What's New

Wyoming is known for its rugged beauty, terrific outdoor recreational opportunities, fascinating Wild West history, and seemingly endless wide-open spaces. This is a sparsely populated state: Getting around means long hours in a car where visitors can glimpse a section of America that is little changed from the way it was when pioneers moved through in covered wagons. Change comes slowly here -- that's one of the things I like so much about this state -- but gradually I'm seeing more upscale hotels and resorts, sophisticated restaurants, and high-end real-estate developments. Following are some of the recent changes in Wyoming.

Yellowstone National Park

Sydney's Mountain Bistro (38 Canyon St., West Yellowstone; tel. 406/646-7660) is the newest -- and nicest -- eatery in West Yellowstone. In late 2007, a long-term winter-use plan reduced the number of snowmobiles in the park by 25% starting in 2009-10. Discussions about closing the east entrance in winter have surfaced. Due to an ongoing renovation, the Old Faithful Visitor Center (tel. 307/545-2750) is in a temporary structure near Old Faithful Lodge, with construction underway on a cutting-edge facility that will better blend into the architectural motif of the Old Faithful Inn and Snow Lodge; park officials hope to open the new building in 2009.

Jackson Hole & Grand Teton National Park

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (tel. 307/733-2292) shut down its famed tram in 2006; a new $25-million, 100-passenger tram is slated to open in December 2008. In the continually blossoming lodging landscape in Jackson, the Trapper Inn (235 N. Cache St.; tel. 888/771-2648) opened two new "mountain contemporary" buildings with 36 slick new rooms in 2006; and the vintage Woods Hotel (120 N. Glenwood St.; tel. 307/733-2200) reopened in 2007 as a boutique hotel with slight Western chic style. Relatively new standout restaurants include Trio (45 S. Glenwood St.; tel. 307/734-8038) and 43° North (645 S. Cache St.; tel. 307/733-0043). Couloir (tel. 307/739-2675) opened 3,000 feet above Teton Village in 2007 and is accessible via gondola. In Grand Teton National Park, the dazzling Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center (tel. 307/739-3399) opened in Moose in summer 2007. The gorgeous new facility is named for the late Wyoming senator.

Cody & North-Central Wyoming

Two great new lodgings have opened in Cody: The Chamberlin Inn (1032 12th St.; tel. 888/587-0202), a meticulously restored 1903 building; and Cody Cowboy Village (203 W. Yellowstone Ave.; tel. 307/587-7555), a couples-oriented cabin resort. The new favorite eatery is Shiki (1420 Sheridan Ave.; tel. 307/527-7116), a terrific sushi place in a meat-and-potatoes town.

Sheridan & Eastern Wyoming

Sheridan -- The historic Sheridan Inn (Broadway and 5th St.; tel. 307/674-2178) will again be open for overnight stays, perhaps as soon as fall 2008. There are now polo Thursdays and Saturdays at the Flying H Polo Club (Big Horn; tel. 307/674-9447; www.flyinghpolo.com).

Casper -- The new C'mon Inn (301 E. Lathrop Rd.; tel. 888/782-2690), a lodgelike hotel on the south side of town, opened in 2007.

Southern Wyoming

Cheyenne -- Little America Hotel and Resort (2800 W. Lincolnway; tel. 800/445-6945) enjoyed a renovation and an expansion into a convention center in 2007. Across the street, the newly restored Cheyenne Depot (121 W. 15th St.) was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006. Since 2006, Bit-O-Wyo Ranch (470 Happy Jack Rd.; tel. 307/638-6924) has put on a barn dinner show during the summer about 20 miles west of Cheyenne.