CHEYENNE, Wyo. – April 17, 2026 – Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, and Trails has officially released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for professional appraisal services to evaluate concession facilities at Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyoming.

These appraisals are mandated by 2026 Senate Enrolled Act 27, Section 335, which requires appraisals of the “capital investment” and “ongoing concern” for the businesses known as the Star Plunge and the Hot Springs Hotel and Spa. 

Qualified professional appraisers are encouraged to review the full requirements.  Proposals must be submitted through the State’s Public Purchase online bidding system by 2:00 p.m., May 18, 2026. To view the full RFP (Number 0270-M), please visit https://www.publicpurchase.com/gems/wyominggsd,wy/buyer/public/home. 

For additional information, contact Wyoming State Parks' Visitor Services Manager Stephanie Dillmon, or learn more about Wyoming State Parks at wyoparks.wyo.gov. 

Contact: Stephanie Dillmon, (307) 777-5734; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – April 17, 2026 – The Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources is excited to announce the lineup of talented musicians for the 2nd year of the Tunes on the Trail summer series. This unique initiative combines live acoustic music with the stunning outdoor scenery of Wyoming's state parks and historic sites, offering an unforgettable experience for music lovers and nature enthusiasts.

The four selected Wyoming-based artists are Shawn Hess (Laramie), Box of Rocks (Laramie), The Tinderwoods (Lander), and Pathfinder (Casper). 

"We are beyond excited for the second year of Tunes on the Trail. This program saw incredible success last year, and we have amazing artists selected for 2026," stated Jamie Hansen with the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation. "It was a difficult selection process, and we greatly appreciate everyone who applied. We look forward to getting people outside and introducing them to Wyoming music and culture.”

Each artist will perform a 90-minute set, made unique by the custom backdrop of Wyoming's beautiful landscape. The experience begins with an optional guided hike, allowing attendees to explore the area before settling in for live music.

The summer concert series will kick off on June 6, 2026, with a performance by Shawn Hess at Guernsey State Park. Attendees are invited to join a hike at 4:30 p.m., followed by the performance from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. 

On July 11, 2026, Seminoe State Park will feature the band Box of Rocks. The schedule includes a 5:00 p.m. hike and a performance from 6:00 to 7:30p.m.

South Pass City State Historic Site will host The Tinderwoods on August 15, 2026. Participants can enjoy a hike at 4:30 p.m., with the performance set from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

The concert series will conclude at Hot Springs State Park on August 22, 2026, with the band Pathfinder performing. Hikers can start at 5:30 p.m., with the concert running from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

While standard day-use fees apply for park entry at Guernsey State Park and Seminoe State Park ($7 per vehicle for Wyoming residents and $12 per vehicle for non-residents) and general admission applies at South Pass City State Historic Site ($4 for Wyoming residents, $8 for non-residents, with free admission for kids 17 & under) the Tunes on the Trail events are free to attend. Entry to Hot Springs State Park is always free. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early and explore the park to make the most of their visit.

Tunes on the Trail is a program created in partnership by the Wyoming Arts Council, the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation, and Wyoming State Parks, programs within the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources.

The Tunes on the Trail program is partially supported by the Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources Spark Tank program, an internal funding initiative for innovative agency projects and events, and is part of the Wyoming Arts Council's Wyoming Independent Music Initiative (WIMI), which aims to promote local artists and facilitate their performances throughout the state.

To stay updated on upcoming events, follow us on our Facebook pages: @WyomingArtsCouncil, @WyoRec, and @WyomingStateParks. You can also learn more about the diverse programs offered by Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources at wyospcr.wyo.gov.

Figure 1: Shawn Hess of Laramie, image courtesy of the artist. Figure 2: Box of Rocks of Laramie, image courtesy of the artist. Figure 3: The Tinderwoods of Lander, image courtesy of the artist. Figure 4: Pathfinder of Casper, image courtesy of the artist. 

Contact: Jamie Hansen, (307) 460-8794; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

LARAMIE, Wyo. – April 16, 2026 - The University of Wyoming’s Jay Kemmerer Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality (WORTH) Institute and the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation have released their annual report on outdoor recreation and its positive impact on Wyoming’s economy. This report documents several key elements of the industry's contribution to the state.

“We’re excited for the release of our annual report,” said Mark Tesoro, manager for the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation. “It showcases how essential it is for agencies, businesses, and organizations to collectively invest in keeping outdoor recreation an important part of our culture, community, and economy.”

Figures from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis’s recently released data showed that outdoor recreation’s positive impact on Wyoming’s economy in 2024 included generating 16,545 jobs and contributing $2.3 billion to the state’s GDP (gross domestic product), a 0.5% increase over 2023.

Visitors and residents of Wyoming enjoyed hunting, shooting, and trapping, bringing in $109 million and ranking as the state’s top economic contributor in the outdoor recreation sector. In a close second, RVing brought in nearly $90 million, underscoring the state as a premier destination for travelers and recreationists. 

“The 2024 BEA data further validates outdoor recreation as a long-term economic development strategy for Wyoming,” says Dan McCoy, director of the University of Wyoming’s Jay Kemmerer WORTH Institute. “Sustained expansion of this sector strengthens economic resilience, broadens revenue streams, and supports the vitality of communities throughout the state.”

  The report also includes updates from the twelve existing regional Outdoor Recreation Collaboratives. The Office of Outdoor Recreation convenes these quarterly group meetings to coalesce supporters of outdoor recreation in communities across the state.

Updates about the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation & Tourism Trust Fund are also featured in the report. The fund was finalized during the state’s 2024 legislative session, and its intent is to promote, preserve, and enhance Wyoming’s outdoor recreation and tourism infrastructure.

Details about the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Summit, Mountain West Trails Conference, and the Wyoming Firearms & Outdoor Recreation Expo are discussed, all of which promise to unite and encourage outdoor recreation enthusiasts and experts in the state and beyond. 

Visit wyorec.info/WYORECReport_2026 to access the digital version of the report. 

For more information about the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation, please visit wyorec.com. For more information about the Jay Kemmerer WORTH Institute, please visit www.uwyo.edu/worth.

Contacts:

Mark Tesoro, (307) 679-2507; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dan McCoy, (307) 766-5009; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – April 15, 2026 – The Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation (WYOREC) is proud to announce the launch of its 12th and final Outdoor Recreation Collaborative, expanding its network to include Teton County. With this addition, every county in Wyoming is now served by a WYOREC Collaborative, strengthening coordination and opportunity across the state’s outdoor recreation sector.

Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Collaboratives help WYOREC advance its mission to champion responsible outdoor recreation to improve communities and diversify the state’s economy. Collaboratives, like the newly established one in Teton County, bring together a wide range of local stakeholders, including outdoor recreation businesses, nonprofits, clubs, community members, advocacy groups, conservation organizations, and elected officials. Additionally, each group has guidance and participation from state and federal agency advisors.

An initial informational session will be held on April 21, 2026, from 5-7 p.m. at the Teton County Public Library, with a virtual attendance option available. A second meeting is scheduled for June 4, 2026; additional details will be announced soon. 

Topics covered during the initial session will include the history and processes of the statewide Collaboratives, introductions of the members, identification of the outdoor recreation components that Teton County prioritizes, and recognition of the challenges they are facing. Three testimonials from other statewide Collaborative members will also be shared. 

Community members and interested participants are encouraged to attend and get involved. These meetings are free and open to the public. For more information, please see below:

• Tuesday, April 21, 2026
• 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. (MDT)
• Teton County Library, located at 125 Virginian Lane, Jackson, WY 83001, Auditorium A.
• Join virtually through a video call: meet.google.com/qqq-askz-atm
• Dial in: ‪(US) +1 508-779-6069, PIN: ‪260 317 530‬#

Stay informed about the latest developments and ongoing work of our Collaboratives by subscribing to the monthly newsletter, The Collaborative Connection, visiting WyoRec.com, and joining the TCORC Facebook Group. 

Contacts:

Amy Crawford, (307) 777-6925; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jamie Hansen, (307) 460-8794; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

LARAMIE, Wyo. – April 15, 2026 – Voting is now open for the annual Society for American Archaeology (SAA) State Archaeology Celebration Poster contest. Wyoming has been participating in this contest since its inception in 1996 and has a remarkable track record. 

The Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) has submitted a poster to the competition each year, for a total of 29 submissions. Of those submissions, 13 have received first prize, eight have received second prize, and six have received third prize.

Show your support for this program and for Wyoming Archaeology by heading to this link to vote online. Alternatively, navigate to SAA.org > Education & Outreach > Poster Contest to vote. Online voting will remain open until Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Voting in person will also take place at the SAA conference in San Francisco from April 23 to 26. You do not need to be a member of the SAA to vote. 

“The poster program is the shining star of Wyoming Archaeology Awareness Month each year. Wyomingites really love the posters. Folks from all over our state come to my office asking for them on a regular basis,” says State Archaeology Month Coordinator Gwendolyn Kristy. 

The posters are distributed statewide, nationally, and internationally to over 1,500 people and organizations each year. The posters are designed to generate interest in and understanding of archaeology among the public.

The 2025 poster, for which voting is now open, is titled “Threads through Time: Bone needles in Wyoming’s Archaeological Record,” features a bone needle fragment found at a site in Wyoming known as the La Prele Mammoth Site and is over 13,000 years old. The poster is available free of charge and may be picked up at the State Historic Preservation Office, Barrett Building, 2301 Central Avenue in Cheyenne, or at the Anthropology Building in Laramie, located at 12th and Lewis, Room 312. If you wish to have a poster mailed to you, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for details.

The Wyoming SHPO documents, preserves, and promotes Wyoming’s heritage with our preservation partners and through programs such as the National Register of Historic Places, Federal Review and Consultation, Site Stewardship, and Planning and Historic Contexts. For more information about the WY SHPO, contact Deputy Historic Preservation Officer Brian Beadles at (307) 777-8594 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For more information about the Wyoming Archaeology Awareness Month, please contact Gwendolyn Kristy at (307) 766-5366 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Figure 1: Image of the 2025 Wyoming Archaeology Awareness Month Poster "Threads through Time," which is entered into the national contest. 

Contact: Gwendolyn Kristy, (307) 766-5366; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – April 14, 2026 – Wyoming Writers, Inc., the Wyoming Arts Council, and the American Heritage Center have launched a statewide writing contest in conjunction with America’s 250th anniversary.

The contest invites writers across Wyoming to reflect on the state’s history, culture, and future through original work inspired by Wyoming’s official semiquincentennial theme:

• Honoring our past: Commemorate Wyoming’s history, places, and people.
• Examining our present: Review Wyoming’s role in America today.
• Imagining our future: Plan for Wyoming’s leadership in America’s future.

“The semiquincentennial is a chance for reflection and imagination, and we’re excited to see how writers of all different ages and genres address these themes,” says Rachel Clifton with the Wyoming Arts Council. 

The submissions are open through April 22, 2026. Entries must be submitted online through the Wyoming Writers, Inc. website at wyowriters.org/250. Mailed or paper submissions will not be accepted.

Writers may submit work in one of three categories: poetry (traditional or free verse), flash fiction (up to 1,000 words), or nonfiction (up to 2,500 words). Submissions will be judged in three age divisions: children (age 12 and under), young adult/new adult (ages 13–22), and adult (age 22 and older).

Winning entries will be selected in each category and age division, with three winners recognized in each group. Winners will receive a monetary prize and complimentary registration to attend the Wyoming Writers, Inc. annual conference, scheduled for June 5–7, 2026, in Casper. Those who attend the conference will have the opportunity to read their work at a public reception on Friday evening, June 5.

Prizes are sponsored by the American Heritage Center and the Wyoming Arts Council. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available through Wyoming Writers, Inc. by contacting  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Full contest guidelines, including formatting requirements and eligibility details, are available at wyowriters.org/250.

For more information, visit wyomingartscouncil.org or contact Rachel Clifton, executive director of the Wyoming Arts Council, at (307) 256-0500 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Contact: Rachel Clifton, (307) 256-0500; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – April 14, 2026 – The Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources will begin accepting applications for the 2027 Non-Motorized Recreational Trails Program (RTP) in May 2026. 

RTP provides competitive funding for projects that enhance non-motorized trail opportunities across Wyoming. Winter trail grooming projects shall remain eligible for reimbursement at a rate determined either on a per-mile or per-hour basis.

Approximately $550,000 is available statewide to support the maintenance, construction, restoration, and repair of trails and trailhead facilities.  Eligible applicants must be a land-managing agency or have a land use agreement in place. 

Pre-applications due September 1, 2026. Pre-applicants will receive feedback and guidance in accordance with the RTP guidelines, specifically regarding their eligibility and the prerequisites for proceeding to the full application, which must be submitted by October 1, 2026. All interested parties are encouraged to review the FY2027 RTP Grant Guidelines, available online, along with all application materials, at wyoparks.wyo.gov/index.php/rtp-grant-information-trails.

RTP grants are available through the Wyoming State Trails Program within the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources. Funded through the Federal Off-Highway Vehicle Gas Tax, RTP helps provide and improve recreational trail opportunities for the public throughout Wyoming.

For more information, contact Grants Specialist Naomi Lopez at (307) 777-7446 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also learn more about State Parks and Cultural Resources at wyospcr.wyo.gov.

Contact: Naomi Lopez, (307) 777-7446; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – April 13, 2026 – The Wyoming Arts Council is now accepting applications for the 2026–27 Wyoming Youth Arts Council cohort, a statewide leadership program for high school students interested in the arts, community engagement, and creative careers.

Open to Wyoming high school students ages 15–19, the Wyoming Youth Arts Council brings together young people from across the state to explore leadership through the arts. Participants engage in conversations about arts access, education, and advocacy while building skills in communication, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.

Over nine months, members will explore careers in the creative sector, develop leadership and communication skills, and gain insight into the creative economy, arts policy, and public funding. Participants also take part in workshops on community development, advocacy, grant writing, and arts programming, culminating in a youth-led creative project that connects their interests and skills.

“Programs like this matter because they help young people connect with others, advocate for themselves, and build leadership skills that shape their future,” said Sydney Stephan, a current member of the Wyoming Youth Arts Council and senior at Kelly Walsh High School.

Participants meet regularly throughout the program term, primarily virtually, with select in-person opportunities. Council members receive a stipend in recognition of their time and contributions. The 2026–27 cohort will begin in September.

Students, educators, and community members are encouraged to apply or nominate a student for the program. Applications are open from April 13 through August 10, 2026, and may be submitted through Submittable at /wyomingartscouncil.submittable.com/submit. Nominations must be submitted by August 6, 2026.

For more information, contact Amara Fehring, community development and arts learning specialist with the Wyoming Arts Council, at 307-630-3918 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Additional information is available at wyomingartscouncil.org.

Figure 1: Avenlee Downey and Fern Birdsbill, members of the Wyoming Youth Arts Council, participate in Arts and Culture Day at the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne in February 2026.

Contact: Amara Fehring, (307) 630-3918; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — April 10, 2026 — Wyoming’s Recreation Advisory Committee will meet on Monday, April 20, 2026. As required by the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, the Recreation Advisory Committee (REACT) represents the State of Wyoming in proposals to change recreation fees on federal public lands and waters across the state. 

REACT is composed of representatives from the following state and federal agencies: Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Wyoming Department of Agriculture, Wyoming Department of Transportation, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments, Wyoming Office of Tourism, and Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources.

The upcoming meeting date, time, location, and call-in information are as follows:

Date: Monday, April 20, 2026

Time: 9 -10:30 a.m.

Location: In-person at the Wyoming State Museum (2301 Central Ave, Cheyenne, WY 82001) or Online 

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/vrf-rrwa-tmg or dial: ‪(US) +1 470-705-4547‬ PIN: ‪790 813 327‬#

Members of the public are welcome to attend REACT meetings.

The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) was passed into law as part of the 2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Public Law 108-447) on December 8, 2004. The REA authorizes the USDA Forest Service and four Department of the Interior agencies - Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, and Fish and Wildlife Service - to retain recreation fee revenues to supplement appropriations and other funding sources to repair, improve, operate, and maintain recreation sites and areas to quality standards (including elimination of recreation deferred maintenance), and to enhance the delivery of recreation services to quality standards.

Learn more about REACT and/or review upcoming meeting agendas, past meeting summaries, presentations, and more at wyorec.com.

Contact: Mark Tesoro, (307) 679-2057; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.