Elyse Guarino of Wyoming River Trips.

CODY, Wyo., February 26, 2025 – In Cody Yellowstone, women make history every day just like their foremothers did. From the region’s early frontier days when female homesteaders tamed the elements to create a homestead to the numerous highly skilled and entrepreneurial-minded women who today operate some of the region’s top-flight businesses and attractions, women in Cody Yellowstone know how to get things done.

As the U.S. marks Women’s History Month in March, Cody Yellowstone celebrates today’s leaders following in the sometimes-not-so-dainty footprints of their sisters throughout the generations who helped make Cody Yellowstone the welcoming and inclusive destination it is today.

“Celebrating history-making women here is a tradition first established by town founder Buffalo Bill Cody, who believed in equal pay for women like his Wild West Show co-star Annie Oakley,” said Ryan Hauck, executive director of Cody Yellowstone, the marketing arm for the region that includes the towns of Cody, Powell and Meeteetse, parts of the Shoshone National Forest and a large swath of Yellowstone National Park. “Cody Yellowstone continues to be a top destination for travelers because female restaurateurs, brewers, outdoor adventurers and artists make sure it stays that way.”

Where and How to Celebrate the Noteworthy Women of Cody Yellowstone in 2025

Enjoy a brew and a Reuben sandwich at the all-female-owned and -operated  Pat’s Brew House. Owner Norfleet Gifford and brewer Alexandria Cain create beers in a variety of styles and serve a rotating menu of creatively crafted sandwiches, salads and appetizers. The only woman-

Alexandria Cain and Norfleet Gifford of Pat’s Brew House.

owned brewery in Wyoming, Pat’s Brew House is frequented by locals and visitors alike.

Or head to Cody Craft Brewing. Wife/husband owners Jen and Brian Walker have created a family- and dog-friendly atmosphere as well as award-winning brews.

Observe gentle alpacas at Arrowhead Alpacas. Owner Jan Sapp and her family have been raising alpacas for 20 years, and products like wool for fiber are used by artists and craftspeople throughout the region. The Powell Chamber of Commerce includes Arrowhead Alpacas among its stops at ranches and farms throughout the region.

Learn about natural wellness at Enchantment Creek Apothecary. Heather Jones creates pure and potent herbal remedies at her “farmacy,” Enchantment Creek Apothecary in Powell. Products are also available online.

Dine at James Beard-nominated Sitti’s Table. Operated by wife/husband team Porter Kouri and Jacob Scott, Sitti’s Table is an immensely popular Cody restaurant with Lebanese-inspired menu creations that use locally harvested grains and produce. The restaurant is the only dining spot in Wyoming to be nominated for a James Beard award in 2025, and it has been featured on PBS’s “Hometowns” and Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.”

Porter Kouri and Jacob Scott of Sitti’s Table.

Buy outdoor gear and insightful guidebooks authored by the owners of Sunlight Sports.  Melissa and Wes Allen’s always-hopping Sheridan Ave. outdoor store is filled with the latest gear and clothing carefully curated to reflect the exceptional year-round outdoor adventures in the destination.

Buy a stunning wildlife print from Open Range Images. Amy Gerber photographs grizzlies and their cubs, frosty bison foraging in the snow, moose lounging in willow flats and many other species in their natural habitat. The much-lauded and fearless photographer is one of 13 professional photographers whose work is on display at this Sheridan Ave. gallery.

Purchase Wyoming-centric gifts at Wyoming Buffalo Company. Owner Lisa del Valle and family members operate this Sheridan Ave. emporium, which sells wide-ranging gifts and souvenirs such as wild game summer sausages and salami, honey products, jams, home décor and more. The owners delightfully call Wyoming Buffalo Company the “Sample Store,” and friendly staffers greet all customers with a sampling of treats.

Linger in Shavasana at Pure Heart Retreat. This new yoga center in remote Wapiti Valley is operated by another wife/husband team, Taylor and Mike Gimmeson. Yoga enthusiasts can practice in a massive glass dome with valley and mountain views and spend the night in artfully crafted glass domes with kitchenettes and spacious sitting areas. The retreat welcomes groups as well as solo travelers.

Explore Functional Western Art at By Western Hands. Committed to preserving and showcasing the heritage of the region’s stunning functional art, executive director Mary Sims and a team of talented master artisans provide hands-on workshops, ensuring the preservation of authentic techniques. There’s also an exhibit and gallery with showplace examples of functional art and furniture.

Raft the Shoshone River with Wyoming River Trips or take a packrafting trip with Wyoming Rivers Cooperative. Elyse Guarino co-owns both companies with her partner, Landon Blanchard. She is an advocate for responsible recreation and critical thinking about one’s own outdoor and environmental ethics. She is a long-time outdoor educator in the mountains, canyons and on the rivers around the West.

Ship home some farm-raised beef from the Pitchfork Ranch in Meeteetse. Manager Lindsey Anson is dedicated to promoting authentic Western traditions and serves as a #WildWatch Ambassador for Cody Yellowstone. Much of her work is focused on making the historic ranch increasingly sustainable.

Head to the Buffalo Bill Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Buffalo Bill Cody’s niece Mary Jester Allen helped establish the Buffalo Bill Museum, now one of five museums at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.

Relax with a “Death in the Afternoon” cocktail at the Chamberlin Inn. Agnes Chamberlin was the owner and proprietress of the Chamberlin Inn, now a centrally located boutique hotel that is a popular gathering place. The original owner of the Chamberlin Inn, Agnes Chamberlin, opened the hotel as a boardinghouse in 1900 and gradually expanded the building and added touches of luxury. The hotel was the place to be and be seen, and it often hosted high-profile guests like Ernest Hemingway and Marshall Fields. Agnes Chamberlin was a civic leader who founded the Cody Women’s Club and often hosted Cody Club Chamber meetings.

Pick up a copy of the Cody Enterprise newspaper (and head to the Cody Stampede this summer). Caroline Lockhart was the editor and publisher of the Cody Enterprise as well as a best-selling novelist with a penchant for fraternizing with Hollywood and society types and a reputation for flouting societal norms. She was a passionate horsewoman who jubilantly supported almost any initiative that promoted Western heritage or honored the memory of her dear friend Buffalo Bill Cody, who died in 1917. In 1920, she and other town leaders promoted the idea of staging the Cody Stampede, a rodeo event, on July 4. The Cody Stampede grew over time, and today it is a five-day celebration that not only includes rodeo but also parades, festivals and other special events.

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Home of the Great American Adventure, Cody Yellowstone is comprised of the northwestern Wyoming towns of Cody, Powell and Meeteetse as well as the valley east of Yellowstone National Park. The region is known for rodeos, authentic guest and dude ranches, world-class museums and recreational adventures that reflect the adventurous spirit of the visionaries and explorers who brought the remote region to the world’s attention.

Related hashtags:

#CodyYellowstone

#CodyWyoming

#CenteroftheWest

#BuffaloBill

#Yellowstone

Media contact:

Mesereau Travel Public Relations

720-284-1512

[email protected]

[email protected]