Best Ways to Spend a Day in Sheridan, Wyoming (2024)

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Explore Trail End Historic Site

Sheridan's Trail End Historic Site is an estate that was occupied by the prominent Kendrick family from 1913 to 1933 during a time of rapid change for the city. Visitors to the historic house museum can explore the rooms of the huge, Flemish-Revival-style mansion, where family artifacts and exhibits illuminate the changes in daily living during this era, both at home and on the ranch. During your visit, you can also wander the grounds of the Kendrick Estate, which has 3.8 acres of trees, paths, and gardens.

Trail End is located in a residential neighborhood in northwest Sheridan. The site is open daily from April 1 through December 14 each year, but hours fluctuate throughout the season. There is also a daily use fee in effect for the site, but it's free for children 17 and under.

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Tour the Don King Museum at King's Saddlery

King's Saddlery is a Sheridan retail store that specializes in Western gear, including ropes and saddles. Adjacent to the shop is Don King's Museum, a treasure trove of Western clothing and equipment from the past century. In addition to hundreds of saddles and historic photos, the museum collection includes guns, Native American artifacts, cowboy memorabilia, and Western art.

The Don King Museum is located in the heart of Sheridan on Main Street and East Grinnell Plaza. It is free to enjoy and open to the public Mondays through Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round.

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Visit the Historic Sheridan Inn

When the Burlington & Missouri Railroad arrived in Sheridan in the 1890s, an influx of visitors brought a boom of real estate developments in the city, including the now-famous Sheridan Inn. Managed for several of its early years by Buffalo Bill Cody, this National Historic Landmark continues to offer guest accommodations, dining, and event spaces.

The Sheridan Inn is located on East Fifth Street between Broadway and North Gould streets. Even if you aren't staying there yourself, stop by to check out the distinctive gabled architecture, wide porches, and interior woodwork. Although the hotel is always open to hotel guests, self-guided tours are only available during typical work hours (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays).

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Go Golfing at Top Courses

Sheridan is one of Wyoming's top golf destinations, offering several golf courses that come with views of wildlife and the Big Horn Mountains. Popular courses in and near Sheridan include the Kendrick Municipal Golf Course, the Hidden Bridge Golf Club, and The Powder Horn, a 27-hole, Dick Bailey-designed golf course within a resort community. If you don't mind traveling a little south of the city, you can also head to Buffalo Golf Club for a round of golf at a great value.

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Attend a Show at the Historic WYO Theater

Built as a venue for vaudeville acts during the 1920s, the WYO Theater now offers a variety of entertainment throughout the year. Family theater, musical performances, film screenings, and even traditional vaudeville variety shows are all on the schedule.

Tickets are required to attend all performances and must be purchased in advance online or from the box office. Past shows and events at the WYO Theater include "Catch Me If You Can: The Musical,"The Oak Ridge Boys, the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and the annual Wyoming Theater Festival that takes place each July.

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Browse Western Art in Big Horn at the Brinton Museum

Located on the historic 620-acre Quarter Circle A Ranch in Big Horn, just over 8 miles south of Sheridan, the Brinton Museum displays an extensive collection of Western art. Local history exhibits include equipment and Native American crafts, which guests can browse for free. The museum is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday.

Visitors can also take tours of the 1892 Brinton Ranch house, which features works of art by local artists, as well as the ranch outbuildings, grounds, and leather workshop. Tours start at $5 a person; note that they are available seasonally, from the end of May to late summer/early fall.

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Take a Trip to Fort Phil Kearny Historic Site

Fort Phil Kearny, active for a few short years during the 1860s, played a pivotal role in the American Indian Wars and was a milestone along the historic Bozeman Trail. If you don't mind taking a 30-minute drive south of Sheridan on Interstate 90, though, this Wyoming State Historic Site is certainly worth the trip.

After checking out the film, exhibits, and gift shop at the Interpretive Center, take a self-guided tour of the fort grounds and reconstructed buildings. Your visit should also include a walk along the interpretive trails at the Fetterman Fight and the Wagon Box Fight battlefields, each located within a few miles of the Interpretive Center.

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Go Hiking at Bighorn National Forest

Located within close proximity to Sheridan, Bighorn National Forest can either be a fun day trip from the city or an excellent stop on your Mt. Rushmore-to-Yellowstone National Park road trip. Stretching through the Bighorn Mountains, a sister range of the Rockies, the 192,000-acre forest has plenty to offer lovers of the Great Outdoors.

Here, you will find more than 1,200 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding, plus opportunities for fishing and rock climbing the Bighorns' dolomite cliffs. Summer is a popular time for canoeing and boating around the lakes, while winter invites snow bunnies to go downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing. For a more relaxing experience, Bighorn National Forest also has scenic drives and interpretive sites where you can learn about the cultural history of the area and the wildlife of the landscape. If you want to stay the night, there are cabins that you can rent as well as 30-plus campgrounds for RVing and tent camping.

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Go Skiing at Antelope Butte Mountain Recreation Area

With 28 trails for downhill skiing and snowboarding as well as groomed trails for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and fat biking, Antelope Butte Mountain Recreation Area is the perfect winter escape. Equipment like alpine skis, boots, goggles, and helmets is available to rent, and beginners can sign up for private or group lessons. Lift tickets for adults start at $38, while five-pass punch cards are available for $205 and season passes start at $400. For cross-country skiing and fat biking, adults can pick up a single-day trail pass for $15 or an all-season pass for $150. Teens, kids, college students, military, and seniors are all eligible for discounts. Antelope Butte is located within Bighorn National Forest, 59 miles west of Sheridan.

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Take a Drive to Historic Downtown Buffalo

Once you've finished exploring the charming streets and residential neighborhoods of Sheridan and stopped off at Fort Phil Kearny, continue south on Interstate 90 to the historic downtown of Buffalo, Wyoming. Packed with Old West charm—including landmark buildings, local history museums, and unique Western shops—this small city is a great place to spend the afternoon. Stop by the P.O. News & Flagstaff Cafe for lunch before checking out all the boutiques and antique stores along Main Street.

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Join the Locals at Annual Events and Festivals

No matter what time of year you visit Sheridan, you'll likely encounter some sort of annual event, celebration, or festival happening in the city—except perhaps during the harsh, cold winter months of January and February.

If you're visiting in June, watch or participate in the Bighorn Mountain Wild & Scenic Trail Run, and in July, buy tickets to attend a week of rodeo events culminating in a parade at the Sheridan WYO Rodeo. In September, you'll have another chance for rodeo events over Labor Day weekend during the annual Don King Days celebration. Other annual events include the First People's Pow Wow, the KARZ Rod Run, Bighorn Mountains Brewfest, the Sheridan Farmers Market, and Bozeman Trail Days.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is there to do in Sheridan, Wyoming in the winter?

  In the winter months, you can go skiing or snowboarding at Antelope Butte Mountain Recreation Area, catch a show at the WYO Theater, or check out the main collections at the Brinton Museum.

• When is the best time to visit Sheridan, Wyoming?

  The best times to visit Sheridan, Wyoming are late spring/early summer (end of May and June) and late summer/early fall (August and September) when the weather is at its prime.

• How far is Sheridan from Gillette?

  Sheridan is 103 miles northwest of Gillette; it takes about an hour and a half to drive between the two cities.