The city of Cheyenne is the capital of Wyoming and the seat of Laramie County. It has a population of 65,132, as of the 2020 U.S. Census, making it the most populous city in the state. Cheyenne originated in 1867 when the Pacific Union Railroad selected it as a townsite for its mountain region headquarters. The town gets its name from the Cheyenne Native Americans, an Indigenous people of the Great Plains.
The city gets an influx of visitors at the end of each July when the annual Cheyenne Frontier Days kick off. You can enjoy rodeo events, live country music, food, and games when you attend this 10-day event. During your visit, make sure to stop by the Terry Bison Ranch, where you can take bison train tours, ride horses, fish, and enjoy great dining. The Cheyenne Botanic Gardens and nearby Curt Gowdy State Park are other popular outdoor locations in the city.
You will find several museums to explore in the city, including the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum, the Cheyenne Depot Museum, and the Historic Governor's Mansion. Camping is popular during Frontier Days, so places like AB Campground and Last Chance Camp provide amenities like showers, laundry facilities, fire pits, and Wi-Fi for guests.
Wyoming's Rib & Chop House gets high marks from patrons as does the Bunkhouse Bar and Grill. If you want something besides American, try the popular Anong's Thai Cuisine on Central Avenue. Top-rated nightlife locales in Cheyenne include Dillinger's and the Paramount Ballroom.
Campgrounds Near Cheyenne, Wyoming
The Fort Collins / Lakeside KOA Holiday in Colorado, just 50 minutes southwest of Cheyenne, has a chuck wagon that provides meals, a rec room for games, and bumper boats on its small lake. Sites include up to 50-amp max power, cable TV, and Wi-Fi. The maximum RV length it can accommodate is 75 feet.
Just a half-hour southwest of Cheyenne, the Fort Collins North / Wellington KOA Journey, also in Colorado, has 75 back-in or pull-through sites with 30- and 50-amp power, cable TV, cell reception, and Wi-Fi. Guests can use the shower facilities, and there is a pool on-site. There are spaces for 80-foot vehicles and horse boarding facilities, making it a popular location during the Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Loveland RV Resort in Colorado, 50 minutes southwest of Cheyenne, has 170 back-in or pull-through sites that start at $62 per night. RV amenities include full hookups, 30- and 50-amp power, cell reception, and Wi-Fi. Pets are allowed, and there are shower facilities. Discounts for Good Sam and AAA are honored at this location.
State Parks Near Cheyenne, Wyoming
Curt Gowdy State Park is 25 minutes northwest of Cheyenne, off Wyoming 210. The 3,395-acre park features granite outcroppings among rolling hills in the Laramie Mountains. It is home to the Crystal, Granite, and North Crow Reservoirs, making it a great destination for water activities. Boating, fishing, and other water sports occupy those on the water while biking, hiking, and horseback riding entertain those on land. You will find temperature extremes here with daily highs of 82 degrees during summer and winter highs of 15 degrees Fahrenheit. The climate is drier than in other regions of the nation, and it is often windy at the park.
Boyd Lake State Park is an hour southwest of Cheyenne down I-25 in Loveland, CO. This 2,000-acre park is home to Boyd Reservoir, a popular site for water activities. You can boat, fish, swim, and water-ski on the water or bike and hike the trails as you explore the fauna. The weather here can change fast as storms roll off the mountains to the west. It stays cool, with summer highs rarely exceeding 90 degrees, and winters can reach below freezing. The town of Loveland is just outside the park, offering RVers food, gas, and shopping.
You can reach Jackson Lake State Park, which is near Orchard, CO, by driving an hour and 40 minutes southeast of Cheyenne. The 2,700-acre Jackson Lake offers boating, fishing, and swimming in this oasis in the middle of the northeastern Colorado grasslands. It is family-friendly with flat terrain and calm waters, and Jet Skiers and sailboarders are common sites during peak season in the summer. There are volleyball courts and a short nature trail, and you can ride your bike on the park's roads. The park has 251 sites available for guests. Some are primitive, but the Cove, Lakeside, Northview, Pelican, and Sandpiper locations provide electrical hookups. Average temperatures during the summer reach the 80s, and winter months drop into the 20s at most.
National Sites Near Cheyenne, Wyoming
Scotts Bluff National Monument sits an hour and a half northeast of Cheyenne, near Scottsbluff, Nebraska. The 3,000-acre site consists of towering 800-foot cliffs overlooking the North Platte River, which have become a natural landmark used by humans over the centuries. A visitor center displays quality collections of artwork depicting the history of the area, and there is a bike-friendly trail you can explore. The Oregon Trail Pathway and Saddle Rock trails let you see the terrain more closely with the latter taking you to the peak of Scotts Bluff.
Another northeastern road trip into Nebraska will get you to Agate Fossil Beds National Monument south of Harrison, NE, two hours and 10 minutes northeast of Cheyenne. It is home to creatures that roamed the region during the Miocene Epoch, such as bear dogs, small camels, and American rhinos the size of little ponies. You can also learn about the culture of the Lakota Sioux people and James H. Cook, a cowboy, naturalist, rancher, and scout. A visitor center and several easy-rated trails help you explore the fossils.
Florissant Fossil Beds sits west of Colorado Springs, CO, three and a half hours southwest of Cheyenne. Visitors come here to see the 1,700 fossilized species of animals and plants, most of which are detailed impression fossils. These range from insects to petrified redwood exhibits. The Petrified Forest Loop and the Ponderosa Loop are easy-rated and let you explore today's ecological system and panoramic views along with Colorado's past climate and fauna. Start with the 20-minute orientation video, and don't forget to check out the 14-foot-wide Sequoia trees.
National Forests Near Cheyenne, Wyoming
Roosevelt National Forest is west of Fort Collins, CO, an hour and 50 minutes southwest of Cheyenne. It covers 815,000 acres and has 183 named mountain peaks within its borders. You can drive the 55-mile-long Peak-to-Peak highway that offers spectacular views and crosses the Continental Divide. You can disperse camp here for free or pay a fee to stay at a developed site. Popular activities include backpacking, camping, fishing, geocaching, hiking, wildlife viewing, and stargazing.
Arapaho National Forest is also in Colorado, three hours southwest of Cheyenne. The 700,000-acre forest is home to bighorn sheep, eagles, elk, prairie dogs, burrowing owls, black bears, and mountain lions. The terrain includes rivers, evergreen forests, meadows, and snow-covered peaks. Elevation can change the temperature by 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and storms can appear out of nowhere. Driving your RV through the forest is a convenient way to sightsee quickly, but biking, hiking, horseback riding, and road cycling let you take in the sights at a slower pace. There is plenty to do during the winter, including visiting places like Winter Park Ski Resort.
Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest straddles parts of Colorado and Wyoming, 50 minutes northwest of Cheyenne. The forest is a multi-use area that serves as a wildlife habitat, a foraging area for livestock, water for irrigation, a source of timber, and more. Fall lets you avoid the summer crowds while enjoying warm temperatures, and you'll see the autumn colors as the leaves change. Steamboat Springs in Colorado is near the forest and offers food, gas, and shopping for your trip and after.
