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Dubois, Wyoming
is a picturesque, rustic small town located near the spectacular Wind River, surrounded by pristine forests and the brilliant beauty of the Badlands. As of the 2000 census, the town had a population of 962 full time residents. Often called the “Gateway to Yellowstone,” Dubois (pronounced DEW-boys) can be reached by car from the west via Moran Junction and Teton National Park on U.S. route 26/287 and from the southeast via U.S. route 287 from Lander or U.S. route 26 from Riverton. It is the only town between the Wind River Indian Reservation and Togwotee Pass. With some of the finest wilderness and recreation areas in the west, the town of Dubois is quickly becoming one of America’s prime year-round vacation destinations. Called “a small town in big country,” Dubois is about an hour’s drive from Jackson Hole (to the west.) Commercial airlines fly into Riverton, Casper and Jackson and provide connections with major airlines in Salt Lake, Denver and Billings. Dubois area motels offer shuttle services from the Riverton and Jackson airports where there are car rentals available also. Dubois has a new CAA approved, blacktop airport for private planes up to the DC-3 class.
Dubois, Wyoming has a rich history typical of the Old West. It’s situated along one of the old trapper routes to the Jackson Hole Country, which today is Highways 26 and 287. In 1886, settlers wanted to call their little town “Never Sweat” due to the valley’s warm dry winds, but the Federal government named it Dubois after an Idaho senator of the era. Many well-known names passed through the town in the late 19th century, including Kit Carson, Jim Bridger and Butch Cassidy. Today the little community with its’ wooden boardwalks, historic log cabins and saloons, gives visitors an authentic look at the Old West. Quaint shops sell just about anything you’d want, while a local museum has exhibits on everything from the Sheepeater Indians that once inhabited the area to the trappers and loggers who came later.
The town of Dubois is bordered by geography that is second to none in sheer physical beauty. In addition to being near Yellowstone, Dubois is set in a spectacular location called the “Wind River Country,” with the Absarokas to the north and the Wind River Range to the south, and is in the heart of some of the state’s best fishing and hunting country. While visiting, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for bighorn sheep; the Whiskey Mountain area, just outside of Dubois, is home to the largest bighorn sheep population in North America. This mountain, which looms to the south, can also be viewed from the windows of most homes in Dubois. Aside from the bighorn sheep, the Dubois area is home to other big game species such as elk, mule deer, moose, antelope and black bear. Grizzly bears and cougars are occasionally sighted and the area has a multitude of small wildlife and migratory waterfowl. Backpackers and hikers can choose from nearly 800 miles of trails, while the area is dotted with lakes and creeks, teeming with rainbow, cutthroat, golden, brook, Mackinaw and German trout. Horseback riding and rock climbing are other popular sports in the area. Wyoming’s Wind River Range was chosen as a “Top Ten Adventure Destination” by National Geographic Adventure Magazine, alongside the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Park.
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