Retiring In Wyoming in 2026

[Milwaukee City]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

I don't care if you've got the monster winter equipped AWD vehicle ... when the visibility is 1/4 mile or less and the road has "disappeared" due to the blowing/drifting snow so you can't even tell where the road is at (and you will frequently see the tracks of vehicles that took off-road excursions), and/or the gusts are so strong that your vehicle is blown off the road even when you're steering it straight down the highway ... travel here in much of WY in wintry conditions is way beyond just "challenging". It's treacherous, even if the road is still officially "open" per WYDOT. I've seen the results of this way too many times in the stretch of I-25 from Cheyenne to Ft Collins.

We had that this winter going through the rabbit ears pass, we couldn't even see the hood of my F150 and you couldn't even tell where the road is, eventually made it to Steamboat 2 hours later. I kinda like the fact that the weather keeps people out of Wyoming. Last thing you want is every city in Wyoming to become the next Boze-Angeles.

[Wytempest]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

They told me they chose to move to Wyoming for their equine activities, which gave them much better trail riding opportunities than they had in WI. They raised and trained quarter horses, and trailered them around the state for trail riding/camping trips into the wilderness areas only accessible by foot or horseback.

Even the nearby public lands riding near Cheyenne or just West of Laramie give an opportunity to ride in mountain areas that are essentially untouched from the days of statehood ... very rough, rugged terrain and very lightly used. I've ridden back there many times and encountered no one else except a rider in my group for the day.

But when the SE WY winter presented, it apparently was way more of a hassle for them than they had in WI for the daily activities, recreation, entertainment, restaurants, and kid's activities than WY.

Myself, not having any familiarity with WI ... I can't say what was the attraction/benefits there compared to SE WY. All I know for certain is that I've seen the choice to leave WY in a very short time has been oft-repeated by many folk that moved to this area ... and the rationale has always been the same: "it's easier to get through a winter "back home" than it is here in WY, we're moving back", along with "we hate the constant winds".

You've been lucky to have had so many passable trips on Wyoming winter roads. Even now, in the springtime driving conditions, today & tomorrow ... many of the roads have difficult driving conditions, some are closed due to ice/snow/accidents, and several present only 1/4 mile visibility in the blowing snow.

I don't care if you've got the monster winter equipped AWD vehicle ... when the visibility is 1/4 mile or less and the road has "disappeared" due to the blowing/drifting snow so you can't even tell where the road is at (and you will frequently see the tracks of vehicles that took off-road excursions), and/or the gusts are so strong that your vehicle is blown off the road even when you're steering it straight down the highway ... travel here in much of WY in wintry conditions is way beyond just "challenging". It's treacherous, even if the road is still officially "open" per WYDOT. I've seen the results of this way too many times in the stretch of I-25 from Cheyenne to Ft Collins.

Yup...we call it braille driving...driving by the extremely faint vision of delineator tops. An extreme Wyoming winter skill.

Most out of staters are astonished when they see tire chains on the brake axle of stock trailers.

We've had aquaintenances over the years that make it through a couple winters hell bent on leaving once the snow clears.