Wyoming Life
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Carbon County's JO Ranch A Throwback To An Untamed Wyoming
Only the hardiest of souls ever lived at the now-abandoned JO Ranch in southern Carbon County. The ranch’s stone buildings, built in 1890, are as old as the state and still standing, a throwback to an untamed Wyoming.
Renée JeanMay 31, 2025
A Las Vegas Investigator’s Decades-Long Search For The Most Famous Wild Horse In America
For decades, Wyoming native and Las Vegas detective Gill Gillilan hunted for clues to the story behind Desert Dust, once the most famous wild horse in America. Photos of the Red Desert mustang had sold more than 1 million photos in the 1940s
Jackie DorothyMay 31, 2025
Rainy May Welcome, But Not Wet Enough To Bust Southeast Wyoming Drought
Some well-timed rain in May has helped take the edge off extreme dry conditions in southeast Wyoming, but it hasn’t been wet enough to bust the drought. Meteorologist Don Day says the first half of June looks good for more precipitation.
Andrew RossiMay 31, 2025
Wyoming Couple Trade Home In Laramie For Four Years On Luxury Cruise Ship
A Laramie couple sold their home and bought a cabin on the luxury cruise ship Odyssey. Now they’re spending four years cruising around the world for the same cost as their lifestyle in Wyoming.
Renée JeanMay 31, 2025
Scientists Say Humans Now Are "Pansies" Compared To Prehistoric Yellowstone People
If Yellowstone is dangerous now, it’s a cakewalk compared to the Pleistocene age where humans had to contend with mammoths, mastodons and saber-toothed-tigers. Scientists say people are "pansies" now and it’s a wonder humans survived at all.
Andrew RossiMay 31, 2025
Chefs Don't Recommend Eating Invasive Zebra Mussels
Wyoming Game and Fish recently discovered more than 500,000 invasive zebra mussels on a boat lift at Alcova Reservoir. Why not scrape them off and then have them for dinner? You could, chefs say, but you probably wouldn’t want to.
Andrew RossiMay 31, 2025
Cody Family Finds Snakes — One Pregnant — Nesting In The Walls Of Garage
The wall of a Cody family’s garage had to be pulled off to get to a pair of breeding bull snakes. After first fearing they were rattlesnakes, the family instead had a pest control expert get them when they learned they weren’t dangerous.
Andrew RossiMay 29, 2025
Union Pacific’s Big Boy Has A Date With Newly Unveiled Lincoln Locomotive
The newly unveiled Abraham Lincoln commemorative locomotive No. 1616 and Cheyenne's Big Boy No. 4014 will meet up twice this summer in Greeley for a whistle stop. Four cab rides will also be auctioned for rides on Big Boy between Cheyenne and Denver.
Renée JeanMay 28, 2025
‘At Least This Time They Showed Up’: 200 Turn Out For Cheyenne Memorial Day Ceremony
About 200 people turned out at the Cheyenne National Cemetery on Monday to remember America’s fallen heroes. “At least this time they showed up,” said one veteran, referencing last year's ceremony where the VA didn't show up.
Greg JohnsonMay 26, 2025
Summer Of ’Cue: Worland’s State Championship The Ultimate Goal For Serious Smokers
For those serious about smoking meat, Memorial Day weekend is the start of barbecue season. In Wyoming, that means a summer of tweaking and attention to details to earn a spot at the Wyoming State BBQ Championship in Worland in August.
Jackie DorothyMay 26, 2025
Wyoming Ghost Town Site Gives Up Evidence Of People From 16,000 Years Ago
Artifacts that date back to 16,000 years ago have been recently found at the ghost town site of Sunrise, Wyoming — older than the site’s previous 14,000-year-old find. That’s the oldest evidence yet of people in the Western High Plains.
Renée JeanMay 26, 2025
Thousands Of Flags Planted At Graves Of Veterans In Thermopolis And Across Wyoming
In cities and towns across Wyoming, volunteers have placed thousands of American flags at the graves of military veterans. In Thermopolis, the exercise is personal for veterans who remember comrades who paid the ultimate price for America’s freedom.
Jackie DorothyMay 26, 2025
Rock Springs Teacher’s Crazy Costumes Make A Serious Point — Laughter Is Learning
Not all learning comes from a textbook — some of it comes from laughter. That’s inspired Rock Springs teacher Weston Lamb-Costantino to wear a lot of silly costumes to school, which his students love.
Renée JeanMay 25, 2025
How A Wyoming Soldier Incarcerated At Heart Mountain Rescued A Holocaust Survivor
Clarence Matsumura grew up in Granger, Wyoming, and was later incarcerated at Heart Mountain. He was sent overseas to fight during World War II. While there, he rescued a young Solly Ganor from the Dachau death march.
Amber SteinmetzMay 25, 2025
David Edwards Went From Casper To Flying Navy Fighters On 260 Missions In Vietnam
From Navy enlistee to a Navy pilot, David Edwards flew fighters on 260 missions in Vietnam during a 31-year military career. After the service, he was elected to the Douglas City Council and the Wyoming Legislature.
Dale KillingbeckMay 25, 2025
Jeffrey City’s Not Dead: The Voices Of A Modern Wyoming 'Ghost Town’
Jeffrey City didn’t die after the uranium bust in the 1980s. Some people just stopped looking for signs of life. The documentary, “Jeffrey City’s Not Dead" traces the lives of six residents, offering a window into a place that sparks curiosity across Wyoming, but is often dismissed or treated like a roadside oddity.
Hannah Brock & Reilly StrandMay 25, 2025
What The Heck … Are Those 30-Foot Beehive-Looking Things Off I-80 Near Evanston?
Less than 10 miles south of Interstate 80 east of Evanston is a cluster of 30-foot limestone beehive-looking things. Built in 1869, they’re the Piedmont Charcoal Kilns, remarkably preserved symbols of Wyoming’s early history.
Zakary SonntagMay 25, 2025
How To Train The Perfect Trail Horse
Gillette's Mandy Gagliano trains Rocky Mountain horses -- a unique breed can that can deliver a ride "smooth as glass" -- to be top quality trail horses. She takes them through obstacle courses which include bridges, teeter-totters, balance beams, water boxes and pool noodles.
Andrew RossiMay 24, 2025
New Discovery At Ancient Petroglyph Site Changes Timeline Of Early Wyoming Tribes
An archaeologist has found new evidence that changes the story behind ancient Wyoming petroglyphs found at Castle Gardens in remote Fremont County, Wyoming. That they were made by tribes previously thought to show up centuries later is “a very unexpected find."
Jackie DorothyMay 24, 2025
How A Face Transplant Gave A Newcastle Man A New Smile And Life
A Newcastle man got a new life when he became the first patient to get a face transplant at the Mayo Clinic in 2016. A new book out this week tells his story, which begins as a child in Wyoming and ends with literally looking at a new man in the mirror.
David MadisonMay 24, 2025
Sublette County Cowboy Norm Pape Is 94 And Still Active On The Family Ranch
It’s branding season and 94-year-old Norm Pape is still working the Sublette County ranch that’s been in his family for over 120 years. Cowboys don’t quit, Pape says, and they certainly don’t retire. "Our ranch is a working ranch," he said.
Jackie DorothyMay 24, 2025
Without Staff 24/7 At Cheyenne Weather Office, What If A Tornado Approaches Overnight?
Without meteorologists on staff 24/7 at the Cheyenne National Weather Service Office, what happens if a tornado approaches overnight? That's where offices in Riverton and Denver take over.
Andrew RossiMay 23, 2025
Massive Twister in Colorado Is Reminder That Tornado Season Has Arrived Wyoming
Although Wyoming is more tornado-proof than tornado-prone, we still get twisters in Wyoming. Funnel clouds were spotted in Laramie County on Sunday and four tornadoes touched down in eastern Colorado. Meteorologist Don Day says tornado season is here and it's starting off strong.
Andrew RossiMay 21, 2025
Little Snake River Students Get Hands-On In New $1.7M Livestock Center
A new $1.7 million livestock center has opened a hands-on classroom for students interested in ag education at Little Snake River School in Baggs. It’s the realization of a dream by their teacher.
Renée JeanMay 19, 2025
Most Remote Place In Lower 48 Is In Wyoming, But State Not As Rural As It Seems
Wyoming rightfully lives up to the distinction as home to the most remote place in the continental U.S. That’s the Thorofare Ranger Station in Yellowstone. But when considering what percentage of each state’s population lives in a rural area, Wyoming comes in 12th.
Anna-Louise JacksonMay 18, 2025
Pioneer Town At Little Snake River Museum In Savery Takes Students Back To Days Of Old
Snow still tops Baker Mountain looking down on Little Snake River Museum in this hamlet near the Wyoming - Colorado border east of Baggs, Wyoming. More than 100 children gathered at the museum to celebrate the annual Pioneer Day.
Renée JeanMay 18, 2025
Beartooth Basin Will Open For Summer Skiing For First Time In Three Years
Beartooth Basin near Cody is America’s only ski resort that operates exclusively in the summer. Unlike other ski resorts where summer skiing could happen, Beartooth Basin, which will open for the first time in three years, doesn’t open for the winter at all.
Renée JeanMay 18, 2025
Arch At Evel Knievel Cemetery Back Up After Plowed Over By Truck
The trademark arch at the entrance to Evel Knievel’s final resting place — Mountain View Cemetery in Butte, Montana — was plowed over by a truck a month ago. Like the famous daredevil, one crash can’t keep it down.
Anna-Louise JacksonMay 18, 2025
How A Helicopter From Casper Was Used In A Daring Mexican Prison Breakout
For a Casper man, the story of a bold 1971 prison break in Mexico involving a helicopter is more than a wild story. The chopper was part of the family’s business, and the escape made into an action movie starring Charles Bronson and Robert Duvall.
Dale KillingbeckMay 18, 2025
In First MMA Bout, Casper Teen Qualifies For World Competition In Brazil
A Casper teen did more than medal at his first MMA bout, he qualified for a world competition in Brazil. He and his coach say the sport can be a good outlet to help curb youth violence in the central Wyoming city.
Dale KillingbeckMay 18, 2025
Laramie-Born Breeder’s Swamp Donkey Wins $250,000 Payout As Nastiest Bucking Bull
33L Swamp Donkey, a 2-year-old bull raised by a breeder from Laramie got a $250,000 payout for winning the American Bucking Bull Inc.’s $1 Million Futurity in Fort Worth. It’s the biggest payday yet for the young bucking bull.
Andrew RossiMay 18, 2025
Patton Oswalt Leaves Casper Crowds Laughing, But He Can’t Hold Bladder
Popular comedian Patton Oswalt had crowds of people laughing at The Rialto Theater in Casper on Friday and Saturday. It was his first time performing in Wyoming, and he learned the hard way you need a strong bladder to drive anywhere in the Cowboy State.
Andrew RossiMay 18, 2025
For Many Vets, Their First ‘Thank You’ Comes Decades Later From Wyoming Kids
Wyoming veterans on Honor Flights to visit their memorials in Washington, D.C., also received special “thank you” notes from school kids in Thermopolis. Most of the veterans receiving the surprise mail had served during Vietnam and many had never received a thank you for their service until now.
Jackie DorothyMay 17, 2025
Son of "Sister Wives" Star Buried Near Wyoming Hometown In Bighorn Basin
The ashes of Garrison Brown, son of polygamist and star of the TLC reality show "Sister Wives" Kody Brown, were buried in a small cemetery in Wyoming’s Bighorn Basin next to other members of his family. This was revealed on the May 11 episode of the show, now in its 19th season.
Andrew RossiMay 17, 2025
Gillette Youth Umpire Makes ‘The Show,’ Will Call Babe Ruth World Series
Gillette's Teddric Walker has spent more than 25 years behind the plate and is now being recognized as one of the best youth umpires in the nation. He’s been picked to umpire the 2025 Babe Ruth World Series in August in Ocala, Florida.
Dale KillingbeckMay 17, 2025
Winter’s Not Done Yet; More Snow Coming For Wyoming
It may be the middle of May, but winter isn’t done with Wyoming yet. Another wave of wet weather from the Pacific Ocean will reach Wyoming over the weekend, which will mean more snow in the mountains and across other parts of the state.
Andrew RossiMay 16, 2025
Sheriff Longmire Actor Turns Down Paying Gigs To Be At Longmire Days
Fans of the hit television show “Longmire” will soon flood Buffalo for two days in author Craig Johnson’s fictional Absaroka County. Sheriff Longmire actor Robert Taylor loves the franchise so much he turns down paying gigs to be at Longmire Days.
Renée JeanMay 14, 2025
It’s The Season In Wyoming For Scud Clouds, Which Can Look Like Tornadoes But Aren’t
It’s the season for thunderstorms across Wyoming, which means greater potential for tornadoes. It also means scud clouds, which can look like tornadoes but aren’t. A scud is a piece of a larger cloud that's broken off and drifted toward the ground.
Andrew RossiMay 13, 2025
Wyoming Growing Into A Music Concert Hot Spot — And Not Just For Country
Wyoming is no longer an unknown backwater when it comes to live music. Big name artists such as Wilco, Primus and Luke Grimes are booking shows here for 2025, while other big names to discover Wyoming include Jelly Roll, Ice Cube, Ludcris and T-Pain.
Mark HeinzMay 13, 2025
Cody Fire Department Pulls Out Of Parade Because They Can't Throw Water Balloons
The Cody Volunteer Fire Department is pulling most of its fire trucks from the Cody Stampede Parade because they can't throw water balloons, a longtime tradition. The problem, the parade committee said, is innocent bystanders get caught in the crossfire.
Andrew RossiMay 12, 2025
Herd Of 32 Life-Sized Elephants On Way For Month-Long Stay In Jackson
The National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson will have 32 life-size elephant sculptures for a month starting this week. It’s a stop on The Great Elephant Migration, a public art exhibit promoting conservation and coexistence with wildlife.
Andrew RossiMay 11, 2025
Tracie Binkerd: Wyoming's Ace Horseshoe Champ
You don’t have to know much about horseshoes to appreciate Tracie Binkerd’s pitching prowess. In her first seven years of competitive play, she’s won the Wyoming women’s state champion title four times.
Anna-Louise JacksonMay 11, 2025
Casper Man Risks Prison And Death Smuggling Bibles Into Closed Countries
A Casper-based ministry has for 30 years smuggled Bibles into closed countries around the world. Founder Patrick Klein risks prison, and even death, on his mission to share the Christian faith with others.
Dale KillingbeckMay 11, 2025
Rural Wyoming Reservation Kids Ride Waves Surfing In The Pacific Ocean
For Riverton's Kai Quiroz, the waves of the Pacific Ocean are a reminder of how amazing the world is. Wanting to share that, he created an organization called Warrior Waves, which takes kids from the Wind River Reservation to California to learn to surf.
Amber SteinmetzMay 11, 2025
Patton Oswalt Doing Two Nights Of Comedy At Casper's Rialto Theater
After realizing he had played in every state except Wyoming and Montana, comedian Patton Oswalt booked a ‘mini-tour’ to cross them off their lists. He appears in Casper on May 16 and 17 and in Bozeman on May 15.
Andrew RossiMay 11, 2025
Can You Catch ‘Food Poisoning?’ It’s Not Common, But, Yes, And Here’s How
Food-borne illnesses are among the most common in America, sickening more than 48 million each year. But can it be passed on to others? The answer is yes -- as a Cheyenne couple recently found out.
Renée JeanMay 10, 2025
Famous Cheyenne Gunslingers To Be Homeless, Have To Move From Downtown Spot
The famous Cheyenne Gunslingers will have to find a new spot for its Wild West shootouts. The city has approved another historical attraction to take over their location and now the Gunslingers, who delight crowds every summer by shooting each other, have to find a new home.
Renée JeanMay 10, 2025
Bambi, A Disabled 250-Pound Goat That Lives South Of Laramie, Needs A Leg Brace
Bambi, a 250-pound Nubian goat, struggles to get around because of a back injury he suffered in a fight with a ram. The folks at a farm animal sanctuary near Laramie think he can walk again with a leg brace but crafting one has been difficult. So they're asking the public for help.
Mark HeinzMay 10, 2025
Abandoned 163-Foot Bridge In Albany County Is All But Forgotten
The history of an abandoned steel bridge which resides inside a 10,000-acre private ranch in Albany County is a mystery. It is thought to be the second oldest bridge in Wyoming and was part of the historic Lincoln Highway. Outside of that, no one knows much about it.
Dale KillingbeckMay 10, 2025
Gillette Songwriter Co-Wrote Blake Shelton’s No. 1 Smash Country Hit ‘Texas’
Josh Dorr, a singer-songwriter who grew up in Gillette co-wrote "Texas," the No. 1 country hit and lead single from Blake Shelton's latest album. “It’s pretty surreal,” Dorr told Cowboy State Daily.
Andrew RossiMay 10, 2025
UW Project Rediscovers A Massive Meat-Eating Dinosaur Under 100-Year-Old Plaster
University of Wyoming researchers used CT scanning to see how much of the fossilized bones in an historic dinosaur were real. It revealed a lot of plaster — and rediscovered a huge Allosaurus.
Andrew RossiMay 10, 2025
Gillette Firefighter Who Died In 1989 When A Church Fell On Him Still Saving Lives
Alan Mickelson, a volunteer Gillette firefighter, died in 1989 when a church caved in on him while responding to a fire call. While his death still stings for those who knew him, Mickelson is still saving lives through his namesake training center.
Dale KillingbeckMay 10, 2025
Wyoming Rescue Ranch Cheers Shutdown Of Notorious Beagle Test Lab, New Law
Wyoming’s Kindness Ranch in Hartville is cheering this week's shutdown of a notorious beagle testing lab and proposed federal legislation that would retire clinical test animals instead of killing them. The events promise to make the ranch busier than ever.
Jen KocherMay 10, 2025
Kelly Walsh High Won’t Let Casper Girl Wear Native Regalia At Graduation
Kelly Walsh High School senior Zephira Arguello wants to honor her Native American culture by wearing traditional regalia at graduation. The school says “no.”
Dale KillingbeckMay 09, 2025
Wyoming Catholics Celebrate Election Of First American Pope
Catholics across Wyoming celebrated the appointment of the first American pope on Thursday. Former Wyoming Gov. Mike Sullivan, who was fishing the North Platte, told Cowboy State Daily he was "tickled to death" to hear the news.
Justin GeorgeMay 08, 2025
Rawlins Residents Fed Up With Gravedigging Ground Squirrels In City Cemetery
Ground squirrels are digging holes daily in the Rawlins Cemetery, including into graves, and local residents are fed up with them. The city is tripling the number of poison traps around the cemetery to try and cut out the critters.
Andrew RossiMay 08, 2025
Wyoming Can Expect Warm, Sunny Weather For Mother’s Day — For A Change
Winter in Wyoming often likes to hang around until after Mother’s Day, says meteorologist Don Day. But for a change, this weekend should be warm, sunny and summer-like with temperatures reaching the high 70s and into the 80s.
Andrew RossiMay 07, 2025
170 Pregnant Ewes Burn In Devastating Ranch Fire Near Wright
A large barn with 170 pregnant ewes inside burned early Monday morning on a ranch near Wright, Wyoming. The rancher said the barn was fine at 4:30 a.m., then by 5:15 was fully engulfed and too hot to approach.
Greg JohnsonMay 06, 2025
Spring Can Begin — Bob The Barrel Reaches The Shore Of Fremont Lake
After spending two months on the ice of Fremont Lake near Pinedale, Bob the Barrel finally reached the shore of Fremont Lake at 6:25 a.m. Sunday. Locals have been watching and waiting on the barrel to break through annually for 85 years.
Andrew RossiMay 06, 2025
Wyoming’s Home-Grown Live Horse Racing Sparks Resurgence Of Industry
Jack Greer grew up on the racetrack, and the Gillette resident is now part of a home-grown movement that’s sparking a resurgence of live horse racing in Wyoming. That’s partly because he and others in the Cowboy State are racing their own horses.
Jackie DorothyMay 05, 2025
For Wyoming Collectors, Vintage Glass Power Line Insulators Are Prized Finds
Those funky glass blobs that used to hang on and around power lines are highly prized by Wyoming collectors. These vintage glass insulators are prized finds for those with a passion for them.
Jackie DorothyMay 04, 2025
Wyoming History: In 1930s-40s, United Made Cheyenne The ‘Air Capital Of The West’
In the 1930s and 1940s, United Airlines made Cheyenne its hub for maintenance, research and training, even making the city the “air capital of the West.” But in 1961, the last of the airline’s ties to the city took off for the last time.
Dale KillingbeckMay 04, 2025
After Surviving A Brain Tumor, Casper Boy Can’t Wait To Get A Service Dog
After Mikey Jonnassen was diagnosed with a brain tumor, doctors told his mom that he would spend the rest of his life bedridden. But he wasn’t having any of that. Now he’s walking, talking and looking forward to a service dog.
Mark HeinzMay 04, 2025
Roast Or Let Roost? What Should Backyard Chicken Owners Do With Roosters?
Wyoming communities have long been debating whether to allow people in populated areas to keep backyard chickens. Those who have them inevitably face the great debate about what to do with roosters — roast or let roost?
Anna-Louise JacksonMay 04, 2025
Wyoming Allows, But Doesn’t Regulate, Self-Driving Cars — Yet
As more self-driving cars are on roads across the country, more states are regulating the use of them. Wyoming hasn’t regulated self-driving vehicles, but legislators say it’s only a matter of when that will happen, not if.
Leo WolfsonMay 04, 2025
Rock Springs Deputy Who Rescued 3-Year-Old 15 Years Ago To Give Him Diploma
David Lew will graduate this month from Rock Springs High School. But he wouldn’t if it hadn’t have been for a Sweetwater County Sheriff’s deputy who rescued him from Flaming Gorge Reservoir when he was 3. Now that deputy will give him his diploma.
Dale KillingbeckMay 04, 2025
Wyoming-Made Honor Bears Give Strength To Gold Star Families
A Wyoming woman’s mission to help gold star military and first-responder families does more than give them renewed strength. Her Bears of Honor program uses their uniforms to make Teddy bears that keeps their service and honor alive.
Zakary SonntagMay 04, 2025
How Do You Practice For Calving Season? With Life-Sized Rubber Cows
One of the most important times for ranchers in Wyoming and across the country is calving season. Every calf counts, so it’s vital as many survive as possible. To do that, some ranchers and kids practice with life-sized rubber cows and calves.
Andrew RossiMay 03, 2025
Video: Cheyenne’s Truck Stop Chapel -- A Place Where Truckers Find Peace
Nestled in the parking lot of a Cheyenne truck stop is a small chapel, a haven for truckers seeking church or a sympathetic ear. The couple who runs the chapel also supports drivers with advice they draw from more than two decades in the trucking industry.
Hannah Brock & Reilly StrandMay 03, 2025
Wyoming Airmen Make Extraordinary Cardiac Evacuation From Antarctica
Two members of the Wyoming Air National Guard played critical roles in successfully evacuating a patient in cardiac arrest from McMurdo Station in Antarctica. “This was more than a mission — it was a life saved against all odds,” Brig. Gen. Michelle Mulberry said.
Leo WolfsonMay 03, 2025
Wyoming Star Ian Munsick Declares He Has ‘The Greatest Hair In Country Music’
Wyoming native Ian Munsick has real cowboy roots and talent fueling his career as a rising star in Nashville. He also boasts having something else no other artist can claim — the “greatest hair in country music.”
David MadisonMay 02, 2025
Thunderbirds Continue 70-Plus-Year Run At Cheyenne Frontier Days On New Night
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds’ popular Cheyenne Frontier Days air show is moving to Saturday, July 26, so more people can see it. The aerial demonstration has been held at CFD every year but two since 1953.
Renée JeanApril 29, 2025