Cheyenne

Understand

Despite its pride in its Western heritage, the town is a place that looks into the future, and is one day intending to link up with a high speed rail-line to Denver and beyond. Laramie County is on the northern edge of the Front Range Urban Corridor, a commute away in some cases. Some may tell you that they moved to Cheyenne, but still take a one and a half hour drive to Denver for work. Generally, prices are lower here than in Colorado, but it seems like a world away from the rest of Wyoming. In spite of this urban transition, the city has never lost its humor, as evidenced by the local police department on Facebook, and the 5 posts by Denver's 9NEWS about the CPD. In other words, Cheyenne is a town that although famous for its western culture, is never stale, and can and will surprise you.

Climate

Generally speaking, the climate is largely similar to the rest of Wyoming, and Downtown is under the classification of mid-latitude steph and semi-arid .

In summer, you can expect warm to hot temperatures (usually around 75°F), however the rest is chaotic. Dry treacherous days are mixed with severe storms and heavy rains.

For winter, it's cold, but not always snowy. The fact is, the snowiest month is in Spring. Then there is the in between seasons. Autumn is cool, crisp, but generally peaceful. Spring, however, is a mixture of everything. If you wanted all four seasons in one week, consider visiting between March and May. However, be wary of spring storms that can leave you stuck in town for a day. One day is sunny, the next it's snowing, the next there is a tornado.

Typically though, temperatures are jacket weather, usually above 30°F, even in winter.

History

The original town was founded in 1867 by Major General Grenville Dodge, the chief engineer of the Union Pacific Railroad. In 1869, Cheyenne became the capital of the Territory of Wyoming. It became the state capital in 1890.

The original town plot was laid in 1866 when General Dodge of the Union Pacific railroad had built a tent town overnight for the workers. This was the start of Cheyenne. Something noticeably different about the grid is that an area from 15th to Pershing is tilted 45 degrees so north is really north-west, and even stranger is that 1st street is not in downtown, but south of it. When the railroad was placed, many towns, including Fresno and Denver, were parallel to the tracks, which didn't always run east-west. As for the streets, Cheyenne started downtown, but rapidly expanded before street names were assigned, thus Cheyenne's borders were already at where I-80 (and 1st street) is today.

Later on, notable buildings were put up, such as the Cheyenne Depot Plaza, the Hynds Building and Nagle Warren Mansion. Cheyenne, particularly downtown, became the wealthiest city in the world per capita, and these brick and mortar mansions prove this wealth, as did the Intercontinental hotel (which burned down in the 20th century). Cheyenne was not only wealthy, but the fastest growing American city of the 19th century. It earned the nickname "magic city of the plains". Soon, when Wyoming became a state in 1890, the golden capitol was built. It remains the tallest building in the city.

Growth had slowed to a near halt in the 1900s as Denver became the seat of the region. While downtown did okay by expanding into other parts of Cheyenne (namely Lakeside and Capital North), things remained stagnant. However, various oil booms proved prosperous over the decades. By the 1970s though, the economies of Downtown and of the city had diversified, and the district became the tourism center of Southeast Wyoming. This helped avoid the problems Casper and Gillette were facing at the time, and Casper relented the title of largest city in Wyoming to Cheyenne.

The city and its downtown were prosperous by the late 20th century. Many businesses had developed, the streets had been revitalized, and there was an overall positivity about the future. The California Zephyr train began running through the depot, resulting in growth. And the Wyoming Financial Center (134 ft tall) became the tallest office building in the state in 1990. The California Zephyr moved away in 1982, as did the Pioneer in 1997. However, hope for growth never stopped.

In the 21st century, Downtown Cheyenne is quickly reemerging as the city's cultural and shopping center. Several worn-down buildings have been revitalized or replaced, there are frequent events in Depot Plaza, and new stores have been popping up, such as the Metropolita. Grill, and a grocery store. Even though the spirit of the 1860s or the 1980s may be gone, a new one is coming up that is opening up the Downtown area to become alive and well.

Tourism offices

Get in

In such a rural state, the route to Cheyenne is pleasantly and surprisingly modern, with the almighty Interstate system in full supply, and a few buses to help you get in. (And who's to say Wyoming is backwards?)

By car

Cheyenne is at the crossroads of Interstates 80 and 25 in southeastern Wyoming, about 40 miles west of the Nebraska border, 180 miles south of Casper, 50 miles east of Laramie, and 8 miles north of the Colorado border.

Cheyenne is 90 miles directly north of Denver. The trip takes approximately 1½ hours, depending on Denver traffic. Inside of Cheyenne, there is minimum traffic, except during rush hour on Dell Range Boulevard, Lincoln-way, and Central Avenue/I-180, where urban traffic jams actually occur, thanks to influx from Colorado. If you're looking to really avoid traffic, avoid CFD (last week of July), which sees 200,000 visit the capital city, and I-25 is screwed.

By plane

In some cases, hotels will give you rides to the airport, like Fairfield on West Lincolnway. Check your hotel's website to see if it offers this service. Additionally, arranged taxis and other transits will get you there.

Denver International Airport (DEN) is the closest major airport to Cheyenne, for those that want to go international. Rental cars are available at the airport, which is 90 mi from Cheyenne via I-25 and E-470.

By train

Cheyenne has no Amtrak services. In the summer, the Denver Post runs a train for tourists up to Cheyenne, particularly often during Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD).

The Colorado Department of Transportation is contemplating a high-speed rail service along the Front Range and beyond, with service from Cheyenne to Albuquerque.

By bus

They may appear few and far in-between, however, a good mantra is "the more you look, the more you see", which is true here. Knowing which miniature (and not necessarily mainline) companies will get you where you want to go for cheaper makes all the difference.

Alternatively, check out these mom-and-pop companies:

Get around

By car

Cheyenne has a relatively simple street grid, and on-street parking in the city is a breeze due to the lack of paid parking meters. However, time-limited parking exists on many downtown streets and roads, even the medical center. You should always know how long you will stay within a place before you park, or you could pay an unexpected $15 fine.

Rush hour runs from about 4:30PM to 6:30PM, Monday through Friday.

By bus

The Cheyenne Transit Program comprises six bus lines each serving their own region of the city. Accessible "Curb to Curb" buses are also available for the mobility-impaired — the wheelchair entrance is found in the rear.

By trolley

Mostly used by tourists, these buses make a loop of the various downtown landmarks, stopping for about two minutes at each (don't dawdle on your way back in; the next trolley is usually about 90 minutes away).

During the "Christmas"" season, trolleys are arranged for decoration tours, which may take you across the entire city. Ask about pricing.

Go next

Despite also being in Wyoming, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks are hundreds of miles away on the opposite side of this fairly large state.

• The Rocky Mountains can be a rewarding adventure, that will always be remembered, just watch for road closures on I-80 in winter.
• Casper: Once larger than Cheyenne thanks to a 1970s oil boom, this still quaint town retains the western lifestyle and the loyal locals can relate to Casper. With that being said, shopping is prevalent, and there is a number of eateries that is worth trying, and Wyoming's only International airport is located here. Old and New, Small and Big, everything is thrown together in this city of 59,000 (2014 est) people.
• Laramie is less than an hour away on I-80/US 30, and is a college town set amongst the flat frontier and the rocky mountains. With a population of 30,000, the town still thrives today, and is a worthwhile stop on a route through Wyoming.
• Wellington: A small town that is quickly falling to Northern Colorado urbanization, Wellington is still small, and can offer an unmatched experience and hospitable atmosphere. This bedroom community of Fort Collins is 6,000 people in the 2010 census, but now is estimated up to 8,500 people. Stop by for a trip of the lifetime.
• Fort Collins, Colorado is only 44 miles to the south, and offers an active "NoCo" scene.