Wyoming

Home to fewer than 500,000 full-time residents, Wyoming is the least populated state in the country. And all of that wide-open country makes for the perfect place to truly get away from it all. The state's crown-jewel attractions are the two national parks in the northwest corner, Yellowstone and Grand Teton, but the adjacent parks are just the tip of Wyoming's outdoor-adventure iceberg: The Bighorn Basin, the Wind River Range, Wyoming's Black Hills, and the Snowy Range are also great destinations for backpacking, hiking, fishing, and all sorts of other recreational opportunities. The most tourist-friendly communities are undoubtedly Cody ...

Home to fewer than 500,000 full-time residents, Wyoming is the least populated state in the country. And all of that wide-open country makes for the perfect place to truly get away from it all. The state's crown-jewel attractions are the two national parks in the northwest corner, Yellowstone and Grand Teton, but the adjacent parks are just the tip of Wyoming's outdoor-adventure iceberg: The Bighorn Basin, the Wind River Range, Wyoming's Black Hills, and the Snowy Range are also great destinations for backpacking, hiking, fishing, and all sorts of other recreational opportunities. The most tourist-friendly communities are undoubtedly Cody and Jackson, both featuring plenty of Wester character in their diverse lodging and dining establishments. Just northwest of the latter, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is one of the most renowned ski destinations in the West. The state's northeastern bookend to Yellowstone, the country's first national park, is Devils Tower, the country's first national monument. The striking formation, made famous in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, is featured on the state's license plates alongside a cowboy's silhouette.

About the Expert

Eric Peterson has written and contributed to numerous Frommer’s guidebooks covering the American West, including Montana & Wyoming, Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks, and Texas.