Cody sits in northwest Wyoming, founded in 1896 by the showman William "Buffalo Bill" Cody and still steeped in the frontier spirit that made him famous. About 50 miles from Yellowstone's East Entrance, it's widely known as one of the great gateways to the park — and a destination in its own right for anyone chasing an authentic cowboy experience.
Beyond its Wild West heritage, Cody is wrapped in dramatic landscapes, with the Shoshone River carving a canyon near town and mountains rising on every side. That means the days here fill up fast with rodeos, world-class museums, scenic byways, horseback rides, rafting and hiking. From the Buffalo Bill Center of the West to the road into Yellowstone, here are the 25 best things to do in Cody.
Fun Facts About Cody, Wyoming
Cody was founded in 1896 by legendary showman William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, and the town still bears his name.
It's known as the "Rodeo Capital of the World," home to the Cody Nite Rodeo, which runs every evening throughout the summer.
Cody is a major eastern gateway to Yellowstone, sitting about 50 miles from the park's East Entrance along the scenic North Fork of the Shoshone River.
The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is one of the finest museum complexes in the American West, combining five museums under a single roof.
Nearby Shoshone National Forest was the first national forest established in the United States, set aside in 1891.
The Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and the Beartooth Highway — often called one of America's most beautiful drives — both begin near Cody.
The unmissable heart of any Cody visit, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West is a sprawling complex of five museums under one roof, dedicated to the American West. Founded in 1917, it weaves together the story of Buffalo Bill, Western art, natural history, Plains Indian cultures and one of the world's great firearms collections.
You could easily spend a full day here. The Buffalo Bill Museum tells the showman's story and his famous Wild West show, while a working studio lets you watch saddle-makers at their craft. With the Draper Natural History, Plains Indian, Whitney Western Art and Cody Firearms museums all included, plus a café and shop, it is the definitive introduction to the region.
Step back into frontier Wyoming at Old Trail Town, a collection of authentic 19th-century buildings assembled on the site of Buffalo Bill's original townsite. The weathered cabins and a barn full of period artifacts were relocated here from across Wyoming and Montana, including the well-known Hole-in-the-Wall cabin used by outlaws.
The site doubles as a resting place for figures of the Old West: mountain man John "Liver-Eating" Johnston, the inspiration for the film Jeremiah Johnson, is buried in the on-site cemetery. Kids enjoy the roping area, while the old-time store is a favorite with the grown-ups — a genuinely atmospheric look at the late-1800s frontier.
For a quintessential Western night out, head to the Cody Night Rodeo, held nightly through the summer at Stampede Park. Talented cowboys and cowgirls take on bulls and broncos in a lively, family-friendly show set against a beautiful mountain backdrop, with a patriotic, small-town spirit.
Expect all the classics — barrel racing, bucking broncs, calf roping, team roping and more — plus kid-focused fun like the calf scramble, where little ones chase down a ribbon. The banter between the announcer and the rodeo clown is half the entertainment, making it a fun evening for all ages.
Just west of town on the road toward Yellowstone, the Buffalo Bill Dam & Visitor Center tells the story of a remarkable concrete arch dam through films, exhibits and close-up views of the reservoir it holds back. Displays cover nearby fossils, local agriculture, wildlife and Native American history.
The setting alone is worth the stop, with dramatic views down onto the dam and the canyon it plugs. If you have extra time, drive on to the Hayden Arch Bridge for a look at the lower dam from a different angle — a short, scenic walk that reveals another side of this early engineering feat.
Tucked into the Shoshone National Forest just a couple of miles from Yellowstone's East Entrance, Pahaska Tepee is a rustic resort built around the historic hunting lodge Buffalo Bill constructed in 1904. Ringed by wildlife, rock pinnacles and mountain scenery, it makes an atmospheric base for exploring the park.
The resort has a tavern, restaurant and coffee shop, and offers activities from horseback riding and trout fishing to cross-country skiing in winter. A small museum recounts the history of Buffalo Bill's original lodge, and guided tours led by a knowledgeable host bring the place's colorful past to life.
For dinner and a show, the Wild West-themed Cody Cattle Company pairs a hearty homestyle American buffet with a lively country-western music performance. Open since 2009, it has become one of Cody's most popular evenings out, with crowd-pleasers like beef brisket and barbecue chicken.
The concerts are interactive and the cast clearly enjoys themselves, filling the room with music and Western storytelling. It is an easygoing, all-you-can-eat experience unique to Wyoming, and many visitors pair it with the Cody Night Rodeo for a full evening of frontier entertainment right in town.
Northwest of town on the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, the Dead Indian Summit Overlook is a spectacular, history-rich stop high in the Absaroka Range. Interpretive signs recount the 1877 flight of the Nez Perce, when Chief Joseph led his people over this pass while evading the U.S. Army — a dramatic chapter of Western history.
Several viewing stations frame different angles of the surrounding peaks, deep valleys and the winding road below. Come near sunset for the best light on the switchbacks and rock formations, and keep an eye out for the little brown chipmunks that dart around the turnout, always a hit with children.
One of the five museums within the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, the Plains Indian Museum explores the lives, cultures and traditions of the Plains Indian peoples. Its rich collections of artifacts and art represent the Native American tribes of the West, presented with depth and care.
The galleries — among them Buffalo and the People, Honor and Celebration, Land of Many Gifts, and Adversity and Renewal — trace stories of horsemanship, stewardship of the land and cultural resilience across generations. It offers a thoughtful, humanizing counterpoint to the frontier tales told elsewhere in the complex.
A rewarding pull-off along the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, Sunlight Bridge is the highest bridge in Wyoming, carrying the highway across the deep Sunlight Creek gorge. A large, easily accessible parking area makes it a natural place to stretch your legs and take in the dramatic canyon views.
The bridge includes a pedestrian walkway, so you can stroll out over the chasm — a thrill for some, and best skipped if you are wary of heights, since the drop to the creek is more than a thousand feet. Be sure to look from both sides, as the gorge reveals something different in each direction.
A short drive from Cody, the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center tells the sobering story of a World War II incarceration site where thousands of Japanese Americans were confined. Through interactive exhibits, the museum conveys both the injustice of the internment and the resilience of those who endured it.
Beyond the museum, you can walk the grounds where the camp once stood; only fragments of the original buildings survive today. Short trails lead past weathered barracks toward remnants of the hospital and a guard tower, offering a quiet, moving chance to reflect on this difficult chapter of American history.
Focused on the sights, sounds and even smells of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the Draper Natural History Museum is one of the five museums inside the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Its immersive exhibits introduce the wildlife and plants of the region in vivid detail.
Lifelike displays of grizzly bears, gray wolves and a dramatic free-falling bison sculpture anchor the galleries, which explore the area's ecology and natural history. Younger visitors can follow a scavenger hunt, and the popular Raptor Experience brings guests face to face with live birds of prey for an up-close look.
A handy base near Yellowstone, Absaroka Bay RV Park is a well-kept campground with a friendly, grassy setting on the edge of town. It offers dozens of full-hookup sites with water, sewer and picnic tables, and the staff are known for their local knowledge and helpfulness.
The park sits close to shops and restaurants, and can help arrange local activities like river float trips, wild-horse tours, the rodeo and museum visits. There is a grassy area for dogs, though it is unfenced; for more room, the nearby Beck Dog Park at Beck Lake is a short drive away and a favorite with four-legged travelers.
Built in 2001, the Paul Stock Aquatic and Recreation Center is Cody's well-equipped community rec facility, welcoming visitors as well as locals. Its fitness area is stocked with free weights, cardio machines and cable equipment, making it an easy stop to keep up a workout on the road.
Beyond the gym, you will find lap and kids' pools, a hot tub, an indoor water slide, several basketball courts and a couple of racquetball courts. Short-term passes are available for travelers, and the well-maintained facility and helpful staff make it a good rainy-day or downtime option for active families.
A quirky, one-of-a-kind stop, the Cody Dug Up Gun Museum displays more than a thousand relic firearms, weapons and accoutrements recovered from battlefields and old sites. Its collection spans the Civil War, both World Wars and beyond, and the museum actively campaigns to acquire more dug-up pieces.
What sets it apart is the passion behind it: the owner happily talks visitors through the stories of his favorite pieces, giving the place a genuine, personal sense of history. For anyone curious about the material culture of America's conflicts, it is a fascinating and unexpected detour in downtown Cody.
Set along the North Fork of the Shoshone River between Cody and Yellowstone, Bill Cody Ranch is a scenic dude-ranch retreat with log cabins, a restaurant, saloon and game room. It offers classic Western experiences like horseback riding, roping practice on dummy steers, fly-fishing and evenings around the campfire with s'mores.
With hundreds of miles of trails reaching into the Absaroka Range nearby, it is a fine base for exploring the backcountry. Set back from the highway, the ranch feels like its own little community — private, welcoming and full of frontier character, a genuine taste of ranch life close to the national parks.
Established in 1957, Buffalo Bill State Park wraps around the clear waters of Buffalo Bill Reservoir with campgrounds, picnic areas and trails. Its location makes it a convenient staging point for trips into Yellowstone, around Cody and over the Beartooth Pass into Montana.
The big, clean reservoir draws visitors for swimming, boating and fishing, and the park's dark skies make it a superb spot for stargazing on clear nights. Small touches like a lending library and donation-based firewood add to the easygoing, get-outdoors feel of this well-placed Wyoming park.
For an authentic taste of the Old West, Cedar Mountain Trail Rides offers family-friendly horseback riding on the scenic trails of Cedar Mountain just outside Cody. The horses carry riders up toward the summit, where a sweeping view over the town and surrounding country rewards the climb.
The animals are gentle and even-tempered, and the guides are helpful, careful and clearly knowledgeable about the terrain. They take care to pair each rider with a well-suited horse, drawing on a deep familiarity with the animals and their personalities — a relaxed, memorable outing for riders of all experience levels.
First developed in the 1960s as a downhill racing venue, Beartooth Basin Summer Ski Area is a rare place where you can ski deep into summer. Perched high on the Beartooth Plateau, it draws a friendly, dedicated crowd who come for its short but genuine warm-weather season.
Even if you do not ski, the drive to reach it, along the legendary Beartooth Highway, is reason enough to go, especially by motorcycle. The route ranks among America's most breathtaking mountain roads, with numerous pullouts where you can stop to soak in the alpine lakes, snowfields and endless high-country views.
Spanning some 2.4 million acres of mountains, glaciers and wildlife, the Shoshone National Forest was the first national forest established in the United States, set aside in 1891. Part of the original Yellowstone Timberland Reserve, it protects a strikingly varied landscape.
From sagebrush flats to rugged, snow-capped peaks, the forest offers endless trails, campgrounds and backcountry to explore. The scenery is spectacular by day, and with almost no light pollution, the stargazing after dark is truly extraordinary — a wild, uncrowded counterpart to the nearby national parks.
Housing what is considered the most comprehensive collection of American firearms in the world, the Cody Firearms Museum is one of the five museums inside the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Its galleries are arranged in careful chronological order, tracing the evolution of firearms across American history.
With more than 7,000 firearms and tens of thousands of related artifacts, the collection is staggering in scope, and displays connect the objects to the broader story of the Old West. Be sure to catch the Wild West show video, and don't hesitate to ask the knowledgeable staff about the pieces on display.
Next door to the aquatic center, the Riley Arena and Community Events Center is Cody's ice rink, with friendly staff and good concessions. From late summer through winter it hosts youth and junior hockey and figure skating, but visitors can simply drop in, rent skates and enjoy some family fun on the ice.
In the warmer months the versatile building shifts gears to become one of Cody's main event venues, hosting sporting events, concerts, conferences, banquets and even weddings. It is a good indoor option year-round, whatever the weather is doing outside.
The world's first national park, Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872 to protect its extraordinary geysers, hot springs and geologic wonders, and its East Entrance lies only about an hour's drive from Cody. Even a short visit can bring encounters with bison, bears and other wildlife roaming freely.
The park's icons are unforgettable — the vivid Grand Prismatic Spring, the reliable eruptions of Old Faithful, and the thundering falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Note that reaching the famous geyser basins from the East Entrance is a longer drive, so give yourself a couple of days to take in the park's vast landscapes.
South of Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park stuns visitors with its jagged alpine peaks, pristine lakes and abundant wildlife. Over two hundred miles of trails suit every level, from easy family strolls to serious hikes, and the Snake River offers superb floating and rafting beneath the mountains.
Wildlife-watching is a highlight: look for grizzlies at Oxbow Bend, bison along the highway, and moose and black bears on the Moose-Wilson Road. Visit in autumn and the golden aspens and red hawthorns set the roads and lakeshores ablaze with color — a tranquil, remarkable companion to nearby Yellowstone.
Devoted to the art of the American West, the Whitney Western Art Museum is one of the five museums inside the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Its paintings and sculptures tell the story of the region through its wildlife, landscapes, Native peoples, legends and pivotal historic events.
Widely regarded as one of the finest Western art museums in the country, it showcases both traditional masters and contemporary artists. Look for celebrated names like Charlie Russell, Frederic Remington, Thomas Moran and Albert Bierstadt, alongside hands-on activities that make the galleries engaging for visitors of every age.
A beloved local institution, Granny's Restaurant serves up homestyle American cooking from early morning into the evening in a relaxed space with a patio. It is the kind of small-town diner where you can strike up a conversation with locals and pick up a little Cody history along the way.
A cheerful throwback to the 1950s, Granny's serves breakfast all day, with favorites like the three-egg omelet, fluffy pancakes and chicken-fried steak drawing regulars back again and again. Add the bottomless coffee and easy atmosphere, and it is a comforting stop to round out a day of Western adventures.
Best Time to Visit Cody
Summer is Cody's peak season and the time to come for the full experience: the Cody Nite Rodeo runs every evening, the mountain byways are open, and the roads into Yellowstone are clear. It's also the busiest and warmest stretch, so book accommodations well ahead if you visit between June and August.
Late spring and early fall are quieter and often lovelier, with active wildlife, thinner crowds and, in autumn, golden aspens in the high country. Winter is cold and many high-elevation roads — including the Beartooth Highway — close, though it brings its own stark beauty and access to cross-country skiing.
Getting to Cody
Cody sits at the junction of several highways, including US-14, US-16 and US-20, which run west toward Yellowstone's East Entrance along the North Fork of the Shoshone. The town has its own Yellowstone Regional Airport (COD) with regional flights, most commonly connecting through Denver.
Many visitors also arrive by car as part of a wider road trip; larger airports in Billings, Montana (about two and a half hours north) and Jackson, Wyoming offer more options. Either way, a car is essential for exploring Cody, the scenic byways and the national parks beyond.
Getting Around Cody
Cody's compact historic downtown, centered on Sheridan Avenue, is easy to explore on foot, with shops, restaurants and the main sights close together. To reach the museums, the dam, the rodeo grounds and the trailheads, though, you'll want a vehicle.
There's no comprehensive public transit for visitors, so a rental car is the practical way to get around, especially given how spread out the region's attractions and the drives to Yellowstone and the scenic byways are. Parking downtown is generally easy and plentiful.
Where to Stay in Cody
The most convenient base is downtown Cody, within walking distance of Sheridan Avenue's dining, shops and the rodeo grounds. For a more rustic, immersive stay, the North Fork corridor along the road toward Yellowstone is dotted with guest ranches and lodges set among the mountains.
Travelers passing through often choose the highway-adjacent motels and campgrounds on the edges of town, handy for an early start toward the park. Wherever you stay, book ahead in summer, when Cody's rooms fill quickly.
Where to Eat in Cody
Cody's dining is concentrated downtown around Sheridan Avenue, where you'll find classic Western steakhouses, casual diners and cafés within an easy walk. The town leans into its cowboy heritage, so hearty American fare is the theme.
Look for bison and locally raised beef, chicken-fried steak, and all-day diner breakfasts, and consider a dinner-and-a-show chuckwagon-style buffet for the full frontier experience. It's comfort food built for a day spent outdoors.
One Day in Cody
Morning: Devote the morning to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West — with five museums inside, it easily fills a couple of hours. Then step back into frontier days at Old Trail Town nearby.
Evening: Cap the day the Cody way with the all-you-can-eat buffet and country music at the Cody Cattle Company, then walk over to the Cody Night Rodeo for a classic Western night out.
Free Things to Do in Cody
Some of Cody's finest experiences cost nothing. Drive the free and jaw-dropping Chief Joseph Scenic Byway to the Dead Indian Summit Overlook and Sunlight Bridge, admire the canyon views around the Buffalo Bill Dam, and walk the trails and shoreline of Buffalo Bill State Park.
You can also stroll Old Trail Town's setting, explore the vast Shoshone National Forest, and simply wander historic downtown Cody along Sheridan Avenue — all without spending a cent, with the mountain scenery thrown in for free.
Day Trips from Cody
Cody is the ultimate launchpad for Wyoming's greatest hits. Yellowstone National Park's East Entrance is about an hour west along the North Fork Scenic Byway, and Grand Teton lies beyond it to the south. For one of America's most spectacular drives, take the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway toward the Beartooth Highway, which climbs to nearly 11,000 feet.
Closer to home, Buffalo Bill State Park and its reservoir sit just west of town, while the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center is a short drive north. Any of these makes an easy half- or full-day outing from Cody.
FAQ: Visiting Cody
What is Cody, Wyoming known for?
Cody is known as a gateway to Yellowstone and as the "Rodeo Capital of the World," founded in 1896 by Buffalo Bill Cody. It's famous for the Cody Nite Rodeo, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, and its Wild West heritage set amid dramatic mountain scenery.
Is Cody, WY worth visiting?
Yes. Cody combines a world-class Western museum complex, a nightly summer rodeo, historic frontier sites and easy access to Yellowstone, Grand Teton and some of America's most scenic drives — making it a standout base for a Wyoming trip.
How many days do you need in Cody?
One full day covers the town's main sights — the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Old Trail Town and the evening rodeo. Add more days to explore the scenic byways and to use Cody as a base for Yellowstone and Grand Teton.
How far is Cody from Yellowstone?
Cody is about 50 miles from Yellowstone's East Entrance, roughly an hour's drive along the scenic North Fork of the Shoshone River. Reaching the famous geyser basins deeper in the park takes considerably longer, so allow extra time.
When is the best time to visit Cody?
Summer is the peak season, with the nightly rodeo, open mountain byways and clear roads into Yellowstone. Late spring and early fall are quieter and often more pleasant, while winter closes many high-elevation roads.
Do you need a car in Cody?
Yes. While downtown Cody is walkable, a car is essential for reaching the museums, the dam, the rodeo grounds, the scenic byways and the national parks. There is no comprehensive visitor transit.
What free things can you do in Cody?
Plenty: driving the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, taking in the views at Sunlight Bridge and the Dead Indian Summit Overlook, exploring Buffalo Bill State Park and Shoshone National Forest, and wandering historic downtown Cody are all free.
