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.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Wyoming.
-
1
Paleo-Indian peoples (ancestors of today's tribes) inhabit the region
-
2
John Colter (former Lewis & Clark member) becomes first European American to explore what is now Yellowstone, reporting geysers and hot springs — initially dismissed as 'Colter's Hell'
-
3
Mountain men fur trade era; annual Rendezvous gatherings near Pinedale define frontier commerce
-
4
Oregon/California/Mormon Trail emigration — 500,000 people cross Wyoming; Independence Rock and Fort Laramie are key landmarks
-
5
Red Cloud's War — Lakota Sioux resistance to Bozeman Trail forts; U.S. Army eventually abandons forts in 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty
-
6
Transcontinental railroad completed at Promontory, UT; Cheyenne founded; Wyoming Territory grants women the right to vote — first in the nation
-
7
Yellowstone established as the world's first national park by President Grant
-
8
Cattle boom; large cattle operations established; Johnson County War (1892) pits large ranchers vs. small homesteaders
-
9
Wyoming admitted as the 44th state
-
10
Teapot Dome oil field discovered; later site of 1920s corruption scandal
-
11
Coal, oil, and natural gas extraction dominates state economy; Wyoming is largest U.S. coal producer
Historical sites
Places where Wyoming's past comes alive.
Historic
Fort Laramie National Historic Site
Where: Fort Laramie
Admission: $10 adult / ~$10; under 15 free; Annual Pass accepted
Historic
Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site
Where: Laramie
Admission: $8 adult / ~$8; $5 children 6–17; under 6 free
Historic
South Pass City State Historic Site
Where: Fremont County
Admission: $4 / ~$4; children 17 and under free
Historic
Independence Rock State Historic Site
Where: Natrona County
Admission: FREE
Historic
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
Where: Cody
Admission: $25 adult / ~$25; $18 youth