11 Most Peaceful Small Towns In Wyoming
Wyoming is a soothing and mesmerizing region of sweeping plains, jagged peaks, beautiful blue skies, and some of the most peaceful small towns to visit in the Equality State. Being the first state in the US to grant women suffrage in 1869, travelers will come across a number of historic destinations and landmarks within proximity to the nation’s first designated national forest (Shoshone National Forest) and first national monument (Devils Tower). Places such as Jackson, Cody, Lander, Dubois, and Sheridan are among the top-pick destinations not only because they sit near these iconic landmarks, but because each offers its own attractions, heritage, and sense of serenity for visitors to appreciate. Now is the perfect time to uncover for yourself what makes these most peaceful small towns in Wyoming the best places to visit.
Jackson
In the southern end of Jackson Hole Valley, travelers will come across the magnificent town of Jackson, a minute destination with big scenery and even bigger attractions to explore. With its access to the soaring peaks of the Teton Range, Jackson promises alpine grandeur in every season, and you can go skiing and snowboarding in splendid resorts like the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. When warmer weather arrives, the long-running Jackson Hole Rodeo brings true cowboy spirit to town.
Art lovers will be drawn to the impressive collections at the National Museum of Wildlife Art, where the likes of Georgia O’Keeffe and Andy Warhol capture the untamed wilderness of the mountains. Jackson is the perfect home base for exploring both Grand Teton National Park and nearby Yellowstone National Park.
Buffalo
Buffalo erupts with frontier ambiance from the moment you step onto its historic Main Street. In this small town located at the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains, one can enter the elegantly restored 19th-century buildings that host cozy cafés and independent shops, making for an ideal day of discovery. Staying at the iconic Occidental Hotel means lodging in a historic landmark from the heydays of the Wild West, as this specific locale once hosted figures like Calamity Jane and Butch Cassidy and still retains its original saloon and vintage décor.
You can dive deeper into the region’s past at the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum, chock-full of artifacts from the Johnson County Cattle War and boasting other frontier lore. Best of all, you can venture into the wilds at Cloud Peak Wilderness for alpine trails and quiet lakes, or explore wildlife-rich terrain within the broader Bighorn National Forest.
Dubois
Sandwiched between the vast Wind River Range and the Absaroka Mountains, the peaceful town of Dubois feels like a window into the past. Visiting the Dubois Museum & Wind River Historical Center will allow you to tour Indigenous heritage, homesteading lore, and the unique legacy of tie-hack logging that prevailed throughout Dubois. Those of you who prefer the sights and sensations of the wilds can go gallivanting through the National Bighorn Sheep Center, which prepares visitors for their encounters with Wyoming’s state mammal, the bighorn sheep, in its rugged habitat.
You can also head into the adjacent Shoshone National Forest for superb wilderness hiking, or take in panoramic views at the scenic Togwotee Pass gateway. In winter, you can watch the thrilling Pedigree Stage Stop Race, a competitive and compelling dog sled competition between Jackson and Dubois.
Sheridan
Just 35 miles north of Buffalo, Sheridan offers a polished small-town ambiance with a dash of Wild West lore to boast about. Within the stately Historic Sheridan Inn, visitors can walk through the former haunt of Buffalo Bill Cody, which still welcomes guests amidst its Victorian elegance and historic tidbits. Meanwhile, at the lavish Trail End State Historic Site (also known as Kendrick Mansion), you will find original furnishings and the grandeur of Wyoming’s early 20th-century elite.
The Museum at the Bighorns, on the other hand, takes you from prehistoric landscapes through pioneer expansion, offering a narrative of the region’s transformation. Last but not least, the nearby Bighorn National Forest brings trails, streams, and expansive refuges for those of you in need of leisurely walks in nature.
Ten Sleep
The small town of Ten Sleep hails from a Native American system of counting distance, and the town still encapsulates a frontier sense of peace and tranquility. Climbers converge on the dramatic limestone walls of Ten Sleep Canyon, considered among North America’s premier sport-climbing destinations. The town is also a gateway to the Hazelton Pyramid, one of many mountain peaks that travelers can challenge themselves to stand atop.
Back in town, the warm and welcoming Ten Sleep Brewing Company offers craft brews, live music, and other laidback comforts for you on a daily basis. The town’s version of the Fourth of July erupts with a rodeo, parade, and fireworks that channel an Americana extravaganza for everyone to enjoy.
Pinedale
With a tranquil landscape, the small town of Sundance entreats newcomers to the soothing shadows of the Wind River Range. As a springboard for some of Wyoming’s most biodiverse regions, travelers can go adventuring at the expansive Bridger Wilderness, which unfolds with hundreds of lakes and passes perfect for hiking and fishing. Frontier history can be gleaned at the Museum of the Mountain Man, where the stories of Jim Bridger and historic trappers are preserved and promoted for posterity.
In your journeys in the outdoors, you might get a chance to spot migrating pronghorns along the Path of the Pronghorn, one of the continent’s great wildlife experiences. Twice a year, you can also route the historic Green River Drift Cattle Drive as cowboys move cattle through town in June and October.
Sundance
Sundance lies near the sacred hills of the Great Plains and resonates with Wild West history and Indigenous traditions to appreciate. The Crook County Museum & 1875 Art Gallery (housed in the old courthouse) tells stories of the town’s namesake, the Sun Dance ceremony, and of the infamous Sundance Kid (Harry Longabaugh), who once broke out of that very building. Travelers from all over can use Sundance as a jumping point towards the famous Devils Tower National Monument, a geological wonder and spiritual site that became the US’ first national monument to visit.
Nearby, the archaeological Vore Buffalo Jump marks where Plains tribes once orchestrated massive bison hunts. Lastly, the quietly majestic Inyan Kara remains a contested but meaningful sacred site among the Lakota.
Centennial
Centennial is a relaxing and rewarding locale situated beneath the Snowy Range, offering serene mountain air and a cool atmosphere. The historic Queen’s Silver Mine preserves and educates newcomers on the town’s early mining years, with seasonal tours available for curious visitors. A drive through the Snowy Range Scenic Byway allows one to gaze at impressive and sweeping alpine views, wildflower-dotted meadows, and lakes glistening in the summer sunshine.
For daring hikers, scaling both Sugarloaf Mountain and Browns Peak rewards you with panoramic lookouts over the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest. Come winter, the Snowy Range Ski Area opens for downhill skiing, snowboarding, and other snowy activities in the Snowy Range.
Lander
Lander prospers at the foot of the Wind River Mountains, serving as a compact and beneficial base for cultural discovery and high-country adventures. You can begin your journey to this wondrous town at the Fremont County Pioneer Museum, which delivers regional history ranging from dinosaur discoveries to the frontier legacy. Afterward, you can stroll into the unusual geology of Sinks Canyon State Park, where the Popo Agie River vanishes into a cavern in a process called “the sinks,” then resurfaces downstream in a finale known as “the rise.”
In September, the annual Arapaho Powwow honors Native American culture, and the July Ethete Celebration brings together Shoshone and Arapaho traditions in full display. For those of you wishing to walk the path of the past, you can venture into the South Pass, where thousands of Oregon Trail emigrants once crossed. Finally, within the nearby Wind River Reservation lies the Sacagawea burial site, which commemorates the Shoshone woman who guided Lewis and Clark.
Cody
Cody is a compelling and historic small town where newcomers can immerse themselves in the frontier lifestyle of the Wild West. This whimsical town was founded in 1896 by the legendary Buffalo Bill Cody, and the famous five-museum complex known as Buffalo Bill Center of the West contains artefacts of the Wild West, Native cultures, firearms, and cowboy memorabilia from the violent days of gunslingers and outlaws.
From June through August, nightly Cody Nite Rodeo stages under the stars and thrills with real cowboy competitions for all to see. More of you might want to stroll into the Old Trail Town, where original frontier buildings and outlaw graves are well-maintained. Staying at the historic Irma Hotel is like sliding into a chapter of legend, built by Buffalo Bill himself, still operating, and brimming with charisma and flair. Best of all, the Bill Scenic Byway follows the Shoshone River towards Yellowstone’s east gate.
Thermopolis
When it comes easy leisure and peaceful moments, Thermopolis provides therapeutic destinations it a small town so named from the Greek word “hot city.” Newcomers can soak in the mineral hot springs that the town is so named after at the Hot Springs State Park Bath House, replete with a temperature-controlled pool called the Star Plunge, as well as naturally sculpted landmarks known as Big Spring and Rainbow Terrace.
Inside the Wyoming Dinosaur Center, on the other hand, you will come across child-friendly educational displays of dinosaur bones and specimens from the Jurassic era that were unearthed in the surrounding regions. Best of all, you can follow the Bighorn River all the way southward to the Boysen State Park and the Boysen Reservoir.
Serenity Abounds in These Peaceful Wyoming Towns
The most peaceful towns in Wyoming are more than standard vacation destinations in one’s itinerary: they are embodiments of the breathtaking landscapes, historic monuments, and cultural affinities that Wyoming is famous for exuding. The name “Wyoming” itself comes from the Native term mecheweamiing, meaning “at the big plains,” which perfectly captures the region’s grand yet welcoming character only found in the Great Plains of America. From Jackson’s snow-dusted peaks to Cody’s frontier pageants, each of Wyoming’s peaceful small towns invites you to discover the beauty and serenity of the land. As fall begins and winter nears, you ought to experience the peace and loveliness that these small towns have to offer to newcomers from all over.
