Connect with us

Wyoming

2024's Towns In Wyoming That Come Alive In Fall

Published

on

2024's Towns In Wyoming That Come Alive In Fall


Wyoming, known as “The Equality State” for being the first to grant women the right to vote and “The Cowboy State” for its rich cattle ranching history, boasts stunning landscapes and a sparse population. With Wyoming’s cold winters, hot summers, and damp springs, autumn’s crisp, dry air is ideal for exploring small towns that really come alive in fall. Peak fall foliage color typically hits western Wyoming in late September, southern Wyoming in early October and the rest of the state in mid-October. So, if you have missed a few of the great Wyoming fall festivals or leaf-peeping spots for 2024, use our guide to start making plans for autumn 2025!

Hulett

Devils Tower is a major attraction near Hulett, Wyoming.

Nestled in the picturesque landscape of northeastern Wyoming, Hulett is a charming small town with a population of around 300 residents. Its close proximity to the iconic Devils Tower, America’s first national monument, makes it a popular destination for visitors seeking breathtaking natural beauty. The tower, which rises 850 feet above the ground, offers stunning panoramic views of the vibrant fall foliage that peaks in early to mid October. Registering for an ascent is a rewarding adventure if you have climbing experience, but you can also enjoy the scenery from the base. In late October, you can enjoy the sights and scents of the Fall Vendor Fair at Crook County Fairgrounds.

Pinedale

Main Street, Pinedale, Wyoming.
The Main Street in Pinedale, Wyoming. Image credit: Tarabholmes via Wikimedia Commons.

Pinedale serves as the gateway to the breathtaking Wind River Mountains, making it a prime destination for outdoor enthusiasts, especially during the fall season. This small town is a haven for hunters and anglers eager to pursue the region’s abundant wildlife, including rainbow and brown trout, as well as big game like deer and bighorn sheep. A highlight for visitors is the Museum of the Mountain Man, which remains open until late October and provides fascinating insights into the area’s rich history of hunting and fur trapping. For those seeking stunning autumn vistas, a drive to Squaretop Mountain in the Bridger-Teton National Forest offers unparalleled opportunities for leaf-peeping, particularly as the colors reach their peak in early October.

Teton Village

Teton Village in Wyoming.
Teton Village in Wyoming with the gorgeous mountains forming the backdrop.

Located at the base of the renowned Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Teton Village becomes a breathtaking spectacle of fall colors as the leaves change. Visitors can embark on an aerial tram ride that provides a unique vantage point to witness the vibrant autumn canopy from above. The experience is complemented by the enchanting sounds of elk bugling, which can be heard during September and early October as these magnificent creatures call to one another. The village will once again host the excellent Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival in mid-September 2025, and you can still catch fall-themed concerts from the Grand Teton Music Festival in late October 2024.

Buffalo

Buffalo, Wyoming
A colorful signboard welcoming visitors to Buffalo, Wyoming. Editorial credit: Cheri Alguire / Shutterstock.com.

Buffalo, located at the foot of the majestic Bighorn Mountains, is steeped in history and charm. Known for its historic Occidental Hotel, founded in 1880, the town offers a glimpse into Wyoming’s rich past. Recently, Buffalo’s economy has shifted towards tourism, particularly during the fall months when visitors flock to the Cloud Peak Skyway Scenic Byway. This scenic route provides 10,000 foot-high views of the surrounding landscape’s vibrant autumn colors, which typically peak from early-to-mid October. During this time, be sure to explore Artisan Row, where you can discover the talents of local artists and enjoy the crisp, fresh air while immersing yourself in the town’s artistic community.

Laramie

Downtown Laramie, Wyoming
Downtown Laramie, Wyoming. Editorial credit: Nagel Photography / Shutterstock.com.

Laramie is alive with energy in autumn, particularly during the University of Wyoming’s football season. Home game weekends turn the town into an even-more-bustling hub, with local shops and restaurants filled with enthusiastic fans. October also brings a variety of autumn festivities, including a Hay Art and Pumpkin Festival in mid-month and the Laramie Fall Fest a few days before Halloween. If you want to get in touch with nature, the nearby Vedauwoo Recreation Area is a must-visit. Its dramatic rock formations, accessed by multiple hiking trails, serve as a stunning backdrop for the autumn colors.

Dayton

Historical building at Crochans Hall in Dayton, Wyoming
Historical building at Crochans Hall in Dayton, Wyoming. Editorial credit: melissamn / Shutterstock.com.

With a population of fewer than 1,000 residents, Dayton is a quaint small town that lies near the stunning Tongue River Canyon. As October unfolds, the hiking trails in the canyon become a vibrant tapestry of colors, making it a perfect time for outdoor exploration. If you find yourself in the area in mid-October 2024 or in years to come, make sure to check out the Dayton Fall Festival. This lively event features vendors, rides, music, and a “zombie run,” providing a taste of the region’s creativity and community spirit. While wandering through Dayton, take in the crisp autumn air and the scenic river views that are particularly striking against the backdrop of colorful canyon walls.

Encampment

Deer grazing in a meadow in Encampment, Wyoming.
Deer grazing in a meadow near Encampment, Wyoming.

Once a thriving mining camp, Encampment has transformed into a quaint town that proudly showcases its rich history at the Grand Encampment Museum. This living history museum features recreated structures that tell the story of the area’s mining past and offer a glimpse into the lives of early settlers. A short drive west leads to Aspen Alley, a hidden gem renowned for its breathtaking aspen trees displaying vibrant colors, especially at the beginning of October. Additionally, for hunting enthusiasts, Carbon County is considered one of the best locations in Wyoming for big game hunting during the fall, making it a prime destination for outdoor activities.

Wyoming is an outdoor paradise no matter the season, but autumn casts a special spell over the state. The shine of the brilliant sunlight on colorful leaves, clear water, and towering rock formations creates an unforgettable viewing experience. Meanwhile, communities throughout the state celebrate the ideal weather and unmatched scenery with lively fall events. So, plan your autumn adventure in Wyoming and explore these charming small towns during this spectacular season.

Advertisement



Source link

Wyoming

Casper veteran David Giralt joins race for Wyoming U.S. House seat

Published

on

Casper veteran David Giralt joins race for Wyoming U.S. House seat


CASPER, Wyo. — David Giralt, a Casper-raised military veteran and conservative Republican, has announced his candidacy for Wyoming’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The congressional seat is being vacated by Republican Rep. Harriet Hageman, who launched a campaign in December for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by retiring Sen. Cynthia Lummis. […]



Source link

Continue Reading

Wyoming

Rivalries and Playoff Positioning Highlight Week 11 Wyoming Girls Basketball Slate

Published

on

Rivalries and Playoff Positioning Highlight Week 11 Wyoming Girls Basketball Slate


It’s Week 11 in the 2026 Wyoming prep girls’ basketball season. That means it’s the end of the regular season. 3A and 4A schools have their final game or games to determine seeding before the regional tournament, or if a team is locked into a position, one last chance to fine-tune before the postseason. Games are spread across four days.

WYOPREPS WEEK 11 GIRLS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE 2026

Every game on the slate is a conference matchup. Several rivalry contests are part of this week’s schedule, such as East against Central, Cody at Powell, Lyman hosting Mountain View, and Rock Springs at Green River, just to name a few. Here is the Week 11 schedule of varsity games WyoPreps has. All schedules are subject to change. If you see a game missing, please email david@wyopreps.com.

CLASS 4A

Final Score: Laramie 68 Cheyenne South 27 (conference game)

Advertisement

CLASS 3A

Final Score: Lyman 40 Mountain View 26 (conference game)

Submit a Score to WyoPreps

CLASS 4A

Final Score: Evanston 41 Riverton 39 (conference game)

Final Score: Natrona County 42 Kelly Walsh 38 (conference game) – Peach Basket Classic

Advertisement

Final Score: #4 Thunder Basin 64 Campbell County 32 (conference game)

CLASS 3A

Final Score: #1 Cody 77 Worland 33 (conference game) – 5 different Fillies with a 3, and Hays led the way with 34 points.

Final Score: #2 Lander 49 Lyman 34 (conference game)

Final Score: #4 Wheatland 51 Douglas 40 (conference game)

Advertisement

Final Score: #5 Powell 48 Lovell 42 (conference game)

Final Score: Burns 56 Torrington 43 (conference game)

Final Score: Glenrock 78 Newcastle 30 (conference game)

Submit a Score to WyoPreps

 

Read More Girls Basketball News from WyoPreps

Advertisement

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-25-26

WyoPreps Girls Basketball Standings 2-23-26

WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 10 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-18-26

WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 9 Scores 2026

Advertisement

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-11-26

WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 8 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-4-26

WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 7 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 1-28-26

Advertisement

Nominate A Basketball Player for the WyoPreps Athlete of the Week Honor

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 1-21-26

WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 5 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 1-14-26

WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 4 Scores 2025-26

Advertisement

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Rankings 1-7-26

WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 3 Scores 2025-26

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Rankings 12-24-25

WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 2 Scores 2025-26

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Rankings 12-17-25

Advertisement

WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 1 Scores 2025-26

 

CLASS 4A

Rock Springs at #2 Green River, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)

#4 Thunder Basin at #5 Sheridan, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)

Advertisement

#1 Cheyenne East at #3 Cheyenne Central, 6 p.m. (conference game)

Jackson at Star Valley, 6 p.m. (conference game)

CLASS 3A

#3 Pinedale at Mountain View, 4 p.m. (conference game)

#1 Cody at #5 Powell, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)

Advertisement

Buffalo at Glenrock, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)

Submit a Score to WyoPreps

CLASS 3A

Newcastle at Buffalo, 12:30 p.m. (conference game)

Glenrock at Rawlins, 3 p.m. (conference game)

Torrington at #4 Wheatland, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)

Advertisement
Submit a Score to WyoPreps

 

Wyoming Boys 4A Swimming & Diving State Championships 2026

4A Boys State Swim Meet for 2026 in Cheyenne

Gallery Credit: David Settle, WyoPreps.com





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Wyoming

Political storm in Wyoming as far-right activist caught handing checks to lawmakers

Published

on

Political storm in Wyoming as far-right activist caught handing checks to lawmakers


Controversy has engulfed Wyoming’s state legislature after a conservative activist was photographed handing checks to Republican lawmakers on the state house floor, in an incident that has highlighted intra-conservative divisions and the role of money in the Cowboy state’s politics.

The political storm started on 9 February, when Karlee Provenza, a Democratic lawmaker, took a photo showing Rebecca Bextel, a conservative activist and committeewoman for the Teton county Republican party, handing a check to Darin McCann, a Republican representative, on the legislative floor. Marlene Brady, another Republican representative, stands in the photo’s background, a similar piece of paper pinched between her fingers.

“You have a person from the richest county in the country coming down to Cheyenne to hand out checks on the house floor,” Provenza said. “I have never seen something so egregious.”

Questions around the checks were soon swirling, and answers weren’t forthcoming. When asked what Bextel gave to her, Brady told a reporter for local outlet WyoFile: “I can’t remember.”

Advertisement

Then Bextel herself addressed the incident. “I raised $400,000 in the last election cycle for conservative candidates, and I will be doubling that amount this year,” Bextel wrote on Facebook on 11 February. “There’s nothing wrong with delivering lawful campaign checks from Teton county donors when I am in Cheyenne.”

Since then, it has emerged that the checks came from Don Grasso, a wealthy Teton county donor, who told the Jackson Hole News and Guide that he wrote the checks for Bextel to deliver to 10 Freedom caucus-aligned politicians. Grasso said the checks were intended as campaign contributions, and were not tied to specific legislation. It is unclear how many checks were ultimately delivered, but two of four confirmed recipients include the speaker of the house, Chip Neiman, and John Bear, the former head of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus.

The Wyoming house has formed a legislative investigative committee, and the Laramie county sheriff’s office said they’d open a criminal investigation.

Bextel declined to answer questions from the Guardian. Brady, McCann and Bear did not respond to requests for comment.

Neiman said he considered the criticism a “wraparound smear campaign”. He said: “It never once crossed my mind that this was bribery.

Advertisement

“These legislators, myself included, are now guilty until we can prove that we’re innocent. How is that right in this country? Isn’t that a little bit backwards?”

The scandal has highlighted long-standing divisions in Wyoming’s Republican party, which in recent years has seen a growing divide between old school, more moderate conservatives and a harder-right Freedom Caucus.

Several former Republican lawmakers forcefully condemned their colleagues for accepting the checks, and a local Republican party branch called for the lawmakers’ resignations.

Ogden Driskill, a Wyoming Republican senator, told the Guardian he does not consider Bextel’s actions to be illegal, but that “just because you can do it doesn’t mean you should”.

Bextel has spent years pushing against housing mitigation fees in Wyoming, and Driskill noted that she distributed the house floor checks just days before a bill she had publicly supported was set to be heard. Bextel was registered as a member of the press, not as a lobbyist when she delivered the checks.

Advertisement

“Ethically and morally, it’s bankrupt to a massive degree,” Driskill said.

Neiman said that he and other legislators who received checks have supported similar bills in the past: “Bribery is paying somebody to do something they would not otherwise do.”

Nationally, the 2024 election cycle saw record-spending from the mega-wealthy, as well as dark money groups. Wyoming followed the trend, in a tense red-on-red primary season.

For those gearing up to campaign this year, Teton county, the richest in the US, and Bextel’s picturesque home turf, is an essential stop. Its extreme wealth gives it a foothold on the national level as well. Palantir chief executive Alex Karp and Donald Trump attended an annual Republican leadership fundraiser at Jackson Hole in 2024, and JD Vance attended the same one in 2025.

Bextel pulls dollars from Teton county into the Freedom Caucus side of Wyoming’s conservative split. She hosted no-press-allowed meet and greets earlier this year benefitting leading candidates for Wyoming’s governor and open US House seat.

Advertisement

In an interview with the Open Range Record, a media network she co-founded, Bextel said controversy around the checks was solely because she was making “even playing field” in Wyoming against the state’s more moderate Republicans, who she calls “George Soros” candidates. She said that she will be sure to keep raising money – just away from the legislative floor.

“I guess I’m gonna ask all the gentlemen and gentleladies to step outside the Capitol while I hand them a check,” Bextel said. “Let me be clear: I’m doubling down.”

But it’s not just wealthy local donors putting their weight behind the factions. Last election cycle, out of state groups spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on anonymous and often inaccurate mailers.

“These actors, especially from the far right, they like to push the bounds of the norms,” said Rosa Reyna Pugh, an organizing and advocacy consultant at Western States Center, an Oregon-based non-profit focused on democracy in the western United States. “They like to see what policies they can kind of push, and see where they can play a piece,” Reyna Pugh said.

While Neiman and Driskill fight politically, they do agree on one thing: summer will bring an expensive and brutal campaign season.

Advertisement

“You’re going to see more dark money than you’ve ever seen. We’ve done absolutely nothing to enforce it. Our secretary of state has not even made a slight attempt to deal with it,” Driskill said. “You’re going to see lots and lots of outside money and I think you’re seeing it on both sides.”

As national questions swirl around pay-to-play politics and profiteering in the Trump administration, Provenza wants better for the Cowboy State.

“We should not be aligning ourselves with how the federal government is conducting itself or how federal elections conduct themselves,” Provenza said. “We owe something far better and more honest to the people of Wyoming than that.”



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending