Visiting the Buffalo Bill Dam Cody Wyoming

Located just outside Cody, Wyoming, the Buffalo Bill Dam is a historic engineering marvel and a convenient stop for travelers en route to Yellowstone National Park. Named after the legendary Buffalo Bill Cody, who founded the nearby town, the dam stands as a testament to early 20th-century engineering. But is the Buffalo Bill Dam Cody Wyoming worth your time? Well, we are going to find out!

Buffalo Bill Dam Cody Wyoming
I’ll be damned | Buffalo Bill Dam Cody Wyoming
Buffalo Bill Dam Cody Wyoming
The Buffalo Bill Dam and Visitor Center during fall

Buffalo Bill Dam Cody Wyoming: Details

Location:
4808 N Fork Hwy
Cody, WY 82414

The Buffalo Bill Dam and Visitor Center is located right off US Highway 20, which is the way to Yellowstone National Park from Cody, Wyoming.

Parking: There is a large parking lot to accommodate plenty of vehicles. Due to security measures, you will have a short walk to the visitor center and dam from the parking lot, however, the dam does provide door-to-door free rides on a golf cart shuttle, if anyone in your party needs help.

Cost: Free

Hours: The dam, visitor center and gift shop is open seasonally – May through September. They don’t give actual open/close dates, but I visited at the very end of September and they were still open.
Weekdays: 9am-6pm
Weekends: 9am-5pm

RELATED: Where’s the best place to stay in Cody, Wyoming? Probably The Irma. It’s not luxury, but it’s memorable!

Canyon and Shoshone River at the Buffalo Bill Dam Cody Wyoming
View of the Buffalo Bill Reservoir

Historical Significance

Constructed between 1905 and 1910, the Buffalo Bill Dam was an engineering feat of its time. At the time of completion, it was the tallest dam in the world at 325 feet. Built primarily during harsh Wyoming winters, the project demonstrated incredible resilience and ingenuity. The dam’s primary purpose was to regulate the Shoshone River and provide irrigation to the surrounding arid lands, helping to transform the region into fertile farmland.

Looking down on the Shoshone River at the Buffalo Bill dam and reservoir in Cody Wyoming, with rocks in the water

Visiting the Buffalo Bill Dam

When visiting the dam, you’re allowed to walk right across the entire dam. Looking to your left, you’ll see the Shoshone River. Look off to the right, and you’ll see the Buffalo Bill Reservoir, created by the dam. And that’s pretty much it. There’s not much else to do, other than stop in at the visitor center to learn more about the history of the dam in the small museum and watch a movie, in case you need a nap.

This is considered a National Historic Site, so if you collect National Park Service passport stamps, you can get stamped here. The gift shop here is pretty nice — they sell all the National Park Service-style collectibles you could ever want (patches, coffee cups, shirts, postcards, keychains, pins). Plus, the restrooms are really nice.

Control yourself, you heathen!

Nearby Attractions

Other nearby attractions worth a visit are:

Buffalo Bill State Park
Check out the town of Cody: Lots of shops, cafes and restuarants to keep you entertained for a little while
Buffalo Bill Center of the West: A huge complex of 5 different museums – it could take you a few days to get through it all
Cody Nite Rodeo: If you’re visiting during the summer, you might want to stick around for the evening and take in Cody’s most famous attraction — the nightly rodeo!

Buffalo Bill Dam in Cody Wyoming – Final Thoughts

While I don’t think this is the most exciting place I’ve ever been, it was free, and provided interesting views of the Shoshone River and canyon. I definitely wouldn’t suggest anyone go out of their way to see this, but if you’re in Cody en route to Yellowstone with a few minutes to kill, stop in and check out this damn dam. Is the Buffalo Bill Dam in Cody worth visiting? Unless you’re in a huge hurry, I’d say it is.

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