ctspice

My husband and I are planning a "circle tour" of WY in August. Flying into Denver and then making a big loop for 9 days back to Denver. We are definitely planning on Yellowstone and Grand Teton. Is there any other must see or must stay places in WY or near the borders in the surrounding states that we should consider? We don't mind driving distances and like to fit as much in as possible. Thank you in advance.

cd

ctspice
Take a drive out of the Northeast entrance of Yellowstone into Montana and drive Beartooth Hwy and Chief Joseph Hwy. It was some of the best scenery we have ever, ever seen.

utahtea

I also agree with the Beartooth Highway.

You might try different routes coming and going to the Grand Tetons - Yellowstone area.

One option would be to drive west on either I-70 or Hwy 40 to Vernal, Utah and spend 1/2 a day at Dinosaur National Monument, then drive up thought Flaming Gorge National Recreational Area.

Coming back you might want to include a drive from Cody, WY to Sheridan on either Hwy 14 or ALT 14. Both are scenic and then swing over to Devils Tower National Monument before heading south back to Denver.

Just make sure you leave enought time to really enjoy the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. I can spend a week in Yellowstone.

Utahtea

travellyn

I'd also recommend the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody. It's worth a few hours.

dwooddon

If you're a history buff, the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is just north of Sheridan, Wyoming across the border in Montana. If you're not familiar with the name, it used to be known as the Custer Battlefield NM and is the site where several companies of the 7th Cavalry took on way too many Native American warriors.

It's a sobering but interesting place to visit - if, as I said, you're a history buff. If you're not, it's probably not worth going out of your way to visit.

dixon

The Big Horn Mountains are pretty.
They are north of Casper, and west of Interstate 25 near Sheridan and Buffalo.

The Little Big Horn for some reason caught on as a national site. But I think the case can be made that Lt. Col. Custer was a vainglorious nincompoop who led his men to death because he was ignorant of his enemy.

That slaughter was not one of the more glorious days in the history of the U.S. Cavalry.

Tess

Fodorites have given you some GREAT suggestions! I would suggest hitting Custer Battlefield then continuing through Billings and into Red Lodge for the night. Continue the next day through the Beartooth Highway and stay in Yellowstone the next night. Exit the park at Cody and continue your loop.

dwooddon

I agree with Dixon's assessment of Custer except I think he was too generous. Not only did Custer not try to determine the intelligence he needed before attacking, I think his primary goal in the campaign was personal glory and it came at the expense of the men and officers he was responsible for.

There have been less capable combat commanders in the history of the Army but not many. I think it poetic justice that the monument was renamed and that the Native American's that fought there are beginning to be recognized as worthy of historical study.

tada

If you csn get over to the eastern side of the state, Devil's Tower is very interesting to see and hike around. It has a great native american legend associated with it.

ctspice

Thanks all for your great suggestions. Looks like we'll be very busy!

drsawyers

Don't neglect the National Forests. There are fewer amenities (visitor centers, developed campgrounds, etc.) but they are often more accessable than the National Parks.

Bighorn National Forest is one of my favorite places. Plenty of places to stay in Sheridan or Buffalo, plus a few lodges up in the mountains as well.

At least consider visiting the Medicine Wheel, Devil's Canyon Overlook (at Bighorn Canyon NRA), Shell Falls, High Park Lookout. All of these are either roadside attractions or a couple miles along good trails.

I've put some photos together at:
http://www2.onu.edu/~d-sawyers/Bigho...ite/index.html

brookwood

I think the Snowy Range south of Laramie, and Laramie itself are attractions. Some of the Snowy Range may technically lie in Colorado, but they are lovely.

If you are into hot springs and the like, Themopolis is a good place to visit.

And of the various national monuments, Fossil Butte is the home of many interesting fish fossils. The extraordinary clarity with which the fossils are preserved is remarkable.

Other than those, the places already covered are the highest of the highlights. Beartooth, Chief Joseph, Yellowstone, and the Tetons. Yellowstone for me is a magnet; I get pulled back there as I write this.

I don't have plans to go there this summer, and I feel funny.

The Tetons are a beautiful view, too.

Of the "lesser" lights, the canyons on the western escarpment of the Big Horns are impressive. Ten Sleep Canyon is the only canyon I only drove down that was so steep relative to the road that I actually had to stop and let my ears adjust. We were all hurting for a few minutes!

And if you can somehow do it, enter Yellowstone from east to west via the East Gate. That first view of Lake Yellowstone is one of the classics.

So much beauty and so little time to see it.
But get there and see what you can.
It has a way of restoring the soul after it enlivens the spirit. Talk about therapy; you can find it there.