While summer is one of the most popular times for a Wyoming road trip, we think fall is a prime time to hit the road and explore our wide-open spaces. Here, fall means cooler temperatures, stunning autumn colors and unlimited things to do.
To help you along the way, we’ve compiled a fall itinerary to guide you during your stay. While Casper and Wyoming are open to visitors and no quarantine requirements are in place for out-of-state travelers, the health, safety and well-being of Wyoming residents and visitors are of the highest priority. As you make your way through Wyoming’s beautiful, wide-open spaces, please continue to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, including washing hands frequently, minimizing hand-to-face contact and maintaining a social distance of up to 6-feet from other people. We recommend wearing face coverings, so plan to pack a mask for the safety of yourself and those around you as you experience the one and only Casper, Wyoming.
Your vacation starts with where you’re going to stay, and Casper, Wyoming, has plenty of unique places to rest and recuperate between adventures.
C’mon Inn Hotel and Suites is a rustic retreat complete with an indoor waterfall, fish pond, gas fireplaces, a pool, and five hot tubs. Ramkota Hotel in downtown Casper features an indoor water playland, lounge, and complimentary hot breakfast buffet. The Residence Inn by Marriott is an extended-stay hotel that offers a pool, fitness center, and outdoor SportCourt. If you like cabins, Trout on Inn provides a private bedroom for mom and dad, and two single bunks and a futon for the kids.
If you prefer to sleep under the stars, Fort Caspar Campground is open year-round with full amenities for RVs and tent camping with free showers, playground, a store, and more. Alcova Lake Campground boasts six campgrounds around the reservoir and lake.
After a full day, a quick dinner is in order. At Peaches Family Restaurant, you’ll find burgers and sandwiches, and soups and salads. Stop by the family-friendly brewery, Mountain Hops Brewhouse for a nightcap. They serve six to seven craft brews on tap daily, and kids can join the fun with house-made root beer.
Start the day off with a hearty breakfast at Eggington’s Restaurant. This diner is where locals flock for the freshest breakfast and brunch dishes. Florentine benedict served on a Wolferman English Muffin, breakfast quiche baked from scratch daily and breakfast tamales are all on the menu. Kids will love the build your own breakfast tacos, or the fluffy pancakes and waffles made fresh daily.
There’s no shortage of places to experience the stunning shades of gold, yellow, and red of Casper’s forests and meadows. Casper Mountain’s Beartrap Meadow Park delivers expansive views of lodgepole pines and golden foliage, and the opportunity to spot deer, elk, and even bears. Rotary Park, Casper's most picturesque park, is the perfect place to picnic among the ponderosa pine and aspens at the Garden Creek Falls, before taking the 4.5 mile Bridle Trail to spectacular views of the Casper area below.
Return to Casper and explore the vibrant downtown. Steamboat Deli & Outlet is filled with Wyoming-centric apparel and housewares. From here, pop in Lou Taubert Ranch Outfitters and explore 9 floors filled with boots, hats, and western clothing for the entire family. Continue to Donnell’s Candies for some homemade chocolates and sweets at a legendary family-owned candy shop. Backtrack to WyoMade to pick up apparel, accessories, and more, weaving in and out of the shops that catch your eye along the way. Finish your day at Art 321 to view the current art exhibit and peruse the gift shop filled with one-of-a-kind handcrafted items, including jewelry, fiber arts, cards, books, ceramics, and more.
A full day of hiking and shopping works up an appetite for a hearty dinner. FireRock Steakhouse serves award-winning USDA Angus Beef steaks that are aged a minimum of 28 days and hand-cut before they are grilled to perfection over an authentic wood-fired grill burning oak wood. A great takeout option is Branding Iron, specializing in burgers. You’ll find 16 to choose from with names like Casper, Yellowstone, and Saigon. They’ve even got gourmet hot dogs, decadent shakes, and lots more. Bosco’s Italian Restaurant serves classics like spaghetti and meatballs and baked lasagna for over 40 years.
Deciding to spend the evening resting up at the room, you have just enough time to order a growler of craft beer from Frontier Brewing Company to pick up to go. Choose from eight tasty brews, including Beer Trap Bitter, Larknote Golden Ale, and Sweet Georgia Brown Ale.
The last day in Casper, Wyoming, you pack up your room and load the car so you can squeeze every ounce out of this day. Your first stop is Sherrie’s Place for a classic all-American breakfast before heading out to the Green Acres Corn Maze.
Don’t let the name fool you. This is much more than a maze. Of course, it’s the central attraction, but prepare yourself to be here for a good part of your day. There are ponies, llamas, alpacas, and more begging for pets at the petting farm, as well as mini-tours of the grounds on the barrel train ride, a giant Apple Blaster, and mining for gems and arrowheads. Wear the kids out for the return trip with the Jumping Pillow and corn pit. Of course, find your way through not one, but two mazes; there is also a hay bale maze. What’s more, tractor rides and pumpkin carts run all day to bring you from the maze to the petting farm and back.
Gather the family back into the car for one more stop to the Independence Rock Historic Site. This giant granite monolith was a milestone for Oregon Trail travelers heading west. Also known as the Register of the Desert, this rock bares more than 5,000 names that are a permanent part of our pioneering history, with one of the signatures recorded in 1824. The Rock's highest point sits 136 feet above the surrounding terrain, which includes Devil's Gate, where the river carved a 330 foot deep cut through the rock.
For a list of current conditions in Casper, WY, during COVID-19, we have up-to-date travel advisories.
