Vacation

Museums & Historic Sites

National Big Horn Sheep Interpretive Center: Learn about wild sheep through hands-on exhibits. Winter tours are available to provide a wonderful opportunity to view wildlife on the winter range of the Whiskey Mountain Herd.

Dubois Museum & Wind River Historical Center: A living history museum that presents and interprets the history of Wyoming's Upper Wind River Valley including the Sheep Eater Indians.

Tie Hack Memorial: The memorial honors the tie hacks, mostly men of Scandinavian descent, who cut railroad ties by hand in the first half of the 20th Century.

Petroglyphs: (profile page) Visitors can explore several locations in the Torrey and Dinwoody Basins, where the earliest inhabitants of the Wind River Valley left behind signs of their presence in the form of stone tools, wood structures, tipi rings, and rock art. Historians believe rock art was used to record events, mark important places, worship, or simply as a form of creative expression. Although no one knows the exact significance of the images left behind in Wind River Country, their mystery and beauty are alluring.

The Great Outdoors

Wildlife: Dubois, WY is home to one of the largest native Big Horn Sheep populations in the U.S. Visiting the Whiskey Peak herd is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Not only can you see Big Horn Sheep, but moose, elk, grizzly bear, black bear, wolf, deer and mountain lion are abundant.

Fishing: Fishing in the Wind River Range is an experience like no other. It has been called "one of the last great frontiers of U.S. fly fishing" by the Angling Report. The Wind River Range cuts a huge diagonal swath across west central Wyoming. Part of the Continental Divide, the Wind River Range boasts the state's highest mountains. Altogether, this area contains 3,000 alpine lakes, 800 of which are known to hold fish, and dozens of major streams and tributaries. Eastwardly, its waters drain into the enormous Big Horn Basin, known in its upper stretches as the Wind River. Westwardly, the mountains drain into the Upper Green River.

Trails: Dubois, like Lander, offers spectacular outdoor possibilities for the adventurous. A combined 806,349 acres of the most spectacular wilderness area in the lower 48 states stretches from the Cirque of Towers to the Absoraka Range. There are seven trailheads in the upper Wind River (Fitzpatrick and Washakie Wilderness) that allow access nearly 450 miles of non-motorized trails, ATV trails, 16 miles of x-country ski trails and 135 miles of snowmobile trails.

Snowmobile: Appealing to many sledders is the variety of riding available on the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail. There's something for everyone in terms of skill level and length of trail. There are hundreds of miles of groomed trails, or ungroomed powder. Plus, exceptional services are available throughout the trail system so you can end each day with a hot meal and comfortable lodging. Of course, if there isn't good snow, there isn't good snowmobiling. You can cound on the CDST to deliver this with not only deep snow but fresh powder. And Togwotee Pass, around 9,000 feet in elevation, is famous for its late spring snowmobiling. Excellent snowmobile services, lodging, restaurants and the amenities surrounding the town of Dubois add to the appeal of snowmobiling powder on Togwotee Pass.

Western Pleasure

Rodeo: Dubois hosts a regular Friday night rodeo at 8 p.m. throughout the summer. It is a fantastic place to see experienced cowboys and cowgirls compete side by side with younger contestants trying to break into America's Sport. Rodeo is and always will be more than a sporting event: it's a way of life, it's a gathering place and, for many, it is a right of passage. Join them in Dubois to be part of the authentic West.

Horseback Riding: It's hard to beat the view from the back of a horse. Take advantage of the experience and knowledgeable guides in the Dubois area and explore the country from the back of a horse.

Western Square Dancing: Kick up your heels every Tuesday night at the Rustic Pine at 8:00. Enjoy part of the still Wild Wild West!

Dubois Fish Hatchery: Located on the east slope of the Wind River Mountain Range in some beautiful mountainous country, Dubois Hatchery has an interesting history. Originally constructed in the early 1930s, hatchery operations were abandoned in 1937 and another facility was constructed in 1940. Nearby Whiskey Basin, home to the largest Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep herd in North America, offers spectacular photography and wildlife viewing opportunities. The hatchery gets its water supply from three springs and Jakey's Fork Creek. The water temperature varies throughout the year, but reaches around 56 degrees fahrenheit in the summer. The concrete raceways and two dirt rearing ponds support Rainbow, Cutthroat and Brown trout. Incubators at Dubois eye several million eggs each year.

Events & Festivals

Dubois Antler Rendezvous: The largest one-of-a-kind gathering of antler buyers, brokers and crafters from coast to coast. Raw antler for sale: Moose, Elk, White Tail, Mule Deer, Reindeer, Red Stag, Fallow and more. Anything antler: lamps, jewelry, chandeliers and carvings. Always held in May, five days prior to Jackson Hole Elk Refuge Antler Auction.

Swedish Smorgasbord: Everyone is invited to join the citizens of Dubois at the community's annual Swedish Smorgasbord at the Dubois Headwaters Center on the second Saturday in June. The smorgasbord features traditional Scandinavian food and live entertainment. The buffet-style dinner is served at 5 and 6 p.m. The Swedish Smorgasbord celebrates the Scandinavian heritage of the tie hacks (loggers) who cut railroad cross-ties in the national forest near Dubois for almost 40 years. Each spring a smorgasbord was held to celebrate the end of winter and beginning of a 100 mile, "tie drive" (float) down the Wind River to the railroad terminal in Riverton. For more information, phone the Dubois Museum at 307-455-2284.

Pack Horse Races: The Don Scheer Memorial Packhorse Race is held in late May at the Dubois Town Park. The race features teams of both men and women competing. Each race consists of teams breaking down their camp, packing up one horse, saddle two other horses and trotting a 7-mile course. At which point they must unpack the horse, have a 15-minute break, trot another 7-mile course and set up camp again. The first team (2 people, 3 horses) to complete the course wins. There is a Calcutta on Friday evening where spectators meet the teams and in an auction format purchase the team they expect to win. A first, second, and third place will be awarded for each race with 10 percent given to charity. The races consist of several divisions including an all women's Powder-Puff race, the Open Division and the Old Timer's division, whose teams combined age must be at least 100 years old.

Kite Day: Experience the fun as you make a kite during the "Kite Day" events in Dubois at the National Big Horn Sheep Interpretive Center, 907 W. Ramshorn St. Create your own kite and learn how to fly it! All kids and kids at heart are welcome. (Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult.) A light lunch will be served at noon. Games, stories, and other activities are also planned.