The American West in All Its Glory

Our annual favorites list celebrates destinations across the Western United States.

Along blue highways to endless vistas, starry nights to warming sunrises, a trip across the American West—in winter, spring, summer or fall—is sure to inspire the traveler willing to leave the road most traveled for the unexpected experiences waiting beyond the horizon.

Why does the West continue to inspire people? Is it the land, the culture, the work, the art, the literature, the mythology? I believe it is all of it wrapped into one, a sense of place that can’t be defined by borders or time. I’ve traveled thousands of miles back and forth across the vast region, and I can tell you without a doubt I know when I’m back in the West. The sky, the sun, the air, the space, the smell and the Western vista beyond the edge of my eyes all envelop my senses and remind me of why I love it.

At True West, we hope that our Best of the West inspires you to envelop yourself in the West and make it your destination of choice this year and for many years afterward. Revisit your favorite places and also go where you’ve never gone before. I did that this year, including a trip to all-time favorites, Death Valley and the Sierra Nevada, and seven days rafting on the Salmon River in Idaho. They call it “the river-of-no-return,” but I will be returning again and again. And, I encourage you to, too.

 

Best Place to Live Like an Old West Cowboy (Winter)

Prescott, AZ

The original Territorial capital of Arizona, Prescott celebrates its heritage throughout the year at local museums, hotels and restaurants. The mile-high city has mild winters with plenty of indoor and outdoor activities, including the popular Historic Downtown Prescott Walking Tours, the Annual Prescott Chamber Christmas Parade titled “A Hometown Christmas,” the Annual Courthouse Christmas Lighting and Sharlot Hall’s Annual Frontier Christmas, “The Spirit of Christmas Past Visits Prescott.” If you stay for the summer, don’t miss Frontier Days, the Frontier Days Rodeo Parade and the World’s Oldest Rodeo every Fourth of July.

visit-prescott.com

Readers’ Choice

Bandera, TX

 

 

Best Place to Live Like an Old West Cowboy (Summer)

Cody, WY

From the great outdoors to museums, Cody is one of the West’s most Western towns in which one can live like an Old West cowboy. Start at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, then head downtown to tour, shop, eat and drink. Don’t miss the Cody Nite Rodeo, Irma Hotel Gunfights, Old Trail Town and trail-riding at one of the local stables. Hang your hat at Buffalo Bill’s Irma Hotel downtown or contact the Cody Chamber of Commerce for information on booking a once-in-a-lifetime cowboy experience at a local historic guest ranch.

codychamber.org

Readers’ Choice

Pendleton, OR

 

Best Old West Gunfighter Town

Deadwood, SD

The epicenter of the Gold Rush of 1874-76 that transformed the Black Hills, Deadwood was founded to supply the rush of miners everything they needed to survive: supplies, saloons and soiled doves. Visitors who walk the streets of Deadwood today should start at the visitors center in the restored railroad station for a map of the city, directions to local museums, daily events, gunfight reenactments, historic sites and the Mt. Moriah Cemetery, where Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are buried near each other.

deadwood.com

Readers’ Choice

Tombstone, AZ

 

 

Best Preserved Pioneer Town Recreated

Old Cowtown, Wichita, KS

Wichita’s Old Cowtown Museum is one of the premier living history centers in the state of Kansas. Dedicated to recreating the atmosphere of the frontier town’s Wild West past when hundreds of thousands of cattle flowed into the city’s stockyards off the Chisholm Trail, Cowtown reconnects visitors with history through artifacts in its 10,000-piece permanent collection. Cowtown’s history programming recounts the story of Wichita’s transformation from a frontier settlement to a modern city. Docents and staff bring Wichita’s past to life for visitors of all ages through hands-on daily activities, special events and living history programs.

oldcowtown.org

Readers’ Choice

Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, Grand Island, NE

 

Best Old West Art Town

Casper, WY

The Casper Arts Guild was founded in 1924 and supports artists throughout the Cowboy State. The city regularly has a popular art walk in the summer months in its downtown gallery district. Casper is also home to The Nicolaysen Art Museum & Discovery Center, an outstanding museum with exhibits and activities for all ages. Every June the museum hosts the NIC Fest, a three-day celebration of art and culture.

visitcasper.com

Readers’ Choice

Toppenish, WA

 

Best Town for Historic Entertainment

Abilene, KS (Old Abilene Town)

After a tour of Old Abilene Town’s historic buildings and “downtown” storefronts and attending the Old West gunfighters show, don’t miss the Can-Can Girls, who kick up their heels on the Alamo Stage every Saturday night from late June to late August.

oldabilenecowtown.com

Readers’ Choice

Durango, CO

 

Best Living History Farm Museum

Enchanted Springs Ranch, Boerne, TX

A little slice of paradise for lovers of the Old West, Enchanted Springs Ranch in Boerne, Texas, is everything you would want in a rentable Western ranch experience. Enchanted Springs has room for up to a thousand guests for your special occasions. Don’t miss a tour of the Back 40 and the farm’s herd of heritage longhorns and exotic animals.

enchantedspringsranch.com

Readers’ Choice

Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm Museums, Olathe, KS

 

Best Historic Town Tour

Rapid City Trolley Tour, Rapid City, SD

The City View Trolley tour starts off at The Journey Museum and takes passengers past some of Rapid City’s iconic attractions. Listen to an audio tour with historical facts about what you’re seeing along the way. The tour also includes a 30-minute stop around the peaceful grounds of the Chapel in the Hills.

visitrapidcity.com

Readers’ Choice

Cody Trolley Tour, Cody, WY

 

Best Promotion of a Historic Place

Dodge City, KS

Take a trolley ride tour of Dodge City to discover the thrill of the Old West in the “Queen of the Cowtowns” at the Boot Hill Museum, Gunfighters Wax Museum, Trail of Fame, Home of Stone and Kansas Heritage Center. Every summer gunfighter reenactors hold thrilling events along “Front Street” at the Boot Hill Museum.

visitdodgecity.org

Readers’ Choice

Tombstone, AZ

 

Best Old West Town to Live In

Abilene, KS

A quintessential all-American city, Abilene provides everything an Old West history lover would want: historic community, excellent museums and culture, a heritage railroad, annual Western-themed events and access to Kansas’s wide-open country.

abilenekansas.org

Readers’ Choice

Virginia City/Nevada City, MT

 

Best Historic Railroad of the West

Georgetown Loop Railroad, Georgetown, CO 

Built in 1884, Colorado’s Georgetown Loop Railroad is one of the engineering wonders of the Rocky Mountain state’s historic narrow-gauge rail lines. Passengers of all ages will enjoy the thrill of riding on historic rolling stock pulled by a steam-driven locomotive across the new High Bridge.

Guests can choose from a variety of special train packages, mine tours and gold-panning opportunities offered throughout the year.

georgetownlooprr.com

Readers’ Choice

TIE: Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Durango, CO/Nevada Northern Railroad, Ely, NV

 

 

Best “Who Slept Here” Hotel

The Occidental Hotel, Buffalo, WY

Visitors to Buffalo, Wyoming, should consider spending the night and dining at the Occidental Hotel, where Owen Wister may have written part of his famous novel, The Virginian. Famous former guests of the historic hotel include Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, Theodore Roosevelt, Calamity Jane, Tom Horn, Buffalo Bill Cody and Ernest Hemingway. While in town, visit the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum’s exhibits that chronicle local history, including the Johnson County War.

Just outside town is the TA Ranch, a historic guest ranch that was the site of a major conflict during the cattle war. Don’t miss Longmire Days every July in celebration of writer Craig Johnson’s Walt Longmire mystery novels and television series set in Big Horn Country.

occidentalwyoming.com

Readers’ Choice

Buffalo Bill’s Irma Hotel, Cody, WY

 

Best Heritage Hotel

Bullock Hotel, Deadwood, SD

Known as the “Jewel of Downtown Deadwood,” the Bullock Hotel has its roots in the grandest years of Deadwood’s frontier era. Rumored to be haunted by its founder Sheriff Seth Bullock, the meticulously restored property is located right in the middle of the city’s historic entertainment district. Whether in town for Wild Bill Days, ‘76 Days or Oktoberfest, the Bullock is the perfect headquarters for a weekend of fun.

historicbullock.com

Readers’ Choice

The Strater Hotel, Durango, CO

 

 

Best Dude Ranch of the West

Rancho de los Caballeros, Wickenburg, AZ

Since 1948 Wickenburg’s Rancho de los Caballeros has been one of the West’s premier dude ranches.

Readers’ Choice

Rowse’s 1+1 Ranch, Burwell, NE

 

Best Heritage Bed & Breakfast

Historic Grand Canyon Hotel, Williams, AZ

If you’re a fan of the Old West, historic railroads, Route 66 and the breathtaking Grand Canyon, the Historic Grand Canyon Hotel is the perfect place to stay in northern Arizona. Established in 1891, this boutique lodge has been beautifully restored, offering a scenic and memorable experience for guests.

thegrandcanyonhotel.com

Readers’ Choice

Old Central Firehouse Bed & Brew, San Angelo, TX

 

 

Best Historic Saloon of the West

The Palace, Prescott, AZ

Famously rebuilt in 1901, The Place is Arizona’s oldest operating saloon. In 1996, the Palace permanently added a restaurant, which is well-known for its cowboy cuisine, Old West dining atmosphere and 19th-century frontier reenactors. The Palace also has a great display of historical artifacts from the Old West and a mural dedicated to the Western film Junior Bonner, which was filmed in the bar and just celebrated its 50th anniversary.

whiskeyrowpalace.com

Readers’ Choice

Miner’s & Stockmen’s Steakhouse & Spirits, Hartville, WY

 

Best Historic Restaurant

Hamley Steakhouse & Saloon, Pendleton, OR

Whether you are in town for the Pendleton Round-Up or just visiting the historic Oregon community of Pendleton, you have to have at least one meal in the historic Hamley Steakhouse & Saloon. Next door to the 1905 Hamley Western Store and Saddle Shop, the restaurant and saloon serve the best Western fare and drinks in unforgettable Old West atmosphere.

hamley.com

Readers’ Choice

Big Nose Kate’s, Tombstone, AZ

 

Best Chuckwagon Cook-Off

Llano River Chuckwagon Cook Off, Llano, TX

Do you love the best-of-the-best chuckwagon chefs facing off against each other? If you do, then you want to put the Llano River Chuckwagon Cook Off on your bucket list and make plans to attend and then stay a few days exploring Texas’s beautiful Hill Country. Founded in 2005, the cook off will be held this year April 3-5, 2025.

llanochuckwagoncookoff.com

Readers’ Choice

Chandler Chuckwagon Cook Off, Chandler, AZ

 

Best Chuckwagon Show & Supper

Bar D Chuckwagon Suppers, Durango, CO

Since 1969, the Bar D Chuckwagon Suppers has been feeding guests great Western fare and entertaining them with boot-stomping Western music. If that is not enough, they have an entire Western-themed village with a short-line train, blacksmith shop, Western art gallery and activities for the young and old alike.

bardchuckwagon.com

Readers’ Choice

Fort Hays Chuckwagon Supper & Show, Rapid City, SD

 

Best Heritage Guest Ranch

Mayan Dude Ranch, Bandera, TX  

From hayrides to trail rides, from fishing to music, dancing and stargazing, the Mayan Dude Ranch’s Western hospitality has something for everyone looking for a fun, Old West getaway. When you and your family aren’t out having fun, you will find yourselves enjoying Western ranch barbecue and Mexican food. Swimming, sports and kids’ fiestas are fun activities you will also enjoy at the Mayan Dude Ranch.

mayanranch.com

Readers’ Choice

Kay El Bar Guest Ranch, Wickenburg, AZ

 

 

Best Cowboy Poetry Gathering

Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Durango, CO 

This popular poetry gathering the first weekend of October includes a traditional trail ride, chuckwagon breakfast, cowboy poet train, parade and, of course, the world-class cowboy poets entertaining crowds day and night.

durangocowboypoetrygathering.org

Readers’ Choice

Arizona Cowboy Poets Gathering, Prescott, AZ

 

Best Cowboy Music Gathering

Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering & Western Swing Festival, Fort Worth, TX

The gathering, celebrating 25 years, features a weekend of great events, including a wagon train and trail ride from Jacksboro, trappings show, cowboy poetry, cowboy music, a youth poetry contest, youth fiddle competition, youth chuck wagon cook-off, Texas Trail of Fame, Cowboy Church, cowboy gospel concert and Western swing dances.

redsteagallcowboygathering.com

Readers’ Choice

Cochise County Poetry & Music Gathering, Cochise County, AZ

 

 

Best Old West Mounted Reenactment

Defeat of Jesse James Days, Northfield, MN 

Held the first weekend after Labor Day every September in Northfield, Minnesota, the Defeat of Jesse James Days offer a thrill-a-minute mounted reenactment of the failed James-Younger Gang robbery of Northfield’s First National Bank on September 7, 1876. The three-day event includes programming for all ages, but the highlights every day are the Raid Reenactments—two on Friday, four on Saturday and two on Sunday—with enough action in every 30-minute show to ensure you leave believing you were there on that fateful day in 1876.

djjd.org

Readers’ Choice

Little Big Horn Battlefield, Crow Agency, MT

 

Best Old West Reenactment Group

Prescott Regulators & Their Shady Ladies, Prescott, AZ  

Members of the Prescott Regulators & Their Shady Ladies, Inc., an all-volunteer nonprofit organization, are the “Official Old West Ambassadors” of historic Prescott. They host the annual Shootout on Whiskey Row, participate in reenactment events and parades throughout Arizona, donating all profits to locally based charities.

prescottregulators.org

Readers’ Choice

Six Guns and Shady Ladies, El Paso, TX

 

Best Wild West Show

Deadwood Alive, Deadwood SD 

Historic Deadwood, South Dakota, is one of the premiere Old West cities to visit in the Western United States. With its historic past in the Black Hills Gold Rush, Deadwood has been North Hills’ destination for opportunity and entertainment since its hardscrabble founding in 1876. From the end of May to late September, the professional reenactment group, Deadwood Alive, puts on three free Main Street Shootouts during the day and the Trial of Jack McCall in the evening, Monday through Saturday.

deadwood.com / deadwoodalive.com

Readers’ Choice

OK Corral, Tombstone, AZ

 

Best Historic Western Rodeo

The World’s Oldest Rodeo, Prescott, AZ 

Since 1888, the Prescott Frontier Days rodeo has been held over the Fourth of July weekend. The World’s Oldest Rodeo will celebrate its 138th annual performance with eight shows from June 30 to July 6, 2025. In conjunction with the rodeo, the always popular annual Prescott Frontier Days Parade is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 5.

The 2025 theme of the WOR will honor the women of  Rodeo.

worldsoldestrodeo.com

Readers’ Choice

TIE: Cheyenne Frontier Days, Cheyenne, WY/Pendleton Round-Up, Pendleton, OR

 

 

Best Preserved Historic Trail

Oregon National Historic Trail, MO, KS, NE, WY, ID, WA, OR

From Independence, Missouri, to Portland, Oregon, follow the Oregon National Historic Trail. An immersive, cultural experience, whether you do it all at once or in pieces over many years, traveling the length and breadth of the Oregon National Historic Trail is a lifetime adventure. The National Park Service site is the place to start planning your adventure across the country.

nps.gov

Readers’ Choice

Chisholm Trail

 

Best Preservation Effort of the West

Moss Mansion Museum, Billings, MT

Step back in time into the Moss Mansion Museum, a showcase for the best of early 20th-century American architecture. Constructed by original owner Preston Boyd Moss, the mansion is showcase of Moss’s entrepreneurism and Billings, Montana, culture. Visit and discover one of the best preserved and architecturally significant homes in the Big Sky State.

mossmansion.com

Readers’ Choice

Historic Sheridan Inn, Sheridan, WY