What can you tell me about Story, WY? & a base camp for research (Gillette: apartment, rentals)

[1811Girl]

I have a couple years left in my current situation before I embark on my retirement plans to Wyoming. I know I want to be in Wyoming, but not sure where. I am looking for peace and quiet but not TOO quiet.

I've been trying to research many towns and Story is on my list. I am single, my kid will be in college by that time and I can afford it. I won't be working unless I get bored and want to do something with myself.

Any info you all have regarding Story or perhaps another great town (and somewhat closer to a bigger town) that I am missing?

Not sure how to go about my physical research as I'd love to spend a year trekking all around WY to physically see where might suit me best (and to see if I can handle the weather of course). Not sure on how to do that. Hotels? RV? Buy a small house or condo centrally located and try to sell it later?

Thanks in advance for your input.

[StealthRabbit]

Story, WY area would be a pretty handy place to be located. (Ranchester / Dayton is another option, but quite not as close access to central WY.)

I suggest you rent an extra living space, with good heat! (bunkhouse off season, or an apartment above garage / MIL cottage / daylight basement...) Reselling in WY can be a long process if we ever have another down-turn, Plus you are not yet sure where you will land. Exploring near Rapid City is also a good idea for a retirement location with access to Mtns / outdoors. (and a decent sized city for medical / airport / shopping / jobs)

Some seniors have extra living spaces that they can rent out long term (nearly all my rural neighbors do this (I'm no longer in WY)). Nice to have someone around the farm to take care of things while we travel / are away. These are seldom advertised, so you need to network with local agencies (churches, feed stores, hardware, plant nurseries, senior services, shared rides and meals...)

I would suggest you find a campervan or make a conversion from a minivan so you can better travel the state on your budget and timeframe, and have a place to stay between rentals.

[1811Girl]

StealthRabbit,

Thank you for these ideas! I actually have been looking at Class B campervans. Was wondering what that would be like in the winter months though? I do think it would be a blast to travel around this way. Perhaps like you mentioned, maybe a short term rental somewhere in the winter. Since I don't live in Wyoming now I would have never thought of "house sitting" or short term rental.

Thanks again!

[Wyoprairie]

I'm guessing you haven't been to Story-just looking at it on the internet?

Story has about 800 residents. It's a village, but it's not incorporated. Much smaller towns in WY that are incorporated. Not incorporated means no municipal infrastructure or services. Volunteer Fire Dept. Sheriff's Dept. for law enforcement. Private wells for water. Septic systems. REA and supplement by propane/woodburning. Elementary school in Story, school bus ride after that. Not much in the way of businesses. It's a low key sort of resort town, but not at all a tourist hot spot.

There's sort of a longtime attitude in WY that we don't talk about Story because then people will come and ruin it. That, however, could apply to the entire state, and actually Story hasn't been under much growth pressure. A few million dollar shacks have been built around the outskirts but things haven't changed much...yet.

Story is unique because we do not have many mountain towns in the pine trees as people sort of envision and Story is an exception. Pines tower over every house in town unless out on the edge. Streams meander thru the town. Winter is more intense than the valleys on either side. Story gets a lot of snow. In summer, it is, well, one description of paradise. Story has been for generations a place Wyoming families go to celebrate milestones: marriage, honeymoon, graduation, reunion.
Big events in Wyoming history took place nearby: Wagon Box Fight, Fetterman Massacre, Portugee Phillips ride, Fort Phil Kearny.

Reputation as sort of a quirky town...that residents have a sense of fun. The old Waldorf A Story General Store and Deli had at least 200 varieties of hot sauce. And maybe 60 or so different caviars. I said what's with all the hot sauce and they said honeymoons. Oh, OK, whatever. They had a hilarious menu in the deli. Our favorite spot for big events is the Wagon Box Inn. People ride four-wheelers around like they were the car. One evening at the Wagon Box, there were probably 20 or so four-wheelers in the parking lot. Then there is the Story Woman's Club. Why not the women's club? Tunnel Inn and Lodore Supper Club are other eating spots. There's a small inn. Most of the homes in Story are log. Looks quaint but can be a maintenance chore. Many setups have the larger main house that they live in, and an adjacent cabin that they rent out to visitors in summer. Most cabins get the same visitors year after year.

It's 20 miles to Sheridan and 21 miles to Buffalo. In Wyoming that is already considered close to bigger towns.

[1811Girl]

Originally Posted by Wyoprairie

I'm guessing you haven't been to Story-just looking at it on the internet?

Story has about 800 residents. It's a village, but it's not incorporated. Much smaller towns in WY that are incorporated. Not incorporated means no municipal infrastructure or services. Volunteer Fire Dept. Sheriff's Dept. for law enforcement. Private wells for water. Septic systems. REA and supplement by propane/woodburning. Elementary school in Story, school bus ride after that. Not much in the way of businesses. It's a low key sort of resort town, but not at all a tourist hot spot.

There's sort of a longtime attitude in WY that we don't talk about Story because then people will come and ruin it. That, however, could apply to the entire state, and actually Story hasn't been under much growth pressure. A few million dollar shacks have been built around the outskirts but things haven't changed much...yet.

Story is unique because we do not have many mountain towns in the pine trees as people sort of envision and Story is an exception. Pines tower over every house in town unless out on the edge. Streams meander thru the town. Winter is more intense than the valleys on either side. Story gets a lot of snow. In summer, it is, well, one description of paradise. Story has been for generations a place Wyoming families go to celebrate milestones: marriage, honeymoon, graduation, reunion.
Big events in Wyoming history took place nearby: Wagon Box Fight, Fetterman Massacre, Portugee Phillips ride, Fort Phil Kearny.

Reputation as sort of a quirky town...that residents have a sense of fun. The old Waldorf A Story General Store and Deli had at least 200 varieties of hot sauce. And maybe 60 or so different caviars. I said what's with all the hot sauce and they said honeymoons. Oh, OK, whatever. They had a hilarious menu in the deli. Our favorite spot for big events is the Wagon Box Inn. People ride four-wheelers around like they were the car. One evening at the Wagon Box, there were probably 20 or so four-wheelers in the parking lot. Then there is the Story Woman's Club. Why not the women's club? Tunnel Inn and Lodore Supper Club are other eating spots. There's a small inn. Most of the homes in Story are log. Looks quaint but can be a maintenance chore. Many setups have the larger main house that they live in, and an adjacent cabin that they rent out to visitors in summer. Most cabins get the same visitors year after year.


It's 20 miles to Sheridan and 21 miles to Buffalo. In Wyoming that is already considered close to bigger towns.

Wyoprarie,

Omgosh, it’s sounding better and better now. I promise I won’t tell anyone about it! Thank you for all of this, it sounds heavenly to me to be perfectly honest.

[Mister Torgue]

Originally Posted by 1811Girl

Wyoprarie,

Omgosh, it’s sounding better and better now. I promise I won’t tell anyone about it! Thank you for all of this, it sounds heavenly to me to be perfectly honest.

Too late! This topic exists now. I hope you find what you’re looking for.

[nm9stheham]

OP, motorhomes and trailers in winter are not a great idea in such a cold climate. The potential for very cold temps is great and getting your piping and sewage tank(s) frozen and busted up is a real possibility. And you have to get water into the camper, which is not going to be possible through the usual hose connection in sub-freezing temps. So you might just have to use it out of jugs which is a pain for showering.. and there is still the problem of flushing into the holding tank.

Plus just keeping warm is a problem when the temps get really low. You can get a winter option in some models with more insulation but that only does so much good. If you do try this, then make sure you have spare propane tanks handy and know how to switch them out. A good cold snap will drain them very fast and if you get snowed in and run out of propane, then both you and the camper are in trouble.

Most owners just drain all the water and fluids and store them for winter in this type of very cold climate.


What we have done is to make multiple trips of a week or more each to the area, and spend time looking at specific areas. We have avoided the main summer tourist season (as our searching was in a big circle around Yellowstone). If you want to see winter 'at its best' in WY, then explore eastern WY mid winter, and central WY in mid spring, to catch the expereince of the windy days in each area.

[NW Crow]

Rent a campervan for a week or two and drive around. Throw in a motel night here and there if you feel like it.

Take it from there. Get an airbnb or motel for a week or a month in your top target. Do it for a couple others if necessary. Then decide on place.

Don't buy a campervan until you try it and decide if you'd use it a lot. Motels occasionally is simple way unless you want to spend nights fairly deep into forest, desert.

[DAXhound]

Make a list of what basic amenities you require your town to have. I wanted an airport and a home depot.. wound up buying an old fixer in historic downtown Gillette on a 3500 sf lot. Nice, small city... You could be out in the middle of no where in thirty minutes. I walked to the airport recently at 4am, because Uber wasn't running that early.. I think two cars passed me on the three miles highway stretch north of town. Was on the look out for bears and snakes. Natural gas and good internet are two advantages of in town living. I am paying 42.9 cents per Therm of nat gas... That is like 39 cents per gallon of LPG, but reality is more like 2.75 pg.

[OneDawg]

A) Rent a camper van or a class C
B) Spend at least six weeks driving all around the state - not just in the Summer
C) When you find a town you like, walk into the Chamber of Commerce office and introduce yourself. Tell them you want to talk with a realtor.
D) TELL the realtor you want to RENT a place

I lived a couple of years in my horse trailer. The first fall, I got bales of straw that had bagged and duct taped closed. I arranged them in a footprint and got the neighbor to help lift the trailer on top. It only compressed it about 3 inches. It was insulated for one winter. I spent the next winter in southern Texas.