Wyoming Road Trip 2024: Buffalo
The charming town of Buffalo, Wyoming sits conveniently at the intersections of I-25 and I-90. Its location smack dab in between Yellowstone National Park and Mount Rushmore means a lot of vacationers pass through Buffalo on their way to a bigger attraction. It would be a shame to see only the Conoco station, because Buffalo is rich in history and beauty. Here are my favorite things to do in Buffalo.
Occidental Hotel
On par with the Sheridan Inn that I raved about in my last post, the Occidental Hotel transports visitors to the 1880s in the grandest of styles. Restored to its original elegance, the bullet holes in the ceiling of the saloon give hints of the high drama that routinely occurred within these walls. Buffalo was the first established town in the Big Horn Mountain region, and as such, it was the hub from which surrounding development spread.
Guests at the Occidental included the famous — Presidents Teddy Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Calamity Jane — and the infamous — Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and Tom Horn.
Jim Gatchell Museum
Okay, so maybe everyone doesn’t love museums as much as I do, but don’t miss this one. The museum started with a generous gift from the family of Jim Gatchell, who became a trusted pillar of the community after opening his pharmacy in 1900. Prior to moving to Buffalo, Jim had grown up on a Lakota reservation, and he was fluent in the language. He was a great friend to the Lakota, who brought him many gifts over the years. The museum is located in the 1909 Carnegie Library built of native sandstone.
Longmire Headquarters
If you are a fan of the Longmire series on Netflix, {isn’t everyone?}, you may know that the fictional town of Durant in the show is actually Buffalo. Craig Johnson, author of the books on which the series is based, lives on a ranch in Ucross, Wyoming, twenty miles from Buffalo. Naturally, Craig is a local celebrity, and the town of Buffalo revels in its identity as Durant.
The Longmire series ended in 2017, but the fans refuse to let it go. Every July, Robert Taylor and the rest of the Longmire cast come to Buffalo for Longmire Days, a festival that draws as many as 15,000 fans, triple the Buffalo population. Want to attend? Check the website for dates and schedule.
I’ve never made it to Longmire Days, but I always stop by Craig Johnson’s store on Main Street. The Bucking Buffalo Supply Company stocks high quality boots, hats, jewelry and Western decor — everything a Longmire fan could desire. Living the dream.
Crazy Woman Canyon
As is true in many Wyoming towns, the best attractions lie outside the city limits. My favorite haunt lies about 25 miles west of Buffalo on Highway 16, intriguingly named Crazy Woman Canyon. The unfortunate soul for whom this canyon is named has been thoroughly memorialized — even the town square is named after her — but her story remains shrouded in mystery. Locals tell one of two versions, with various embellishments.
Somewhere around 1850, a woman was left to survive alone in the mountains. In the first version, a Native American woman was the only survivor after an attack by a warring tribe. She lived the rest of her days alone in a tepee and eventually went insane. In the second version, a white woman witnessed her husband and children get scalped by the natives, who believed her husband had cheated them in their trading. Without other options, she stayed in the mountains and managed to survive, but the grief and trauma left her mad. Even without the traumatic events in both versions, the idea that a woman could live alone in these mountains was crazy on its face. I have a theory…perhaps the woman was completely sane and only wanted a little peace!
Whatever happened to the unfortunate woman, her story is forever attached to a creek that runs through a stunning canyon. Boulders the size of houses have tumbled to the canyon floor over many years. The creek rushes along its winding path, alternately cascading and pooling around its rock floor. Steep cliffs all around encase the enchanting scene in hushed wonder.
Before you embark on this adventure, you should know that the one-lane dirt road is rough. I wouldn’t try it without a high clearance vehicle. It’s also a good idea to ask a local about the current condition of the road. The folks at the Gatchell Museum have always been my go-to source for this intel. Also, the road is NOT well marked. Note your mileage when you turn onto Highway 16 westbound in town, and at about 25 miles, start watching for a brown road sign on the right. The canyon road will be to your left.
Kaycee
If you have time for a bit of exploring while you’re in Buffalo, head 45 miles south and take in the small town of Kaycee. It may not look like much, but Kaycee was ground zero for the Johnson County Range War in 1892, an event so outrageous, the embers of the conflict still smolder to this day. The Hoofprints of the Past Museum houses some truly remarkable artifacts guaranteed to transport you to the wild, wild west.
Kaycee also holds the distinction of being the nearest civilization to the remote hideout of the Hole in the Wall gang and other outlaws. The museum offers a day-long tour of the region every June, for those adventurous souls who want to see for themselves where these historic baddies took their refuge. Details here.
This tiny burg in literally the middle of nowhere holds one other claim to fame. It was the hometown of much-loved country singer Chris LaDoux, who bought a ranch there when his rodeo days ended. After LaDoux died of cancer at age 56, the town demonstrated their love for this cowboy by creating the Chris LaDoux Memorial Park. A close friend of Garth Brooks, the two performed a duet of LaDoux’s song, “Whatcha Gonna Do With a Cowboy.” But most people discovered LaDoux after Garth paid tribute to him in his hit song “Much Too Young (to Feel This Damn Old)“, which could be my personal anthem.
Next time you find yourself passing through Buffalo, Wyoming, stop and explore for a day or two. You might just fall in love with this jewel of the West.