Editor's note: The following is a sponsor-supported article from Traveler's Essential Park Guide, Summer 2016.

Cody, Wyoming, is a legendary Western frontier town with the personality to match. Cody was founded by William “Buffalo Bill” Cody, the famous Wild West showman and Army scout, and sitting adjacent to Yellowstone National Park, the town still sports his wild and adventurous nature.

You can learn more about the legendary showman, and the history of the region, in the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. The Center, a complex including five museums and a research library, is home to classic works of Western masters such as Frederick Remington, Charles Russell, Thomas Moran and Albert Bierstadt. There’s even an exhibit of pencil sketches made by Chief Sitting Bull of the Sioux tribe while he was imprisoned at Fort Randall, Dakota Territory in 1882. You can also enjoy exhibits about the Plains Indians and regional history—be sure to check out the notorious firearms of the Wild West on display.

After the museums, make sure you get out and explore the West for yourself throughout town. Catch the nightly rodeo, sidle up to the bar in the Irma Hotel (built by Buffalo Bill himself, and named after his daughter), or head south to the small ranching community of Meeteetse to experience one of the finest chocolatiers in the West.

Cody is the gateway to even more adventure. In fact, Cody, Wyoming, is known as the “wildest way into Yellowstone,” as the town is the hospitality center for travelers using the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park. From Cody, you can explore the park’s natural wonders, discover the Absaroka Range and its wildlife, or go kayaking and rock climbing. Anglers intent on hooking one of Yellowstone’s iconic cutthroat trout can do so just north of Cody in the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone, the only officially designated Wild and Scenic River in Wyoming.

Round out your western adventure with a stay in one of the area’s dude or guest ranches. There’s nothing like waking up to a golden sunrise with a steaming cup of coffee in your hands, riding the range under endless skies, and ending the day in front of a crackling fire, appreciating the wonders of the West.

With history, western charm, and outdoor activities, there’s always adventure to be had in Cody, Wyoming, the wildest way into Yellowstone.