Features Reporter

Andrew Rossi

Andrew Rossi is a features reporter for Cowboy State Daily based in northwest Wyoming. He covers everything from horrible weather and giant pumpkins to dinosaurs, astronomy, and the eccentricities of Yellowstone National Park.

Previously, Rossi was the News Director for Big Horn Basin Media in Cody. He earned several awards from the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters, including multiple awards for Best News Reporter and Best News Talk Show.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Rossi previously worked at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis. He has collaborated with Disney/Pixar, the BBC, The Washington Post, the Wyoming Office of Tourism, and several other national and international media outlets. He is also a cofounder of The Cody Theatre Company in Cody.

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Latest from Andrew Rossi

Campbell County Newcomer Gets Video of Lightning That Started 2,700-Acre Fire

Scott Artis was just trying to get a video of a thunderstorm for his dad when he captured the lightning strike that started the Kohns Fire in Campbell County on July 27. “All of a sudden, the fire started roaring,” said Artis, whose wife called 911.

Andrew RossiAugust 04, 2026

Worland, Wyoming, hits 110 degrees on July 12. It was the hottest day in the state in July 2026.

July Was Wyoming's Hottest Month On Record — And 2026 Is On The Same Pace

For most of Wyoming, July was the hottest month in recorded history. Worland's scorching 110 degrees on July 12 was the hottest, while many towns saw as many 100-degree days in one month as they usually see in several years.

Andrew RossiAugust 03, 2026

100-Foot ‘Fire Devil’ Spirals Out Of Control In Eastern Idaho Wildfire

A wildfire watcher observing the Big Draw Fire in eastern Idaho on Sunday captured video of a spiraling tower of flame rising more than 100 feet into the air. "Fire devils" are created when flames reach high enough that they swirl.

Andrew RossiAugust 03, 2026

Lucas Keeler, a BLM petroleum engineering technician, explains the significance of the petroglyph panels at Whoopup Canyon in Crook County.

Whoopup Canyon Has One Of The Oldest And Largest Petroglyph Sites In North America

One of the most extraordinary petroglyph sites in North America is hidden away in a secret spot near Newcastle, Wyoming. The petroglyphs of Whoopup Canyon depicted in 150 sandstone panels are between 3,000 and 10,500 years old. Access is extremely limited.

Andrew RossiAugust 02, 2026

A Lander man built two wooden benches and "gifted" them to his neighbors to enjoy the "iconic views" from the popular Tomato Loop trail. They were both stolen, so Applegate is giving it one more shot. "Third time's the charm," he hopes.

Lander Man Keeps Building Benches For Community And Thieves Keep Stealing Them

After the first two benches he built were stolen, a Lander man is giving it a third attempt. He's built yet another wooden bench and gave it to his neighbors so they can enjoy the iconic views of the popular Tomato Loop hiking trail. "Third time's the charm," he said.

Andrew RossiAugust 01, 2026

Cody's Wayfarer's Chapel: A Peaceful Place To Worship, But Bring Your Bear Spray

The Wayfarer’s Chapel is a sacred spot to worship on the Shoshone National Forest between Cody and Yellowstone. It’s also one of the only chapels where you should bring bear spray. “We had a grizzly stroll through a Father’s Day service," the reverend said.

Andrew RossiAugust 01, 2026

More Motorcycle Crashes On Beartooth Highway Than The Last Four Years Combined

The Wyoming Highway Patrol has responded to more motorcycle crashes on the Beartooth Highway this year than the last four combined, including Thursday's fatality. With the Sturgis Rally looming, they're fearful of more crashes on the scenic mountain road.

Andrew RossiJuly 31, 2026

Motorcycle Accident Results In Fatality Thursday Morning On Beartooth Highway

Cowboy State Daily has confirmed that a motorcyclist died in an accident Thursday on the Beartooth Highway near the junction of U.S. 212 and WY 296. This comes after growing concerns about motorcycle safety on the Beartooth and Chief Joseph passes.

Andrew RossiJuly 30, 2026

Australian Man Dies Near Grand Teton While Hiking Continental Divide Trail

Teton County Search and Rescue recovered the body of an unidentified Australian man in the Teton Range on Wednesday. The man, who was attempting a thru-hike of the Continental Divide Trail, is believed to have died from a fall off a ridgeline.

Andrew RossiJuly 30, 2026

Cheyenne driver Cody Campbell took photos of people riding their electric scooters on a two-lane highway near Laramie.

Believe It Or Not, Electric Scooters Can Be Ridden On Wyoming's Highways

While it seemed ludicrous to one Cheyenne driver who was stuck behind people riding their electric scooters on a two lane highway near Laramie, it's entirely legal. “Scooters need to be off the highway,” Cody Campbell said. "It's not a vehicle. It's a toy."

Andrew RossiJuly 28, 2026

When a Jeep got stuck up to its axels in mud driving on the bottom of Palisades Reservoir on the Wyoming-Idaho border, a pair of trucks owned by family friends came to the rescue. Then they also got mired in "peanut butter" muck up to their fenders.

Wrecker Pulls 3 Trucks Stuck To Their Axles In Mud From Hundreds Of Feet Away

How do you get vehicles stuck up to their axles in mud on the bottom of a lake bed? You call a tow company that has remote-controlled winches, a custom-built winch foot, and hundreds of feet of tow straps. “This is a normal situation for us,” the owner said.

Andrew RossiJuly 27, 2026

Yikes! Yellowstone Fisherman Has Close Encounter With Bison, Does Not Get Flipped

Just two weeks after a 65-year-old grandpa was launched into outer space by an angry bison, another Yellowstone visitor was in a similar predicament Sunday. Tourists, who were calling a play-by-play of the event, were relieved the bison left him alone.

Andrew RossiJuly 27, 2026

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Beehive Geyser in Yellowstone isn't quite as reliable as nearby Old Faithful. But when it does erupt, it's taller, longer, prettier and more intimate. "You can really feel the power of it and still feel safe," says a Wyoming visitor.

Old Faithful May Be The Most Famous Geyser But Beehive Geyser Upstages It

Yellowstone's Old Faithful is the most famous geyser in the world but it’s regularly upstaged by one of its neighbors. Beehive Geyser, which is only 1,000-feet away, has longer and higher eruptions. The issue is seeing one as it doesn't have a regular schedule.

Andrew RossiJuly 26, 2026

ounty Road 8VC, "the Road to Nowhere" outside Clark in northwest Wyoming. This 8-mile road leads to and abruptly ends at the mouth of the Clarks Fork Canyon, part of an early attempt to build a road from Cody to Cooke City, Montana in the 1960s.

The Story Behind Wyoming's Ill-Fated And Tragic "Road To Nowhere"

In an attempt to connect Cody and Cooke City, the Wyoming Department of Transportation built 8 miles of road in 1969 and then stopped. The "Road To Nowhere" became known as "The Road of Death" after a car with 5 people drove through the road's end.

Andrew RossiJuly 26, 2026

Emergency crews respond to a motocycle crash on the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway.

Dramatic Rise Of Motorcycle Crashes On Chief Joseph, Beartooth Highways

Agencies in Wyoming and Montana say they have been responding to an unusually high number of motorcycle crashes on the Beartooth and Chief Joseph highways. They blame speed, weather, distracted driving and lack of experience on winding roads.

Andrew RossiJuly 24, 2026

Stolen 12-Foot Sinclair Dinosaur Bolted To 100-Foot Cliff Over Yellowstone River

A 12-foot-long dinosaur nicknaed Dino that usually stands outside a Sinclair gas station near Gardiner, Montana, was stolen Sunday night. It reappeared bolted to a 100-foot cliff face overlooking the Yellowstone River.

Andrew RossiJuly 24, 2026

A driver pulled away from Wapiti's Red Barn gas station with a nozzle and hose still connected to the gas tank, then drove off without telling anyone. The Red Barn's owner said it's the fourth time this summer, and she's frustrated.

Wyoming Gas Station Owner Upset That Another Person Drives Away With Gas Nozzle

The owner of a gas station in Wapiti is frustrated that for the fourth time this summer, a driver pulled away from the gas pump with the nozzle and hose still connected to the car. "They fill up, forgot they were filling up, and drove off," the owner said.

Andrew RossiJuly 23, 2026

'It's Brutal': Wyoming Can't Grow Hay, So Ranchers Pay Big Bucks Or Sell Livestock

Wyoming ranchers are struggling with an existential problem out of their control. Hay has become harder to find, harder to grow, and more expensive to buy. Some say this will hasten the end of family farms and ranches that can’t afford to feed their animals.

Andrew RossiJuly 22, 2026

A tourist caught on video climbing one of the Mormon Row buildings in Grand Teton Park broke the law and disrespected “my family’s heritage,” said the grandson of T.A. Moulton who, along with his brother, built the most famous homesteads on Mormon Row.

Grand Teton Tourist Caught Illegally Climbing On Famous Mormon Row Building

A tourist caught on video climbing one of the famous Mormon Row buildings in Grand Teton Park broke the law and disrespected “my family’s heritage,” said the grandson of T.A. Moulton who, along with his brother, built the most park's famous homesteads.

Andrew RossiJuly 21, 2026

Two tourists were seen getting dangerously and illegally close to Grand Prismatic Spring on Sunday in Yellowstone National Park, enraging hundreds of spectators and millions of internet onlookers.

Tourists Again Illegally Walk On Dangerous Grand Prismatic Spring In Yellowstone

Two tourists got dangerously and illegally close to Grand Prismatic Spring on Sunday in Yellowstone. Montana resident Tanya Saueressig, who filmed them taking selfies right next to the scalding water, said she "was so furious" she had tears in her eyes.

Andrew RossiJuly 20, 2026

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Semitrailer Plows Into Bridge Over I-80 In Rawlins, Causes Extensive Damage

A semitrailer caused extensive damage to a bridge over I-80 near Rawlins on Monday morning when it drifted off the pavement, into the median, and took out a concrete support. Westbound lanes of I-80 near the bridge are closed and traffic is being diverted.

Andrew RossiJuly 20, 2026