1. Oreos Are Even Better When They’ve Been Deep Fried
Roughly half the state heads to the Cheyenne Frontier Days on an annual basis to grab a bit of Wyoming tradition during the 10-day celebration. Its home to a famous “walking of the steers” event, fair games, and plenty of weirdly awesome deep-fried foods.
2. There Is Nothing Evil About The Devil’s Tower
Much less intimidating than the name makes it sound, the Devil’s Tower is one of the most memorable rock formations in America. Attracting 400,000 visitors a year, this natural rock formation juts 1,267 feet into the sky. Only 4,000 of those visitors elect to make the climb, a lucky few able to discover what’s really on top.
3. Wyoming Isn’t Flat
Out-of-towners seem to have this idea that everywhere in Wyoming is flat plains, and they couldn’t be more wrong. Not only is the state filled with rolling hills, the Teton National Park on the Western side of the state has some of the most intense skiing in the country at Jackson Hole.
4. Wyomingites Aren’t Really Worried About The Yellowstone Super Volcano
Wyoming is also home to Yellowstone National Park, famous for attracting outdoorsy people from all around the country. It’s also home to the Yellowstone Caldera, a super volcano that could erupt at any time, dooming the United States to a fiery, ashy demise. Wyomingites don’t sweat it though, no volcanic eruption is going to keep them from enjoying the place they love.
5. Potato Olés Are More Addictive Than [Insert Anything Else Here]
These tiny tater tot coins are dusted with something from the heavens, making them the most addictive thing around. Once you’ve had one, it’s impossible to stop until you’ve finished several pounds.
6. Bambi Is Cute—And He Tastes Even Better
While the rest of the country might be a little hesitant before they chow down on a deer, a Wyomingite won’t think twice, after all, the venison in Wyoming is spectacular. Once an out-of-towner takes their first bite, it’s a sure thing they’ll be coming back for more.
7. That Big Majestic Animal Over There Is Not A Buffalo, It’s A Bison
The two main species of buffalo species reside in Africa and Asia. Bison reside in America. Early settlers got them confused because of their similar appearance. It’s as simple as that.
8. All Wyomingites Know Keeping A Snowsuit In The Trunk Is A Necessity
It gets cold in Wyoming, really cold, and every Wyomingite is always prepared. An out-of-towner might question why you’ve got blankets, water, food, batteries, and various other emergency supplies in the trunk of your car year round, but after they get stranded in their first storm, they’ll shut up and be thankful.
9. That Irritation Over Seeing The Greenies Is Totally Appropriate
No one in Wyoming is fond of seeing the green Colorado license plates cross over their state border. Whether they’re butting heads over increased crowds, conflicting political views, or the economic impact “greenies” have on state property values, Wyomingites would rather Coloradoians stay put at home.
10. You Don’t Need A Local Team To Love Football
While there’s no home team to cheer for in the NFL, this doesn’t stop Wyomingites from loving the sport, they just get total freedom to choose who they cheer for. Despite the whole “greenie” thing, most Wyomingites will be cheering for the Denver Broncos by kickoff.
11. You Don’t Have To Be A Cowboy To Love the Rodeo In Wyoming
When the Broncos aren’t playing Wyomingites get their competitive fix at the rodeo. The best riders become hometown heroes and the larger events tend to attract a diverse crowd from all over the state.
12. No, The Wind Here Never Stops
Most Wyomingites will tell you that the state has two seasons, cold and wind, and if they’re lucky, the cold is also windy. In most of the more populated areas, there’s always a breeze in the air ranging from bitter to tornado.
13. Wyoming Geysers Are Something You Have To See To Believe
Everyone’s seen the Bellagio Fountains in Vegas, but most people haven’t seen a natural geyser that rivals their powerful blasts. The Steamboat Geyser is the most powerful in the state, shooting water over 300 feet into the air, even higher than the state’s more famous geyser, Old Faithful. The power of a natural geyser is something an out-of-towner just can’t comprehend until they’ve seen the water come crashing down for themselves.
14. Ice Fishing Isn’t Just A Novelty, It’s A Totally Legitimate Way To Get Some Supper
Out-of-towners will always be a little shocked the first time you take them out on the ice to fish, until they realize how easy it is in Wyoming to pull in an awesome catch. With so much cold weather and so much wildlife, it’s common sense for an outdoors-loving Wyomingite to drill a hole and plant their pole for a few hours.
15. Speaking Of Which… Dinner Is Lunch And Supper Is Dinner. Got It? OK, Good
Wyomingites have different words for some things, mealtime being one of the most apparent. In time, an out-of-towner will get used to it, but it’s sure to throw them off at first when it’s dinnertime mid-day.
16. Every Wyomingite Has A Little Cowboy In Them
Wyomingites might not admit it, but there’s an aspect of their lives that inherently reminds out-of-towners of the Wild West. From the look of local bars to the boots and hats regularly worn around city streets, it’s something someone who’s not from around Wyoming will be sure to point it out.
17. Wyomingites Aren’t Concerned About Locking Their Doors
Wyomingites don’t feel the need to double check if they locked the doors for two reasons: first, there’s a good chance no one is around to steal your stuff anyways, and second, Wyomingites are too nice to do those sorts of things to their fellow neighbors.
18. Panning For Gold Is Not A Viable Means Of Employment
Source: Flickr User seefit
While there are still miners and festivals commemorating the gold rush, you’d be hard pressed to find a Wyomingite who regularly pans for gold hoping to make a livable income. One of the common stereotypes that an out-of-towner is likely to have when they’re coming to the state for the first time is that gold just floats down local streams for easy pickin’s. Obviously this isn’t the case.
19. Just Assume Everyone Is Packing Heat Here
An out-of-towner might be a little shocked when they open a drawer in a Wyomingite’s house to find a loaded pistol inside. Or when small talk quickly turns into a full blown conversation about a Wyomingite’s multi-gun collection. But in a state with some of the highest gun ownership rates in the country, they’ll get used to the fact that people like to stay strapped, it will just take some time.
20. Gravel Roads Are Just Like Normal Roads, Only Gravely-ier
It doesn’t take long for an out-of-towner in Wyoming to realize they’ve been spending a lot more time on gravel roads. In Wyoming some things are paved, but a lot of things aren’t. Just because there’s not a super highway connecting two towns doesn’t mean the roads won’t work the same, there’ll probably be too much snow on them to tell anyways.
21. The Flaming Gorge Isn’t Actually On Fire But It Is Gorge-ous
While it might sound intimidating, the Flaming Gorge is actually just a spectacular natural landscape. It gets the name from the red sandstone cliffs that sit riverside, changing colors constantly throughout the day as the sun rises and sets.
22. Neigh, It is Not Strange To See A Horse In Town
People might not ride horses on their daily errands as much as they used to in Wyoming, but it’s still not uncommon to see someone taking a horse down a city street. Horses can get Wyomingites from point A to point B regardless of the weather and they’re much more fun to take out than the family car.
23. The Jerky Might Not Be Beef
In the rest of the country, the word “jerky” is usually paired with “beef,” but in Wyoming that’s far from the case. Producing some of the tastiest jerky in the world from local game meats, Wyomingites should always let an out-of-towner try the jerky first before telling them what it is.
24. Every Wyomingite Knows To Watch Out For Pronghorns
Often mistaken for antelope, pronghorns are everywhere in Wyoming, and much like deer that plague other states, they don’t obey the local traffic laws. Nothing can ruin your day like smacking into one of these 100-plus lbs. animals.
25. A Wyomingite’s Cable Package Isn’t A Huge Concern
While most Americans sit on a couch for at least 5 hours a day watching premier programming and even more time surfing the Internet, Wyomingites like to get outside instead. Unless you’re reading this article online, that’s an excellent use of a Wyomingite’s time. Ahem.
26. Out-Of-Towners Won’t Understand All Of The Rodeo References
If they’re not from the state, they probably won’t understand the local sayings, like the way “he’s got a burr under his saddle” means he’s in a bad mood or “he looked like 10 miles of dirt road” means he looked disheveled. When you think about it, most of the sayings native to Wyoming have something to do with a cow, a farm, or a rodeo.
27. Trips To The Butcher Store Aren’t Necessary For Everyone
There’s no point in heading to the butcher’s shop for meat when it’s possible to get a fresh cut of almost anything from your own backyard. A high percentage of Wyomingites are hunters, always able to snag enough meat from the ample plains to feed their family for an entire season.
28. The Soda Here Is Called Pop
Different terms are used to describe favorite carbonated beverages around the country, and in Wyoming it’s “pop.” It’s easy to spot an out-of-towner by the way they order their drink at the dinner table.
29. Distance Between Cities Is Measured In Hours Not Miles
When everything is so far apart, it makes sense to explain distance by the amount of time it takes to get there. Wyomingites are also big fans of using landmarks in their directions, as helpful road signs in rural areas are few and far between.
30. There’s Infinite Beauty In Some “Me-Time” Here
Wyomingites love living where they do. They like the small crowds and the vast wide-openness that comes with living in the least populated state in the country. What some people describe as emptiness, a Wyomingite will describe as peace. A city-slicker friend will have a hard time wrapping their head around the beauty of the state at first, but after giving it a chance, it will grow on them and they’ll never want to leave.
What have you had to explain to out-of-towners about Wyoming? Tell us in the comments below! 
