Wyoming Life | Cowboy State Daily

The biggest creator of fake news in Wyoming has decided to sell what he calls “my baby,” Casper Planet, the satirical Facebook page that has sparked reactions from hysterical to hopping mad all over the world.

Not Fake News: Creator Of Satirical ‘Casper Planet’ Says It’s Time To Sell

Justin Hathaway is selling his satirical Planet Casper Facebook page. He wants someone in Wyoming who will build on a legacy that includes telling 106,000 followers about king cobras spilling onto I-25 and a Yellowstone tourist bus sinking in magma.

Kerry DrakeJune 24, 2026

Rancher Claims Outhouse Dispute The Reason Amish Community Leaving Hulett

A Sheridan rancher says an "asinine, stupid" outhouse crackdown is pushing Amish families out of the Hulett area. He said landowners were threatened with fines of up to $30,000 per day if they failed to comply with outhouse regulations.

Kate MeadowsJune 24, 2026

Left Hand (left) was 22 years old when he snuck away from the agency at Fort Robinson and ended up fighting with the Sioux and Cheyenne in the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

The Arapaho Five: Unsuspecting Braves Who Fought Custer 150 Years Ago This Week

Five young Arapaho braves snuck off from Fort Robinson 150 years ago this week and fought the 7th Cavalry at Little Bighorn, where General Custer met his demise. They later told their story to actor and adopted member of the Arapaho tribe, Tim McCoy.

Jackie DorothyJune 24, 2026

Boomers Rejoice: McDonald's Iconic Fried Apple Pie Returns To Wyoming For 250th

My assignment was to write a story about the reintroduction of McDonald’s iconic dessert, the fried apple pie, which hasn’t been available under the golden arches since 1992. The pie went on sale a week early in Wyoming, not Tuesday as was nationally advertised.

Kerry DrakeJune 24, 2026

"Sunrise coming up over Skyline Drive to College Ave in Rock Springs by the hospital."

Now That It's Summer, Wyoming Is Losing Daylight Every Day

Parts of Wyoming saw more than 15 hours of daylight on June 21, the summer solstice. Now the days are getting shorter. “It’s not that noticeable now, but we’ll be losing two minutes per day by the end of July," said UW planetarium's Max Gilbraith.

Andrew RossiJune 23, 2026

Despite an influx of moisture-laden weather in June, data from the National Weather Service shows that the last three months in Wyoming has remained historically dry.

Wyoming Records Driest Spring In Decades, Forecasters Expect Exceptionally Dry Summer

Data from the National Weather Service reveals the last three months have been the driest spring on record for most of Wyoming. That's following one of the driest winters on record. And now meteorologists say they are expecting an exceptionally dry summer.

Andrew RossiJune 23, 2026

Jerry Arnold has been cooking chili since 1999. It's become a tradition that the family gathers around, like some families do Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Why World Chili Champions Come To Tiny Chugwater For Its Annual Chili Fest

Terlingua, Texas, crowns the world’s chili champions, but many say their favorite contest is in Chugwater, Wyoming. For 40 years, the Chugwater Chili Cook-off has been a Father's Day bucket-list contest for the best chili cooks on the planet.

Renée JeanJune 22, 2026

Casper Keeps College National Finals Rodeo For Next 10 Years

The Natrona County Commissioners approved an agreement to keep the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper for the next 10 years. The CEO of Visit Casper said the economic boost is a big one as last year's event generated $3 million in economic impact.

Kolby FedoreJune 22, 2026

Cody Chamber of Commerce Director Jennifer Thoma (left) and Sandy Newsome, chair of the Wyoming Semiquincentennial Planning Task Force, hold the Betsy Ross flags that will be displayed on Sheridan Avenue through the summer.

500 American Flags Line Three City Blocks As Cody’s Patriotic 'Field Of Honor'

A patriotic sight greets anyone who happens down Cody’s “Field of Honor," which for three blocks is lined with 500 full-sized American Flags. It's all part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration.

Amber SteinmetzJune 22, 2026

The Bighorn 100 is one of the nation's most challenging ultramarathons, crossing the mountains of northern Wyoming starting and finishing in Dayton.

When Trees Become People: The Strange Reality Of Running 100 Miles In Wyoming

This weekend, runners descended on Sheridan for one of the West's most respected ultramarathons. They'll tell you the 100-mile race is a test of what a person can endure: aching muscles, phantom voices and trees that suddenly look like people.

Kolby FedoreJune 21, 2026

Archaeologists at the Old Faithful petroglyph site in 2011. These circular petroglyphs were the first pieces of rock art found in Yellowstone National Park, and remain controversial to this day.

50 Years Of Controversy Over Yellowstone's Only Known 'Petroglyph'

Yellowstone's “first” petroglyph remains controversial. Some archaeologists don't buy it. While Yellowstone was a significant site for indigenous cultures rock art was rare. That changed with the discovery of the Old Faithful "petroglyphs" in 1977.

Andrew RossiJune 21, 2026

Teapot Dome Oil Fields Were Plenty Scandalous Before Historic Scandal Of 1920s

Years before armed Marines invaded Wyoming and a cabinet secretaries went to prison for the Teapot Dome scandal of the 1920s, those same oil fields were already plenty scandalous. Arguments over land were often settled by whoever had the quickest draw.

Jackie DorothyJune 21, 2026

Roger Haight started carving ivory soap as a Boy Scout and, after retiring as a professor of microbiology, joined a Big Horn wood carving group. His home is now a wood carving museum with over 400 carvings on display, mostly of birds.

Wyoming Woodcarvers Say Their Work Is A Hobby, Others Call It Art

Sheridan's Don Johnson and Roger Haight may not consider themselves artists, but they create extraordinary works based on what they see every day. Johnson builds modern birdhouses while Haight carves lifelike birds, and both are being hailed as Wyoming folk artists.

Jackie DorothyJune 21, 2026

Harry Campbell, a former Casper oil worker and bus driver in the 1920s, careened into a life of crime with the infamous Karpis-Barker gang that included murders, kidnappings, and robberies. He was the FBI's No. 2 most-wanted before being caught and sent to Alcatraz.

From Casper To Alcatraz: Former Bus Driver Hit No. 2 On FBI’s Most Wanted List

A former Casper oil worker and bus driver in the 1920s careened into a life of crime with the infamous Karpis-Barker gang that included murders, kidnappings, and robberies. He was the FBI's No. 2 most-wanted before being caught and sent to Alcatraz.

Dale KillingbeckJune 21, 2026

Wyoming Communities: How Dubois, Wyoming, Got Its Name And Its Pronunciation

Dubois is a name that, to this day, is spoken out of spite. It's pronounced “dew-boys” instead of the French “deh-bwah" as a slight to U.S. senator Fred Dubois — who named the town after himself — and hated it when people mispronounced his French surname.

Andrew RossiJune 21, 2026

Lou Taubert chats with a customer while sporting a cowboy hat and wild rag — staples of western style that remain popular with both ranchers and rodeo fans.

Rodeo Week In Casper Means Mustaches, Mullets And Visitors Buying Up Western Wear

Fringe, pearl snaps and enough cologne to stun a horse. For one week each June, thousands of competitors, families, vendors and spectators pour into Casper for the College National Finals Rodeo. Judging by the attendees, western fashion is alive and well.

Kolby FedoreJune 20, 2026

Miners brought their families with them to the coal mining camps and the children attended small schools, usually with just one teacher. When not in school, Stanely Kuzara said that it was fun to play in the hills, around the mines and, during the winter, on the iced over river.

Wyoming History: Surviving A Dangerous Childhood Growing Up In Coal Town Of Dietz

The ghost town of Dietz was once a thriving coal mining community near Sheridan. Stanley Kuzara grew up around the mines where explosions were commonplace. Families would rush to the mines to discover if the men working that shift had survived.

Jackie DorothyJune 20, 2026

The giant Winchester rifle on top of what used to be Jack's Sports in Cody, which adopted the motto "Everything Under the Gun."

What The Heck … Is That 30-Foot-Long Winchester On Top Of A Building In Cody?

On July 4, 1976, John Wayne paraded through Cody with a 30-foot-long Winchester rifle. 50 years later, that rifle was still sitting on a rooftop next to the Irma Hotel until it was temporarily taken down but it will make its glorious return by July 4.

Andrew RossiJune 20, 2026

The National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois has something new — a reproduction of the Vietnam War gun truck nicknamed “Uncle Meat.” The name is from a 1969 rock album a lieutenant would "listen to while he was stoned,” said museum owner Dan Starks.

Legend Of Vietnam War Gun Truck ‘Uncle Meat’ Lives On At Wyoming Museum

The "Uncle Meat" gun truck is the latest important artifact at the National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois. “I know a lot of these truck drivers and a bunch of them ended up dying of Agent Orange and nobody knows their story,” the museum's owner said.

Renée JeanJune 20, 2026

Casper Man Selling His 1984 AMC Eagle 'Chick Magnet' Because Wife Wants It Gone

A Casper man says his wife is making him sell his beloved Bigfoot-hunting rig — a lifted 1984 AMC Eagle wagon with 150,000 miles he says attracts too much female attention. "I knew this day would come, but that doesn't make it hurt any less,” he said.

Kolby FedoreJune 20, 2026

Big Piney resident Steve Nelson took this photo of a tornado he spotted on Saturday at about noon.

Rare Tornado Spotted In Sublette County On Saturday

A tornado made a rare appearance in Sublette County on Saturday, bringing with it more than 700 power outages. Meteorologist Don Day called it a "landspout" tornado which has the capability of 90 mph winds. "They can certainly cause damage," Day said.

Andrew RossiJune 20, 2026

“Veronika,” an extremely rare near-perfect Triceratops skull from eastern Wyoming, has been unveiled in a museum in the Netherlands. “The preparation, mounting, and remodeling of the missing pieces took 1,500 hours,” said the museum curator.

Rare Near-Perfect Wyoming Triceratops Skull Debuts In Netherlands Museum

“Veronika,” an extremely rare near-perfect Triceratops skull from eastern Wyoming, has been unveiled in a museum in the Netherlands. Norwegian paleontologists were so excited by the find that they are sending more teams out to areas near Lusk to search for more.

Andrew RossiJune 20, 2026

The blinking red neon “Vacancy” sign that Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak installed outside the county jail 18 months ago and national attention from his “Truck Around and Find Out” sweeps of commercial drivers has attracted some potential new, temporary jail visitors — a film crew from the Discovery Channel show “120 Hours Behind Bars.”

Discovery Channel Wants To Film Reality Show In Laramie County Sheriff Kozak's Jail

The Discovery Channel wants to film an episode of its reality show "120 Hours Behind Bars" in the Laramie County jail. It's the latest bit of national attention Sheriff Brian Kozak has received since his "Truck Around and Find Out" sweeps made national news

Kerry DrakeJune 20, 2026

Stephanie Montgomery, right, gets her horse ready to receive the mochila about 1:30 a.m. on Friday as husband, Scott, and fellow rider, Jolene Mathies look on.

Dark Assignment: Wyoming Pony Express Riders Deliver Through The Night

The annual Pony Express re-ride crossed into Wyoming early Friday morning. By 1:35 a.m., riders made it to the Old Fort Laramie Bridge. “We’re on a time schedule,” 75-year-old rider Jay Jensen said. “We’ve got 59 hours to get through Wyoming.”

Dale KillingbeckJune 19, 2026