,” the first popular piece of Western literature, where the protagonist of Owen Wister’s novel got his man. If it’s a Thursday, you will want to come back in the evening from 7 to 9 p.m. for the Bluegrass Jam, a weekly tradition of free live music that has been taking place year-round for several years. But the Occidental, owned by songwriter David Stewart and his wife Jackie, features live music many nights of the week.
Explore Downtown Murals and Sculptures
Buffalo, Wyoming
In the meantime, you can scout the downtown for the sculptures and murals, including the “Greetings from Buffalo” mural on City Hall that was installed as part of HGTV’s “Home Town Kickstart” series. A few blocks south on Main Street, sculptures by D. Michael Thomas depict a scene from the kind of conflicts that led to the Johnson County Wars.
Dinner Option at Pie Zanos
Buffalo, Wyoming
Dinner option is downtown at Pie Zanos, recently featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network.
Lodging Option: Historic Occidental Hotel
Buffalo, Wyoming
If you haven’t booked a room at the Occidental, annually honored by readers of True West magazine as one of the best places to stay in the West, the Hampton Inn & Suites also provides award-winning hospitality. Several more hotels and motels are located conveniently along Highway 16 (Hart Street) near interstates 25 and 90, including SureStay by Best Western, Holiday Inn Express, Buffalo Inn and more.
Lodging Option: Hampton Inn & Suites Buffalo
Buffalo, Wyoming
Located at the crossroads of I-90, I-25, and US Highway 16, we’ve got the rugged beauty of Clear Creek and the Big Horn Mountains on our doorstep. Sample the shops and restaurants of the historic downtown neighborhood, before returning for a soak in our 24-hour heated outdoor pool and hot tub. Daily hot breakfast and WiFi are on us.
Day 2: Shopping & Exploring
Breakfast Option: Main Street Diner
Buffalo, Wyoming
There is still more to see and do in downtown Buffalo, beginning with the authentic diner experience (cash only) at the Main Street Diner for breakfast.
Breakfast Option: Lolly’s Sugar Shack
Buffalo, Wyoming
Or there’s Lolly’s Sugar Shack, with coffee, cinnamon rolls, and an assortment of cookies. If you’re looking for keepsakes, collectibles or gift items, there are plenty of opportunities to pick up unique items.
Shop Downtown Buffalo
Buffalo, Wyoming
A number of shops feature fine arts products, including Wyoming In Color, Margo’s Pottery & Fine Crafts, Prosinski Custom Framing & Fine Art, the Hitching Post Gallery and Potters Depot.
The Sports Lure
Buffalo, Wyoming
A stop in downtown Buffalo would not complete without a visit to The Sports Lure, which has everything you need for an outdoors adventure. A fixture in downtown Buffalo operated by the Todd family since 1968, the Sports Lure not only sells everything from fishing tackle to camping equipment to ski equipment, it also rents and leases equipment for a single day or longer.
Bucking Buffalo Supply Co.
Buffalo, Wyoming
The Bucking Buffalo Supply Co. features merchandise related to the Longmire Mystery Series, including the full run of Craig Johnson’s novels, signed by the author, who might just be around in person to share a conversation of a can of Rainier.
Wyoming In Color
Buffalo, Wyoming
Fine art, pottery, jewelry, floor cloths and home decor created in the Big Horn Mountain region of Wyoming
Margo’s Pottery & Fine Crafts
Buffalo, Wyoming
Margo’s Pottery and Fine Crafts, located in Buffalo, Wyoming, focuses mainly on American made functional and whimsical crafts. These include ceramics, blown glass, jewelry, furniture, fabric arts, wooden utensils and other items as well as metal art. Because Margo Brown is a potter, she is especially interested in ceramic work. Margo carries pottery that includes stoneware, porcelain and earthenware that is easy to use as well as beautiful. The blown glass is functional, including drinking glasses, goblets and lamp worked glass. The jewelry has a wide range of prices, and includes sterling silver, gold vermeil and other metals. The work showcased in the store is constantly changing.
Prosinski Custom Framing & Fine Art
Buffalo, Wyoming
Photography featuring subject matter from Northern Wyoming’s Bighorn mountain area. Landscapes, panoramics, architecture, nostalgic trucks, cars, wagons, wildlife and abstract photos.
Photo Credit: Hugh Jennings
Hitching Post Gallery
Buffalo, Wyoming
For over a quarter of a century, The Hitching Post Gallery have shown fine art from local artists, area history and Longmire books, as well as being Wyoming’s largest tobacco and cigar store.
Potters Depot LLC
Buffalo, Wyoming
Potters’ Depot LLC is a working pottery studio and gallery. The gallery offers handmade pottery created by local potters. Potters’ Depot LLC is located in the heart of downtown Buffalo, one block east of Main street along Artisan Row, at the historical Buffalo Train Depot.
Exploring the Outdoors
Buffalo, Wyoming
Once you’re geared up, exploring the trails in Johnson County is easy as a walk in the nearby park.
Clear Creek Trail System
Buffalo, Wyoming
The Clear Creek Trail System connects downtown to the foothills of the nearby Bighorn Mountains. The trail in town is wide and relatively flat but with a slight climb as it takes you through the city park and 2 miles out to the Wyoming Veterans Home and then alongside Highway 16. Beyond that, the Old Power Plant Loop section of the trail is easily accessible from a pullout along the highway and begins a more typical rustic experience under trees along the creek.
Mountain Plains Heritage Park
Buffalo, Wyoming
The Mountain Plains Heritage Park is just down the road, with a series of short trails that follow in the footsteps of the Bozeman Trail and an old railroad line. In addition to views of the Bighorns, trails take you around the Buffalo Wildlife Habitat Pond and Clear Creek.
Mountain Meadow Wool Mill
Buffalo, Wyoming
If you’d prefer a little more shopping, Mountain Meadow Wool on the east side of Buffalo near Interstate 90 offers a self-guided tour of the manufacturing process. Using locally sourced, 100 percent ranch traceable materials, Mountain Meadow Wool is committed to revitalizing the American wool industry through eco-friendly operations. Operated by the Hostetler family, it is the largest full-service mill in the West. After learning about the milling process, you will have an opportunity to shop for yarn, hoodies, hats, blankets and more.
Dinner Options: Cowboy Bar & Grill, Bozeman Trail Steak House or Cattleguard Steakhouse
Buffalo, Wyoming
For dinner, it’s hard to beat Wyoming beef, and the area along Highway 16 offers three excellent choices. The Cowboy Bar & Grill has some of the tastiest burgers around in a rustic setting that lives up to its name. Bozeman Trail Steak House is open seven days a week with a casual atmosphere, and the Cattleguard Steakhouse & Saloon offers a fine dining experience.
Day 3: Get Outside
Mikesell-Potts Recreation Area
Buffalo, Wyoming
Now that you’ve been acquainted with what Buffalo has to offer, it’s time to explore the area. For a relaxing day on the water, Lake DeSmet offers recreational opportunities including paddle boarding, fishing, boating and swimming. The Mikesell-Potts Recreation Area is the launching point for your adventure on the water.
Lake Stop Resort
Buffalo, Wyoming
If you end up making a full day of it, the Lake Stop Resort offers a convenience store as well as a bar and grill.
Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site
Buffalo, Wyoming
Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site interprets the story of life in the largest stockaded fort in the West from 1866 to 1868. The remote outpost was the middle one of three established along the Bozeman Trail to protect commerce and migration. The fort no longer stands, as it was burned by the Cheyenne after the U.S. military abandoned it, but visitors can get a good sense of how isolated the troops were. While the interpretive center is being renovated this year, a walking tour of the grounds includes interpretive signs and shows the location of buildings within the fort. Fort Phil Kearny was seen by Native Americans as an incursion on their sacred hunting ground, which led to a number of skirmishes. After touring the fort, and perhaps climbing the top of nearby Pilot Hill to see the view that the fort’s scouts had, short road trips can take you to the battlefields for two of those skirmishes: the Wagon Box Fight and the Fetterman Fight. The latter has a walking tour with interpretive signs following the path that the men under Captain William Fetterman’s command took in pursuing a decoy group into an ambush that resulted in the deaths of Fetterman and all 81 men under his command. The incident was novelized in the best-selling book Ridgeline.
Evening Rodeo at the fairgrounds
Buffalo, Wyoming
Buffalo has a number of rodeo series that take place throughout the summer, so an evening at the fairgrounds is a good way to see the cowboys and cowgirls demonstrate the skills they practice every day working on the ranches.
Pub Crawl Through Downtown Buffalo
Buffalo, Wyoming
If you’re looking for a little more walking, and some adult refreshments along the way, why not a pub crawl through downtown Buffalo?
Bond’s Brewing Co.
Buffalo, Wyoming
Family friendly Bond’s Brewing Co. offers Wyoming craft beers on tap.
Un’WINE’d
Buffalo, Wyoming
Un’Wine’D has a great selection of wines and beers.
Occidental Hotel & Saloon
Buffalo, Wyoming
The Occidental takes you back to the days when whiskey was the tonic after a hard day’s work.
Day 4: Scenic Drives & Hikes
The beauty of Johnson County is that its natural beauty is easily accessible, whether by car or short hike. For the final day, let’s take a relaxing and scenic drive, but mix in some hiking to explore spots of interest.
Cloud Peak Scenic Skyway
Buffalo, Wyoming
Highway 16 is known as the Cloud Peak Scenic Skyway as it heads west from Buffalo and climbs to 9,666 feet at Powder RIver Pass before descending into Tensleep Canyon. Along the way, a few pullouts and interpretive areas offer a chance to stretch the legs and take in some of the views and mountain air. Hospital Hill Interpretive Site, Loaf Mountain Overlook and the Powder River Pass all have parking areas along the highway. You’ll also come across parking spots for campgrounds and recreational areas that offer opportunities to begin exploring the Bighorn Mountains. Consult with The Sports Lure or VisitBuffaloWY.com for tips on trails to check out.
Ten Sleep Fish Hatchery
Ten Sleep, Wyoming
The Ten Sleep Fish Hatchery was constructed in 1939 and is nestled in beautiful Ten Sleep Canyon 9 miles east of the town of Ten Sleep off U.S. Highway 16. It is situated upstream from the confluence of Leigh Creek and Ten Sleep Creek at the base of the popular Big Horn Mountains. The hatchery is manned by three permanent personnel who are responsible for the care and maintenance of the facility as well as the hatching and rearing of several species of trout including rainbow, brook, cutthroat, splake, and tiger trout. In a typical year, the hatchery receives between 1-2 million green, or just fertilized, eggs. Some are hatched at the facility, and others are shipped to facilities throughout the state and the country once they reached the eyed stage of development. The eggs hatched at the facility are stocked in area waters with reasonable public access. The hatchery is an integral part of the state’s fish culture system stocking approximately 250,000 fish into Wyoming’s waters.
The Ten Sleep Brewing Company
Ten Sleep, Wyoming
The Ten Sleep Brewing Company uses the freshest quality ingredients in crafting a premium session beer that satisfies the hard-working locals (all 260 of them)! This unique microbrewery and their master brewers also offer other varieties to summertime visitors. Whether it’s 90 degrees on the 4th of July, or below zero in January, The Ten Sleep Brewing Company lives up to their mission – to Brew Good Beer for Good People!
Photo Credit: theflyfishingshow
Blacktooth Excursions
Buffalo, Wyoming
If you would prefer to see the mountains from the back of a horse, Blacktooth Excursions can set you up for that experience.
Crazy Woman Canyon
Buffalo, Wyoming
If you have a high-clearance vehicle, or rent an ATV or UTV from Ultimate Outdoors, the road through Crazy Woman Canyon is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. A rushing creek cuts through the canyon and under large boulders that have dropped from the high cliffs above. It’s a short road connecting Highway 16 down from the mountains to Old Highway 87, but people spend hours there hiking, taking photos, enjoying a picnic, and even doing some fishing.
The South Big Horn/Red Wall Scenic Backway
Shell, Wyoming
For a longer road trip, Red Wall Country is located about 40 minutes west of Kaycee, which is about 45 minutes south of Buffalo on Interstate 25. The lush valley with a long line of exposed red rock cliffs provides a unique setting. The gravel road winds back to the Ed O. Taylor Wildlife Habitat Management Area, which includes fine fishing and views along the Middle Fork of the Powder River in an area also known as Outlaw Canyon. After all, in addition to the natural beauty, you will be in a part of the country that was a popular hideout among Butch Cassidy and his ilk in the 1890s.