A great place to begin your trip to Sheridan is at our community calendar; from Third Thursday street festivals to the WYO Rodeo, the Wyoming Theater Festival to Sunday afternoon polo matches, there’s always something going on under the Bighorn Mountains.
Friday: Explore Sheridan’s historic downtown with the Public Art Committee’s “Art on Display” brochure as your guide to the whimsical masterpieces that pepper the city center. Highlights include the Bozeman Trail Scout and the bronzed rhino that guards the intersection at Brundage and Main. A quick brunch at Java Moon will fuel you up for a shopping trip to King’s Saddlery, a tack store that is the envy of purveyors of Western merchandise from Calgary to Cheyenne. A 4-plait rawhide riata and a saddlebag may not seem like practical tourist swag, but they will help you feel at home in the Don King Museum, a veritable spreading ground of ranching history.
Have dinner at Frackleton’s, where Executive Chef Cole Evans has taken Western cuisine to new heights, and pairs his gastro marvels with clever cocktails, some made with Wyoming Whiskey, sagebrush, and local honey. End your day with a Pronghorn Pale Ale from the Black Tooth Brewing Co. before settling down for the night in the Sitting Bull Suite at the Sheridan Inn; Buffalo Bill once held auditions for his Wild West Show on the Inn’s lawn.
Saturday: Beat the early rush to the Flyshop of the Bighorns for bait and tackle and spend the morning fishing the Tongue River or Sibley Lake for cutthroat trout. On your way back into town, stop by the Sheridan County Museum for a glimpse at how the West was really won. Exhibits include the history of the Sheridan Brewing Co., the first American firm to package soda in cans.
Later, take a walking tour through quaint Kendrick Park, home to a small herd of buffalo and elk. (Concerts in the Park take center stage at the band shell every Tuesday during the summer), then saddle up in front of a libation at the iconic Mint Bar. The bartender will provide you with a map to the macabre showcase of local wildlife that lines this former speakeasy’s walls. You should try a ditch, but don’t ask what’s in it.
Early in the evening, walk over to the ticket booth at the WYO Theater and pick a play; there’s always something exciting on for performance arts buffs.
Sunday: Rise and shine with a cup of coffee and a piece of cake from Red Velvet Bakery, then drive 60 miles north to the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument or 25 miles south to Fort Phil Kearny, one of the three major military posts situated along the Bozeman Trail. Work your way back towards the Bighorn Mountains to explore the Cloud Peak Wilderness; the Forest Services Office provides maps, hiking tips and guide amenities. There are more than 100 miles of trails to explore; the routes to Stull Lake, Geneva Lake, and Duncan Lake are particularly outstanding. With time to spare you can visit Eaton’s Ranch in Wolf – the oldest dude ranch in the United States. Additionally, the South Forks Mountain Lodge can organize riding, hunting and photography trips for the itinerant adventurer.
