Wild Spirits of Yellowstone Country

Denver – Estes Park – Sheridan – Cody – Red Lodge – Cooke City – West Yellowstone – Jackson Hole

De western spirit
in een nieuw jasje

The journey begins in Denver, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Colorado’s capital combines the vibrancy of a lively city with the ever-present mountains on the horizon. In neighbourhoods such as RiNo and LoDo, you’ll find street art, art galleries, restaurants and food halls, whilst Union Station is one of the city’s central meeting places. Parks, cycle paths and the proximity of the Rockies also ensure that you immediately feel how closely city life and the great outdoors are intertwined here.

Denver is also a lovely place to start your journey at a leisurely pace. Explore the city, soak up the local atmosphere and catch a glimpse of the mountains, because from here the urban landscape gradually gives way to the American West. The next stop takes you to Estes Park, at the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park.

Je volgt de kronkelende wegen naar Canyon Village en rijdt dwars door Hayden Valley, waar bizons loom over de grasvlakten trekken en ze hun imposante kracht tonen. In Lamar Valley barst de wildernis echt los. Hier staan je kansen hoog om kuddes bizons, coyotes of zelfs een grizzly te spotten, terwijl mist over de vlakte rolt.

Laat het Wilde Westen tot leven komen in Cody, de rodeohoofdstad van de wereld. Bezoek het Buffalo Bill Center of the West, stap binnen in saloons en voel de historische cowboy-sfeer. Rijd via Livingston, met zijn sfeervolle straatjes en kunstgalerijen, naar Bozeman. Maak een wandeling door de Gallatin Valley of bezoek het Museum of the Rockies om meer te leren over dino’s en lokale geschiedenis.

At the foot of the Bighorn Mountains, Sheridan offers a glimpse of Wyoming where the authentic West is still very much alive. Wide streets, historic buildings and the cowboy tradition help define its character, whilst art galleries, museums and local shops create a lively atmosphere. There is also plenty to explore outside the town: vast prairies gradually give way to wooded mountain slopes, and from Sheridan you can quickly reach the Bighorn Mountains for walks, scenic drives and peaceful nature reserves. Rivers and valleys complete the landscape, ensuring that Sheridan offers a wonderful combination of Western charm and natural beauty.

In Cody, the story of the American West really comes to life. The town was founded in 1896 by William F. Cody, better known as Buffalo Bill, and that history is still very much alive today. At the Buffalo Bill Centre of the West, you can explore art, Indigenous culture and natural history, amongst other things. During the summer, the Western tradition becomes even more evident with rodeos, parades and Western shows. The Cody Nite Rodeo is also an integral part of that experience.

At the same time, Cody is situated in the heart of an impressive landscape of mountains, rivers and open plains, close to the eastern entrance to Yellowstone National Park. The Shoshone River offers opportunities for fishing and rafting, and the historic Buffalo Bill Dam is located nearby. Hiking, climbing and nature photography are also perfect activities for this stop. In Cody, you’ll not only see the Wild West as it appears in the history books, but you’ll also experience the landscape that is inextricably linked to it.

Small, remote and completely surrounded by nature: Cooke City is situated close to the north-eastern entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Wooden buildings, small restaurants and local cafés are nestled amongst vast forests, wild rivers and mountain meadows, with the Yellowstone and Beartooth Mountains within easy reach. Moose, bison and wolves can be spotted in this area, and virtually everything revolves around the great outdoors. Hiking and nature photography are therefore ideal ways to experience the region. It is precisely the silence, the space and the remote location that give Cooke City its special character: here, Yellowstone suddenly feels very close by.

At the western entrance to Yellowstone National Park lies West Yellowstone, a small town that is fully integrated with the park. Thanks to its location, it is an ideal base for day trips to Yellowstone’s geysers, lakes and valleys. The compact town centre offers restaurants, shops and visitor centres, so you have everything you need right at your fingertips to set off on your adventures. Those wishing to find out more about the region’s wildlife can visit the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Centre, whilst museums provide insights into the history of Yellowstone and the surrounding border region.

But ultimately, of course, you come here mainly for the natural surroundings. Hiking, photography and wildlife spotting take centre stage, and every day can reveal a completely different side of Yellowstone. This is therefore a destination you don’t just pass through, but where you take the time to discover one of the most famous nature reserves in the American West.

After all that rugged wilderness, the route ends in Jackson, in the Jackson Hole valley between the Tetons and the Gros Ventre Mountains. The town manages to blend its cowboy traditions remarkably well with a lively, more sophisticated side. Around the central village square, with its distinctive arches made of elk antlers, you’ll find art galleries, boutiques and cosy restaurants, whilst cowboy boots and hats are still very much part of the street scene here. The National Museum of Wildlife Art also fits perfectly into a region where nature plays such an important role.

And nature remains close at hand even during the final stop. Grand Teton and Yellowstone are nearby, and wildlife is never far away: deer, moose and sometimes even bears can be spotted in or around Jackson. The journey thus concludes with a blend of mountains, wildlife, art, gastronomy and Western traditions – without ever giving you the feeling that you’ve left the American West entirely behind.

Wist-je-dat Yellowstone zich uitspreidt over drie staten en groter is dan Vlaanderen? Hier is het normaal om vreemden te begroeten, zelfs op straat of in een natuurpark. Een knikje of “Good morning!” is meer dan beleefdheid, het is onderdeel van de open Western spirit.

Do you dream of a trip to Yellowstone? Please feel free to get in touch with us.
We’ll listen to your wishes and work with you to plan a trip that’s perfectly tailored to you.