Sheridan, Wyoming is one of those off-the-beaten-path travel destinations that many people fall in love with on their first visit. Here you’ll find plenty of wide open spaces, as well as dramatic mountain views, lots of western history, and many of the comforts of home that you’re used to while traveling. Whether you’re looking for a true wild west experience, to get some exercise, or just to grab a great drink, here are eight of our favorite things to do in Sheridan.
Hike in Bighorn National Forest
A couple of the biggest draws to this part of the country is the Big Horn National Forest and the Big Horn Mountains. This is a great place to soak up the great outdoors in north-central Wyoming. This is a sister mountain range to the Rockies and between Yellowstone National Park and Mount Rushmore, making it a popular road trip stop. The diverse landscape here ranges from alpine meadows to valleys carved by glaciers, mountain cliffs, and grasslands. There are 30 campgrounds and four groups campgrounds in the national forest, as well as several lodges and picnic areas too. This is a great place to go backpacking because there are over 1,200 miles of hiking trails and 189,000 acres to explore here. Better yet, there is no entrance fee to visit the national forest. The campground fees are very affordable too, ranging from $13 to $20 per night.
See Shell Falls
Another great natural area to visit when you’re in this part of Wyoming is Shell Falls. This is part of the Bighorn Mountains, and the falls drop at a rate of 3,600 gallons per second. It’s named after the shell fossils that you can find in the canyon walls nearby. There’s a Shell Falls Interpretative Site about 21 miles from Burgess Junction that’s open from 9:30am to 5pm daily. This is a visitor center that’s worth stopping by to learn about the ancient granite and sedimentary stone. There is no fee to visit Shell Falls.
Drink at the Blacktooth Brewing Company
When you get thirsty from sightseeing, head to the Black Tooth Brewing Company for a local pint of beer. The brewery is open from noon to 10pm on Mondays through Thursdays, noon to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 7pm on Sundays. Year-around beers include the Hot Streak IPA, Saddle Bronc Brown, Wagon Box Wheat, and Bomber Mountain Amber. You’ll also find seasonal and limited release beers onsite. This is a brewery that prides itself on being in the heart of the wild west and at the base of the Bighorn Mountains. Keep in mind that the brewery does not serve food, but you can pick up some fun merchandise when you’re here to take home as a souvenir.
Explore the Trail End State Historic Site
The Trail End Historic Site is also worth a visit while you’re in Sheridan to learn about a big period of change in the town’s history. This is a historic mansion filled with family heirlooms and artifacts that have lots of gardens and paths to explore outdoors as well. It’s an authentic house museum that’s beautiful and fun to visit for first-time visitors to the area. Get a glimpse into life during the period between 1913 and 1933 here when there were so many changes going on in technology and society. This historic site is open between April 1 and December 14, and the daily entrance fee is $2 per resident adult and $4 per non-resident adult. Children ages 17 and under are admitted for free. Take a self-guided tour, join a guided group tour, or learn about why the site is rumored to be haunted.
Learn something new at Sheridan County Museum
Another excellent place to learn about the American West is the Sheridan County Museum. The museum was founded in 1960 and aims to preserve and exhibit historical materials to educate locals and visitors. Permanent exhibits include Black Diamonds in Sheridan County, Before Custer there Was Rosebud, and the Tongue River Tie Flume. Some seasonal exhibits have included information about Sheridan County during World War I, and there are lots of other attractions nearby too if you’re interested in history or arts and culture. This Sheridan museum is open from 9am to 5pm on Thursday through Monday but closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The adult admission price is $6 and youth and students are $3 each.
Go Golfing at a Local Course
You might not expect it, but Sheridan is one of the great golfing destinations in the American West. There are a few popular golf courses to check out here if you’re into the game, including the Powder Hole, Buffalo Golf Club, Hidden Ridge Golf Club, and Kendrick Municipal Golf Course. The Powder Horn, for example, is a 27-hole championship course. The Kendrick is the most popular public course in the area and has lovely views of the nearby Bighorn mountain range. You can also tee off at the Hidden Bridge Golf Club, which is one of Wyoming’s newest courses and is a par 72 golf course has five sets of tees and 23 bunkers along the hilly terrain.
Experience a Rodeo
Rodeos are a big part of life in the American West still today, and Wyoming is no exception. The Sheridan WYO Rodeo typically takes place in mid-July and has been going strong for nearly 90 years. This is a place where some of the top cowboys and cowgirls stop to perform, and it’s a family-friendly event with a carnival, pancake breakfast, and pow-wow too.
Check Out the Ucross Foundation Art Gallery
A unique place to visit while you’re in the Sheridan area is the Ucross Foundation, which is a 20,000-acre ranch where artists live and work to create new masterpieces. Raymond Plank established this site in 1981 as a nonprofit to assist artists from various disciplines and from all around the world. The public can visit the art gallery onsite in the big red barn to see the various exhibitions throughout the year that feature regional artists. The gallery is typically open on weekdays from 8:30am to 4pm and on Saturdays in the summer from 10am to 4pm.
