East Entrace/Exit Road/Cody
Out this way is absolutely gorgeous, on this road you’re most likely to see bighorned sheep, mountain goats, and wolves, all less common anywhere else in the park.
The road to the east gate was heavily backed by Buffalo Bill (William F. Cody). He wanted this route to be the "most scenic fifty miles in America".
The steep, rocky cliffs around Sylvan Pass are home to the largest population of bighorn sheep in the contiguous United States.
The road winds through the Absaroka Range. Some of these stunning snow-capped peaks tower over 13,000 feet tall.
I’ll start listing in order from lake butte to the city.
Trails;
Avalanche Peak Trailhead
is a short but steep 5.7-mile out-and-back hike, gaining 2,100 feet of elevation to a 10,568-foot summit with a spectacular view of the mountains (Grizzly peak and Top notch peak) across the valley.
Kitty Creek Rd
gains access to backpacking trails in the Washakie national wilderness. Or just do the trail to Flora Lake, which is a ‘challenging’ 16.4-mile round trip. It climbs through deep pine forests and beautiful alpine meadows.
Buffalo Bill State Park
Dog friendly area, has some trails, a reservoir where you can boat, swim, kayak etc. Not a lot of shade in the area but it’s fairly large. There’s also campgrounds here.
Viewpoints;
Pahaska Tepee - the original site that Buffalo Bill stayed at on this trail.
Wayfarer's Chapel - A free to visit chapel with a short hike, managed by the Cody Presbyterian Church and managed in coordination with the U.S. Forest Service.
Smith Mansion - not worth going up to but you can spot it on the side of the road on the way to and from Cody, it looks like a burnt down chapel on a mountain. Built entirely by hand by architectural engineer Lee Smith between 1971 and 1992, this eccentric landmark is often compared to the Winchester Mystery House due to its rambling staircases and half-finished rooms, before it went into disrepair. In April 1992, Smith was working on an upper-level balcony without safety gear. He fell approximately 20 feet and died at the age of 48, never finishing the building. Because of its unusual design, the house inspired local legends. Myths claim it was built over a mine shaft, that it was constructed by a "madman," or that it is a lookout tower in case the Yellowstone volcano erupts. Today, the mansion is private property. Smith's daughter, Sunny Larsen, has actively worked to restore the site and preserve her father's ‘eccentric’ legacy.
Buffalo Bill Dam & Visitor Center - One of the most popular sites in Cody, you can see the Dam and visit the visitor center here, then head down to the Museum.
The Island Rock Climbing - Rock climbing area, sometimes they have classes going on, sometimes it’s open and you can climb around.
The Tunnels - You’ll pass through a series of old tunnels, at 3,224 feet long, the main tunnel is the longest vehicular tunnel in Wyoming, and you are driving through granite and rock that is roughly 2.6 billion years old. Engineers first carved a tiny "pioneer" tunnel just 8 by 8 feet to study the rock and get safely from one end to the other before expanding it. Despite traveling through a mountain, the tunnels have a 14-foot clearance, meaning most large RVs and trucks can drive through safely. Just after the main tunnel you get a view of the Power Plant.
The Hayden Arch Bridge Trail - (also known as the Buffalo Bill Dam Trail) is a trail about 4 miles out and back. The canyon features towering rock walls where 550-million-year-old rock sits directly on 2.5-billion-year-old rock. The Hayden Arch Bridge is a local landmark built in 1925. It is the only arch bridge of its kind ever built in Wyoming for vehicle use. There is like no shade on this trail, so prepare well. You can bring dogs, be ready to run into a few off leash ones though it is not allowed.
Spirit Mountain Cave - You have to get a permit from the BLM office before you go but it’s history is fascinating, it’s the only delisted national monument in Wyoming, it’s a long story, I'll make another post about it but I encourage you to google it.
Animals;
Elk, deer, pronghorn, bison, grizzly and black bears, wolves, bighorn sheep, and moose all have common sightings in Cody and along the east entrance road. Animals mostly come out at dawn and dusk.
City Things;
Old Trail Town - Short walk around 28 frontier buildings and items.It sits on the original 1895 "Cody City" site. It houses famous outlaw hideouts, historic graves, and over 100 horse-drawn wagons. Famous names include Butch Cassidy, The Sundance Kid, Jerimiah Johnson, and Crow Scout Curly. Curly survived the Battle of Littlebighorn before dying and being buried here, Jerimiah Johnson’s grave is also located here. Most buildings date from 1879 to 1901. They were carefully taken apart and rebuilt at this site by historian Bob Edgar starting in 1967. (The hearse is really cool!)
Buffalo Bill Center of the West - The main museums in Cody are located here. It is the biggest and oldest museum about the American West. It is heavily skewed in favor of Buffalo Bill, a very notorious man. The center houses the Buffalo Bill Museum, Plains Indian Museum, Whitney Western Art Museum, Cody Firearms Museum, and Draper Natural History Museum. Depending on the day and time of year you can watch the raptor shows. The first museum opened in 1927 in a small log cabin in downtown Cody. The museum holds about 7,000 guns, but displays about 4,000 of them at any given time. The museum underwent a $12.5 million renovation to modernize exhibits, focusing heavily on gun safety, education, and how guns changed human history. There’s also an art museum across the road, and in a few areas you could take a dog.
The Library - has a pond and gorgeous outdoor garden you can walk around.
Wild West Spectacular - Wild West, the musical plays most nights, it’s pretty cute. I think it’s $30/person, as of writing this.
Cody Trolley Tours - as it sounds, takes you around the Buffalo Bill sights around town in an old town trolley. I think it's $30/person,a s of writing this.
Camping;
Several state campgrounds around the reservoir, I don't have a specific reccomendation they are all about the same.
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