What to See and Do
Hiking and Biking
Gooseberry Badlands Trail
This beautiful trail passes many fascinating rock formations and offers excellent wildlife viewing opportunities.
Length: 1.5 miles
Intensity: Easy
Rainbow Terraces Trail
Located in the nearby Hot Springs State Park, this trail passes by some of the area’s geothermal springs.
Length: 0.6 miles
Intensity: Easy
East Tensleep Lake Trail
This trail in the Bighorn National Forest offers stunning views of the lake and provides easy access to fishing and camping options.
Length: 9.5 miles
Intensity: Moderate
Sherd Lake Trail
Located in the nearby Cloud Peak Wilderness, this trail passes by Sherd Lake and is a great hike for birdwatching.
Length: 3.5 miles
Intensity: Moderate
Outlaw Trail
This looping trail near Cody offers incredible views of the area’s landscape and rock formations. It’s popular with both hikers and mountain bikers.
Length: 8.7 miles
Intensity: Moderate
Fishing and Boating
The nearby Paintrock Creek and the Paintrocks Lakes offer excellent fly fishing opportunities. There are also many options for boating and fishing at Hot Springs State Park. Anglers can generally catch catfish, bass, sunfish, walleye, and crappie.
Climbing
Tensleep Canyon is one of the best nearby locations for rock climbing. Locations within the canyon, such as Mondo Beyondo, the Circus Wall, and the Wall of Denial, offer over 800 traditional, sport, and ice climbs. Most climbs in the area are sport routes, and these routes vary in difficulty, making the area ideal for beginner and experienced climbers alike.
Wildlife Viewing
The Bobcat Draw Badlands WSA is the perfect location to view wildlife, but visitors can also head to Yellowstone National Park or the nearby Bighorn National Forest for great wildlife viewing options. Animals native to the area include bighorn sheep, wild horses, moose, elk, antelope, bears, hawks, mountain lions, eagles, and wolves.
Picnicking
Boysen State Park is a fantastic spot for a picnic. The area offers several playgrounds, and there are also many picnic areas with tables. There are also picnic tables available at Riverside Park. The area offers beautiful views, and there is a small playground.