6 Underrated Wyoming Towns Worth The Drive In 2026

Wyoming's wide highways and Bighorn Mountains make for some of the most stunning views in the country, and its small towns make those drives even more rewarding. In addition to offering up unique travel experiences of their own, the best of them, like Dubois and Pinedale, are on the route of major tourist destinations like Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park, making them ideal for a stopover. From free soaks in ancient hot springs to counting the bullet holes in a saloon bar where outlaws once drank and played poker, these six underrated towns in Wyoming are each full of surprises.

Thermopolis

Located in the Big Horn Basin of northwest Wyoming, there’s a huge clue to the town’s star attraction in its name: Thermopolis. It’s here you’ll find Hot Springs State Park, established in 1897 and Wyoming's oldest state park. Encompassing a large swath of land that once belonged to tribes from the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho, it was sold to the federal government on the condition that the public would always have free access to the mineral waters. It’s an arrangement that Wyoming has honored for more than a century.

You can experience the springs for yourself at the State Bath House. Here, indoor and outdoor pools are a constant 104 degrees Fahrenheit, fed by a spring that flows at a constant 128 degrees. A whopping 1.8 million gallons of mineral water pour through the park every 24 hours, and when you’re not literally soaking it all in, you can hike its over six miles of trails. Hiking highlights include crossing the Big Horn River on the Swinging Bridge, a fun suspension footbridge, and watching the park's resident bison herd.

Another star attraction in Thermopolis is the Wyoming Dinosaur Center. This world-class paleontology museum boasts more than 70 mounted dinosaur skeletons, including a 106-foot-long replica of “Supersaurus” and the Thermopolis Specimen, one of only two on display outside Europe. Nearby digs on Warm Springs Ranch continue to produce bones from the Morrison Formation, a geological layer dating to the Late Jurassic Period, and visitors can even participate during the Dig for a Day program.

Meeteetse

Despite having a tiny population of only around 300, Meeteetse is well worth a visit. Set just 32 miles south of Cody and its airport, it’s one of the easiest side trips in the state. It’s also one of the most cowboy-ish towns you’ll ever set foot in. Downtown Meeteetse looks like a film set from an old Western, complete with wooden boardwalks, hitching rails, and watering troughs from its cattle days.

As you stroll this remarkably preserved main drag, keep an eye out for the Meeteetse Museums. This free-admission complex consists of three connected buildings, including the Charles Belden Museum of Western Photography. This fascinating collection features three decades of photos dedicated to ranch life at the nearby Pitchfork Ranch, many of which appeared in major publications in the 1920s and 1930s.

It’s not all old stuff here, though. The Meeteetse Chocolatier, operated by a former rodeo star who now makes handcrafted truffles, is a must. Unusual flavors abound, such as sarsaparilla, sage, prickly pear cactus, and Wyoming Whiskey. The shop itself is pretty cool, too, and was a bar that served drinks for 60 years prior to its conversion. You can get an idea of what it must have been like with a visit to the Cowboy Bar & Outlaw Grill.

Buffalo

Buffalo’s appeal owes much to its location at the base of the Bighorn Mountains. And thanks to the preservation of the old Occidental Hotel, you can even spend a night or two soaking up its fascinating past. Founded in 1880 to host travelers on the old Bozeman Trail, famous Americans, including Buffalo Bill Cody, Teddy Roosevelt, and Calamity Jane, all stayed here. So, too, did the infamous Butch Cassidy, who rode in from his hideout at the nearby Hole-in-the-Wall to drink and gamble.

The hotel's 1908 saloon still has its original embossed tin ceiling and back bar that was specially imported from Scotland, as well as 23 bullet holes left behind after frontier-era poker games ended badly. After a decade-long restoration, gun-less guests are now the norm, and enjoy staying in the very same rooms once used by some of the West's most famous figures.

The nearby Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum is a must-see. Set in the town’s former Carnegie Public Library, it’s home to one of the country’s finest collections of frontier artifacts, including Native American and pioneer items. Buffalo is also the gateway to the Cloud Peak Scenic Byway. This 47-mile scenic drive through the southern half of the Bighorn National Forest climbs to nearly 10,000 feet, connecting to the Cloud Peak Wilderness with its high mountain lakes and backcountry trails.

Dubois

Pronounced "doo-boys" by the locals, Dubois is a former logging town set on the Wind River and is an easy 90-minute drive from Jackson. Well-known for its cowboy heritage and dude ranches, it’s also where you’ll find one of the largest herds of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in the country. You can learn more about these amazing animals at the National Bighorn Sheep Center and can see them in the wild at the nearby Whiskey Basin Habitat Management Area.

The National Museum of Military Vehicles is another good excuse to visit Dubois. Busting at the seams with over 500 fully restored American military vehicles, it’s the world's largest private collection of its kind on public display. Displays cover conflicts from World War I through to modern-day warfare, with state-of-the-art galleries that use battlefield soundscapes, video projections, and dramatic lighting.

Notable artifacts include the musket believed to have fired the first shot at the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775, General Patton's famous pistol, a rare Higgins Boat used in the D-Day landings, and a complete collection of Winchester rifles made from 1866 to 1966. You’ll also not want to miss Dubois' main street with its old Western storefronts, as well as the Dubois Museum, which covers local history.

Pinedale

Pinedale is surrounded by some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the Rocky Mountains. It’s also home to one of the most important cultural traditions in Wyoming: the annual fur trade Rendezvous. This legendary gathering took place every summer in the 1820s and 1830s and saw fur traders (aka, “mountain men”), along with Native Americans and trading companies, get together to exchange beaver pelts, supplies, and news.

Six of the 12 documented Rendezvous took place here, making Pinedale the undisputed capital of the Rocky Mountain fur trade era. The Museum of the Mountain Man reveals much about this period and the fascinating characters who shaped the state, in the process preserving a comprehensive collection of fur trade artifacts, journals, and artworks.

The museum is also hosts the Green River Rendezvous, held each July with reenactments, contests, and traditional demonstrations on the original gathering site just outside town.

Saratoga

Located in the North Platte River Valley in south-central Wyoming, Saratoga is worthy of a visit for its wonderful Hobo Hot Springs. This fantastic facility consists of a free-to-use public mineral hot pool located in Saratoga City Park. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, Native Americans once considered the springs neutral territory, where rivals could set aside hostilities and soak together in peace.

The facility’s main pool is a constant 100 to 108 degrees, while the aptly named Lobster Pot reaches temperatures of 120 degrees. Changing rooms, restrooms, and showers are available. For an upmarket experience, check availability at the Saratoga Hot Springs Resort. Built on the site of the original State Bath House in 1902, you can enjoy teepee-covered soaking pools, a day spa, and even the on-site Snowy Mountain Brewery, which pours its own craft beer.

Saratoga's other major draw is the North Platte River. Famous for its superlative trout fishing, more than 100 miles of river flow through the Platte Valley, and local outfitters run guided trips year-round. The town's Western roots are visible in the Hotel Wolf, a handsome brick building constructed in 1893 that still operates as a guest house.

You can learn more about the town and its history at the Saratoga Museum, while a short drive south leads to the Grand Encampment Museum with its displays about homesteading and mining.

Six Roads Less Traveled

Sure, Wyoming's biggest parks and most famous scenery are the big draws. But they’re not the only game in town. Next time you’re planning on seeing Wyoming, pop into one or two of its less-visited destinations. Together, these six underrated communities offer the kind of authentic experience you simply won’t find anywhere else in the country.