Cody

Cody is in Northwest Wyoming, close to the east side Yellowstone National Park. Unlike Jackson, with its pet spas and high-end shopping, Cody is more authentically cowboy. Cody is famous for its rodeo, which occurs nightly during the summer, and for its proximity to fantastic wilderness adventures in Yellowstone and in the national forests surrounding the park.

By car
Car trips to Cody are a bit long, but you're rewarded with beautiful scenery.


 * From the north - MT 310 connects I-90 with WYO 120 from Billings, Montana. Or, for a prettier alternative, drive from Red Lodge, Montana take the Beartooth Scenic Byway - US-212 is one of the top 20 drives in the country. The highway is open summer months only. US-212, the Beartooth Highway, leads to WY 296 - the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway. Here take US-212 to the northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park, or take WY 296 to WY 120 and on to Cody.
 * From the northeast - Over the Big Horn Mountains via Powell and Lovell on the Medicine Wheel Passage on US-14A. Open summer months only.
 * From the south - I-25 to Casper, US-20 to Thermopolis, and WYO 120 to the hamlet of Meeteetse and then Cody.
 * From the east - Across the Big Horn Scenic Byway on WYO 14 from Sheridan, Wyoming to Greybull on WYO 14-16-20. Through Buffalo, Wyoming on WYO 16 the Cloud Peak Skyway through Ten Sleep and Worland to WYO 16-20 to Greybull and on to Cody.
 * From the west - Through Jackson, Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park on WY 191 to WY 14-16-20, the Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway to Cody.

Get around
Given Cody's rather remote location and the activities you've come to Cody to enjoy, you will want a car to get around.

Do

 * Hike. Cody is one of the jumping-off points for Yellowstone National Park. You don't have to go that far though to find beautiful trails, particularly in the Shoshone National Forest.
 * Dude ranches. There are several ranches in and around Cody that offer horseback riding and ranching experiences. Many of them are close to Yellowstone National Park, so you can piece together two different types of trips. One of the many ranches is K3 Guest Ranch.

Buy
There are a large number of excellent outfitters and merchants in Cody appealing to the visitor and resident alike. These include the Yellowstone Gift Shop, Sunshine Outfitters, Legends Bookstore, the Chamber of Commerce local artists co-op, and many more, mostly along Sheridan, which is the main drag through town.

Cody also offers the only Walgreens and Wal-Mart within 90 miles, both of them very well stocked and staffed.

Albertsons is the grocery store where the locals shop, and it has wonderful selection. The daily fresh-made guacamole is to die for.

Wyoming is a 24/7 alcohol sales zone. Libations near Walgreens is open every day of the year and has good selection of bottled goods and slushy machines full of frosted cocktails.

Sleep

 * This hotel is a favorite of tour groups. They have a great team. They have handled the gamut of customer situations and needs. It's vintage Holiday Inn (no free breakfast, but Granny's is practically across the street and another Cody institution). Not cheap. You can often get a better deal if you stay in one of their cabins (free standing units in back). The Cody Holiday Inn sits on old camp and rodeo grounds from before trees in Cody. Convenient to everything in the downtown.
 * This hotel is a favorite of tour groups. They have a great team. They have handled the gamut of customer situations and needs. It's vintage Holiday Inn (no free breakfast, but Granny's is practically across the street and another Cody institution). Not cheap. You can often get a better deal if you stay in one of their cabins (free standing units in back). The Cody Holiday Inn sits on old camp and rodeo grounds from before trees in Cody. Convenient to everything in the downtown.
 * This hotel is a favorite of tour groups. They have a great team. They have handled the gamut of customer situations and needs. It's vintage Holiday Inn (no free breakfast, but Granny's is practically across the street and another Cody institution). Not cheap. You can often get a better deal if you stay in one of their cabins (free standing units in back). The Cody Holiday Inn sits on old camp and rodeo grounds from before trees in Cody. Convenient to everything in the downtown.
 * This hotel is a favorite of tour groups. They have a great team. They have handled the gamut of customer situations and needs. It's vintage Holiday Inn (no free breakfast, but Granny's is practically across the street and another Cody institution). Not cheap. You can often get a better deal if you stay in one of their cabins (free standing units in back). The Cody Holiday Inn sits on old camp and rodeo grounds from before trees in Cody. Convenient to everything in the downtown.
 * This hotel is a favorite of tour groups. They have a great team. They have handled the gamut of customer situations and needs. It's vintage Holiday Inn (no free breakfast, but Granny's is practically across the street and another Cody institution). Not cheap. You can often get a better deal if you stay in one of their cabins (free standing units in back). The Cody Holiday Inn sits on old camp and rodeo grounds from before trees in Cody. Convenient to everything in the downtown.

Go next

 * Sleeping Giant Ski Area, 48 miles west of Cody