Wyoming’s open highways are dotted with the kind of attractions that make you slam on the brakes, grab your camera, and wonder aloud, “Who thought of this?” From fantastical creatures to outlandish monuments, the Cowboy State adds a dose of wild weirdness to every road trip. Here are 10 of the strangest, most unforgettable roadside stops across Wyoming:
1. The World’s Largest Elkhorn Arch (Afton)
A towering portal into Afton’s quaint downtown, this arch is made of more than 3,000 elk antlers gathered by local scouts. It’s both wild and whimsical—a testament to Wyoming’s abundant wildlife and its flair for the dramatic.
2. The Jackalope Square (Douglas)
Embodying the spirit of tall tales, Douglas is home to the Jackalope, a mythical antelope-rabbit hybrid. The town’s square features a statue of the legendary creature (and you can even get a jackalope hunting license at the visitor center).
3. Greater Green River Intergalactic Spaceport (Green River)
A dirt airstrip built in the ‘90s during a tongue-in-cheek effort to welcome refugees from Jupiter, this “spaceport” remains a quirky monument to interplanetary hospitality and local sense of humor.
4. Smith Mansion (Wapiti Valley)
This bizarre, multi-story log mansion—festooned with spiral staircases and balconies—was built by a man obsessed with continually expanding it. Sadly, he died mid-construction, but the architectural oddity endures, drawing the curious from near and far.
5. Mama Mimi Sculpture (Jackson)
Also known as the Giant Troll, this massive recycled wood sculpture was created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. Standing in Rendezvous Park outside Jackson, it’s both a fairytale figure and an homage to environmental art.
6. The Fossil Bone Cabin (Medicine Bow)
Built using nearly 6,000 dinosaur bones, this eerie cabin on Highway 30 is a paleontological oddity. While you can’t go inside anymore, seeing a literal house of bones is worth a pit stop.
7. Little America, WY
More than just a travel plaza, Little America boasts its own zip code, a storybook origin, quirky penguin mascots, and some of the West’s most iconic roadside signage. It’s a legendary rest stop that feels like a town in itself.
8. Hell’s Half Acre (West of Casper)
A nightmarish landscape of jagged ravines and colored stone, Hell’s Half Acre earned names like “The Devil’s Kitchen” and once doubled as a cinematic alien planet. Its alien vibe is second only to its actual geological weirdness.
9. Buford—Smallest Town in America
Known for having a population of just one, Buford is a strange blink-and-you-miss-it dot on I-80. There’s a post office, a trading post, and a sense of existential curiosity that makes this a truly oddball stop.
10. The Giant Coffee Pot (Cheyenne)
Towering over the city, this water tower masquerading as a massive coffee pot celebrates both utility and novelty. It’s the perfect photo op for a state fueled by both cowboys and caffeine.
With so many eccentric stops weaving together history, humor, and local legend, Wyoming’s highways beg to be explored with a sense of adventure—and maybe a dash of disbelief. Pack your camera, expect the unexpected, and prepare to fall in love with the wild side of the West.
Sources
[1] https://www.fiftygrande.com/50-weirdest-roadside-attractions/
[2] https://wakeupwyo.com/a-map-of-wyoming-greatest-roadside-attractions/
[3] https://travelwyoming.com/blog/stories/post/10-strange-and-wild-landmarks-in-wyoming/
[4] https://www.worldatlas.com/landmarks/8-of-the-most-bizarre-landmarks-in-wyoming.html
[5] https://mycountry955.com/spectacular-wyoming-roadside-attractions-that-you-must-see/
