While Wyoming is the best state in the nation for its residents, there are a few things you should be aware of before you start spending time here. These dangers of living in Wyoming are all too real – but you be the judge of which ones will affect your everyday life. So, is Wyoming dangerous?  You decide! See if you consider any of the following to be bad things about Wyoming.

1. Slightly unusual traffic jams

Flickr / Ted
We've all been caught in a bison jam before. Being late thanks to wildlife is a way of life here.

2. Falling in love with Winter

Flickr / Charles (Chuck) Peterson
Wyoming has three seasons - July, August, and Winter. If you stay here long enough, you start to think thoughts like "Oh, -20 isn't that bad" and "We really could have used more snow this winter", and that's the beginning of the end.

3. Getting lost in the wilderness

Ania Tuzel Photography/Flickr
This is another thing that happens a lot to Wyomingites. Always tell someone where you're going and when you plan to be back, so they know where to find you if you wander off the trail. This is one of the things that can kill you in Wyoming if you don't play your cards right. The wilderness is one of the most dangerous things about Wyoming.

4. Being blown away by the Wyoming wind

Brian Omura/Flickr
Okay, so it's unlikely you'll be blown off of Devils Tower by a big gust of wind, but we've all had to chase down some paper or an umbrella like a cartoon character before.

5. Rattlesnakes

Flickr / Paul Cooper
There are only two venomous snakes in Wyoming, and you're not really likely to get bitten by one even if you do spot one off the trail. Just stay calm and give them space. Be extra careful in the Flaming Gorge area, where the Midget Faded Rattlesnake lives. This is Wyoming's most dangerous snake, but there aren't many left, and they're extraordinarily rare.

6. Occasionally, a hungry grizzly.

Flickr / josephmccowie
Bear spray and bear bags, friends. You'll see grizzlies if you live here, but they'll almost always leave you alone. Don't give them an excuse to take an interest in you.

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7. Getting stranded on the road.

Flickr / Thomas Hawk
All it takes is one closed gas station to really ruin a trip. Carry emergency supplies in your car, especially in winter. Lonely roads like this are among the most dangerous places in Wyoming.

8. Moose encounters

Flickr / Tim Lumley
Moose are a little more frightening than grizzlies to me - they're all over the place and absolutely gigantic. Give them space and try not to run your car into any of them and you should be good.

9. Misplaced bullets

Flickr / Bring Back Words
While we love our guns here, it's an unfortunate reality that our gun fatality rate is nearly twice the national average. Remember basic gun safety - lock them up, teach your kids not to play with them, and never point a gun at something you don't intend to kill.

10. Greenie encounters

Flickr / Lauren Brown
Their plates may have changed but their Colorado scent remains the same! Enjoy your own Rockies, neighbors.

11. Tourist encounters

Flickr / David Pirmann
Unfortunately, encounters with tourists are one of the risks of living in Wyoming. You know, I'll take my chances with the Moose and the Grizzlies.

12. Never being happy anywhere else.

Flickr / Robert
No matter how many perilous encounters you have with wind, bears, isolation, and greenies, there's really no place in the world like Wyoming, and those of us who live here wouldn't trade it for the world.

We hope this article helped answer your question: “Is Wyoming dangerous?” That being said, don’t let this list of the dangers of living in Wyoming discourage you from visiting or moving to Wyoming – it really is unlike any place on Earth! Check out The Ultimate and Definitive Bucket List For Everyone In Wyoming and be sure to make your way down the list before you succumb to the Wyoming Wind.

There’s one place that people from all over the world come to visit in Wyoming, and that place is Yellowstone! Book a Full-Day Guided Yellowstone Day Tour on Viator for an adventure of a lifetime.

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Dangers of Living in Wyoming

Christy Articola | July 23, 2022

What are the most dangerous and deadly places in Wyoming, for real?

Some of the most dangerous places in Wyoming include:

  • Highway 287
  • Corbet's Couloir Ski Slope in Jackson Hole
  • Northern Wyoming's avalanches

 

While Wyoming is generally very safe to visit and to live in, there are some dangerous places in the Cowboy State, all kidding aside. Highway 287 is very dangerous because it is a long road and there are lots of crashes on it. Corbet's Couloir ski slope in Jackson Hole claims many lives due to its notorious free fall. Also, in the winter in northwestern Wyoming, there are lots of avalanches. These are just a few of the dangerous places in Wyoming.

What about wild animals? What are some of the most dangerous animals I might encounter in Wyoming?

Some dangerous animals found in Wyoming include:

  • Bears
  • Bison
  • Snakes
  • Mountain lions
  • Wolves

 

For the most part, wild animals don't want to have anything to do with you. If you don't bother them, then they won't bother you. However, some of the animals you really shouldn't bother in any way in Wyoming include bears, bison, snakes, mountain lions, and wolves.

What else should I know about the dangers of Wyoming?

Maybe you don't want to know, but you should know all of the things in this post outlining some troubling facts about living in Wyoming. There are so many great things about Wyoming, but knowledge is power, and knowing is half the battle when it comes to being safe!

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