Cody Yellowstone is more than a gateway — it's a destination in its own right. While the Buffalo Bill Center of the West and the Cody Nightly Rodeo draw visitors to town, the real magic of Park County lies in the landscapes that surround it: the Wapiti Valley, the Shoshone National Forest, and the scenic byways that connect Cody to some of the most spectacular wilderness in North America.

The Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (Wyoming Highway 296) is one of the most dramatic drives in the American West. The byway connects Cody to the northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park, climbing over Dead Indian Pass at 8,060 feet before descending into the Clark's Fork Valley.

The views from Dead Indian Pass are extraordinary — the Absaroka Range stretches in every direction, and on clear days you can see for 50 miles or more. The byway passes through the Shoshone National Forest, the oldest national forest in the United States, and provides access to exceptional hiking, fishing, and wildlife watching.

The Drive: 47 miles from Cody to the junction with US-212 (the Beartooth Highway). Allow 1.5–2 hours for the drive, more if you stop at the overlooks (and you will).

The Wapiti Valley — the 52-mile corridor between Cody and Yellowstone's East Entrance — is one of the most scenic drives in Wyoming. The valley follows the North Fork of the Shoshone River through a dramatic canyon, with the Absaroka Range rising steeply on both sides.

The valley is named for the Shoshone word for elk, and the name is apt — elk are a constant presence, particularly in fall during the rut. Bighorn sheep are frequently visible on the canyon walls, and black bears and grizzlies are occasionally spotted in the meadows along the river.

Theodore Roosevelt called the Wapiti Valley "the most scenic 50 miles in America." That assessment holds up.

Park County is one of the best places in North America to watch wildlife in its natural habitat. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem — the largest intact temperate ecosystem in the world — supports extraordinary populations of large mammals.

What to Look For:

• Bison — massive herds in Yellowstone's Lamar Valley and Hayden Valley
• Elk — abundant throughout the valley, spectacular during the September rut
• Grizzly bears — regularly spotted in the Wapiti Valley and Yellowstone's Hayden Valley
• Wolves — Lamar Valley is the best place in the world to watch wild wolves
• Bighorn sheep — frequently visible on the canyon walls along the Wapiti Valley road
• Moose — look for them in willow thickets along streams and rivers

Best Times: Early morning and late afternoon are the most productive times for wildlife watching. Fall (September–October) is the peak season — the elk rut brings dramatic behavior, and the bears are actively feeding before hibernation.

The Shoshone National Forest — established in 1891 as the first national forest in the United States — surrounds Cody on three sides and encompasses 2.4 million acres of wilderness, mountains, and river valleys.

The forest offers exceptional hiking, with trails ranging from easy riverside walks to challenging summit climbs in the Absaroka and Beartooth ranges. The Beartooth Wilderness and the North Absaroka Wilderness are among the most remote and spectacular wilderness areas in the lower 48 states.

Popular Trails:

• Pahaska Tepee Trail — an easy 3-mile walk through the forest near the Yellowstone East Entrance
• Carter Mountain Trail — a challenging climb with panoramic views of the Absaroka Range
• Clarks Fork Trail — follows the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River through spectacular canyon scenery

The Shoshone River offers excellent whitewater rafting — Class II-III rapids are accessible to beginners, while the more challenging sections provide excitement for experienced paddlers. Several outfitters in Cody offer guided trips.

Fly fishing on the Shoshone and its tributaries is exceptional throughout the summer. Brown trout and rainbow trout are abundant, and the river's varied character provides excellent fishing for all skill levels.

Fall is arguably the best time to visit Cody Yellowstone. The elk rut — when bull elk bugle and compete for harems — is one of the great wildlife spectacles in North America. The fall colors in the Wapiti Valley and the surrounding mountains are spectacular. And the crowds that pack Yellowstone in summer have largely departed.

Yellowstone in winter is a different world — steam rising from geysers in the cold air, bison standing in snow-covered meadows, wolves hunting across frozen valleys. The park's interior is accessible only by snowcoach or snowmobile from the West Entrance, but the Wapiti Valley road remains open to Yellowstone's East Entrance.

Cody itself offers excellent cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the surrounding mountains, and the town's restaurants and museums are open year-round.

Yellowstone reopens progressively in spring, with the roads opening from the entrances inward. Wildlife is active — bears emerge from hibernation, elk calves are born, and wildflowers bloom in the valleys. Spring is an excellent time to visit for those who want to avoid summer crowds.

What is the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway? Wyoming Highway 296, connecting Cody to the northeast entrance of Yellowstone via Dead Indian Pass. One of the most spectacular drives in the American West.

Is the Wapiti Valley road open year-round? The road from Cody to Yellowstone's East Entrance is open year-round, though winter conditions can be challenging. The East Entrance itself closes in November and reopens in late May.

What wildlife can I expect to see near Cody? Elk, bison, bighorn sheep, and mule deer are commonly seen in the Wapiti Valley. Grizzly bears and wolves are present but less predictable. Yellowstone's Lamar Valley offers the best wolf watching in the world.

For the complete Cody visitor guide — including the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, the Cody Nightly Rodeo, and where to eat and stay — see our Cody Wyoming Complete Visitor Guide. Also explore dude ranch vacations in Wyoming and Montana and Sheridan County's food and frontier adventure.

For more information, visit codyyellowstone.org.