Wyoming is the least populous U.S. state yet one of its most spectacular, encompassing Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and vast high-plains ranching country. Cowboy culture runs deep, rodeos are a living tradition, and the landscape swings from boiling geysers to glacier-carved peaks within a single afternoon's drive.
Top attractions
The most popular and significant attractions in Wyoming.
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1
Yellowstone National Park
Established in 1872, Yellowstone was the world's first national park and sits atop an active volcanic caldera, which is why it holds the largest concentration of geysers and hot springs on the planet. Most visitors loop through the park on the Grand Loop Road, connecting geyser basins, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and Lamar Valley, where bison and elk are routinely visible from the roadside. Distances between sights are large, so a single day only covers one or two areas well.
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2
Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton protects the jagged, glacier-carved Teton Range, which rises abruptly from the valley floor of Jackson Hole with no foothills to soften the scale. Unlike Yellowstone's geothermal focus, the appeal here is the mountain skyline itself, reflected in lakes like Jenny Lake and String Lake at its base. The park is compact enough to see its signature views in a half-day, though hiking into the canyons takes longer.
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3
Old Faithful Geyser
Old Faithful is Yellowstone's best-known geyser, prized less for its size than for the predictability that gave it its name, erupting roughly every 60 to 110 minutes to heights of 100 to 180 feet. The adjacent visitor center posts eruption predictions with a margin of error, and a wide boardwalk and log benches let large crowds watch without damaging the surrounding sinter formations. It is often a visitor's first stop in the park because of its location near the main Old Faithful complex.
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4
Grand Prismatic Spring
Grand Prismatic is the largest hot spring in the United States and is known for its concentric bands of blue, green, yellow, and orange, produced by heat-tolerant microbial mats ringing the deep blue center. It sits in the Midway Geyser Basin, and its full color pattern is only really visible from above, since the boardwalk that circles it at ground level shows mostly the near edge and steam. A separate overlook trail on the hillside opposite the parking area gives the classic aerial view.
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5
Devil's Tower National Monument
Devils Tower is an isolated igneous rock formation rising abruptly from the surrounding grassland and pine forest, its surface marked by distinctive vertical columns formed as magma cooled underground before erosion exposed it. It was designated the first U.S. national monument in 1906 and holds ongoing spiritual significance for several Plains tribes, including the Lakota and Cheyenne. The 1.3-mile Tower Trail loops around its base and is the main way most visitors experience the formation up close.
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6
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is known among skiers for its steep, technical terrain and the roughly 4,100 feet of vertical drop off Rendezvous Mountain, one of the largest lift-served descents in the country. In summer, the same aerial tram carries hikers and sightseers up for valley and Teton views without the ski season's difficulty. The base area in Teton Village has lodging, dining, and access to the resort's mountain biking trails once snow clears.
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7
Thermopolis Hot Springs State Park
Hot Springs State Park centers on mineral hot springs that the Eastern Shoshone and Arapaho ceded to the state in 1896 on the condition that a portion remain free to the public, which is why the park's Bath House still offers free soaking today. Mineral-laden water flows over the Rainbow Terraces, travertine formations colored by algae and minerals, before reaching the Bighorn River. Alongside the free bath house, private commercial pools nearby offer waterslides and additional amenities for a fee.
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8
Fort Laramie National Historic Site
Fort Laramie began as a private fur-trading post in the 1830s before the U.S. Army acquired it in 1849 to protect emigrants on the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails, and it later played a central role in negotiations and conflicts with Plains tribes, including the 1851 and 1868 treaties. Many of its original buildings survive and have been restored, including officers' quarters and the old guardhouse, giving a tangible sense of a working 19th-century military post rather than a reconstruction. Self-guided walking routes connect the restored structures across the grounds.
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9
Fossil Butte National Monument
This remote monument near Kemmerer protects a slice of the 52-million-year-old Green River Formation, where a Eocene lake bed preserved fish, plants, insects, and even bats in extraordinary detail. The visitor center displays real fossil slabs pulled from the surrounding buttes, and a short trail leads up to the quarry area where the fossil-bearing layers are exposed. It's a quiet stop that rewards visitors interested in paleontology rather than scenery alone.
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10
Vedauwoo Rock Formations
Vedauwoo is a cluster of wind-eroded granite outcrops rising from the high plains between Laramie and Cheyenne, formed by the same Sherman Granite that underlies much of southeastern Wyoming. The rounded, stacked boulders attract climbers and boulderers from across the region, while shorter trails let non-climbers scramble among the formations. It's a stark, exposed landscape rather than a forested park, so the rock itself is the whole draw.
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Practical information
What you need to know before you go.
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Tips for visiting attractions
Make the most of your sightseeing time.
Visit popular attractions early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid crowds and harsh midday light.
Book tickets online in advance for major attractions to skip long queues and sometimes save money.
Many cities offer multi-attraction passes that include public transport. Calculate whether they save you money based on your itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to hike in Yellowstone?
No permit required for day hikes. Overnight backcountry camping requires a backcountry permit ($3 per person per night) obtainable at any visitor center up to 48 hours before the trip.
Can I drive through Yellowstone in one day?
The Grand Loop Road is 142 miles. Driving it fully takes 4–5 hours without stops — but stops (Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic, Mammoth Hot Springs) are the whole point. Plan 2–3 days minimum.