miles city ranch rodeo and bronc sale parade montana true west magazine
Miles City, Montana, celebrates its Western heritage with a parade down Main Street during its annual two-day Miles City Ranch Rodeo and Bronc Sale.
— Courtesy Montana Office of Tourism —

I remember seeing my Wyoming-raised father quietly touching his hand to the brim of his cowboy hat, or tipping it in a polite gesture when meeting a man or woman in our travels. I always thought this was such a gentlemanly way of saying hello, and I enjoyed seeing someone return the greeting with their hat brim or just a quick smile. As a history buff, I know that the gesture’s origin started as a way to show friendly intentions when men would meet, because their hand was on their hat and not on their gun.

Today you can still find that friendly traditional Western spirit alive ’n’ kickin’ in towns
all across the West. It comes in all forms, from a humble local museum to rip-roarin’ rodeos, historic hotels with provocative legends, to gold mines and natural wonders.

In my travels I’ve explored some pretty interesting spots where the heritage of the area overflows with traditions built from Western dreams and values. Here are a few places where you can be comfortable wearing your cowboy boots and hat. Come share the adventure…and let the “cowboy” in you have some true Western fun….where the air has a hint of horses and, yes, people still tip their hats.

JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING

million dollar cowboy bar jackson hole wyoming true west magazine
The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar is a great place to enjoy a night out in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
— Photo by Outlaw Partners/Courtesy Million Dollar Cowboy Bar —

Nestled in the valley below the Teton Mountains, along the Snake River, native tribes and famous mountain men, including Jim Bridger and John Colter, gathered for the summer Rendezvous. Beaver pelts and buffalo hides were the currency of the times. Today you can explore the past in the historic Western town of Jackson Hole. Walk its wooden sidewalks, shopping for that perfect cowboy hat. Enjoy outstanding art galleries, take a river raft trip or horseback ride and then go watch the longest running cowboy shootout in the country, under the huge arches of elk antlers in Jackson Hole’s Town Square.

Summer adventures in Jackson Hole

JacksonHoleChamber.com

Old West Days: horse-drawn parades and Elk Antler Auction, Memorial Day Weekend

bronc rider jackson hole wyoming true west magazine
Ever since the first ranchers settled Jackson Hole in the 1880s, the cowboy way of life has been part of the picturesque Teton County.
— Courtesy Library of Congress —

Jackson Hole Shootout: Town Square, daily except Sundays at 6 p.m.

Grand Teton Music Festival: July 30-Aug. 17

Jackson Hole PBR Touring Pro Division Bull Riding: Teton County Fairgrounds, July 15-16

Grand Teton National Park: camping, hiking and wildlife, near Yellowstone National Park

Where to hang your hat in Jackson Hole

The Lodge at Jackson Hole: 80 Scott Ln.
800-458-3866 • LodgeAtJH.com

Inn On the Creek: 295 N. Millward St.
307-739-1565 • InnOnTheCreek.com

Where to grab grub in Jackson Hole

Silver Dollar Bar and Grill: 50 N Glenwood St.
307-733-2190 • WortHotel.com

Snake River Grill: 84 E. Broadway Ave.
307-733-0557 • SnakeRiverGrill.com

Where to round up Western Gear

Western Range Clothing Co.: 36 E. Broadway Ave.
307-264-1794 • WesternRangeClothing.com

MILES CITY, MONTANA

Named for Civil War Gen. Nelson A. Miles, this Big Sky Country cowboy town is rich in Western culture. Visiting the Range Rider Museum you can learn firsthand about the forts and local ranching history. If you want a taste of the Old West, where cowboys and horses are celebrated, attend an annual event that brings rodeo stock buyers from all over North America into town to purchase horses…the Miles City Bucking Horse Sale. It includes a parade, dances, rodeos, trade show and many other activities all centered around the big sale. Wear your hat proudly downtown and drop into the famous Miles City Saddlery, home of the original maker of Coggshell Saddles, in business since 1909.

Summer adventures in Miles City

MilesCityChamber.com

Bucking Horse Sale: May 13-16, 2020

Miles City Ranch Rodeo and
Bronc Ride:
June 14-15

Where to hang your hat in Miles City

Comfort Inn: 1615 S. Haynes Ave.
406-234-1000 • MilesCityMotel.com

Where to grab grub in Miles City

Tilt Würks Brewhouse: 420 Pacific Ave.
406-951-6288 • MilesCityBrewery.com

Black Iron Grill Rotisserie: 2901 Boutelle St.
406-234-4766  MilesCityRestaurant.com

Where to round up Western Gear

Miles City Saddlery: 808 Main St.
406-232-2512 • MilesCitySaddlery.com

Rollie’s Saddle Shop: 520 N. Sioux Ave.
406-232-1049 • (no website)

Kickin’ Ass Hat Company: 901 Main St.
406-234-4723 • Facebook.com

BELLE FOURCHE, SOUTH DAKOTA

belle fourche black hills rodeo true west magazine
Belle Fourche’s Black Hills Rodeo celebrates the South Dakota city’s Old West roots for five days every year over the Fourth of July.
— Courtesy South Dakota Office of Tourism —

Founded in the late 1800s, Belle Fourche has a rich history of pioneers and cowboys, sheep and cattle. Home to one of the oldest continuously held outdoor rodeos in South Dakota, it also lays claim to being the Geographic Center of the United States. You can learn all about the latitude and longitude marker at the Tri-State Museum and Visitors Center. The city is one of the most important livestock shipping railheads in the West and can boast of having the largest wool shipping warehouses in the U.S. today. Ranchers and farmers alike love Belle Fourche for its Western heritage, as well as the beauty of area, located at the forks of three major rivers. In July you just might find a herd of cattle running down Main Street, headed to the rodeo.

Summer adventures in Belle Fourche

BelleFourcheChamber.org

South Dakota High School Rodeo Finals: June 12-16

The Cattle Drive Down Main Street: July 2, followed by a BBQ and Mutton Bustin’ rodeo

Black Hills Roundup: July 2-6

Tri-State Museum and Visitors Center
415 5th Ave. • TheTriStateMuseum.com

Where to hang your hat in Belle Fourche

Americinn by Wyndham Belle Fourche: 2312 Dakota Ave.
605-892-0900WyndhamHotels.com

Where to grab grub in Belle Fourche

American West Grill and Bar: 1807 5th Ave.
605-723-0139 • AmericanWest2.wix.com

Grap’s Burgers and Brews: 518 National St.
605-723-1610 • Facebook.com

Where to round up Western Gear

Weather Hat Company: 519 Grant St.
605-723-2277 • Facebook.com

Pete’s Clothing Western Wear: 500 State St.
605-892-4773 • (no website)

Cowboy’s Too–Western Wear: 506 State St.
605-892-9089 • CowboysToo.Business.Site

HEBER CITY, UTAH

heber valley railroad reenactors true west magazine
Don’t miss an opportunity to ride back into the Old West on the Heber Valley Railroad in Heber City, Utah, and be entertained by the historic train’s cowboy re-enactors.
— Courtesy Heber Valley Railroad —

Situated in a stunning Utah mountain valley, Heber City offers year-round fun with a true Western flair. Grab your best 10-gallon hat and ride the Heber Creeper. The Heber Valley Railroad’s 1920s-era rail cars will whisk you from the historic depot, back in time…where train robbers and gunfights, pony rides and train-loads of Western fun happen during Old West Days. For a festival filled with cowboys and cowgirls, the Heber Valley Music and Cowboy Poetry Gathering is a must to attend. This spectacle is filled with nonstop performances, cowboy poetry and Western concerts during the five-day event. Meander over to the Buckaroo Fair, where a mountain men traders’ camp, arts and crafts, cowboy gear and equestrian events take place. Cheer on your favorite bronc rider during the Wasatch County Fair and Mountain Valley Stampede Rodeo. If you love 1800s artifacts and history, the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum is well worth the visit.

Summer adventures in Heber City

GoHeberValley.com

Heber Valley Railroad’s Wild West Days
May 22-25, 2020

Wasatch County Fair and Mountain Valley

Stampede Rodeo: July 29-Aug. 3

Heber Valley Music and Cowboy Poetry Gathering: Oct. 23-27

Daughters of Utah Pioneer Museum 188 S. Main St.
435-654-3666 • WasatchCountyDUP.org

Where to hang your hat in Heber City

Strawberry Ranch Mountain Resort 345 W. 600 St. #106
435-657-3664 • StrawberryRanch.com

Daniels Summit Lodge: 17000 S. Daniels Summit Pass, U.S. Hwy 40
435-315-2013 • DanielSummit.com

Where to grab grub in Heber City

Main Street Social: 98 S. Main St.
435-657-6534 • MainStreetSocialUtah.com

Café Galleria: 101 West Main-Midway
435-657-2002 • CafeGalleriaPizza.com

Where to round up Western Gear

Reams Boots and Jeans: 472 N. Main St.
435-654-3054 • ReamsBootsAndJeans.com

TOMBSTONE, ARIZONA

ok corral shootout reenactors tombstone true west magazine
O.K. Corral shootout re-enactors entertain Tombstone, Arizona, tourists at Old West festivals and Vigilante Sundays, May through August.
— Courtesy Cochise County Tourism —

When you hear the name Tombstone, Arizona, you envision Wyatt Earp, his brothers and Doc Holliday walking up the dusty street on their way to the shootout near the O.K. Corral. But this area started out as a mining town known as Goose Flats. By 1881, now called Tombstone after the first silver mining claim, it was the fastest growing city between St. Louis and San Francisco.  Tombstone became famous for the Bird Cage Theatre, its saloons and Boot Hill Cemetery. Today, you can still visit these places, as well as the Tombstone Courthouse State Historical Park, where you can explore the history of what the locals call “the Wildest Town in the West.” Watch an outdoor re-enactment of the O.K. Corral Gunfight on historic Allen Street every second, fourth and fifth Sundays, May through August. In June you can enjoy street entertainment and parades during Salute to the Buffalo Soldier Days. The Wyatt Earp Vendetta Ride in October follows the trail that Earp and his posse traveled while hunting those who shot Wyatt’s younger brother Morgan. This five-day event in Tombstone and Cochise County will take you riding through the mountains, visiting Johnny Ringo’s haunted gravesite and other historic sites.

Summer Adventures in Tombstone

TombstoneWeb.com

wake benge tad roland jeff lewis true west magazine
In July 1879, three of John Slaughter’s cowboys, (l-r) Wake Benge, Tad Roland and Jeff Lewis, were immortalized at C.S. Fly’s Tombstone photographic studio.
— True West Archives —

Vigilante Sundays: May through August

Salute to the Buffalo Soldier Days: June 29-30

Wyatt Earp Vendetta Ride: Oct. 13-18

Tombstone Helldorado Days: Oct. 18-20

Boothill Cemetery: 408 AZ-80
520-457-2540 • TombstoneBoothillGiftshop.com

Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park: 223 E. Toughnut St.
520-457-3311• AZStateParks.com

Where to Hang your hat in Tombstone

Tombstone Monument Ranch: 895 W. Monument Rd.
520-457-7299 • TombstoneMonumentRanch.com

Landmark Lookout Lodge: 781 AZ-80
520-457-2223 • LookoutLodgeAZ.com

Where to Grab Grub in Tombstone

Big Nose Kate’s Saloon: 417 E. Allen St.
520-457-3107 • BigNoseKatesTombstone.com

Café Margarita: 313 S. 5th St.
520-457-2277Café-Margarita.com

Crystal Palace Saloon: 420 Allen St.
520-457-3611 • CrystalPalaceSaloon.com

Where to roundup Western Gear

Shady Lady’s Closet: 406 E. Allen St.
520-457-2562 • ShadyLadysCloset.com

Arlene’s Gallery & Southwest Trading 415 E. Allen St.
520-457-3678 • ArlenesGallery.com

PRESCOTT, ARIZONA

the palace restaurant and saloon prescott arizona true west magazine
A highlight of any visit to Prescott, Arizona, is a stroll around the Courthouse Plaza to Whiskey Row and dinner and drinks at the state’s oldest bar, the Palace Restaurant and Saloon.
— Courtesy The Palace Restaurant and Saloon —

Located in central Arizona, Prescott lays claim to being home to the World’s Oldest Rodeo. Since 1888, this traditional wild ’n’ woolly event has been presented annually over the 4th of July weekend during Prescott Frontier Days. In 1864, the town was founded as the Territorial capital of Arizona, but later the capital was moved to Phoenix after a brief try in Tucson. With the discovery of gold, Prescott started out as a mining town but truly grew with the expanding cattle industry. Today over 600 of the town’s buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Walk along downtown’s historic Whiskey Row, which at one time claimed 26 saloons, and wet your whistle at The Palace, Arizona’s oldest restaurant. This tree-lined plaza district is filled with unique shops, Western galleries and restaurants, as well as several top-notch Western stores. Visit the Sharlot Hall Museum, home to Prescott’s Wild West and pioneer history, or the Smoki Museum, filled with artifacts from the American Indian cultures of the Southwest.

Summer adventures in Prescott

Prescott.com

Prescott Antique Show and Vintage Market
June 2

Frontier Days World’s Oldest Rodeo: July 1-7

Sharlot Hall Museum: 415 W. Gurley St.
928-445-3122 • Sharlot.org

Smoki Museum: 147 N. Arizona St.
928-445-1230 • SmokiMuseum.org

Where to hang your hat in Prescott

Hassayampa Inn: 122 E. Gurley St.
928-778-9434 • HassayampaInn.com

Grand Highland Hotel: 154 S. Montezuma St.
928-776-9963 • GrandHighlandHotel.com

Where to grab grub in Prescott

Prescott Brewing Co.: 130 W. Gurley St.
928-771-2795 • PrescottBrewingCompany.com

Palace Restaurant and Saloon: 120 S. Montezuma St.
928-541-1996 • WhiskeyRowPalace.com

Lone Spur Café: 106 W. Gurley St.
928-445-8202 • LoneSpurCafe.com

Where to round up Western gear

Puttin’ On The Hats: 106 S. Montezuma St.
928-776-1150 • PrescottHats.com

Diamond D Ranch Wear: 130 W. Gurley St.
928-771-9777 • DiamondD.us

BISHOP, CALIFORNIA

bishop mule days california true west magazine
Every Memorial Day weekend Bishop Mule Days celebrates the Old West heritage of Bishop, California, and the role of the mule in the settlement of the Eastern Sierra.
— Courtesy Bishop, California, CVB —

The city of Bishop was named for one of the first European settlers in the area, Samuel A. Bishop, who trailed 500 head of cattle here in 1861. This high valley and nearby river are named for Richard Owens, a member of John C. Fremont’s 1845 exploration party, which included Kit Carson. For thousands of years, this valley was home to local indigenous people, and visitors today can learn about their culture at the Bishop Paiute Tribe Cultural Center, where Native heritage, artifacts and art are on display. The Laws Railroad Museum and Depot is your next stop. Its 50 historic buildings have been brought in from the valley, filled with antiques, gold miners’ equipment, blacksmith shop, merchants store and S.P. Engine No.9. All summer long you can catch a ride on the train, including during “The Greatest Mule Show on Earth”—Bishop Mule Days. This six-day rodeo and mule event is filled with tack-scrambles, packing, roping, jumping and even a crazy mule costume contest. Don’t miss the parade—the longest-running non-motorized Western parade in the nation.

Summer adventures in Bishop

BishopVisitor.com

Bishop Mule Days: May 19-24, 2020

California High School Rodeo Finals: July 12-15

Laws Railroad Museum: Silver Canyon Rd.
760-873-5950 • LawsMuseum.org

Where to hang your hat in Bishop

Cielo Hotel Bishop-Mammoth: 651 N. Main St.
760-873-6380 • ChoiceHotels.com

Creekside Inn: 725 N. Main St.
760-872-3044 • BishopCreeksideInn.com

Where to grab grub in Bishop:

Aaron Schat’s Roadhouse: 871 N. Main St.
760-873-0000 • SchatsRoadhouse.com

Mountain Rambler Brewery: 186 S. Main St.
760-258-1348 • MountainRamblerBrewery.com

Where to round up Western gear:

The Toggery: 115 N. Main St.
760-872-3211 • ToggeryBishop.com

Sierra Saddlery and Feed: 600 S. Main St.
760-873-4153 • (no website)

WINNEMUCCA, NEVADA

wineemucca nevada tri-county air and stampede true west magazine
The north-central Nevada town of Winnemucca is buckaroo country with Western events held throughout the year, including the annual Tri-county air and Stampede Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2019.
– Courtesy TravelNevada –

The city of Winnemucca was named by one of President Lincoln’s mapmakers, in honor of Northern Paiute Chief Old Winnemucca. When you visit, it won’t take you long to see that this is a true Western town, geographically the center of Nevada but also filled with pioneer heritage, Native culture, rodeos and fun. If saddles and spurs spark your interest, stop in to the Humboldt Museum, where you will find everything from fossils to native artifacts, objects from the buckaroo life and the local Basque culture. View over 53 big-game specimens beautifully displayed in the William Humphrey Collection. Enjoy the annual Classic Car Festival or the “wildest weekend,” the Tri-County Fair, where bulls, broncs and buckaroo poets share the fair with parades, monster trucks, carnivals and Western arts and crafts. The Basque Festival celebration includes a parade, dancing and a traditional Basque picnic. You can enjoy the skies filled with colorful hot air balloons during the Balloon Fest, take in the Horseshoe Tournament or Cow Country Team-Penning…Winnemucca has it all, with a rodeo nearby almost all year round.

Summer adventures in Winnemucca

Winnemucca.com

Winnemucca Balloon Fest, May 15-16, 2020

Basque Festival: June 7-9 

Winnemucca Classic Car Show: July 19-20

Tri-County Fair: Aug. 29-Sept. 1

Humboldt Museum: 175 Museum Way
775 623-2912 • HumboldtMuseum.org

Mining Tours: Twin Creek Newmont Operations: 40 miles NE of Winnemucca
775-635-4206 • NewmontGoldCorp.com

Where to hang your hat in Winnemucca

Holiday Inn Express: 1987 W.Winnemucca Blvd.
775-625-3100 • IHG.com

Candlewood Suites: 460 E.Winnemucca Blvd.
775-623-2700 • CandlewoodSuites.com

Where to grab grub in Winnemucca

The Griddle: 460 W. Winnemucca Blvd.
775 623-2977 • TheGriddle.com

The Martin Hotel: 94 Railroad St.
775 623-3197 • TheMartinHotel.com

The Pig BBQ and Pub: 1139 W. Winnemucca Blvd.
775-623-4104 • The-Pig-BBQ-Pub.business.site

Where to round up Western gear

Tip’s Western Wear and Saddlery: 185 Melarkey St.
775-623-3300 • TipsWestern.com

Big-R Winnemucca: 3270 W.Railroad St.
775-623-2447 • BigRWest.com

BANDERA, TEXAS

experience bandera texas cattle drive true west magazine
Bandera, Texas, “the cowboy capital of the world,” celebrates its Old West history throughout the year at special festivals, including Experience Bandera, scheduled for Aug. 31, 2019.
— Courtesy Bandera CVB —

The charming cowboy town of Bandera is the self-proclaimed “Cowboy Capital of the World” and truly lives it everyday. Whether you come to horseback ride the rugged countryside or watch nationally ranked bull riders, barrel racers and mutton busters, Bandera celebrates the Western cowboy culture…Texas style. If you need a new hat or want to wet yor whistle at an old-fashioned soda fountain, explore the Bandera General Store. They have everything from boots to pickled quails eggs and even a ghost named Henry, who might just whisper a “howdy” in your ear. The Frontier Times Museum has over 40,000 items on display, celebrating Texas heritage and cattle trails of the area. Downtown, the Great Western Cattle Drive Trail historic landmark commemorates the trails that moved cattle and horses north, along the Chisholm Trail to Dodge City and markets north. Dinosaurs and even a 17-foot Masai giraffe will greet you at the Bandera National History Museum, with dioramas of wildlife from all over the world. Don’t miss Cowboys on Main, a weekly Saturday afternoon rip-snortin’ cowboy shoot-out event…Bandera is filled with Old West Charm to delight every buckaroo.

Summer adventures in Bandera

BanderaCowboyCapital.com

Bandera Stampede Pro-Rodeo: May 24-26

Bandera Summer Rodeo: June 7-Aug. 9

Experience Bandera: Aug. 31, Longhorn cattle drive and parade and Ranch Rodeo

Where to hang your hat in Bandera

River Oak Inn: 1203 Main St.
830-796-7751 RiverOakInn.com

Sugar and Spice Ranch: 884 Rikki Dr.
830-460-8487 • TexasHorseCamps.com

Dixie Dude Ranch: 833 Dixie Dude Ranch Rd.
830-796-7771 DixieDudeRanch.com

Where to grab grub in Bandera:

11th Street Cowboy Bar: 307 11th St.
830-796-4849 • 11thStreetCowboyBar.com

Arkey Blue’s Silver Dollar Saloon: 308 Main St.
830-796-8826 • Facebook.com

Where to round up Western gear

Cowboy Store: 302 Main St.
830-796-8176 • Facebook.com

Bandera General Store: 306 Main St.
830-796-4925 • BanderaGeneralStore.com

ALLIANCE, NEBRASKA

knight museum and sandhills center alliance nebraska true west magazine
Alliance, Nebraska, honors its Western ranching and cowboy past at the world-class Knight Museum and Sandhills Center.
— Courtesy Nebraska Tourism —

Nestled in Box Butte County in the northwestern part of Nebraska, Alliance welcomes visitors to explore its local Western heritage. This pioneer town is, as recorded by National Geographic, the home to one of the top ten roadside attractions, Carhenge. A replica of the famous Stonehenge, this monumental “car art preserve” monolith is made out of real cars! I guarantee you will be amazed at this wacky monument and its unique story. For a more Western flair, visit the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center, which features local American Indian artifacts and history, as well as Nebraska pioneer memorabilia. If you want to do genealogy research, this place can help, and is open to the public. Dobby’s Frontier Town is the spot to see firsthand, restored buildings of the Old West. Here you can learn about pioneer life, see antiques as well as have some hands-on fun adventures. Not far from the Central Park Fountain, is a 1903 Railroad Steam Engine, one of the last five surviving of its kind, K-4 No. 719. Alliance in July is all about rodeo and Nebraska’s heritage…with celebrations that bring in the top bareback riders, saddle bronc riders, steer wrestling cowboys, barrel racers and more.

Summer adventures in Alliance

VisitAlliance.com

nebraska cowboys true west magazine
Discover western Nebraska’s rich cowboy and ranching history, as seen in this 1901 photo, at Alliance’s annual Cattle Capital Rodeo, Heritage Days and Box Butte County Fair.
— Courtesy Library of Congress —

10th Annual Cattle Capital Rodeo: July 5-6

Heritage Days: July 16-21

Box Butte County Fair: Aug. 3-11

Knight Museum and Sandhills Center
908 Yellowstone • 308-762-2384

Carhenge: 2151 Hwy 87
308-762-3569 • Carhenge.com

Where to hang your hat in Alliance

Holiday Inn Express: 1630 Holsten Dr.
308-761-0970 • IHG.com

Alliance Hotel and Suites: 117 Cody Ave|
308-762-8000 • Alliance-Hotel.com

Where to grab grub in Alliance

Ken and Dale’s Restaurant: 123 W. 3rd St.
308-762-7252 • KendalesRestaurant.com

Allinace Zesto: 711 W. 3rd St.
308-629-1144 • Facebook.com

Korner Grill: 1203 W. 3rd St.
308-761-1656 • Facebook.com

Where to round up Western gear

Redman’s Shoes: 308 Box Butte Ave.
308-762-3303 • RedmansWorkPlay.com

Pumpkin Creek Western: 424 Box Butte Ave.
308-760-4247 • (no website) 

ALBANY, TEXAS

fort griffin fandangle albany texas true west magazine
One of the most popular annual Old West events in Albany, Texas, is its Fort Griffin Fandangle, which celebrates the settlement of frontier Texas.
— Courtesy Albany Chamber of Commerce —

If you love the legends and history of the Old West, the grandeur of Longhorn cattle, and the wind in the thick mesquite and pecan trees, then Albany is the destination for you. For centuries this area has been known for its outstanding hunting and because of that, was home to the Apache and Comanche people. In 1867, Fort Griffin was established overlooking the Clear Fork of the Brazos River. This fort was one in a long line of forts along what is now known as the Texas Forts Trail, a 650-mile highway tour of historic Texas forts in West Central Texas. Today the Fort Griffin State Historical Site welcomes visitors with guided tours and is home to the Official State Longhorn Cattle Herd. Built below the fort, Albany is the oldest town on the northwest frontier. Its Old Jail, now the Art Center Museum, and Main Street buildings have been restored, housing wonderful shops, restaurants and theaters. Albany is deeply tied to the history of Texas, and an annual play, the Fort Griffin Fandangle, is performed each June, telling the story. Cowboys, cattle drives, forts and pioneer history make this an ideal adventure spot.

texas cowboys true west magazine
Visitors to Albany and Bandera, Texas, will discover that large ranching operations established across the state in the 1870s, including the JA Ranch near Palo Duro Canyon, are still an integral part of day-to-day life in the Lone Star State.
— Courtesy Library of Congress —

Summer adventures in Albany

AlbanyTexas.com

Fort Griffin Fandangle: Last two weekends in June

Fort Griffin State Historic Site: 1701 N. Hwy
283 325-762-3592 • THC.Texas.gov

Railroad Depot Visitors Center: 2 Railroad St.
325-762-2525 • AlbanyTexas.com

Where to hang your hat in Albany

Hereford Motel: 557 U.S.180
325-762-2224 • Facebook.com

Dye Guest House B&B: 216 Breckenridge St.
817-925-6663 • AlbanyTexas.com

Where to grab grub in Albany

Vintage Vanilla: old-fashioned soda fountain and café, 130 S. Main St.
325-762-3030 • Facebook.com

Albany Beehive: 517 U.S.180
325-762-3034 • BeehiveSaloon.com

Where to round up Western gear

Blanton-Caldwell Trading Co.: 117 S. Main St.
325-762-2370 • Facebook.com

The Town Store: 130 S. Main St.
325-762-2322 •  Facebook.com

SISTERS, OREGON

wild west show sisters oregon true west magazine
Every August, the annual family-fun Wild West Show celebrates Sisters, Oregon’s, Western past with gunfighter re-enactments and skits.
— Courtesy Wild West Show, Sisters, Oregon CVB —

From Indians and fur trappers, explorers and homesteaders, this region of western Oregon has always drawn people to its pine forests and mountain vista views. In 1901 the town of Sisters was established, first with logging and later for being the crossroads “Gateway to the Cascades.” Near town, on Hwy 20 in a pasture on the Lazy Z Ranch, you will be wowed by life-sized sculptures of a dozen iron horses, a dog and riders, running through the field. Sisters is Western to its core and the 1880s storefronts on all the downtown specialty shops and galleries definitely add Old West flair. Boots and hats are welcome here all year long, especially during Sisters Rodeo and Xtreme Bulls in June. This rodeo started in 1940 and in its day, offered winners such big purses, matching the winnings of the Pendleton and Cheyenne rodeos, that Sisters became known as the “Biggest Little Show in the World.” As well as the rodeo, summers here are filled with all kinds of Western-themed fun, quilt shows, car shows, Art in the Park and the region’s top 30 taps Homebrew Festival.

sisters saloon sisters oregon true west magazine
The Old West crossroads community of Sisters, Oregon, developed from an 1860s Army outpost to an important cattle, sheep, supply and sawmill town on the eastern slope of the Cascades.
— Courtesy Sisters, Oregon Historical Society —

Summer adventures in Sisters

SistersCountry.com

Sisters Rodeo and Xtreme Bulls: June 5-9

Outdoor Quilt Show: July 12-13

Wild West Show: arts/crafts/Western skits entertainment family fun, Aug.17

Homebrew Festival: Aug. 24

Where to hang your hat in Sisters

Best Western Ponderosa Lodge: 500 Hwy 20
541-549-1234 • BestWesternSisters.com

Five Pine Lodge: 1021 Desperado Trail
541-549-5900 • FivePineLodge.com

Where to grab grub in Sisters

The Gallery Restaurant: 171 W. Cascade Ave.
541-549-2631 • Facebook.com

Sisters Saloon and Ranch Grill:
190 E. Cascade Ave.
541 549-7427 • SistersSaloon.net

The Gallimaufry: 111 W. Cascade Ave.
541-549-9841 • Facebook.com

Where to round up Western gear

Baldwin’s Custom Hat and Boot Co.: 1430 Fadjur Ln.
541-610-9978 • BaldwinHats.com

Dixie’s Western Apparel and Goods: 100 E. Cascade Ave.
541-549-6451 • ShopDixies.com

Quickgrass Sally is a working ranch wife and freelance author in Montana. She writes about the West from her own experiences, having ridden her horse and driven her covered wagon thousands of miles along the Western historic trails.

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