Parcours audioguidé pour visiter Cody

Cody is best visited from late spring to early autumn. Summer is the liveliest season: the days are long, the rodeo runs every evening and the road over the pass to Yellowstone's east entrance is open, which is not the case for much of the winter. June and September strike a nice balance, with fewer people, pleasant temperatures and superb light on the canyons, even if nights stay cool at altitude. Winter is harsh and snowy: the town carries on and the museums stay open, but some outdoor activities and park access shut down. Check road conditions before you set off, as the weather changes fast in Wyoming.

A full day covers the essentials: a morning at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, whose collections easily take several hours, an afternoon at Old Trail Town and along the main street, then the rodeo in the evening during the summer season. Two nights give you room to breathe and to add the Buffalo Bill dam and reservoir, a walk in the canyon or a horseback outing. Many travellers treat Cody as a stop on the way to Yellowstone: if so, spending the night here before entering the park is comfortable, as the drive is long and the scenery invites frequent stops.

The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is the obvious starting point: this cluster of museums brings together the history of the West, western art, firearms, Yellowstone natural history and Plains cultures under one roof. Old Trail Town then gathers genuine nineteenth-century cabins and buildings, dismantled and rebuilt here, some of them linked to the region's outlaws. On Sheridan Avenue, the Irma Hotel, built by Buffalo Bill and named after his daughter, keeps its carved wooden bar and its gunfight scene staged on summer evenings. Add the Buffalo Bill dam, spectacular at the bottom of its canyon. The Ryo audio guide offers a dedicated Cody route that links these places and tells the story of the town's birth.

Cody is named after William Frederick Cody, known as Buffalo Bill, a hunter and army scout who became the creator of the Wild West Show, a spectacle that toured America and Europe. In the late nineteenth century he invested in this Bighorn valley and helped found the town, with the idea of drawing travellers towards Yellowstone: Cody was therefore designed from the outset around a story, the West as he staged it. He had the Irma Hotel built here, along with a hunting lodge in the nearby mountains. The town's museums now work at separating the public figure from the man, and also give space to Native American nations' perspectives on that period.

Cody is Yellowstone's east gateway. You reach the entrance on a road that follows the North Fork Shoshone valley, between eroded cliffs and forest, before crossing a high pass; allow a good part of the morning to reach the first geysers, more if you stop often. That road and its pass close in winter and reopen in spring depending on snow, so check conditions before setting off. There is no regular public transport to the park: you need a car, with a full tank from Cody, as services are scarce between the town and the entrance. Bring water, warm clothes and a little patience for the slowdowns caused by wildlife.

Yes, and it is one of the town's signatures, since Cody happily bills itself as a rodeo capital. Through the summer season a rodeo is held every evening in the local arena: bull and bronc riding, roping and barrel racing, in a family atmosphere where younger children are invited into the ring at the start of the programme. The open stands fill up fast, especially at weekends, and evenings cool down sharply once the sun goes: take a jacket. Early in the summer the town also hosts a larger edition, with a parade through the streets. Out of season the arena is quiet, but the museums tell the story of the tradition.

Most visitors arrive by car, from Billings to the north, Sheridan to the east or Jackson to the south-west, each drive taking several hours across mountains and wide plains. A small regional airport serves the town, with flights from a few western hubs, mainly in season, and car rental desks on site. Once there, the centre is very walkable: Sheridan Avenue concentrates the shops, restaurants and historic hotels. As soon as you head further out, though, a vehicle becomes essential, because distances are long and there is no public transport network. Remember to fill up regularly, as petrol stations can be far apart.

The immediate surroundings easily deserve half a day. To the west, the Buffalo Bill dam holds back a turquoise reservoir framed by rock walls, with a visitor centre perched above the canyon and areas for swimming, fishing and boating. Further on, the Shoshone national forest unrolls hiking trails, campgrounds and strangely shaped rock formations along the valley. To the north, the road towards Red Lodge climbs in switchbacks to high plateaus and huge panoramas, open only in the warmer months. Wildlife watchers look out for elk, bighorn sheep and birds of prey at first light. Carry water: the dry heat and the altitude are quickly felt on the trails.

The centre, around Sheridan Avenue, is the most practical: you will find historic hotels, motels and guest houses within walking distance of the museums, restaurants and the rodeo arena. To the west, along the Yellowstone road, lodges and guest ranches are scattered through the valley, more isolated but well placed for an early start into the park. Campgrounds and RV sites are also plentiful in the area. In summer demand is high and availability goes a long way in advance, especially during the big early-season festivities, so it is worth booking as soon as your dates are fixed.