Historical Sites

Wind River Country has 32 sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places ranging from engineering marvels such as bridges and buildings, to Paleo-Indian sites and gold mining ghost towns. For history buffs, the register is a great place to start your Wind River Country adventure. It lists some obvious destinations such as Castle Gardens, which is renown for its ancient rock art, as well as more obscure sites like Welty’s Department Store in Dubois. Armed with the register, even a drive down Main Street in Lander can become a journey back in time.

Fremont County’s past is a curious combination of Native American, mountain man, pioneer, and cowboy history. To get yourself oriented, stop in at one of the local communities and talk to the experts. Dubois, Fort Washakie, Lander and Riverton all have museums that tell the story of the area from its prehistoric roots to more recent settlement. You’ll hear about the land grab that resulted in the creation of Riverton, the bighorn sheep traps built by Sheepeater Indians in the foothills above Dubois, the mountain man rendezvous, Butch Cassidy’s stay in Wind River Country, the missions erected on the reservation in the 19th century to convert the local tribes to Christianity, and much more.

Another option is to follow one of Wind River Country’s driving tours to see some of the area’s roadside historical sites. Ranging in length from a few hours to all day, these tours are designed to immerse you in Wind River Country’s fascinating past while still enjoying its present day beauty.