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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Buffalo
Buffalo, Wyoming
One night, two at most: use Buffalo as a base for the Bighorn Mountains and a stop on I-25/I-90 between Sheridan and Gillette.
Buffalo is a small high-plains town of about 4,600 people at the foot of the Bighorn Mountains, on I-25 and I-90 in northeast Wyoming. It is a one-night stop for most drivers and a two-night base if you want a full day in the Bighorns or at the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum. The historic main street and the Occidental Hotel are the reason to get out of the car.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Buffalo, Wyoming
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, wind, snow)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget US$90–140 excl. bed · Mid US$150–230 excl. bed · High US$250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Wyoming road conditions 511
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | US$3–6 |
| Diner breakfast | US$12–20 |
| Burger or steak dinner | US$18–40 |
| Draught beer | US$6–9 |
| Gallon of petrol | US$3–4 |
| Motel room, midweek | US$90–180 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | US$15–30 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CPR · Casper-Natrona County International
- About 2 h 15 min south by I-25; the closest commercial airport with regular service
- BIL · Billings Logan International
- About 3 h north by I-90
- DEN · Denver International
- About 6 h south by I-25; the usual arrival point for a longer Wyoming loop
Typical fares
- Fuel, Buffalo → Sheridan and back
- about US$8–12
- Motel room, one night
- US$90–180
- Museum entry
- about US$10
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
A car is the practical choice: the town is small but the sights that justify the stop — the Bighorn foothills, the interstate, the next town — are all outside walking range. Main Street itself is walkable in 10 minutes. There is no local bus service; rideshares are limited, so plan on your own vehicle or a taxi from your motel.
See and do
Known for
- Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum
- Historic Occidental Hotel
- Bighorn Mountains access
- Main Street storefronts
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bighorn National Forest (Cloud Peak Wilderness foothills) | US 16 west out of town, up the mountain | 20–60 min to the first viewpoints |
| Sheridan | I-90 north, about 35 min | About 40 min |
| Gillette | I-90 east, about 1 h 15 min | About 1 h 20 min |
| Moorcroft | I-90 east then US 14, about 1 h 30 min | About 1 h 40 min |
| Aladdin | WY 24 northeast, about 1 h 15 min | About 1 h 20 min |
Sleep
- Downtown / Main Street
- Walk to the museum, shops and restaurants; the Occidental Hotel is here. Best if you want to park once.
- I-25 bypass and North Bypass Road
- Chain motels with free parking right off the interstate; 5–10 min drive from Main Street. Best for a late arrival or an early start.
- Bighorn foothills west of town
- Cabins and guest ranches toward the mountains; a car is required and many close in winter.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Where is the toilet? | Where is the restroom? |
| Can I pay by card? | Do you take cards? |
| How far is it? | How far is that? |
| Is this road open in winter? | Is the pass open? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Distances are large: the next services on I-90 or I-25 can be 40–60 min away, so fill the tank in town.
- Winter brings snow, ice and strong wind on I-25 and I-90; check road conditions before driving.
- Wildlife on the roads at dawn and dusk, especially toward the Bighorns.
- Cell coverage thins quickly once you leave the interstate corridor.
A quiet, low-crime small town; the real risks are the drive — snow and wind on the interstates, wildlife at dawn and dusk, and long gaps between services.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Buffalo yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum
- Historic Occidental Hotel
- Bighorn Mountains access
- Main Street storefronts
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Buffalo (Wyoming), revision 5222446 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5222446
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
BuffaloBuffalo, Wyoming
Can you take me to this address?
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Buffalo; consulates are in Denver and the embassies are in Washington, DC.
Tipping: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, US$1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/buffalo-wyoming). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.