Cody Trolley Tour: Best of the West

Cody is the gateway town on the east side of Yellowstone, and the Best of the West trolley tour is the quickest way to understand why it exists. Over about an hour and roughly 22 miles, a trolley carries the group past most of the town's attractions and historic sites, along with scenic viewpoints, interesting geology and wildlife areas on the edges of town. Two live narrators run the commentary rather than a recording, and they lean on large historical photographs, relics passed around the group and short audio clips to bring the past into the present. The story is built around William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody, the scout, showman and entrepreneur who founded the town and put it on the map. Pickup is arranged at local hotels or campgrounds, which makes the tour easy for visitors who have arrived by car and do not want to hunt for parking. Each party also receives a free Best of Cody information book, a useful planning tool for the rest of a stay. The trolley holds up to 38 guests, so it feels like a shared outing rather than a coach tour.

Most visitors arrive in Cody with a plan to see Yellowstone, and the town itself gets a night and a hurried dinner. This tour is a good way to change that. In one hour you learn how a single larger-than-life figure shaped a Wyoming community, why the surrounding landscape looks the way it does, and where the best things to do are. By the end you know which museums deserve a half day, which sights are quick stops and where to eat on the way back from the park.

The two-narrator format is the heart of the experience. One guide drives the story forward while the other adds colour, passes around artefacts and plays archival audio. Large historical photographs show the town as it looked in the early days, which gives the modern streets a layer of meaning. Expect tall tales, real history and the occasional joke.

Because the route passes the main attractions and historic sites, you can spot places you want to return to and ask the guides how long each one takes. Wildlife areas and geological features on the outskirts add a bit of landscape to the town story, and the Wyoming sky does the rest.

Practical details are simple. The tour lasts about an hour and covers roughly 22 miles, with pickup from local hotels or campgrounds. The group is capped at 38, so book ahead in busy summer weeks. It is stroller accessible and close to public transport, infants ride on laps and service animals are welcome.

The trolley itself is not wheelchair accessible, although the operator's booth can help wheelchair users board if they transfer from their chair. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before departure, and if the minimum group size is not met you are offered another date, another experience or a full refund.

Plan it sensibly. Many visitors take the trolley on their first morning or afternoon in Cody, then spend the rest of the day at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, which rewards a long visit, or at Old Trail Town, where authentic frontier buildings stand just outside the centre. If you have a morning free, the McCullough Peaks mustang tour is a natural companion, and the evening rodeo season gives Cody a lively night life in summer.

Dress for open air, with a light jacket in spring and autumn and a hat in July, and bring a camera for the scenic stops. Fit: first-time visitors to Cody, history lovers, families with children old enough to enjoy a story, and anyone who prefers a short guided overview to a long self-driven loop. It also suits rainy mornings, when a narrated ride beats a wet walk, and arrivals who want a gentle start after a long drive from the park.