Old Trail Town

Old Trail Town is a walk-through museum of the real Old West on the edge of Cody. Rather than a replica street, it assembles authentic nineteenth-century buildings that were moved here from across the region, so you can step into weathered log cabins, a saloon and other structures that once stood on the Wyoming and Montana frontier. The site is self-guided, so you walk at your own pace between the buildings, read the interpretive signs and look through the doorways at the furnishings and tools inside. It has been recognised by True West Magazine as a Best Tourist Attraction and Historical Site, and it is family friendly, easy to enjoy in an hour, and located on the road to Yellowstone National Park. The site is open daily from May 15 to September 30, from 8:00am to 6:00pm, with gates closing at 5:30pm. Admission is $12 for adults, $11 for seniors, $6 for children 6 to 12, and free for children five and under and for active military. Tickets are sold in person and do not expire. Besides the buildings, the setting, with the Cody foothills in the background, gives a feel of the frontier that is hard to get from a museum case, and the place pairs naturally with the Buffalo Bill Center of the West for a full day of Cody history.

Old Trail Town works because it is a collection rather than a copy. Its structures were rescued and brought together, which means the cracks in the logs, the worn thresholds and the faded signs are original. Walking from building to building feels like moving through the memory of a town that never quite existed in one place but was assembled from the traces of many. The Wild West of the movies is tidy; this one is weathered, small and a little crooked, and more convincing for it.

Plan a visit of an hour or so, longer if you read every interpretive sign. The self-guided format suits families, because children can move at their own pace and look in each doorway, and photographers will enjoy the textures of old wood and the open Wyoming sky. Wear a hat and sunscreen, since there is little shade in midsummer, and sturdy shoes for the gravel paths. Bring your purchase confirmation, since it is your only entry. The site is outdoors, so it suits fine weather best.

Pair it sensibly. Old Trail Town sits near the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, so many visitors combine the two, with the museum on a wet day and Old Trail Town on a sunny one. The nightly rodeo, trolley tours and mustang trips are other Cody options. The attraction is seasonal, from May 15 to September 30, so it will not be open on a winter trip.