Business & Tourism

Encampment Is Latest Wyoming Town To Wrestle With Airbnbs And Housing Shortage

Encampment is looking to a Jackson town ordinance as a model to regulate short-term rentals as it wrestles with a shortage of affordable homes. Critics question whether restrictions will create more housing for workers or leave vacation homes empty.

Renée JeanOctober 07, 2026

The iconic Wapiti Big Boy, perched along the North Fork Highway between Cody and Yellowstone National Park for 13 years, has been replaced by Seagram's Captain Morgan. Not to worry, says owner James Geier: Big Boy will return after a little rehab.

Mutiny! Wapiti's Iconic Big Boy Replaced By Captain Morgan Along North Fork

The iconic Wapiti Big Boy, perched along the North Fork Highway between Cody and Yellowstone for 13 years, has been replaced by Seagram's Captain Morgan. Not to worry, says owner James Geier: Big Boy will return after a little rehab.

Andrew RossiOctober 07, 2026

Riva Ridge Reserve, an 18,000-square-foot luxury estate on 117 acres on East Gros Ventre Butte in Jackson Hole, recently sold for close to $39.5 million.

117-Acre Jackson Hole Compound That Couldn’t Be Built Today Sells For $39.5M

A compound too large to build under today’s rules in Teton County has sold for $39.5 million. Spanning 117 acres, 70% of the land is protected by conservation easements. “Luxury at this level is increasingly about irreplaceability,” the broker said.

Renée JeanOctober 06, 2026

The Bearlodge Forest Products crew in 2024 to mark the Hulett sawmill's 45th anniversary.

‘Absolute Blow’: After Nearly 50 Years, Hulett Family Sawmill To Shut Down

After nearly 50 years of operating in Hulett, Bearlodge Forest Products has announced it will shut down after Oct. 31. “This is an absolute blow” to a community with deep ties to Wyoming’s timber industry, says Sen. Ogden Driskill.

Renée JeanOctober 05, 2026

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Wyoming Industry Leaders Say Manufacturing Jobs Can Stop Youth From Leaving State

With 70% of Wyoming's graduates leaving by the time they're 30, industry leaders say manufacturing is the key to stopping the brain drain. Wyoming Business Alliance Dir. Renny McKay says Sheridan is an example of what a manufacturing center can look like.

Renée JeanOctober 05, 2026

Volunteers load the carcasses of sheep killed by lightning on Sept. 23 in Montana’s Gravelly Range mountains into a trailer bound for a carcass composting site.

After Lightning Bolt Kills 220 Sheep, Carcass Composters Spring Into Action

When a bolt of lightning killed 220 sheep in southwest Montana’s remote Gravelly Range last month, it left the area littered with piles of electrocuted carcasses. The race was on to remove them before they became a magnet for hungry grizzly bears.

Mark HeinzOctober 04, 2026

Loni Wilson, cemetery crew leader at Greenhill Cemetery in Laramie, has spent 15 years tending the grounds — and digging graves — beneath the cemetery’s canopy of old trees.

6 Feet Deep At 20 Below: Wyoming Gravediggers Say Job Is 'Not For Everybody'

Wyoming gravediggers battle 5 feet of frost, 20-below funerals and the occasional coffin that isn't where it's supposed to be. This job isn't for everybody, they say. As for Loni Wilson, she'll be lower maintenance. “Oh, just throw me in a dumpster," she said.

Kolby FedoreOctober 04, 2026

Bear Mountain Beef in Hawk Springs transforms local cattle into custom cuts at a facility that doubles as a butcher school.

By The Numbers: How Much Beef Can You Get From A Cow?

Turning a 1,500-pound cow into a freezer full of steaks, roasts and hamburgers is more complicated than it might sound. But if you're fed up with pricey grocery-store beef, here's what you can expect if you go straight to a Wyoming ranch.

Kate MeadowsOctober 03, 2026

Centennial has endured 150 years of change, from timber and mining booms to tourism. Now residents of the Snowy Range town say short-term rentals make housing hard to find, squeeze local businesses and threaten its wild Wyoming spirit.

As It Turns 150, Centennial Is Growing But Not By People Who Plan To Live Here

Centennial has endured 150 years of change, from timber and mining booms to tourism. Now residents of the Snowy Range town say people buying homes and turning them into short-term rentals squeeze local businesses because employees can't afford to live here.

Renée JeanOctober 03, 2026

The Taco Bell Ultramarathon 50K: Where Runners Eat 10 Taco Bell Items In 31 Miles

The 31-mile Taco Bell ultramarathon Saturday in Denver that requires runners to eat Taco Bell throughout is almost the worst idea in America. "We’re hoping so,” said race organizer Dan Zolnikov with a laugh Friday morning.

Clair McFarlandOctober 02, 2026

Hilltop Bank Customers Report Unexpected Charges After Cyber Breach

A week after accounts were restored at Hilltop Bank following a massive cyber security breach, customers are reporting unauthorized and unfamiliar charges on their accounts as well as balances that don't match what they expected to have available.

Kate MeadowsSeptember 30, 2026

Billionaire Joe Ricketts Revives Plan To Build Bondurant Valley Resort

Billionaire Joe Ricketts has filed a permit application for a 94,141-square-foot resort called The Confluence at his ranch near Bondurant, reviving an idea he abandoned in 2024. The new resort would be 59% smaller than his previous Homestead Resort.

Renée JeanSeptember 29, 2026

The iconic Jackson Hole destination named Snow King Hotel since 1976 has been rebranded as Trailborn Jackson Hole.

After Nearly 90 Years, Snow King Resort Hotel No Longer Called Snow King

Since 1938, Snow King Mountain Resort has been one of Jackson Hole’s most recognizable ski destinations. Now after nearly 90 years, the hotel at its base has been rebranded as “Trailborn Jackson Hole.” The resort hotel has traded its 1970s chalet vibe for high-end boutique amenities and a new restaurant.

Renée JeanSeptember 28, 2026

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Grand Teton National Park In Autumn: A Perfect Time For Wildlife-Watchers And Stargazers

For travelers who want to pair wildlife viewing with stargazing, autumn is hard to beat in Grand Teton National Park. Crowds are thinning, elk are in the rut, astronomical darkness comes earlier, and moonless evenings make the Milky Way easier to see.

Renée JeanSeptember 27, 2026

Cheyenne wasn’t on the itinerary for a British tour group traveling the American West recently on its way to an Alaska cruise. Then James Muessing said AI told them to hit Wyoming’s capital city and see one of its famous 1.2 million-pound Big Boy locomotives.

British Tour Company Raves About Cheyenne After AI Told Them To Visit

Cheyenne wasn’t on the itinerary for a British tour group recently on its way to an Alaska cruise. Then AI told them to hit Wyoming’s capital city. Now, the company is looking at making Cheyenne the starting city on its Wonders of the Wild West tour.

Renée JeanSeptember 26, 2026

Rich Wilson is greeted by one of the unadoptable wild mustangs who lives on the Deerwood Ranch. These older wild horses don't typically approach people, but many will watch from a distance.

Inside Centennial Valley’s Deerwood Ranch, First-Of-Its-Kind Wild Horse Sanctuary

Longtime Wyoming ranchers have converted their Centennial Valley spread into the nation’s only BLM-certified wild horse sanctuary on private land. Now the Deerwood Ranch and its 350 mustangs are a big draw for guided tours, weddings and Airbnb stays.

Renée JeanSeptember 26, 2026

After 80 years, the Crazy Horse Memorial continues to emerge from Thunderhead Mountain in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Visiting Crazy Horse Memorial: Larger Than Mount Rushmore And Still Under Construction

Crazy Horse Memorial, about 40 miles from the Wyoming border, is larger than Mount Rushmore and after nearly 80 years of blasting, drilling, carving and hauling untold tons of granite off a Black Hills mountainside, still isn’t finished. It's worth a visit.

Kate MeadowsSeptember 26, 2026

Matt Geouge diagnoses an electrical sensor problem with a truck.

Meet The Pardoned Delete Mechanic Who Wants To Stop Your Car From Spying On You

Pardoned mechanic Matt Geouge has built a device that blocks vehicles from spying on their drivers, because in 2018 his fiancée realized investigators were following her. Now he braces for steep opposition from manufacturers as he unveils his new product.

Clair McFarlandSeptember 26, 2026

Urban Farm In Cheyenne Annexation Crosshairs Says Changes Could Shut Them Down

A 49-acre working farm the City of Cheyenne wants to annex says proposed changes to agricultural ordinances within the city limits could shut down operations like theirs. City officials say the changes are intended to be friendlier to urban farming.

Kate MeadowsSeptember 22, 2026

Jackson Hole has never lacked for luxury, but Wyoming's newest $400 million private enclave takes stealth wealth to a whole new level at Teton Village, where memberships — on top of buying one of the 25 private club condos — start at $150,000 a year.

Inside The Exclusive $400 Million Hoback Club’s Ultra-Luxe Teton Village Homes

Jackson Hole has never lacked for luxury, but its newest $400 million private enclave takes stealth wealth to a whole new level at Teton Village. Cowboy State Daily scored a rare tour inside the Hoback Club’s 25 newly opened private club condos.

Renée JeanSeptember 19, 2026

Former Wagon Box restaurant celebrity chef Vincent Fiore, left, chats with owner Paul McNiel in a file photo.

Wagon Box Celebrity Chef Quits, Owner Says ‘Haters And Losers’ Pushed Him Out

The restaurant at the Wagon Box in Story, Wyoming, is closed after its celebrity chef abruptly quit amid an ongoing rift between ownership and some local residents. The owner says a contingent of “haters and losers” pushed the chef out.

Renée JeanSeptember 18, 2026

Home Depot Says Wyoming Needs Thousands Of Electricians, Plumbers, Carpenters

Wyoming will need thousands of workers, and Home Depot is starting electricians, plumbers and carpenters young. “We actually put tools into kids' hands starting at the age of 5,” said a company official Thursday on the "Cowboy State Daily show with Jake."

Kolby FedoreSeptember 17, 2026

Sugar beets being harvested near Lovell, Wyoming.

Wyoming Farmers And Ranchers Worry Farm Bill Won’t Get Senate Vote Before Deadline

Wyoming farmers and ranchers say they worry about whether the 2026 Farm Bill will reach the full Senate in time for a vote before it expires Sept. 30. Once there, the Farm Bill will need 60 votes to pass.

Kate MeadowsSeptember 17, 2026

National High School Finals Rodeo Is Returning To Gillette Cam-Plex A Year Early

The National High School Finals Rodeo will be returning to Gillette in 2027, giving it three consecutive years before the event moves to Oklahoma in 2030. The NHSFR has a $25 million economic impact on Gillette, which has hosted it more than any city.

Renée JeanSeptember 15, 2026

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