Free Park County Travel Guide & Mobile App

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Park County
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Explore Park County, Wyoming, from Cody’s western heritage and Yellowstone gateway to Bighorn Basin farms, mountain forests and high-country roads.

Park County occupies a remarkably varied section of north-west Wyoming, extending from the broad, arid Bighorn Basin around Cody and Powell to the high Absaroka Mountains and the north-eastern reaches of Yellowstone National Park. The county is large and geographically diverse, so journeys between its communities and mountain roads can involve substantial distances. Its landscapes shift from sagebrush flats and irrigated farmland to forested valleys, volcanic plateaux, glaciated summits and high mountain passes.
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Cody is the county’s principal visitor centre and the eastern gateway to Yellowstone, reached by the Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway through the Shoshone National Forest. The town’s identity is closely bound to William F. Cody, known as Buffalo Bill, and to the history of the American West. The Buffalo Bill Center of the West brings together major collections devoted to western art, firearms, Plains Indian cultures, natural history and the life of Buffalo Bill. Historic streets, galleries, rodeo traditions and the nearby Buffalo Bill Dam and Reservoir give Cody a strong cultural and landscape setting rather than making it merely a stopping point for Yellowstone.
To the north, Powell is a smaller agricultural community surrounded by irrigated fields and the productive Bighorn Basin. Its local history reflects water development, homesteading and the transformation of dry land into farmland. The Heart Mountain Interpretive Center, south-east of Powell, examines the forced incarceration of Japanese Americans at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center during the Second World War. Meeteetse, farther south, has a distinctive historic main street and provides access to ranch country, foothills and outdoor landscapes along the Greybull River.
The western part of Park County is defined by mountains and public land. Shoshone National Forest, America’s first national forest, covers extensive upland and mountain terrain, while the North and South Forks of the Shoshone River lead towards Yellowstone. Hiking, fishing, wildlife watching, scenic driving, camping and winter activities are important here, but conditions can change quickly at elevation. Yellowstone’s geysers, wildlife and canyon country are within the county’s wider travel picture, although the national park extends across several counties and states and deserves time beyond a brief gateway visit.
Park County’s character lies in the contrast between working agricultural communities, western heritage, nationally protected landscapes and mountain wilderness. Seasonal travel is strongly influenced by snow, road openings and the operating calendar of Yellowstone. A thoughtful itinerary usually combines a base in Cody or another county community with time on the road, allowing for distances, weather and the slower pace required to appreciate the basin, forests and high country.

Getting to and around Park County

How to get there

Cody Yellowstone Regional Airport is within Park County and provides the most direct air access to Cody, although routes are limited and may vary seasonally. Many visitors also fly to larger airports outside the county, including Jackson Hole, Bozeman Yellowstone International or Billings Logan International, then continue by road; these are not in Park County and can involve long drives. US Highway 14/16/20 connects Cody with the eastern entrance to Yellowstone, while US Highway 14A and other regional roads link the county with the Bighorn Basin. Check current park entrance and road conditions before setting out.

Transportation

A car is usually the most practical way to explore Park County because communities, trailheads, scenic roads and Yellowstone destinations are widely dispersed. Cody and Powell have local services, but rural public transport is limited and many attractions require independent travel. Roads through the Shoshone canyon and the Absaroka Mountains are scenic but can be winding, steep and weather-affected. Yellowstone has no railway service within the park, and visitors using distant airports should plan fuel stops, driving time and seasonal closures. Cycling and hiking are rewarding on selected routes, but distances, elevation and vehicle traffic require careful preparation.

Top city travel guides in Park County

The cities of Park County, and the easiest places to base yourself.

Destinations in Park County

Resorts, valleys and scenic spots worth a trip of their own.

Best attractions in Park County

Park County’s attractions range from internationally recognised landscapes to museums and working communities. Yellowstone National Park provides geothermal features, wildlife viewing, waterfalls, canyon scenery and extensive walking opportunities in the county’s western and north-eastern areas, although the park continues well beyond Park County. Cody’s Buffalo Bill Center of the West is the county’s major cultural institution, with galleries exploring western art, firearms, natural history, Plains Indian cultures and Buffalo Bill’s life. The Buffalo Bill Dam and Reservoir introduce the engineering and irrigation story of the Shoshone Basin. Powell and the surrounding farmland offer a different experience of the county, while the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center provides essential historical interpretation. Shoshone National Forest opens access to fishing, hiking, camping, wildlife watching, climbing and scenic drives, with the North and South Forks of the Shoshone River leading towards high mountain country. Meeteetse contributes historic streets, ranching heritage and access to quieter valley landscapes. Activities are highly seasonal: summer suits sightseeing and hiking, whereas winter conditions bring snow sports, wildlife considerations and road restrictions.

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Best landmarks in Park County

The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is Park County’s defining cultural landmark, its substantial Cody campus interpreting the art, peoples, wildlife and stories of the American West. Nearby, the Buffalo Bill Dam spans the Shoshone River and remains a prominent engineering and irrigation landmark at the entrance to the canyon west of Cody. Cody’s historic townscape and associations with William F. Cody give its streets a clear western identity, while Meeteetse’s main street preserves the scale and character of an older ranching settlement. The Heart Mountain site near Powell is marked by the interpretive centre and remnants of the former incarceration camp, a significant place of conscience rather than merely a scenic stop. In the west, the county’s most recognisable landmarks are natural: the Shoshone canyon, the Absaroka peaks and Yellowstone’s thermal basins, waterfalls and canyon country. Their importance lies in both visual presence and the national conservation history attached to them.

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Explore Park County on the map

Plan your trip on one map. See where the top cities, national parks and sights are, and book hotels and experiences in a few clicks.

Best restaurants in Park County

Dining in Park County reflects both the agricultural Bighorn Basin and the western gateway economy of Cody. Restaurants, cafés, bakeries and hotel dining rooms in Cody provide familiar American fare alongside steaks, burgers, sandwiches, salads and locally sourced ingredients when available. Traditional ranch and western influences are most evident in meat-based dishes and hearty portions, while Powell and Meeteetse offer smaller-town cafés, diners and community-oriented eating places. Farmers’ markets and local food outlets can be useful for fruit, vegetables, baked goods and other basin produce during the growing season. In Yellowstone, food options are concentrated at developed visitor areas and are shaped by park logistics rather than a separate Park County cuisine. Independent restaurants and historic-style inns are more varied in Cody than in the county’s rural districts, so visitors travelling into the mountains should carry provisions and avoid assuming that a meal will be available along every scenic road.

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Best bars in Park County

Cody has the county’s broadest evening scene, centred on traditional western bars, hotel lounges, restaurants, breweries and live entertainment rather than a large nightclub district. Rodeo season and summer tourism bring additional evening activity, but programmes and opening arrangements vary. Powell and Meeteetse have a smaller selection of local bars, diners and community venues, where nightlife is generally relaxed and centred on conversation, food and occasional live music. In rural areas and around Yellowstone, evenings are more likely to involve an early meal, a lodge or campground gathering, stargazing or preparation for the next day outdoors. Drink-driving distances are long, mobile coverage can be poor and wildlife may be active on roads after dark, so visitors should plan a safe return and should not treat nightlife as the only way to experience the county after sunset.

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Best nightclubs in Park County

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Best shops in Park County

Cody is Park County’s main shopping centre for western clothing, boots, hats, saddlery-inspired goods, art, books, jewellery, Native-made artwork and souvenirs connected with Yellowstone and the American West. Visitors should distinguish genuinely locally made work from mass-produced items and buy Indigenous art from reputable sellers who identify artists and cultural affiliations clearly. Cody’s galleries and independent shops are more characteristic than a large enclosed shopping centre. Powell and Meeteetse offer practical high-street businesses, small galleries, antiques and locally oriented shops, while seasonal farmers’ markets can provide regional produce, preserves, baking and crafts. Outdoor equipment and provisions are useful purchases before travelling into the mountains or Yellowstone. Rural shopping is limited outside the main communities, and many smaller businesses operate seasonally or keep shorter hours, so do not postpone essential supplies until reaching a remote scenic area.

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Park County essentials

Currency and Payment
Park County uses the United States dollar (USD), like the rest of Wyoming. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted in Cody, Powell, Meeteetse and established visitor businesses, and contactless payment is increasingly available. Cash remains useful for smaller purchases, rural services, tips and places with unreliable connectivity. In mountain areas and parts of Yellowstone, mobile service and payment connections can be intermittent, so carrying a modest cash reserve and downloading essential maps is sensible.
Safety
Take ordinary precautions with vehicles and valuables, but give particular attention to outdoor hazards. Mountain weather can change rapidly, roads may be icy or affected by wildlife, and high elevations can cause fatigue or altitude-related symptoms. Maintain a safe distance from bison, elk, bears and other animals; never approach, feed or attempt to photograph wildlife at close range. In Yellowstone, stay on marked routes around geothermal features. Tell someone about remote hiking plans, carry adequate clothing and water, and use bear-safe food storage where required.
Emergency Situations
Dial 911 throughout Park County and Wyoming for police, fire and ambulance emergencies. In Yellowstone, emergency response is coordinated through the National Park Service, and visitors should report their exact location, route or nearby landmark because distances are considerable. There is no single region-wide substitute for preparation: download or carry maps, expect weak mobile coverage in remote areas and follow official instructions during wildfire, severe-weather or road emergencies. The US 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available for urgent mental-health support.
Do's and Don'ts
Do respect private ranch land, barriers, posted closures and the rules of Yellowstone National Park and Shoshone National Forest. Do keep to boardwalks around thermal features, pack out waste and give horses, livestock and wildlife plenty of room. Do not assume an apparently empty road or trail is risk-free, and do not feed animals or leave food unsecured. In Cody and other communities, western dress is part of local culture but not a requirement; polite behaviour, sensible tipping in service settings and patience with long rural distances are appropriate.
Local Tips
Cody is a useful base for combining western-history museums with a Yellowstone journey, while Powell offers a different perspective through agriculture and the Heart Mountain site. The Shoshone River corridor is best appreciated slowly, with time for viewpoints and short walks rather than a rushed transfer. Summer is the busiest period, but spring and autumn can bring closures or reduced services. Ask locally about current road, trail and fire conditions, and remember that a scenic route may take far longer than its map distance suggests.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloHowdy[haʊdi]
GoodbyeSee ya[si jə]
YesYep[jɛp]
NoNah[nɑ]
Please/You're welcomeSure thing[ʃʊr θɪŋ]
Thank youThanks[θæŋks]
Excuse me/SorryPardon me[ˈpɑrdən mi]
How are you?How's it going?[haʊz ɪt ˈɡoʊɪŋ]
Fine. And you?Good. And you?[ɡʊd. ənd ju]
Do you speak English?You speakin' English?[ju ˈspiːkɪn ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ]
I don't understandI ain't followin'[aɪ eɪnt ˈfɑloʊɪn]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseCan I see the menu?[kæn aɪ si ðə ˈmɛnju]
I don't eat meatI don't eat meat[aɪ doʊnt it miːt]
Cheers!Cheers![ʧɪrz]
I would like to pay, pleaseCan I settle up?[kæn aɪ ˈsɛtəl ʌp]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Help![hɛlp]
Go away!Get lost![ɡɛt lɔst]
Call the Police!Call the cops![kɔl ðə kɑps]
Call a doctor!Get a doctor![ɡɛt ə ˈdɑktər]
I'm lostI'm turned around[aɪm tɜrnd əˈraʊnd]
I'm illI'm not feelin' well[aɪm nɑt ˈfiːlɪn wɛl]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...I want to buy...[aɪ wɑnt tu baɪ]
I'm just lookingJust browsing[dʒʌst ˈbraʊzɪŋ]
How much is it?What's the price?[wʌts ðə praɪs]
That's too expensiveThat's a bit steep[ðæts ə bɪt stip]
Can you lower the price?Can you bring down the price?[kæn ju brɪŋ daʊn ðə praɪs]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?What time ya got?[wʌt taɪm jə ɡɑt]
It's one o'clockIt's one[ɪts wʌn]
Half past (10)Half past ten[hæf pæst tɛn]
MorningMorning[ˈmɔrnɪŋ]
AfternoonAfternoon[ˌæftərˈnun]
EveningEvening[ˈivnɪŋ]
YesterdayYesterday[ˈjɛstərdeɪ]
TodayToday[təˈdeɪ]
TomorrowTomorrow[təˈmɔroʊ]
1One[wʌn]
2Two[tu]
3Three[θri]
4Four[fɔr]
5Five[faɪv]
6Six[sɪks]
7Seven[ˈsɛvən]
8Eight[eɪt]
9Nine[naɪn]
10Ten[tɛn]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Where's the...?[wɛrz ðə]
What's the address?What's the address?[wʌts ði əˈdrɛs]
Can you show me (on the map)?Can you point it out?[kæn ju pɔɪnt ɪt aʊt]
When's the next (bus)?When's the next bus?[wɛn'z ðə nɛkst bʌs]
A ticket (to ....)A ticket to...[ə ˈtɪkɪt tu]

History of Park County

Indigenous homelands and regional trade

Park County lies within a region long used by Indigenous peoples, including the Apsáalooke, often called the Crow, as well as Northern Arapaho, Eastern Shoshone and other communities whose movements, hunting grounds and trading networks extended across the Bighorn Basin and surrounding mountains. Archaeological evidence records much older human presence. The landscape’s rivers, game corridors and mountain passes shaped travel before Euro-American settlement, while Indigenous knowledge remains important to understanding the region’s cultural and environmental history.

Exploration and the creation of Yellowstone

Expeditions and surveys by Euro-American explorers entered the Yellowstone region during the nineteenth century, following earlier travel by trappers and traders. In 1872, the United States established Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first national park, protecting a vast landscape that includes areas of present-day Park County. This decision changed the region’s future by placing conservation and tourism alongside older patterns of Indigenous use, hunting, ranching and exploration.

Settlement, ranching and irrigation

After the later nineteenth century, homesteaders, ranchers and town builders expanded into the Bighorn Basin. Water was crucial in a dry environment, and irrigation projects transformed parts of the basin into productive farmland. Powell developed as an agricultural community associated with reclamation and irrigated settlement, while Meeteetse and other settlements grew through ranching, trade and access to the surrounding valleys. These industries remain visible in the county’s working landscapes and community identity.

William F. Cody and the founding of Cody

William F. Cody, the showman known as Buffalo Bill, helped establish Cody in the 1890s and promoted the town as a gateway to Yellowstone. His name became closely associated with the region’s western image, although the town’s development also depended on ranching, irrigation, transport and local enterprise. The Buffalo Bill Center of the West and Cody’s continuing rodeo traditions preserve and interpret this history while also placing it within the more complicated story of Indigenous peoples, settlement and the making of the American West.

Railways, roads and tourism

Transport connections helped link Park County’s agricultural settlements and western gateway communities with markets and visitors. Roads into Yellowstone and the Shoshone canyon made scenic tourism increasingly practical, while automobiles changed the scale and rhythm of travel through the mountains. Cody’s position east of Yellowstone strengthened its role as a base for national-park journeys, and the county’s economy came to combine ranching, farming, public-land recreation, heritage tourism and hospitality.

Heart Mountain incarceration, 1942–1945

During the Second World War, the United States government forcibly removed thousands of Japanese Americans from the West Coast and incarcerated them at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center near Powell. The camp operated from 1942 until 1945 and held more than 14,000 people over its lifetime. The Heart Mountain Interpretive Center documents the incarceration, resistance, education, family life and lasting legacy of this injustice, making it one of the region’s most important modern historical sites.

Modern conservation and public lands

Twentieth-century developments strengthened the protection and public use of Park County’s mountains, forests and geothermal landscapes. Yellowstone’s international importance, the management of Shoshone National Forest and the growth of wildlife-based tourism have made conservation central to the local economy and public debate. At the same time, agriculture, ranching and communities such as Cody, Powell and Meeteetse continue to shape the county. Contemporary Park County is therefore a meeting point of working land, protected wilderness and visitor access.

Park County in Photos

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Evendo: Your Ultimate Park County Travel Guide

Discover Park County with Evendo, the free travel guide app offering detailed insights into attractions, landmarks, dining, and more for an unforgettable adventure.

  • Detailed information on attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, experiences, and activities
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Explore Park County like never before with Evendo, your free app-based travel guide. Dive into the best attractions, dining, and experiences, all at your fingertips.

  • Comprehensive maps and 'Near me' feature for easy navigation
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Welcome to Evendo, the ultimate travel guide app for Park County, Wyoming. Whether you're drawn by the majestic landscapes of Yellowstone National Park or the charming streets of Cody, Evendo is your indispensable companion. Our app provides comprehensive information on all the best attractions, from the awe-inspiring Old Faithful Geyser to the historic Buffalo Bill Center of the West.

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