Park County is a county in Wyoming, United States, home to more than half of Yellowstone National Park. It had a population of 29,624 at the 2020 census and covers 6,967 square miles (18,040 km2) of land and water, centred near 44°29′N 109°34′W.
Cody is the county seat, and its postal code is 82414. The county has two incorporated cities, one incorporated town, and a scatter of unincorporated communities and census-designated places. It sits in the Mountain time zone (UTC-7, UTC-6 during daylight saving).
Towns & Villages in Park County
Park County’s settlements range from the tourist city of Cody to ranching hamlets tucked against the Absaroka and Beartooth mountains. Cody and Powell are incorporated cities; Meeteetse is an incorporated town; the rest are unincorporated communities or CDPs (Unincorp.).
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cody | City · seat | 10,377 | 82414 |
| Powell | City | 6,415 | 82435 |
| Meeteetse | Town | 327 | 82433 |
| Wapiti | Unincorp. | — | 82450 |
| Frannie | Unincorp. | — | 82423 |
| Clark | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Garland | CDP | — | — |
| Ralston | CDP | — | — |
| Mammoth | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Badger Basin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dry Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elk Basin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kirwin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sunshine | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Willwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pahaska Tepee | Unincorp. | — | — |
Mammoth is inside Yellowstone National Park and is the park’s administrative headquarters rather than a civil town. Kirwin is a ghost town in the Absaroka Range, abandoned after a 1907 avalanche. A handful of names from older gazetteers — Bannock Ford, Buffalo Ford, Canyon Junction, Canyon Village, Dumbell, Fenton, Hawkeye, Kamms Corner, Lone Tree Crossing, Tower Junction, Vocation, and Yanceys — are historical ranch, road-junction, or park-service place labels with no current standalone population and are omitted here for lack of verifiable current status.
ZIP Codes
- 82414 — Cody
- 82435 — Powell
- 82433 — Meeteetse
- 82450 — Wapiti
- 82423 — Frannie (shared with neighboring Big Horn County)
Smaller communities such as Clark and Garland use the Powell or Cody post office rather than a ZIP code of their own.
Geography
Park County spans the northwest corner of Wyoming, from the sagebrush benches of the Bighorn Basin in the east to the Absaroka Range along the Yellowstone National Park boundary in the west. More than half of Yellowstone lies within the county, and the Shoshone and Bridger-Teton national forests cover much of the remaining mountain terrain. The Shoshone, Greybull, and Clarks Fork Yellowstone rivers drain the county toward the Bighorn Basin.
Park County borders Big Horn County to the east, Hot Springs County to the southeast, Fremont County to the south, Teton County to the southwest, and Montana to the north. Big Horn County: Towns and villages in Big Horn County, Wyoming. Hot Springs County: Towns and villages in Hot Springs County, Wyoming. Fremont County: Towns and villages in Fremont County, Wyoming. Teton County: Towns and villages in Teton County, Wyoming.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 29,624 residents in Park County. Cody and Powell are the two largest communities by far, together holding well over half the county’s population. Median household income runs below the Wyoming median of $72,415, reflecting the county’s mix of tourism, ranching, and government-agency employment rather than energy-sector wages. Density works out to roughly 4.3 people per square mile of land, one of the lower figures among Wyoming’s more populous counties given how much of the land is national park and forest.
Economy & Local Life
Tourism tied to Yellowstone’s east entrance drives much of Park County’s economy, centered on Cody’s hotels, outfitters, and the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Powell anchors an irrigated farming and ranching economy on the Bighorn Basin side of the county and is home to Northwest College. The Cody Stampede rodeo, held every Fourth of July week, is the county’s best-known annual event.
History
Park County was created by the Wyoming legislature on February 15, 1909, from part of Big Horn County, and organized in 1911. It takes its name from Yellowstone National Park, most of whose eastern half lies within the county. Cody was founded in 1896 by a group that included Buffalo Bill Cody, who promoted the town as a gateway to Yellowstone. Kirwin, a gold- and silver-mining camp in the Absaroka Range, was largely abandoned after a fatal snowslide destroyed part of the settlement in 1907.
Getting There
US Highways 14, 14A, 16, and 20 converge on Cody, with US 14A and US 212 (the Beartooth Highway) climbing over the mountains toward Yellowstone and Montana. Wyoming Highways 120 and 296 (the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway) serve the county’s western and northern reaches.
- Cody — 24 miles west of Powell
- Powell — 24 miles east of Cody
- Meeteetse — 32 miles south of Cody
- Yellowstone East Entrance — 52 miles west of Cody
Yellowstone Regional Airport in Cody offers the nearest commercial air service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Park County, Wyoming?
It occupies the northwestern corner of Wyoming, bordering Montana, with Cody as its county seat and more than half of Yellowstone National Park inside its boundary.
What is the population of Park County?
29,624 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Park County?
6,967 square miles (18,040 km2), including 25 square miles of water — one of the largest counties in Wyoming by area.
What is the county seat of Park County?
Cody is the county seat.
How many towns are in Park County?
Two incorporated cities (Cody and Powell), one incorporated town (Meeteetse), and roughly a dozen unincorporated communities and CDPs.
What ZIP codes are in Park County?
Main ZIP codes include 82414 (Cody), 82435 (Powell), 82433 (Meeteetse), 82450 (Wapiti), and 82423 (Frannie).
How much of Yellowstone National Park is in Park County?
More than half of the park lies within Park County, including the park’s east and northeast entrances.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Wyoming.