Best Winter Things to Do in Cody, WY Near Yellowstone

If you’re heading to Yellowstone this winter, schedule time to explore Cody, Wyoming, a frontier town founded in 1896 by the legendary showman, Buffalo Bill. You can easily fill two days in authentically Wild West Cody. Go full pioneer and hike the trails of Shoshone National Forest, photograph wildlife in snow-covered landscapes and warm up in one of the town’s great restaurants.

Why Cody’s Worth the Detour:

• Yellowstone’s East Entrance is closed to vehicles from Nov. 1, 2026, to April 30, 2027, but snowmobile and snow coach tours are available when the winter season opens on Dec. 15.
• Five world-class museums comprise the Buffalo Bill Center of the West and admission is valid for two days, so you can take your time exploring.
• Outdoor winter adventures include snowmobiling, ice climbing and Nordic skiing.

Visiting Cody in Winter

Cody doesn’t freeze over in winter, and its residents certainly don’t hibernate like local wildlife. With average daytime temperatures ranging from the mid-30s to low-40s, it’s an ideal season for unique outdoor activities like ice climbing and snowmobiling. The key is dressing in weather-appropriate clothing and waterproof footwear.

Save your cowboy boots for the special events scheduled for the season, including many that benefit area charities.

2026 Winter Events In and Around Cody

• Nov. 19 – Powell’s Sample the Season. A small-town Christmas stroll, hosted by the Powell Area Chamber of Commerce, featuring shopping and food samples from 5–8 p.m., followed by an Eggnog Crawl from 7–9 p.m.
• Nov. 27 – Dec. 5 – Festival of Trees, by Cody Regional Health. A nine-day holiday festival with ticketed events benefiting Spirit Mountain Hospice House, Wyoming Dream Hunts and First Stop Help Center:
• Nov. 28 – Santa Fly-In at Yellowstone Regional Airport. Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive at 3 p.m. to enjoy cookie decorating, a hot cocoa bar and photo booths with guests.
• Nov. 28 – Cody Cowboy Christmas Stroll and Lighted Parade. Many of the shops on Sheridan Ave. stay open 4–8 p.m. to offer live music and treats. The lighted parade, sponsored by Cody Chamber of Commerce, starts at 6 p.m. and runs from 9th to 15th Street.
• Nov. 28 – Soroptimist Creative Craft Fair in Powell features handmade goods.
• Dec. 4–5 – Powell’s Christmas Fest and Lighted Parade. On Friday at 5:45 p.m., the Enchanted Forest at Plaza Diane lights up with caroling, cocoa and marshmallow roasting. Saturday features Santa’s Workshop, clogging and a parade starring Santa riding an antique Powell Fire Department truck.
• Dec. 12–13 – 29th Annual Nutcracker at Rocky Mountain Dance Theatre in Cody. Enjoy a Nutcracker Nightcap at the Chamberlin Inn with the show’s cast on Dec. 12.
• Dec. 31 – Jan. 3 – Wyoming Ice Festival: Small-group ice climbing clinics are offered for first-timers through advanced climbers in the South Fork Valley.
• Feb. 20 – 14th Annual Taste of Trails is held on Park County Nordic Ski Association trails on the North Fork Highway. This non-competitive 5K snowshoe and ski tour features aid stations with hot food along the way.
• Feb. 27 – Buffalo Bill Birthday Ball is hosted by the Knights of Columbus Council 4031 in the Cody Auditorium. The celebration is held annually on the Saturday closest to Buffalo Bill’s birthday on Feb. 26. The auditorium becomes a period-style saloon for a prime rib dinner, live music, dancing and auctions. Proceeds go to the Cody Cupboard, Meals on Wheels and local families in need.
• Feb. TBD – Meeteetse Ice Fishing Derby is an annual winter fishing competition hosted on the Upper and Lower Sunshine Reservoirs each February. 2027 dates have not yet been announced.

Fun Outdoor Things to Do in Cody

I’m an amateur photographer, so I keep a bucket list of places I’d love to shoot. Cody in winter is one of them. My last trip there was in late spring. Without much foliage, I could appreciate the structure of the landscape. But seeing and photographing the mountains, evergreens, rivers and Wild West downtown touched by snow and frost would be magical, especially if I was lucky enough to capture a bison or elk.

Winter Activities

Landscape photography is a fairly lazy way to experience the outdoors in Cody. For sports enthusiasts, the season offers a wide range of ways to get out and play.

• Ice climbing: The South Fork of the Shoshone River, known as the U.S. “mecca of ice climbing,” features more than 200 frozen waterfalls within 10 miles of each other; one of the highest concentrations in North America. Outfitters like Wyoming Mountain Guides offer beginner clinics.
• Nordic skiing: Pahaska Tepee Lodge – the closest stop before Yellowstone’s East Gate – closes for the winter, but it keeps nearly 20 km of groomed Nordic trails open with classic tracks and a skate lane. Wood River Valley Ski Touring Park, just southwest of Meeteetse in the Shoshone National Forest, also offers groomed Nordic trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Outfitters in Cody, like Sunlight Sports, rent gear.
• Snowmobiling: Gary Fales Outfitting runs guided snowmobile tours in Shoshone National Forest and Yellowstone National Park. Snowmobile and snowcoach tours are available in Yellowstone National Park when its winter season opens on Dec. 15. 
• Ice fishing: Buffalo Bill Reservoir is a popular location for lake trout, rainbow trout, Yellowstone cutthroat trout and walleye.  
• Ice skating: Homesteader Park in Powell is open to ice skaters when it’s cold enough and offers rentals and a warming hut.

Tour the Buffalo Bill Center of the West

The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is, without a doubt, a must-do activity in Cody. You’ll need several hours to explore the complex, and your admission is valid for two days, so spread out your visit if you have the time. Consult the Center’s calendar to view upcoming events during your visit.

Five Smithsonian-affiliated museums make up the Center:

• Draper Natural History Museum: Explores the ecology of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem through immersive, sense-engaging exhibits. Go outside, too. There are cabins, sculptures and a playground to explore.
• Buffalo Bill Museum: Tells the story of Buffalo Bill Cody alongside figures like Annie Oakley and Sitting Bull, anchored by a scale model of his Wild West show.
• Plains Indian Museum: Chronicles the region’s Native American tribes; its statues are deliberately left uncolored, since tribes varied widely in skin tone and hair color.
• Whitney Western Art Museum: Features Western art from Native and non-Native artists, including a recreated studio of illustrator Frederic Remington.
• Cody Firearms Museum: More than 4,000 firearms dating to the 1400s. “Guns are a huge part of Western American culture,” says SheBuysTravel Editor-in-Chief Cindy Richards, “and this museum displays more than 4,000 of them.”

Follow the Cody Sippin’ Trail

If you’ve worked up a powerful thirst exploring Cody, quench it at one of the many bars and restaurants in town participating in the Sippin’ Trail Drink Pass promotion. Download a free app and check in to earn points you redeem for prizes, including stickers, T-shirts and pint glasses.

Sippin’ Trail locations include:

• Cody Craft Brewing – Owned and operated by husband and wife team Jen and Brian Walker, Cody Craft Brewing offers a wide range of on-premises-brewed bevvies, including a special America’s 250th Pale Ale.
• Pat’s Brew House – Once a traditional Irish pub, Pat O’Hara’s is infused with new energy thanks to passionate female owners experimenting with the food and brews. Menu favorites like the Irish eggrolls remain as new items debut. The chicken tacos are fire.
• Millstone Pizza Company – Bar bites and brews, arcade games and entertainment including trivia are what you’ll find in Millstone’s large Cody location.

Shop Sheridan Avenue

I was expecting cookie-cutter souvenir gift shops in Cody. The town’s wide range of stores and galleries pleasantly surprised me. I could have lost myself for hours in Legends Bookstore.

Watch the artisans crafting custom drool-worthy boots, belts and saddles in Mercury Leather Works. Or find your cowboy hat or shirt at The Cowboy Palace. That’s where I scored my must-have souvenir – a pair of turquoise toddler cowboy boots.

Get Cozy by the Fire at the Chamberlin Inn

The Chamberlin Inn is a must-see when visiting Cody.

This lovingly restored historic boutique hotel dates back to 1900. Peek into unoccupied guest rooms, which are all decorated with different period-appropriate furnishings. You’ll need to explain to the kids what the old-time telephone is.

Ernest Hemingway was one of the Chamberlin’s most famous guests. His signature in the guest book is on display in the lobby; his suite’s Room #18.

Guests who stay at the Chamberlin Inn can warm up beside one of three welcoming fireplaces throughout the cozy boutique hotel. The hotel hosts the Nutcracker Nightcap on Saturday, Dec. 12, serving cocktails while theatergoers and hotel overnighters mingle with the cast of “The Nutcracker.” Guests who book directly and mention “The Nutcracker” receive a 15% discount off the best available rate throughout the duration of the production.

Listen to a Free Audio Guide

An audio guide to accompany your drive on the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway is available on the free app TravelStorys, a Wyoming-based, woman-owned company.

Once you launch the app, lively narrated segments broadcast as you approach areas of interest, like Heart Mountain, providing context to your journey. The GPS-based guide works without cell service or wifi, both of which are unreliable throughout the Yellowstone area.

It joins other Cody content, including tours of downtown Cody, Hemingway in Wyoming and the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway.

Tour Heart Mountain World War II Interpretive Center

This museum tells the troubling story of Japanese families who were rounded up and sent to 10 different internment camps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This sad spot was home to 14,000 Japanese – half of them children and two-thirds of them American citizens — during World War II.

Wyoming agreed to let the federal government build a camp at Heart Mountain—the fourth largest of the 10 camps—on the condition that the state would not allow Japanese Americans to stay once the war ended.

The museum handles this disturbing chapter in our nation’s history with sensitivity. However, older children will appreciate the experience more, as they can better understand what it meant to leave home with only one suitcase and live in a crammed communal space.

Fire Away at the Cody Firearms Experience

This is the place to go to fire 70 varieties of guns, from a Civil War-era Gatling gun to a Glock just like you see in the movies.

Kids ages 8 and up can shoot here, but pregnant women can’t. That’s because “the fetus can’t wear hearing protectors,” as one shop worker told SheBuysTravel Editor-in-Chief Cindy Richards.

Richards, who is not a gun enthusiast, was reluctant to shoot but ended up having a – pardon the pun – blast. She shot an 1873 single-action Colt pistol and an 1861 Springfield flintlock rifle that jammed her shoulder. It made her feel really sorry for the Civil War soldiers who had to use it in the heat of battle.

But the definite highlight for Richards was getting a turn cranking the 1862 replica Gatling gun. There’s no kick, just a crank that shoots two rounds per clockwise rotation on 6 and 12. What a hoot! No surprise it’s a popular choice among the 70 gun options. The place goes through 1,000 rounds a day in the Gatling gun alone.

Check Out The Irma Hotel

Bill Cody built this hotel to be the most luxurious hotel in the Rocky Mountains, with rooms that rented for the steep sum of $3 per night. Named for his youngest daughter, it’s a Victorian-style hotel on the National Register of Historic Places.

Book Buffalo Bill’s Irma Hotel & Restaurant this winter for a front-row seat for Cody’s Cowboy Christmas Stroll, parading down Sheridan Avenue on Nov. 28. Guests can also head right downstairs for the Buffalo Bill Birthday Ball on Feb. 27.

The Irma dining room serves a nightly buffet dinner that features perfectly cooked and sliced-to-order prime rib. For the kids, there are mashed potatoes and chicken drumsticks. And don’t miss the bread pudding for dessert. Adults should try the whiskey sauce. It’s strong. Be prepared. For kids, you might want to stick with the vanilla sauce.

Pay special attention to the gorgeous carved wood bar. It was a gift to Buffalo Bill from Victoria, the Queen of England, a huge fan of the Western showman.

Explore Buffalo Bill State Park

The Buffalo Bill Reservoir is the centerpiece of this park. The huge lake created by the dam is filled with ice-cold water and is a beacon for boating, fishing, canoeing, kayaking and swimming. The 3,000 acres of parkland are dotted with biking and hiking trails.

In addition, there are two camping areas. Lake Shore Bay Campground has 37 sites, an active day-use area and a boat ramp. North Fork Campground has 62 campsites, a playground and shower facility with flush toilets. Check dates for fall season camping availability.

And it’s all surrounded by the stunning views of the Absaroka Range, especially Rattlesnake Mountain and Sheep Mountain.

Get Spooked in Kirwin

Love a good ghost town? Then a trip to Kirwin belongs on your Cody itinerary. Day-long adventures begin in Meeteetse (pronounced “may tay tay say”), a tiny town (population just over 300) that’s home to a NY Times-profiled artisanal chocolatier.

Rent a vehicle from Kirwin Ghost Town Adventures and follow the one-way-in, one-way-out trail to the abandoned mining town. Along the way, you’ll pass the site where aviator Amelia Earhart planned to construct a cabin before she mysteriously disappeared.

Go Biking

There’s a trail for every type of cyclist in and around Cody. Families looking for an easy loop can find one at Homesteader Park. Those seeking backcountry biking can explore Shoshone National Forest. And Beck Lake Bike Path has over 10 miles of mountain biking trails for a wide range of skill levels.

Seasonal Activities You’ll Want to Return to Try

Many of Cody’s top things to do, including the nightly rodeo, end operations on August 31. Others stay open until early October. It’s best to check with the individual attractions and vendors about seasonal operating days and hours.

Whoop it Up at the Cody Nite Rodeo

The Cody Nite Rodeo claims to be the only rodeo in the country with regular nightly performances all summer long. One of the biggest events happens over the Fourth of July. The Cody Stampede starts on July 1 and culminates in a huge July 4th celebration. The locals say the July 4th celebration is so big that it takes four days to pack it all in.

Go Horseback Riding

Cody’s surrounding area is gorgeous, especially the Shoshone National Forest. A lovely way to take in the spectacular views is to go horseback riding. I’ve done several trail rides in the past, but never one that included water crossings. Feeling my horse test his footing on each step across a swiftly flowing creek was an unforgettable moment.

Daily trail rides, including all-day cookouts and pony rides, are available at the Bill Cody Ranch in East Yellowstone.

Raft the Shoshone River

The 100-mile-long Shoshone River is a popular rafting spot. The stretch of the river that passes through Cody has rapids that range from Class 1 – Class III+, depending on water conditions. These conditions are determined not only by rainfall but also by releases from the Buffalo Bill Dam.

Wyoming River Trips is an outfitter with its own access point located a short shuttle ride from its base camp in Cody. This makes it super quick to get geared up and on the water. I hadn’t rafted since I capsized on a cruise excursion in Belize several years ago, so I was nervous. However, our raft guide’s confidence put me at ease, even when we needed to pull over and wait out a surprise lightning storm.

Trip lengths range from 1-hour to full-day excursions with lunch. Private excursions and packrafting trips are options too.

This is a family-friendly, pre-rodeo dining/entertainment option. A hearty buffet with cowboy favorites like mac and cheese, baked beans, brisket and cornbread is open from 5-7pm. Ryan Martin and the Triple C Cowboys take the stage at 6:30, performing a set that includes traditional cowboy favorites, ‘50s doo-wop and rock classics with a country twist.

The Cody Cattle Company show wraps up in time for you to scoot on over to the rodeo. Ticket options include dinner and a show, show only and a combo dinner, show and rodeo package.

It’s impossible not to hoot, holler and sing along. And don’t bother asking for just one of the decadent chocolate brownies for dessert. You’ll be served two and wish you’d taken a third. They’re that good.

Shows end on September 25, 2026.

Dine Pioneer-Style

If you’re in Cody on a weekday, you’re in luck, if you’ve made an advance reservation for a Dutch-oven dinner hosted by 2 Mules Chuckwagon. Husband and wife team Rich and Deb Herman welcome you to the Pow Wow field next to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West for an intimate, outdoor dining experience, Mondays-Fridays, all summer long.

Rich’s “kitchen” is an authentic Old West chuck wagon, pots and pans are cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens and the cooking’s done over an open flame. Wine, beer and soft beverages are served by Deb. They’re gracious, loquacious hosts and the meal – steak, beans, coleslaw, sourdough biscuits and berry cobbler – was delish.

Ride the Cody Trolley

A trolley tour is a fun and easy way to get your bearings in a new town and find attractions and restaurants you want to revisit and explore in depth. Usually, the informative commentary is interspersed with corny, groan-worthy jokes.

The Cody Trolley tour features an old-fashioned trolley with narrow seats, big windows and a tour leader and driver who trade silly banter. It’s just an hour long, so it’s doable for families with fidgety littles. Tours depart at 11 am and 3 pm from the porch of the Irma Hotel. The venue may add additional tours during the summer; reserve your spot early for this very popular attraction.

Trolley tours end for the season in early October.

Swagger Through Old Trail Town

This recreation of the Old West of the 1890s was voted “Best Tourist Attraction and Historical Site” by True West Magazine. The buildings sit on the site of the original Cody, the place where Buffalo Bill first laid out the town.

Western historian Bob Edgar and his friends found authentic structures and furnishings in remote locations across Wyoming and Montana, then carefully disassembled, moved, and reassembled them at Old Trail Town.

Among the structures is the cabin used by Old West outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, a Wyoming saloon frequented by Cassidy’s Hole-in-the-Wall Gang and the log cabin home of Curley, a Crow Indian army scout who helped guide Lt Col. George A. Custer to the battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876.

Channel your inner cowboy/cowgirl and try to rope a wooden calf-like post. Nobody gave this city slicker a chance, but I nailed it on the first try.

Old Trail Town closes for the season on September 30.

Take the Free Tour of the Buffalo Bill Dam and Visitor Center

Visiting the Buffalo Bill Dam is one of the fun, free things to do in Cody with kids. Park and take the free golf cart shuttle (tip the driver) to the dam. Walk out and hold on to the kids as they look straight down the 350 feet of the concrete dam.

After you take a family photo, head inside to the dam museum and watch the movie about the extreme hazards of building the dam so you can walk away feeling grateful that you did not have to build it.

Construction of the dam on the Shoshone River began in 1905. Workers toiled in subzero temperatures and working conditions that were so harsh that it led to the first labor strike in Wyoming history. When the dam was completed in 1910 at a cost of $1.4 million, it was the tallest concrete dam in the world at 325 feet. Another 25 feet was added later.

The Visitor Center closes for the season on September 30.

See the Cody Dug Up Gun Museum

This is just what its name implies: a museum full of guns that have been found or dug up. The proprietor, Hans Kurth, is a carpenter who started the whole thing 40 years ago after finding guns when, for example, he would take down a wall. Now he adds to his fascinating collection when people give or sell him rusted carcasses of guns they find or dig up.

The museum is another of the free things to do in Cody, although Hans does accept donations.

Closes October – April.

Make a Stop at the Pahaska Tepee

When driving between Cody and Yellowstone’s East Entrance, you can’t help but notice the sign for the Pahaska Tepee, Bill Cody’s original lodge. You still can stay at Pahaska in one of the modern cabins. Or you can just stop in at the Lodgepole Dining Room for a buffalo burger and some Rocky Mountain oysters (chopped, breaded and fried bull testicles) on your way into the park.

Either way, don’t miss Buffalo Bill’s original 1904 hunting lodge, which is free to enter and filled with artifacts, including a soda machine from the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.

The gift shop and restaurant close in October and reopen in spring.

Getting to Cody

Winter is a quiet season for family travel to Cody and Yellowstone. Although most visitors to Cody arrive by car, there’s a regional airport with daily service to and from Denver on United Express. The airport’s a 5-minute drive from town. Literally.

FAQ: Things to Do in Cody, Wyoming

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