The Ultimate 2-Day Fall Itinerary in Buffalo, Wyoming
Fall is a great time of year to visit Johnson County Wyoming, with the colorful foliage contrasting against the evergreens as cool evening temperatures set in. Visitors can expect dry, sunny days for exploring the Bighorn Mountains, where aspen groves explode with color among forests and canyons.
The Cloud Peak Scenic Byway (Highway 16) is at its best in the fall, offering great views through Mosier Gulch, over the Powder River Pass into Ten Sleep Canyon.
Why Fall Is the Best Time to Visit Buffalo, Wyoming
While Johnson County provides magical experiences in all four seasons, fall is unique with crisp mountain air turning aspen leaves into a beautiful shade of gold along the creeks and valleys. There are fewer crowds, wildlife is active, scenic drives glow with color, and outdoor adventures feel more personal. Trails, canyons, and scenic historic sites invite deeper exploration for bikers and hikers without summer heat or crowds. Crazy Woman Canyon south of Buffalo and Outlaw Country near Kaycee are at their most beautiful and accessible in September and October.
Planning tip: Check the events calendar at VisitBuffaloWY.com for annual events such as Full Moon Fort at Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site or the SUP Witches paddleboard event on Lake DeSmet — both in early October.
Day One: Hit the Trails Around Buffalo
There’s nothing quite like the Bighorn Mountains in the fall. The changing seasons sweep across Johnson County with dramatic colors, mild days, and beauty from every angle. This Day One itinerary launches your two-day Buffalo Wyoming getaway with the scenic Clear Creek Trail, wildlife encounters, and some of the best fall activities in Buffalo Wyoming.
Whether you’re traveling as a couple or exploring solo, this realistic itinerary offers the perfect pace for soaking in autumn’s arrival where the Great Plains meet the Bighorns. The Clear Creek Trail System offers a variety of experiences from a casual, flat walk along the creek near downtown to a more challenging experience via foot or bike in Mosier Gulch.
In Town: Clear Creek Trail System
Begin your Bighorn Mountains trip right in the heart of Buffalo on the Clear Creek Trail System. This network of more than 13 miles of trails follows Clear Creek through town and into the foothills, offering easy access to fall foliage without leaving civilization behind.
For a leisurely morning walk, start on the Greenbelt Trail, which follows Clear Creek for just over a mile. Benches along the mostly flat path invite you to pause and watch for deer, turkeys, and migrating birds. The cottonwoods along the creek turn golden in fall, creating picture-perfect reflections in the water.
For a more vigorous morning, continue on the William J. Mentock Trail toward Mosier Gulch. This natural-surface trail is popular with hikers and mountain bikers and leads past the historic Old Power Plant with its castle-like design. The 3.5-mile stretch to Mosier Gulch Picnic Area rewards you with increasingly dramatic views of the Bighorn Mountains.
Clear Creek Trail System
One of the jewels of Buffalo, the Clear Creek Trail system connects downtown Buffalo to the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains, largely traveling along a beautiful creek that roars with crisp mountain water. You might see deer, a variety of birds, and stunning fall foliage.
Planning tips: Pick up a trail map at the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center or download the PDF from the Clear Creek Trail Map page. You can also look for the QR codes at the trailhead or on signs throughout the city.
The Centennial Trail connects motels and restaurants along Hart Street to downtown, making it easy to start your hike from wherever you’re staying.
After your morning on the trails, head into historic downtown Buffalo for a well-earned break. Main Street offers local coffee shops and cafes perfect for refueling before your afternoon adventures.
While you’re downtown, browse the shops or stop into the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum if Western history calls to you. The museum’s collection tells the story of Johnson County from Native American heritage through the cattle baron era and the cultural impact of the Basque community.
Out of Town: Bud Love Wildlife Habitat Management Area
This 7,900-acre hidden gem located at the face of the Bighorns is one of the best fall activities in Buffalo Wyoming for those seeking solitude and wildlife. Managed by Wyoming Game and Fish, Bud Love offers fewer crowds and incredible views as aspen groves paint the canyon walls gold and orange. There are two entrances off French Creek Road.
Two most popular hiking route at Bud Love winds through Firebox Canyon with trail loops through Rock and Keno Creeks. Game trails meet established paths for a personalized adventure — whether you’re hiking or simply photographing fall colors.
Keep your eyes open for mule deer, elk, pheasants, and wild turkeys. Fall is an active time for wildlife as animals prepare for winter, and the cooler temperatures often bring them out during daylight hours.
Bud Love Wildlife Habitat Management Area
Bud Love is located 6 miles northwest of Buffalo on French Creek Road.
Planning tip: Bud Love is open May 15 through December 31 and then closed for wildlife protection, but fall is prime time to explore. Contact Wyoming Game and Fish (307-684-2801) or the BLM office (307-684-1100) for current trail conditions and maps.
Into the Bighorns: Trailheads and Outfitters
For an immersive fall activities buffalo wyoming experience, venture into the Bighorns. Trailheads like Elgin Park, Hunter Corrals, and Circle Park are less than 15 miles up Highway 16, offering superb hiking, biking, and horseback riding well into the season. For guided adventures, local outfitters include Blacktooth Excursions and South Fork Lodge, ensuring you capture the best bighorn mountains fall scenery.
Elgin Park, Hunter Corrals & Circle Park Trailheads
Cap off your first day with a drive into the Bighorn Mountains. There are multiple trailheads to begin exploration, notably Elgin Park and Circle Park if you want to hike, but the drive itself is part of the experience.
Highway 16 climbs through the Bighorn National Forest along the Cloud Peak Scenic Byway, with pullouts offering sweeping views of the fall landscape.
The Elgin Park trailhead area offers expansive open parks, gorgeous views of the peaks, and some of the most reliable Bighorn Mountains fall color in the region.
Watch for moose grazing in the willows around Elgin Park — they’re frequently spotted here in autumn.
Elgin Park Trailhead provides access to several non-motorized trails excellent for a late-afternoon walk or horseback ride. The golden hour light at this elevation makes for stunning photography as the sun drops toward the peaks.
Directions: From Buffalo, take Highway 16 west for about 18 miles to Forest System Road 22. Turn left onto FSR 22, then left onto FSR 460, left onto FSR 372, and left onto FSR 397.
Elgin Park Road (FSR 22) actually forms a loop that connects back to Highway 16, so if you prefer the restful drive over more hiking, that’s a great option. Plan a stop at Loaf Mountain Overlook for a gorgeous view of the Bighorn peaks rising above a mix of evergreens and aspens.
Circle Park Trailhead is a gateway to multiple trails to peaceful alpine lakes in the Cloud Peak Wilderness. It’s a short hike of about 2 miles from the Circle Park Trailhead to Sherd Lake, or a little more than 4 miles up to Willow Lake with an elevation gain of 1,600 feet. Those are out-and-back trails but other loop trails are options as well.
Directions: From Buffalo, take Highway 16 west for about 13.4 miles to Forest System Road 20 (Cirle Park Road). Turn right and go about 2.1 miles to the trailhead parking lot. There is a pit vault restroom located there.
Planning tip: Check with the U.S. Forest Service Powder River Ranger District (307-684-7806) for current road conditions, especially later in fall when early snow is possible at higher elevations.
Evening in Buffalo
Head back down the mountain as the light fades, arriving in Buffalo in time for dinner at one of the local restaurants downtown. The dining options in Buffalo (https://visitbuffalowy.com/dining/) range from historic hotel restaurants to steakhouses and casual fare.
Then rest up for Day Two, which takes you to Crazy Woman Canyon and deeper into the Bighorns for scenic drives, ATV trails, and more fall adventures.
Day Two: Scenic Drives, Outlaw Country, and ATV Trails
Day Two of your Buffalo Wyoming fall getaway takes you into the heart of the Bighorn Mountains for stunning fall foliage, scenic drives, and outdoor adventure.
Choose your own path: cruise through legendary Crazy Woman Canyon for dramatic canyon scenery, load up the ATVs and hit the trails in the Bighorns, or head down to the historic outlaw country of Outlaw Canyon southwest of Kaycee.
With fewer crowds and mild fall weather, this is the perfect time to experience Johnson County’s most scenic landscapes.
Crazy Woman Canyon and the Bighorn Scenic Drive
Crazy Woman Canyon Wyoming is one of the most beautiful drives in the region — and fall is the ideal time to experience it. The 13-mile route winds through a dramatic canyon carved by Crazy Woman Creek, with towering cliffs, massive boulders, and aspen groves that blaze with color in September and October.
With fewer travelers in fall, you can expect a more private cruise through the canyon. The unpaved road encourages slow travel, which is perfect for taking in the scenery, spotting wildlife, and stopping at pullouts to explore on foot. Look for the section where the creek runs underground and the natural grotto formations where water carved through rock over millennia.
Crazy Woman Canyon
Getting there: From Buffalo, head south on Old Highway 87 for about 11 miles. Turn west at the signs for Muddy Guard Reservoirs and Crazy Woman Canyon Road (Johnson County Road 14). The canyon road climbs roughly 2,000 feet and emerges on U.S. Highway 16 about 26 miles west of Buffalo.
Planning tip: Cars and high-clearance vehicles can navigate the canyon, just no oversized vehicles or trailers. The road is narrow in spots but has several passing areas. Vehicles traveling uphill have the right of way. Allow 1½ to 2 hours for the drive, longer if you stop to fish, picnic, hike, or photograph the canyon. Check road conditions before you go — the canyon is best explored in dry weather.
Head South: Outlaw Country Near Kaycee, Wyoming
For a memorable drive and hiking experience, head to Outlaw Country outside of Kaycee Wyoming. This full-day trip features red rock scenery, frontier history, and hiking or fishing the BLM recreation area at the Middle Fork of the Powder River. In this area, you will be following the footsteps of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid while having a lot of space to yourself.
A great stop for information and orientation is the Hoofprints of the Past Museum in Kaycee.
Outlaw Canyon
Located about 25 miles southwest of Kaycee is Outlaw Canyon and the Outlaw Cave Trail. The drive takes visitors along the Red Wall and then turns west to the canyon rim. There is a campground there is well but great hiking either on the rim or on the half-mile trail that descends 500 feet into the canyon and down to the river. Look for Outlaw Cave, where Cassidy and his ilk hid from the law. There is signage in the area to tell the story.
Getting there: From Interstate 25, take exit 254 at Kaycee. Head west on Highway 191 for about 1 mile. Turn left onto Highway 190W for about 16 miles to Barnum. Turn left onto Bar C Road (sign for Middle Fork Powder River Management Area). This road is an improved all-weather access road and travels directly through the headquarters of the Hole-in-the-Wall ranch. The road will continue west another 2 miles past the boundary to the Middle Fork Management area, and then another 5 miles to the campground. The trail begins at the campground.
Planning tip: A high-clearance vehicle is recommended to get all the way past the first overlook and out to the campground. For this rugged, rewarding trip into “Red Wall” country, a little prep goes a long way. Expect uneven footing and loose rock on trails into the canyon. There is little shade so bring water, a hat and sun protection as well as layers for changing weather. There is a pit vault toilet at the campground. Let someone know of your plans to be in that area.
Hole-in-the-Wall
The Hole-in-the-Wall is a colorful and scenic red sandstone escarpment that is rich in legend of outlaw activity from the late 1800s, most notably involving Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch Gang. The “hole” is a gap in the Red Wall that, legend has it, was used secretly by outlaws to move horses and cattle from the area.
Managed by the Bureau of Land Management, it is now a 3-mile trail that can include a short but steep scramble up the Red Wall for sweeping views of the valley below.
Getting there: From Interstate 25, take Exit 249 TTT Road. Head southwest on TTT Road off the interstate. The road then turns southeast. Go about 11 miles and veer right (TTT Ranch is to the left). TTT Road turns into Natrona County Road 112/Lone Bear Road. Not far from the county line, veer right at the next Y intersection onto Natrona County Road 111/Willow Creek Road and go about 3.5 miles. Veer right towards Hole in the Wall on County Road 111A and go about 4 miles to rejoin 111. Veer right at the elevated white grain bins and go another 6 miles. Turn right onto Natrona County Road 105 towards Hole in the Wall. Natrona County Road 105 is a 4WD unmaintained road suitable only for high-clearance vehicles during dry conditions. Stay straight on the two-track and go through six gates, about 9.5 miles to the trailhead. Please remember to leave the gates as you find them.
Planning tip: A high-clearance vehicle is recommended for the roads to the Hole in the Wall. Again, expect uneven footing and loose rock on trails up the bluff. There is little shade so bring water, a hat and sun protection as well as layers for changing weather. Respect private property owners who are working with the BLM to make this an enjoyable recreation opportunity. Let someone know of your plans to be in that area.
ATV Trails in the Bighorn Mountains
Fall ATV riding in the Bighorn Mountains makes them a premier destination well into autumn. Explore Loaf Mountain Lookout, Elgin Park, Circle Park, Hunter Mesa, Hazelton, Battle Park, West Tensleep and other areas that can’t be reached by car.
Planning tip: ATV trails in the Bighorn Mountains are weather-dependent. Check with the U.S. Forest Service (307-684-7806) or visit fs.usda.gov/recmain/bighorn/recreation for current trail conditions and OHV regulations before you ride.
Maps are available through WyoTrails.com or the U.S. Forest Service.
Bighorn Mountain ATV Trails
There are off-road vehicle trails throughout the Bighorn National Forest. Grab a map from the Buffalo Area Chamber of Commerce and find your remote adventure.Equipment rentals and information are available from Ultimate Outdoors.
Mountain Meadow Wool
Just in case you need a backup plan for bad weather or want a change of pace from hiking, Mountain Meadow Wool is a tremendous opportunity to learn about the American wool industry. Visitors of all ages can take a self-guided tour that tells the story of turning shorn raw wool into beautifully hand-dyed yarn. This family-operated works with local ranchers and has a gift shop with premium yarn, blankets, and apparel.
A visit to the West’s largest wool mill can be paired with lunch or dinner at the nearby Cowboy Bar & Grill or Bozeman Trail Steak House.
Where to Stay in Buffalo, Wyoming
Visitors to Johnson County can choose from a variety of accommodations, with brand name hotels, boutique hotels, guest ranches, RV parks, campgrounds, and vacation rentals. From historic hotels to modern motels, there is something for every traveler.
Hotels and Motels in Buffalo
The Occidental Hotel & Saloon in downtown Buffalo dates back to 1879 and offers an authentic Western experience. There are also a variety of motels that date back to the mid-century motor court boom, modern hotels such as Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn & Suites, and SureStay Plus by Best Western.
Camping in and Around Buffalo
For those who prefer the RV experience or camping, Johnson County has a lot of options there as well. Three RV parks — Buffalo KOA Journey, Indian Campground, and Deer Park — are located along Hart Street and not far from downtown Buffalo. Others, such as Big Horn View RV Campground and LakeStop Resort, are located further from the city. There also are campgrounds in the Bighorn National Forest and dispersed camping on public lands in the Bighorn Mountains.
Vacation Rentals in and Around Buffalo
Visitors look for a little more space also have a variety to choose from with the many vacation rentals located in the county. Some are in the heart of the historic downtown while others are located in the wide-open spaces of Johnson County. You can begin your research on vacation rentals here.
Plan Your Fall Trip to Buffalo, Wyoming
Fall activities in Buffalo Wyoming offer something the summer crowds miss: solitude, color, and comfortable weather. The aspens peak in mid-September through early October, temperatures are mild, and the roads and trails are quieter. Whether you are seeking a scenic drive, a wildlife encounter, or an off-road adventure, fall in Johnson County delivers an authentic Western experience without the rush.
Weather readiness
Fall weather can shift quickly — from sunny 60s to sudden snow, especially near the Bighorn Mountains. Pack layers: base layer, fleece, and a windproof jacket. Expect chilly mornings and crisp evenings.
Footwear matters
Bring sturdy, closed-toe shoes or hiking boots with good traction. Trails may be muddy, rocky, or lightly snow-covered.
Vehicle considerations
A standard vehicle works for town and highways, but if you’re heading into the mountains, consider four-wheel drive and high clearance. Check road conditions, fill the gas tank, and keep an emergency kit (blanket, water, snacks).
Plan for shorter days
Start adventures sooner and allow extra time to return before dark.
Stay flexible
Weather can change plans quickly — have backup indoor options like museums, shops, and historic sites.
