Yellowstone National Park

Most Wyoming visitors come to see Yellowstone National Park. Renown for its geysers, hot springs, colorful canyons, and abundant wildlife, the park is deservedly one of America’s primary tourist destinations. But the features that make the area unique do not stop at the park boundaries and visitors looking for a real western vacation should consider approaching the park from the south via Wind River Country to get a real flavor of the American West.

The route to Yellowstone through Wind River Country starts in the high, sagebrush plains in eastern Fremont County and parallels the road traveled by hundreds of thousands of pioneers. You’ll still find the views as expansive and uncluttered by signs of civilization today as they did when they passed by this way in their Conestoga wagons or pushing their handcarts more than 150 years ago. Like them, your path will take you past the Granite Mountains, a rugged range of rocky outcrops and pine forests that jut out of the plains along the banks of the Sweetwater River. These mountains, which contain the famous pioneer landmark—Split Rock —are now popular for hunters and rock climbers. The route divides here before Beaver Rim—one road heads to Riverton, the other to Lander. Both routes offer spectacular views of the mountains that frame the Wind River Valley.

You will parallel the Wind River Range as you head northwest out of Lander and Riverton to Dubois. The scenery begins to change dramatically as you enter the Dubois Badlands. These colorful turrets and spires, which can be seen from your car window, were carved by water eroding ancient volcanic ash and are now a fun place to hike, bike or ride a horse. On the opposite side of the highway from the badlands, you can see the remnants of old glacial moraines that mark the terminus of the alpine glaciers that once poured out of the high peaks of the Winds.

Highway 287 begins to climb out of Dubois and you quickly leave the high desert behind and enter the Absaroka Mountains. These fairy-tale mountains are unique. Formed from glaciers sculpting their way through volcanic debris, the resulting range is comprised of unusual cliffs and towers of crumbling rock, high open plateaus, and large broad valleys that are filled with wildflowers and moose, elk, deer, wolves, and is prime habitat for grizzly bears.

After crossing the Continental Divide at Togwotee Pass above 9000’, you’ll drive a few miles, then turn a corner and the Teton Mountains flash across your view. You’re now leaving Wind River Country. An hour more of driving brings you to the south gate of Yellowstone National Park.

The Wind River Country Visitors Council has created a number of driving tours that allow you to experience some of the highlights of the area from your car. You can spend a few hours exploring cultural sites on the Wind River Indian Reservation or several days circumnavigating the Absaroka Mountains.