14 Most Beautiful Small Towns In Wyoming You Should Visit

South of Montana and to the east of Idaho lies the state of Wyoming. The Equality State is the 10th largest state in the country, measuring 97,813 square miles. It is also the least populous state in America, with around 583,269 residents. The state is abounding in beauty. From rare geological phenomena in Sinks Canyon State Park to breathtaking natural landmarks in Afton, Wyoming's small towns will leave you in awe.

Afton

Afton, Wyoming, is home to an 18-foot-tall, welcoming arch. It is the world's largest arch made completely of Elk antlers, comprising 3,011 in total. CallAir Museum commemorates the legacy of a former local manufacturing plant. Between 1940 and 1970, the Call-Aircraft Factory produced CallAir Airplanes, like the CallAir A-5.

The County Fair is an annual event local to Afton. The community comes together at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds. Come stop by, and enjoy the food, with entertainment available. Located near Afton is the Cedar Basin Trail. It is a beautiful nature hike at 7 to 8 miles in length. The journey is difficult as its surface is not paved. Traverse past a creek, and through the multitude of mountain ranges.

One of Afton's natural wonders is the Periodic Springs. This phenomenon is rare, as the springs function on a periodic pattern. Visitors watch as the water from the springs flows as fast as 100 cubic feet per second. The process occurs on an 18-minute regular operating cycle.

Gillette

Gillette is a beautiful town in the Campbell County region of Northeast Wyoming. A one-hour drive northeast of Gillette will take you to the Devil's Tower Monument. You can see the monument in the legendary Hollywood film "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." A visit to Devil's Tower during the evening will leave you in awe.

The Campbell County Rockpile Museum offers a chance to explore the local history. The Museum preserves the history of the local region. Stop by for a tour of their fossil collection, and Native American artifacts. Downtown Gillette, be sure to taste the mud pie ice cream at the Ice Cream Cafe or devour a popular freaky fresh sandwich at Jimmy John's. Dalbey Memorial Park is a great place for the family to spend their day. Gather at the BBQ space, play on the basketball court, or spend time on the frisbee golf course.

Thermopolis

Thermopolis, Wyoming, is home to the world's largest mineral hot springs. As much as 8000 gallons of water flow over a 24-hour period. Visitors can spend their day at the bathhouse, with water as hot as 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Or you can walk across the suspension bridge, which offers a view of the Bighorn River.

The Star Plunge is a commercial swimming facility in the Hot Springs State Park. Visitors can relax in two large pools or check out the three waterslides. Other facilities at the Star Plunge are a basketball court and a weight room. About 30 miles northwest of Thermopolis is the Legend Rock State Petroglyph Site. Discover over 90 prehistoric petroglyph panels and more than 300 petroglyph figures here. Back in town, the Wyoming Dinosaur Center has been operational since 1995 and is a popular attraction to explore the collection of dinosaur skeletal remains.

Pinedale

Pinedale sits within Sublette County at the foot of the Wind River Mountains. Near the town, Gannett Peak is the highest peak in Wyoming. The first ascent of this peak occurred in 1922. The duo who made the climb were Floyd Stahlnaker and Arthur Tate.

The Museum of the Mountain Man is a popular landmark in Pinedale. Its purpose is to preserve the history of the fur trade. The Sublette County Historical Society is in charge of operations. There is an exquisite trout fishing space located at Fremont Lake. Located Northeast of Pinedale, the Lake has a depth measured at 610 feet. During the winter season, the lake is a popular place for ice skating.

Laramie

Laramie is home to the University of Wyoming. People can earn their post-secondary education or drop by for an in-person tour. Wyoming University Planetarium is a unique feature on the campus. The building provides the public with a lifetime of the starry skies to ponder. Due west of Laramie is Deerwood Ranch. A 4,000-acre property, the ranch is a caring natural environment for the horses. The public can access the site to view the horses by booking an appointment. First opened in 1872, the Wyoming Territorial State Historic Site, is local to Laramie. The former US Penitentiary was home to criminal outlaws of that era. Over a century later, the site is still preserved, showing what life was like for those prisoners.

Just outside of town, the Overland Trail Marker is a symbol of the days of the Frontier era. Frontiersmen designed the trail with the goal of cutting time off their journey westward. The marker is a commemoration of those who crossed the trail, the first being William Ashley in 1825. In 2011, Laramie committed to a mural project in an attempt to revive the city's downtown core. Visitors can tour the 20 murals located in the city. Before your stay ends, make sure to visit the Big Dipper Ice Cream shop. Select from a menu of ice cream, gelato, sorbet, frozen yogurt, and vegan flavors.

Guernsey

The unforgettable town of Guernsey is in Platte County, Wyoming, 13 miles due west of the Fort Laramie historic site. Just south of town, the Oregon Trail Ruts are a local landmark. In 1966, the ruts became a national historic site. This well-preserved land shows the trails of the large wagons which traversed westward. Guernsey State Park is 6,000 acres of land housing seven available campgrounds. Visitors are often spotted exploring the unique architectural history of the park. During the Depression, the federal government put the Civil Conservation Corps to work. While stationed in Guernsey, they set out on building projects within the park.

First is the Million Dollar Biffy, a nickname given to a well-designed Latrine. The project is famous for its large construction cost and excessive building time. An intricate creation of the Corps is a castle located within the state park. It is a multi-layered structure with a picnic space on the first level, and a walkway connecting it to an upper arch. The journey to the top of the structure culminates in a lovely overlook of the Park. Local to Guernsey is the Register Cliff Historic Site. Pioneers, in an attempt to preserve their legacy, would ingrain their name in the cliffs. Many names written during the 1840s are still visible well over a century later. The site became a landmark, on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

Dubois

Your first stop in Dubois should be the local museum. This experience will enhance your knowledge of the region. Exhibits showcase the history of the timber industry until the end of the 1980s. Next on your visit is the National Bighorn Sheep Interpretive Center. Dubois is also known for its collection of Petroglyphs in the nearby Torrey Basin, created by the Shoshone tribes about 3,000 years ago. Close to Dubois is the Wind River Valley. The region has plenty of space for fishing, known for its brown trout population.

Sheridan

Sheridan is east of the Bighorn Mountains, due south of the Montana Border. The Trail End Historic Site is a local monument preserving the image of Wyoming from 1913 to 1933. The 13,748-square-foot mansion is the former home of John B. Kendrick. Kendrick served as the Wyoming Governor from 1915 to 1917.

While in town, a trip to the historic WYO theatre should be on your radar. First operational in 1923, the theatre closed its doors in 1982. Significant community involvement, and fundraising efforts, led to the re-opening of the theatre in 1989. Today, the Theatre is the home for entertainment ranging from theatre to opera. Sheridan Inn has its roots tied deep into the history of Wyoming. First operational in the 1890s, it was the premier local entertainment attraction. Today, the Inn offers its guests an experience of that bygone era.

Ten Sleep

Ten Sleep is in the Bighorn Basin in Washakie County, Wyoming.  A popular winter escape in Ten Sleep is the Meadowlark Ski Lodge. With available ski lifts and 6 miles of slopes, it is the perfect winter escape. The Ten Sleep Canyon is a popular spot for rock climbing. Routes like "Home Alone" provide a safe climb, featuring a beautiful canyon overlook. A 12-mile stretch of land called the Ten Sleep Preserve exists to care for the local forest life.

In town, check out the Ten Sleep Brewing. They produced alcohol, like the speed goat golden ale, and the pack saddle porter. The Wyoming Singer-Songwriter finals occur at the Brewery. Contestants compete by performing an original song for the grand prize of $5,000.

Lander

Lander is along the Popo Agie River, amongst the foothills of the Wind River Mountain Range. The Sinks Canyon State Park is to the south of Lander in the Wind River Mountains region. The park features a unique geological formation. Visitors can see where the Popo Agie River disappears into the caverns. About 25 miles to the southwest of Lander is the Wild Iris. A popular area for rock climbing, situated at Limestone Mountain, with an elevation of 8,685 feet.

Local to Lander is the Fremont County Pioneer Museum. The purpose of the building is to preserve local artifacts dating back to the 1920s. Eagle Bronze is a manufacturing company known for its custom-built bronze-cast sculptures. A visit showcases their many creations, from a huge horse to a model of the New Mexico Library. A journey along the Lander Walking tour takes visitors past the Carnegie Library. Construction for the building finished in 1908, with funding from entrepreneur Andrew Carnegie.

Newcastle

Newcastle sits on the the outskirts of the Black Hills National Forest, in Weston County, Wyoming. A local feature is the Anna Miller Museum, completed in the 1930s, once a project for the Wyoming National Guard. Newcastle is the anchor section of the 78-mile Black Hills Scenic Byway. Eight miles north of Newcastle is the Flying V Lodge. It is a beautiful Bed and Breakfast showcasing the charm of the Black Hills. Completed during the 1920s, it is a lodge made of wood and stone. The Flying V trail system is nearby, with hiking and mountain biking opportunities.

Plenty of Newcastle architecture dates back to the early 1900s. One example is the Weston County Courthouse, constructed in 1908. It is a noticeable feature, as the domed roof is visible throughout the town. For over 30 years, the Black Hills Balloon Tours have been a consistent attraction to the region.

Buffalo

In north-central Wyoming, due east of the Bighorn Mountains, is the town of Buffalo. The Occidental Hotel is a step back into the Wild West era. Former American President Theodore Roosevelt once visited the Hotel. Crime partners Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were also known visitors. Jim Gatchell was a local Pharmacist during the early 1900s. Throughout his tenure, he built several friendships during his years in the pharmacy business. These friends Gatchell made would bring gifts, from guns to clothing. Those gifts to the city following his death led to the creation of the Jim Gatchell Museum in 1957.

The Buffalo Golf Club is a day well spent on an 18-hole course, highlighted by its stunning scenery. A 15-mile trip north of Buffalo brings you to the Phil Kearny State Historic Site, the site of the Fetterman Fight in 1866. Today, a trip to the Site presents how life would have looked during that period, as well as access to the Bozeman Trail.

Glenrock

Situated in Coverse County, amongst the Deer Creek Tributary System, is the town of Glenrock. The Paleon Museum in Glenrock has been around since 1995. The building has fossil collections, from the Cretaceous, Jurrasic, and Oligocene periods. A unique amenity to the Museum is the Dig School, where visitors can schedule a time to dig for fossils at a local site.

Glenrock's primary natural feature is "the Rock in the Glen." Dating back to the days of the Oregon Trail, pioneers would carve their names into the rock. On July 26, 1842, John C Fremont left a marker in the region noting his stay. Of the 300,000 travelers along the Oregon Trail during this time, the majority have also marked their names in the Rock. Al's Way Walking Path is a 2.9-mile trail in Glenrock Town Park. The unique feature of the park is a 1911 North Western Railroad Trestle. Deer Creek Days are annual summer festivities in Glenrock. The event brings the local Community together for parades, and fun competitions.  

Sundance

On a ranch in Sundance, police arrested a then 20-year-old Harry Longabaugh. His accused crime was stealing a gun, a horse, and a saddle. There is a statue in the cell where Longabaugh sat all those years ago. It is here, that the legend of the Sundance Kid began. Sitting east of Gillette, the underrated town of Sundance is also close to the Devil's Tower National Monument. The Warren Peak Lookout is an overlook operational in the region. The Civilian Conservation Corps took care of the design for the overlook. Not far from town is a natural sinkhole, referred to as the Vore Buffalo Jump. In the 1970s, people stumbled upon this site amidst the construction of a local highway. The University of Wyoming declared it a historical site, upon discovering over 20,000 buffalo bones.

Wyoming is a modern state of wonders, and plenty of its history is still preserved. Plan a night stargazing at the Devil's Tower Monument, or explore the carved names, on the Rock in the Glen. So schedule your vacation now. Big Wyoming is waiting for you!