10 Chuckwagon Dinners From Wyoming Full Of Western Taste
Nothing captures the spirit of the Wild West quite like a traditional chuckwagon dinner under Wyoming’s big sky. These hearty meals bring to life the cowboy traditions that helped shape the Equality State, offering authentic flavors that cowboys enjoyed on cattle drives.
I’ve rounded up ten mouthwatering chuckwagon experiences across Wyoming that serve up history alongside delicious grub.
1. Bar J Chuckwagon in Jackson Hole
You’ll feel transported back in time the moment you step onto the Bar J Ranch. Their famous beans simmer all day in cast iron pots while the cooks prepare mouth-watering steaks over open flames.
The experience goes beyond just eating – the Bar J Wranglers entertain guests with authentic cowboy music and comedy that’ll have you slapping your knee. Everyone leaves with a full belly and happy heart.
2. Lazy L&B Ranch Cookout
Tucked away in the Wind River Valley, this working dude ranch offers the most authentic ranch experience I’ve found. Their weekly cookouts feature Dutch oven cooking demonstrations where you can watch as layers of cobblers and stews come together.
The ranch hands share stories about Wyoming cattle drives while guests dig into smoky beans and fall-off-the-bone ribs. What makes this place special is eating alongside real cowboys who work the ranch daily, giving you genuine insight into ranch life.
3. Fort Laramie Historic Feast
History buffs will adore this chuckwagon experience at Fort Laramie National Historic Site. The meal is prepared using authentic 1800s military fort recipes, giving you a literal taste of Wyoming history.
Park rangers in period costume explain how these meals sustained soldiers and travelers on the frontier. The buffalo meat stew and army bread transport you back to territorial days. Eating in the shadow of the restored fort buildings creates an atmosphere that no restaurant could ever replicate.
4. Cody Cattle Company’s Gunslinger Grub
Cowboys and comedy come together at this lively dinner spot just minutes from Yellowstone’s east entrance. Their prime rib is legendary – slow-roasted all day and served with a special blend of Western spices that’ll make your taste buds do a happy dance.
Between bites of their famous jalapeño cornbread, you’ll be entertained by trick ropers and country musicians. Kids especially love watching the demonstrations of cowboy skills like lasso tricks. The servers even dress as famous Western characters from Wyoming’s colorful history.
5. Thermopolis Hot Springs Chuck Pot
Imagine enjoying tender smoked brisket after soaking in natural hot springs! This unique chuckwagon experience combines Wyoming’s geothermal wonders with Western cuisine.
The Chuck Pot serves its meals in the state park near the world’s largest mineral hot spring. Their signature dish is a Dutch oven stew that simmers all day using the natural heat from the springs. The apple cobbler, also cooked using geothermal heat, might be the most unique dessert in the entire state.
6. Dubois Outlaw Cookout
Nestled in Wyoming’s rugged Absaroka Mountains, this cookout celebrates the region’s outlaw history. The meal begins with “Butch Cassidy’s Beans” – a secret recipe supposedly passed down from the famous Wyoming outlaw himself.
Wagon rides take you to the dining location along the scenic Wind River. The highlight is their “Rustler’s Ribeye” cooked over pine and sage for a flavor you won’t find anywhere else. Local musicians play songs about Wyoming’s most notorious characters while you enjoy your meal under towering cottonwood trees.
7. Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Chuckwagon
Right outside Cody sits this gem that honors the legacy of Buffalo Bill Cody himself. The cooks wear period-authentic clothing while preparing meals using recipes passed down through generations of Wyoming ranch families.
My favorite dish here is their slow-cooked brisket that falls apart with just a fork. Paired with their sourdough biscuits and honey butter, it’s heaven on a tin plate. The storytellers sharing tales of Buffalo Bill’s adventures make this dinner unforgettable.
8. Sheridan Cowboy Grub Round-Up
At the foot of the Bighorn Mountains, this authentic working ranch opens its gates for weekly chuckwagon dinners that showcase the best of Northern Wyoming flavors. Their specialty is “prairie chicken” – actually sage grouse prepared using an old trapper’s recipe.
Ranch hands demonstrate how cowboys lived during cattle drives, from rope tricks to saddle making. The highlight comes when they ring the dinner bell and serve up plates piled high with smoked meats and frontier fixings. Don’t miss their wild huckleberry pie made with berries picked from the surrounding mountains.
9. Yellowstone Ranch Roundup
Ranch hands ring the dinner bell at sundown, calling hungry travelers to feast on slow-roasted brisket that’s been smoking since dawn. The meat falls apart with just a fork, no knife needed!
Diners sit at long wooden tables beneath cottonwood trees, passing around cast iron pots filled with campfire beans, sourdough biscuits, and honey butter. The cook, usually a third-generation rancher, shares tales of Wyoming’s early days between serving up seconds.
Save room for the signature huckleberry pie, made from berries picked in the nearby mountains. When stars appear overhead and the fiddle music starts, you’ll understand why folks have been coming back for decades.
10. Wind River Wilderness Feast
“Eat till your boots pop off!” That’s the motto at this authentic backcountry meal hosted by local Shoshone guides. Guests arrive on horseback to a hidden meadow where buffalo steaks sizzle over pine-scented fires.
What makes this meal special isn’t just the food—it’s the setting. Surrounded by the jagged Wind River mountains, diners enjoy cornbread baked in traditional Dutch ovens buried in hot coals. The coffee comes strong and black, boiled cowboy-style with eggshells to settle the grounds.
After filling up on berry cobbler, guests often join in traditional Native American stories shared around the campfire—a cultural exchange as rich as the meal itself.
