Yellowstone Detours: 4 Incredible Day Trips From Cody, Wyoming

Incredible Yellowstone Detours You Can Take From Cody, Wyoming

Cody might be the best gateway to Yellowstone Nationoal Park, but many people who head straight for the East Entrance miss out on some of the lesser-known yet stunning detours you can take from Cody.

Most of the people that travel to Cody, Wyoming during the peak May-October each year come to visit Yellowstone, as well they should. America’s first national park is home to iconic landmarks, geothermal features, and awe-insipring wildlife.

But so many people who stay in Cody during their Yellowstone travels either aren’t aware of the incredible day trips they can take to destinations other than Yellowstone National Park. It’s a shame, because Cody is truly the ideal jumping-off point for all kinds of adventures, and Yellowstone is just one of them.

So, what exactly are these fantastic Yellowstone detours visitors can take from Cody, Wyoming? Let’s look at a few of the most popular day trips.

Take the Beartooth Highway to the Top of the World

Let’s start with one of the Yellowstone detours that you may have already heard about. If you take Highway 120 north out of Cody, you’ll eventually see a turn for the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway — also known as Highway 296 — on your left.

On its own, the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway is a stunning route. You’ll travel over Dead Indian Pass, through the gorgeous Sunlight Basin, and enjoy a superb view of Pilot Peak and Index Peak before the route ends at its junction with Highway 212.

Here, hang a sharp right and you’ll find yourself on the Beartooth Highway. On the way to the summit, which towers over the landscape at 10,947 feet, this highway winds between beautiful peaks and tranquil alpine lakes. There are plenty of places to pull off the road and take photos.

Then, the highway takes you down the Montana side to Red Lodge, which is a wonderful western destination in itself. You can find a great spot for a meal and spend the night, or you can take Highway 308 east, turn right at Belfry, and be back in Cody before the Cody Nite Rodeo kicks off.

Pro Tip: You can also access the Beartooth Highway directly from Yellowstone National Park. Leave through the Northeast Entrance and just follow the highway all the way to Red Lodge. 

See the Medicine Wheel in the Bighorn Mountains

Some 30 miles east of Lovell, Wyoming, on the edge of the Bighorn Mountains, is an ancient Native American site still used for spiritual and ceremonial purposes to this day.

The Medicine Wheel, designated in 1970 as a national historic landmark, is estimated to be nearly 1,000 years old. It’s roughly 80 feet across, with a large cairn at the center and over two dozen rock spokes running from the middle to the outer edge of the “wheel.”

There are six smaller stone rings linked to the wheel. It’s been suggested that the wheel was used as an ancient calendar and observatory.

Across Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, some 150 similar medicine wheels have been identified. The Bighorn Medicine Wheel, however, is the most widely known and one of the best-preserved.

This is one of those Yellowstone detours you’ll be so glad you took. If you visit, be prepared to walk about a mile along a gravel road from the parking lot to the site itself.

Please be respectful of other visitors, and keep in mind that people come from far and wide for deeply meaningful visits, including spiritual practices.

Drive the Majestic Wind River Canyon

Take Highway 120 southeast to Thermopolis and you’ll be at the mouth of one of Wyoming’s most distinctive natural features: the Wind River Canyon.

At the northern mouth of the canyon, you’ll find the Wedding of the Waters, which is where the Wind River and Bighorn River meet. Follow the canyon south, and you’ll wind up at the Boysen Dam and Boysen State Park, just north of Shoshoni.

The canyon, in addition to being extremely scenic, reveals quite a swath of rock strata exposures, which are detailed by signs on the side of the road. If you studied geology, or you’re just a fan of distinctive-looking rocks, you’ll want to use the pull-outs to stop for photos frequently.

Rock slides occur in the canyon frequently, and it’s easy to see recent evidence of these slides on both sides of the river. No need to speed around corners here — drive cautiously and just enjoy the view as you explore one of the top Yellowstone detours.

Peer Into History at Legend Rock State Petroglyph Site

You may not know it, but just outside Thermopolis on the way to Cody, you can find one of the world’s best petroglyph sites, and one of the most rewarding Yellowstone detours.

Recognized as a Wyoming State Petroglyph Site and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, Legend Rock is a near-vertical cliff that runs over 1,300 feet.

To find it, take Highway 120 northwest out of Thermopolis and turn left onto Upper Cottonwood Creek Road.

Legend Rock is a fragile site and, even after thousands of years, it’s still a sacred site for Native Americans in the region.

Seeing these petroglyphs firsthand will leave you in awe and deepen your appreciation for this area that so many people have called home over the last several millenia.

Park hours are from sunrise to sunset. From May through September, the gate is open from 8am-6pm, with no key required. From October through April, you can pick up a gate key at the State Bath House, Thermopolis Chamber of Commerce, or Hot Springs County Museum.