When to Go

People come to experience northern Wyoming in all four seasons—sometimes all in the same week. The weather here is notoriously difficult to predict, as warm Chinook winds can shoot January temperatures into the 70s and freak storms can drop snow in July. On the whole, however, the area enjoys pleasantly warm summers and refreshingly snowy winters. Most travelers visit between June and September, a great time to pursue most outdoor activities. Others come to ski or snowmobile the pristine powder of the Big Horn Mountains in winter.

Temperatures in both seasons can be extreme, however. Thermometers often register a week of triple digits in August in the lower elevations. Snow begins to blanket the mountain slopes in late September and begins to recede only in late May, resulting in the seasonal closure of even some major roads over high-elevation mountain passes—always check conditions and forecasts when traveling in northern Wyoming this time of year. Spring, especially in the mountains, is sometimes nothing more than a week or two of rain and wind between the last winter snowfall and the warm sunshine of summer. Autumn, on the other hand, is full of pleasantly warm days, cooler nights, and vivid foliage. Additionally, the only crowds to fight are small pockets of hunters, anglers, and local leaf peepers.

Festivals and Events

Plains Indian Powwow. The two-day Plains Indian Powwow, in late June, brings together hoop dancers, traditional dancers, and jingle dancers from various tribes. The performances take place outdoors in the Buffalo Bill Center of the West's Robbie Powwow Garden. 720 Sheridan Ave., Cody, Wyoming, 82414. 307/587–4771; www.centerofthewest.org.