Ranchester Wyoming Tourism

Ranchester is a town of history and charm for visitors. Incorporated in 1911, Ranchester got it’s name from S.H. Hardin, who owned a local ranch encompassing several thousand acres. Town names in Hardin’s native England often ended in “chester,” so Hardin dubbed the town “Ranchester”.

In addition to its namesake ranches, the town was the site of the loading dock for railroad ties hewn from harvested Big Horn Mountain timber and floated down the tie flume. The area is also host to the Bozeman Trail, which was the shortest route from the Oregon Trail to the gold fields of Montana. Be sure to visit the Connor Battlefield Historic Site, the scene of an 1865 battle between U.S. troops and the Arapahoe Indians.

The area features camping, fishing access, a groomed walking path, and a picnic area with a playground and public restrooms.

Also, a historical sign located on U.S. Highway 14 between Ranchester and Dayton gives an informative description of the 1865 clash between U.S. troops and the Arapahoe known as the Sawyer Fight, which had threatened the building of the route to Montana.