Wyoming's Unsung City Surrounded By Ghost Towns Has Fun Festivals And Delectable Local Eats

Wyoming's ghost towns offer a fascinating look into the Old West. Many towns emerged from gold rushes, coal booms, and railroad expansion, only to vanish just as quickly as they appeared, leaving behind little more than abandoned buildings and remote dirt roads. If you're interested in exploring these sites, the city of Kemmerer, located in Lincoln County, is an excellent place to base yourself. You can discover the abandoned railroad town of Sage, the old coal mining site of Sublet, and the remnants of old buildings in Carter.

While Kemmerer is surrounded by ghost towns, the city itself is anything but deserted. In fact, this unsung destination hosts fantastic community events all year. FossilFest kicks off the season in June with lots of family-friendly activities. From a 5K fun run and parade to a dodgeball tournament and plenty of dancing, the community comes together to celebrate the weekend. In the same month, you can take part in the Fossil and Mineral Expo. You have the chance to view rare fossils and purchase crystals, all while learning about the city's paleontology history. One of the most popular draws is the Oyster Ridge Music Festival, the state's biggest free music event, held every July.

Food-wise, Kemmerer boasts American eateries, Mexican restaurants, local pizzerias, and plenty of cafes and coffee shops. Whether you want breakfast on-the-go or a casual sports bar vibe, this small city certainly doesn't lack places to eat. Kemmerer is two to three hours away from Jackson, and roughly two hours from Salt Lake City, Utah. As for where to stay, options include Best Western Plus Fossil Country Inn & Suites and other local motels.

Kemmerer might be a small city, but its festivals draw decent crowds — the Oyster Ridge Music Festival, in particular, attracts thousands of attendees. Held every year since 1994, the Oyster Ridge Music Festival has featured Grammy winners Terri Hendrix and The SteelDrivers, and the lineup always focuses on the best in contemporary bluegrass and folk music. Throughout the multi-day festival, visitors listen to live music, dance, and sample local bites.

There are some truly bizarre festivals around the world, and while some might consider the fossil-related festivals in Kemmerer eccentric, the theme is deeply rooted in local history. Kemmerer and neighboring Diamondville are known as the "Fossil Fish Capital of the World" and showcase their rich history through these community gatherings. FossilFest is one of those festivals, and the event is particularly popular with families. The summer event takes place in June and features a variety of kid-centric activities, from water fights to dodgeball, fun runs, and much more.

A more focused paleontological event is the Kemmerer Fossil and Mineral Expo, which takes place around the same time. Geared toward both experts and hobbyists, this event features vendors selling unique fossils, minerals, gemstones, and other collectibles. With hands-on exhibits allowing you to interact with dinosaur bones, you have the opportunity to get up close and personal with ancient specimens. Kemmerer's event calendar extends beyond music and fossils, too; the city is one of the stops along the Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race, a multi-day sled dog competition held in the winter.

If you're visiting outside the festival season, you can eat your way through Kemmerer. Head to Fossil Fuel Coffee Company, which comes with high ratings on Google. The baked goods are especially praised. Across the street is Place On Pine, serving hearty American meals. Breakfast is particularly popular here, with one visitor on Google singling out the Huevos rancheros, saying that they "tasted like I was a child growing up in Arizona again."

Those in the mood for Mexican food can get a table at El Jaliciense of Wyoming, which has a 4.5 Google rating. This spot offers a decent selection of Mexican crowd-pleasers, with one person saying that the "ambience is decent, and the service was quick, which made the experience even better." You also get bang for your buck, with "very big plates that truly justify the price."

With your stomach satisfied, you're all set to seek out the ghost towns. Wyoming is no stranger to abandoned ghost towns with explorable ruins, so drive 30 minutes west to see Sage, a former coal mining outpost and pastoral settlement. While a sign warns visitors to keep out, you can still view it from your vehicle. There are desolate wooden structures that serve as a haunting time capsule. Carter is another fading settlement nearby, with only a few buildings left standing. This was once a railroad stop for the Union Pacific, but now there's an eerie silence lingering in the isolated space. Swing by Sublet, too, a mining town that became derelict after the coal supply was exhausted. Explore the ghost town's sole surviving structure: the jail. After visiting the ghost towns, continue driving east toward Rock Springs, Wyoming's diverse "City Of 56 Nationalities."