Send us a text The Fountain Hotel was shrouded in mystery. It was the fanciest resort in Yellowstone, but not all their guests checked out. Newspapers across the nation carried the story about the millionaire’s missing heir. Park security investigated a mysterious bell that rang for service in an empty room. A party of motorists who just vanished perplexed people for decades. Park rangers and guests alike were pleased when the luxury hotel was torn down in 1927, taking with ...

Send us a text High in the Absaroka Mountains lies the ghost town of Kirwin — a place built on promise, gold, and fear. Once the most modern mining town in Wyoming, Kirwin boasted electricity, telephones, and two-story homes in the wilderness. But after a deadly avalanche struck in 1907, the people fled… leaving everything behind — furniture, tools, even their dreams. Or did they? Over a century later, visitors still claim to hear voices as if the town itself refuses to die. Journalists repor...

Send us a text High in the Rattlesnake Range above Casper, Wyoming, a legend rides the wind. He is a ghostly white stallion known as The White Devil. In the 1800s, this spectral horse was said to protect his herds of wild mustangs from any cowboy who dared to rope them. Fierce, untamed, and impossible to catch, he became more than a horse. The White Devil was a warning. Even today, locals whisper that the White Devil still roams those rocky hills, a restless spirit of the Wyoming fronti...

Send us a text In 1866, danger haunted every mile of the Bozeman Trail. Red Cloud and his Sioux warriors were at war, defending their homeland against broken treaties and encroaching forts. Soldiers rode under constant threat, their lives hanging by a thread in the lonely stretches between outposts. Into this peril walked Private Dave Duck, carrying an urgent dispatch through hostile country. Yet, when he reached Fort C. F. Smith, the men there met him not with relief but with disbelief...

Send us a text They say justice never rests—but neither does Tom Horn. After the infamous gunslinger swung from the gallows inside the Laramie County Jail on November 20, 1903, the prisoners left behind began to hear things: the creak of the trapdoor, the sinister sound of running water from the “suicide gallows,” and a calm, steady voice saying, “Are you ready?” Even after his death, prisoners swore Horn was still there with them, slowly pacing his cell and professing...

Send us a text Three times, early pioneers of Wyoming have been said to have seen an ancient ship of death. This fully crewed ship came like the mist, sailing down the Platte River near the present day city of Casper. This ship brought with it a horrifying vision to all who saw the spectral vision. This ghost story has connections to the Bermuda Triangle and an infamous author, Vincent Gaddis. The more I learned of him, the more horrified I personally became! Be prepared to scream...

Send us a text The Twilight Zone In Chugwater, Wyoming Caught in a blizzard, three people sought shelter and found much more than they bargained for as they entered the twilight zone in Chugwater, Wyoming. Welcome to Season 4 of the Pioneers of Outlaw Country. I am your host Jackie Dorothy and we are about to embark on a spooky journey across Wyoming. This is the most terrifying season yet as we explore the haunted history of the Equality State! On this journey, we welcome to the Twilig...

Send us a text Yellowstone’s Battle Against the Automobile Getting to Yellowstone National Park in the early days of the automobile was no simple task. Adventurous drivers believed it was possible, but first, two big hurdles stood in their way: building safe roads through the rugged Cowboy State and convincing the Park Service to even allow cars past the gates. One determined driver crashed the gate going 25 mph and the mounted soldiers gave chase! The war to get automobile’s into Yellowstone...

Send us a text Dangerous Work: Building the Yellowstone Highway Blasting a road through Wyoming’s Wind River Canyon in the 1920s was like chiseling a trail into the jaws of a granite beast—complete with dynamite, sheer cliffs, and the constant threat of falling into a roaring river. It took guts, grit, and more than a few prayers to carve tunnels and hang a highway from canyon walls that soared thousands of feet above the brave souls below! It’s a story of blasting rock, battling floods...

Send us a text The Good Roads Clubs in Wyoming were like the cheerleaders of the early highway system—rallying townsfolk, wrangling funds, and literally paving the way to Yellowstone National Park, turning bumpy wagon trails into smooth rides for motorists in their new fancy cars. As autos became all the rage even in rural Wyoming, so did the increased need for good highways. Across the Cowboy State, Good Roads Clubs were formed and led the way to build better highways. In 1...

Send us a text Blasting Through The Wind River Canyon Blazing a railroad through Wind River Canyon in the early 1900s was essentially hand-painting a snake’s skeleton—rugged crews, dynamite, burros, and sheer drops that would make a circus tightrope look tame. Those hardworking souls carved tunnels out of granite with picks, shovels, and sweat, all while exotic voices from Swedish, Italian, and Japanese laborers echoed between canyon walls. Join us as we celebrate these hard working men - and...

Send us a text The Bighorn River is a dangerous river in the Bighorn Basin and has claimed numerous lives in its depths. Lives were lost when high water would sweep away entire families. The ferries made crossing the dangerous Bighorn River safer - but even these ferries were perilous and dangerous. These stories and more are featured in this special podcast as part of the tales along the Yellowstone Highway explaining the dangers Wyoming pioneers faced just trying to travel...

Send us a text Welcome to a special edition of Pioneers of Outlaw Country. Today you are in for a treat. Grab your popcorn as we dive into an old-time radio show. As I was researching the stage routes of Wyoming, my internet searches kept directing me to the movie, Stagecoach. I admit I was a bit annoyed but then my curiosity got the best of me. I finally listened to the radio dramatization of the movie - when I should have been researching, I admit! Since I enjoyed it, I fi...

Send us a text Wrecks, highway robbery and rockslides awaited the stage coaches that dared venture over Birds Eye Pass. This dangerous stage line route was full of peril but despite the risks, the stage coach ran every day, except Sunday. Join us for a ride on this perilous route over the Wind River Canyon in Central Wyoming. There was no train or highway - only the rugged trail through Copper Mountain. This special edition of Pioneers of Outlaw Country celebrates the Yellowstone ...

Send us a text When the mountain man brought the first mischievous mule into Wyoming he was unaware of the importance this stubborn, irritating critter would play in building the state. As we continue celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Yellowstone Highway through the Wind River Canyon, it would be a shame to overlook one of the hardest workers that helped bring in the modern age. In between kicking up its heels and rolling in the mud, the mule helped build dams, railroads, highw...

Send us a text 16 skeletons, over an 80 year time span, were found along the banks of the Badwater Creek. Who were they and who murdered these people while Wyoming was still only a territory? Their stories were buried in old newspapers and were mysteries dating back to 1872. Three were found in a cave with bullet holes, twelve were soldiers found in an Aspen grove and the last was found in a burnt grave with five arrow heads. These mysteries may never be solved but I b...

Send us a text Journey with us through the rich and adventurous history of the Yellowstone Highway through the Wind River Canyon, now a scenic by-way. From its rugged landscapes to the tales etched into its cliffs, this byway has seen it all. We kick off with the Gold Rush era, exploring how the promise of fortune drew eager prospectors into the canyon, igniting a frenzy that transformed the region. As gold seekers braved the treacherous terrain, we share stories of their triumphs and tragedi...

Send us a text Sheriff Virgil Rice was tough-as-nails and respected throughout Wyoming. He was known to "get his man" and tracked down horse thieves across the Cowboy State in the 1890's. It is believed by residents and historians that he was one of many cowboys that helped inspire America's most beloved cowboy heroes, the Virginian. When You Call Me That – Smile! It was now the Virginian's turn to bet, or leave the game, and he did not speak at once. Therefore, Tra...

Send us a text The strike of a rattlesnake, the danger of stampede, the whistling of cowboys, the swish of a lasso and the sting of the hot sun. The cowboys on round-up are a true pioneer of Wyoming. Welcome to another episode of "Pioneers of Outlaw Country," where we delve into fascinating stories from Wyoming’s past that often go unnoticed. I am your host, Jackie Dorothy, and today we are traveling on a round-up with one of our favorite tourists, Owen Wister. His ob...

Send us a text The Harvard student of law bent over his journal, writing in camp light and by kerosene. He was capturing the words that he would one day use to write the most popular Western fiction in the world. In 1885, a young tourist arrived in Wyoming and went by stage to Medicine Bow. He was a 24 year old Owen Wister who faithfully recorded in his journal all that he saw - and he wasn't very impressed! Years later, these jottings were the experiences of the Tenderfoot and t...