7 Tiny Off-Grid Towns In Wyoming

While Wyoming is often known for its vast and rugged spaces, the real heart of the frontier lies in the spirited towns that call this wild country home. Scattered across the state, you will find little towns like Saratoga that will keep you warm all winter long in their hot springs, while others, like Torrington, have built a community around local wineries and painting classes. Some, like Lovell, even have wild mustangs galloping right beyond the town borders! Hop in and get ready to discover the quirky communities that make Wyoming’s frontier come to life.

Lovell

Part of Wyoming’s mustang country, the Pryor Mountains outside of Lovell offer travelers the chance to see wild horses roaming free. Visitors can start their adventure at the Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center, a seasonal site just outside of town. The center provides information about the herd, as well as advice on the best places to view them. If you are looking for a guided experience, the local agency PryorWild provides tours to the public, with trips taking place from mid-May through October. If you enjoy kayaking or boating, you should also save some time for water recreation at the Horseshoe Bend Marina. Part of the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, this marina is 14 miles from Lovell, offering fishing and boating supplies, paddle boat rentals, boat slip rentals, and more.

Greybull

Much of Greybull’s haunted history lives within the walls of the Greybull Hotel. During Prohibition, the site served as a speakeasy complete with secret tunnels and rumors of wild shootouts. The hotel officially opened in 1926 and has since become famous for its resident ghosts. Fortunately for guests, the accommodation reports that these spirits are quite friendly! You can learn even more about Greybull’s history at the Greybull Museum, which has been open for nearly 60 years, exhibiting archaeology, historical artifacts, a train caboose, and more. Before leaving town, grab a souvenir from the Crazy Woman Trading Post, famous for its unique graphic tees that center around Wyoming and its western spirit.

Torrington

While wine might not be the first thing that comes to mind when people think of Wyoming, Torrington happens to be home to a fantastic vineyard. Table Mountain Vineyards & Winery is just a 20-minute drive south of downtown and is renowned for its pure-grown, Wyoming-made wine. Travelers can visit the vineyards by appointment or sign up for one of the vineyard-sponsored paint classes! Afterward, spend an afternoon at the Homesteaders Museum, which exhibits historical artifacts and information from the county’s first settlement. You should also dedicate some time to exploring Torrington’s local shops, with the Torrington Rock Shop standing out for its unique collection of rocks, minerals, crystals, fossils, petrified wood, and more.

Saratoga

With hot springs and snow-based recreation, Saratoga is just where you are going to want to be this winter. For a hot soak, you can head to Saratoga Hot Springs Resort, which is situated between the Sierra Madre Mountain Range and the Snowy Range, featuring a 70-foot-long mineral hot springs pool to relax in. There are also over 300 miles of snowmobile trails in the area, with outfitters like Wyoming Outdoor Adventures offering both half-day and full-day rentals. To unwind and warm up after your day in the snow, you can swing by Snowy Mountain Brewery for a drink. Actually part of the hot springs resort, this brewpub serves all kinds of craft beers, ranging from IPAs and Kölsch to amber beers and stouts.

Ten Sleep

Ten Sleep is a western-spirited town in the Bighorn Mountain Foothills and is home to one of the quirkiest breweries in Wyoming: Ten Sleep Brewing Co.This brewery makes all of its beers in-house and hosts an eccentric event calendar throughout the year that keeps the community active. Pottery, trivia, and open mic nights are just a few of the upcoming events on the schedule. To learn more about Ten Sleep’s ranching history and the origin of its one-of-a-kind name, travelers can spend some time at the Ten Sleep Pioneer Museum, the town’s local history center. This town is also a great place to go skiing in the colder months, with visitors able to spend the night and hit the slopes at the Meadowlark Ski Lodge. The lodge and resort provide access to two ski lifts and 14 runs, distributed evenly between beginner, intermediate, and advanced runs.

Green River

If you find river gorges beautiful, the town of Green River is an absolute must for your travels this year. This town serves as a tremendous basecamp for visiting the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, a rugged wildland spanning Wyoming’s high desert and home to the 91-mile-long Flaming Gorge Reservoir. To view some key wildlife species, you can also drive about a half-hour northwest of Green River to the Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge, where you will find pronghorn, elk, moose, trumpeter swans, sage grouse, and many other species. The region around Green River also has a fascinating history with outlaws, which visitors should make sure to learn more about at the Sweetwater County Historical Museum.

Aladdin

Plenty of nostalgia awaits in Aladdin, the site of Wyoming’s oldest general store. In addition to doing some western shopping at the Aladdin General Store, visitors can grab a drink from its bar, mail a letter to their loved ones back home in its post office, or even spend the night at the store’s onsite RV park. There is more history to explore at the Aladdin Coal Tipple, a mining industrial structure that dates back to 1898 and allows visitors to learn about the county’s coal mining history. This town is additionally en route to Devils Tower, which is about 35 minutes west of Aladdin, a massive geological formation that rises 867 feet from the base to its summit.

A State Filled With Rugged Magic

Wyoming is a truly magical place, and these seven little remote towns serve as a wonderful reminder. They may be small, but they all offer all kinds of fun attractions, including nostalgic general stores, haunted hotels, and eclectic rock shops that will leave you with the perfect souvenir. Some of them, like Aladdin and Green River, serve as great gateways to exploring the state’s natural beauty as well! So don’t be afraid to venture out a little farther this year and see everything that Wyoming’s quiet countryside has to offer.