Regions in Brief

Planning a trip to Wyoming can be done in several ways. Those interested in a particular activity, such as hiking, might choose two or three locations and divide their time among them. Conversely, one could first select a destination, such as one of the national parks or an Old West town, and then determine the activities to be pursued there.

This guide is organized geographically. Because this state is so large, many visitors will limit their vacations to one or two regions.

Yellowstone Plateau

Yellowstone sits atop a volcanic caldera that periodically blows its top -- once every 600,000 years, give or take -- but in the interim provides a largely intact ecosystem in this park of 2.2 million acres. Protected from major development by the National Park Service, Yellowstone provides habitat no longer found elsewhere in the Lower 48, and is home to herds of bison, elk, grizzly bears, trumpeter swans, Yellowstone cutthroat trout, and more subtle beauties such as wildflowers and hummingbirds. The geothermal area is greater than any other in the world, with mud pots, geysers, and hot springs of all colors, size, and performance, indicative of a complex natural plumbing system that pulls water down into the earth's crust and regurgitates it at high temperatures. More than three million visitors come here annually, not just to pay homage to Old Faithful, but also to fish, hike, camp, and boat.

The Tetons & Jackson Hole

The Tetons are a young range, abrupt and sharp edged as they knife up from the plain below. And while the photogenic peaks get top billing, it's the valley of Jackson Hole that provides the more varied environments and experiences. Grand Teton National Park offers some of the most stunning scenery most of us will ever see -- shimmering lakes, thickly carpeted forests, and towering peaks that are blanketed with snow throughout most of the year. It's an easy-to-see park -- you can catch its breathtaking beauty on a quick drive -- but you'll find lakes and waterfalls and even better views and adventures if you leave your car and take to the trails and waterways. The Tetons are especially popular with mountain climbers, who scale its peaks year-round. Elsewhere in the valley you can float the lively Snake River, visit the National Elk Refuge in the winter, or play cowboy at one of the dude and guest ranches that dot the valley. Skiers and snowboarders have a blast at the resorts here, as well as Grand Targhee on the other side of Teton Pass. And the snug town of Jackson, with its antler-arched town square and its busy shops, offers everything from classy art galleries to noisy two-steppin' cowboy bars.

North-Central Wyoming

This is the sort of basin settlers were looking for when they came this way in the 19th century -- mountain ranges on all sides cradling wide, ranchable bottomlands, and some mineral wealth to pay for ranch kids' college educations. More and more, though, the oil and gas development, sheep herding and cattle driving, and beet and wheat growing are giving way to recreation and tourism. The beautiful mountains here -- the Wind Rivers, the Owl Creeks, the Absarokas, the east side of the Bighorns -- get less attention than the Tetons, but that only makes them more attractive. Historically, the area learned its lessons in tourism from the West's greatest showman, Buffalo Bill Cody, who helped build the fun-loving town that still bears his name. The rodeo and great museum of Cody are joined by other attractions, including the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, the hot springs of Thermopolis, and the Wind River Indian Reservation, home to the Shoshone and Arapaho peoples.

Eastern Wyoming

The plains don't begin when you pass east over the Continental Divide; there's another mountain range to cross, and then another -- first the Bighorns, then the Black Hills -- before you're really out there on the howling flats. The Bighorns are a treasure of steep canyons, snow-crowned peaks, good fishing, and good hiking, and at their feet sit two of Wyoming's nicest communities, Sheridan and Buffalo. Some of the prize ranches in this valley have become some of the best dude ranches in the country. Farther east, across the plains beyond the energy boomtown of Gillette, stands the unmistakable geological landmark that is Devils Tower, and along Wyoming's eastern border rise the Black Hills. The region's other claim to fame lies in its history. This is the land of Butch Cassidy and his Hole-in-the-Wall Gang (also known as the Wild Bunch), of cattle rustlers, cowboys, and outlaws.

Southern Wyoming

To the millions of drivers who cross Wyoming on I-80, this is the empty quarter, consisting of mostly barren, windswept plains. But it also has its own mountainous corner -- the craggy Medicine Bow -- a lot of history, and mineral wealth of many varieties, from natural gas to trona. More discerning travelers will not see a wasteland: They'll follow the routes of Oregon Trail pioneers (you can still find the wagon-wheel ruts and graves), get off the freeway to visit historic sites such as Fort Laramie, and throw out a fishing line on the North Platte near Saratoga or in Flaming Gorge Reservoir south of Green River. In this country you'll find both old and new -- from the historic getaway of Saratoga to the capital city of Cheyenne, where the city throws the biggest rodeo party in the West during July's Cheyenne Frontier Days.