Ten ‘World’s Largest’ Attractions in Wyoming
There might not be a lot of people here in the Cowboy State, but we're still living large.
Here's our completely subjective and totally unofficial list of the ten best "World's Largest" attractions in Wyoming (Not including the world's largest coal and trona mines).
1. World's Largest Super Volcano - We all know Yellowstone was the world's first national park, but did you know it was created by the world's largest volcano? In fact, the volcano has been rising since 2004, leading some scientists to predict that it could soon erupt for the first time in 600,000 years. If, and when, the Yellowstone volcano blows, the ash could spread nearly two-thirds of the entire country.
2. World's Largest Landslide - Heart Mountain gained infamy during World War II when it became an interment camp for Japanese Americans. Nearly 49 million years earlier, it was created in the largest landslide ever documented by science. A recent study described the event as "30 miles of rock flying like a hovercraft".
3. World's Largest Mineral Hot Springs - Yellowstone is renowned for the world's largest collection of geysers, but the largest natural hot springs on the planet are nestled between the Owl Mountains and the Big Horn River in Thermopolis. The nearby Hot Springs State Park produces over 3 million gallons of water each day.
4. World's Largest Jackalope - Declared as Wyoming's "Official Mythical Creature" in 2005, the legend of the jackalope began in 1939, when a Douglas taxidermist unveiled an animal purported to be the offspring of a jack rabbit and an antelope. The jackalope has proudly represented the town of Douglas ever since. The town now features two large statues, both of which stand over 8 feet tall.
5. World's Largest Elkhorn Arch - The tiny town of Afton, Wyoming, has two claims to fame. It's the home of former Olympic wrestling champion Rulon Gardner and the world's largest elkhorn arch. The massive structure was constructed with over 3,000 elk antlers which extend for 75 feet across a four lane road and weighs over 15 tons.
6. World's Largest Dinosaur - The Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis features the mounted remains of over 30 dinosaurs. The biggest of those dinosaur exhibits is believed to be, one of, if not the largest, in the world.
7. World's Largest Log Cabin - For over a century, the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone has held the title of the world's largest log structure. The four story building was originally built in 1904. Two additional wings were later added in 1913 and 1927, making the entire cabin over 700 feet long. The Inn was named a National Historic Landmark in 1987.
8. World's Largest Jade Bar - Wyoming is home to some of the largest geological deposits in the world. One example of those gems is the Dip Diner in Medicine Bow, which proudly boasts the world's largest jade bar. The 40 foot bar was cut from a four ton boulder near Rock Springs. The Dip is named after the remains Diplodocus Dinosaur, which were discovered nearby.
9. World's Largest Ball of Barbed Wire - Among the many curiosities on display at the Ripley's Believe It or Not museum in Jackson is a 5,000 pound roll of barbed wire. Although a larger roll of barbed wire is now, reportedly, on display in Texas, the Guinness Book of World Records still certifies our barbed wire ball as the largest.
10. World's Largest Outdoor Swimming Pool - Located in Buffalo, this 393 x 262 feet pool is not, in fact, the world's largest outdoor swimming pool. However, here in Wyoming, we never let the truth get in the way of a good story. Even though some outdoor pools are larger, it could be the only pool of its kind that is free to the public.