Woodruff Cabin Site
🌤 Weather at Woodruff Cabin Site by season
| Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21–63 °F | 41–81 °F | 19–71 °F | 11–34 °F |
Each range runs from the coldest monthly average low to the warmest monthly average high in that season (1991-2020 climate normals), measured at Evanston 1 E, 5 mi away, elevation 6,825 ft. Conditions at the park can differ from the station, especially where elevation differs — check a forecast before you go.
🏆 Pioneer Homestead — Site of one of Wyoming’s earliest homestead cabins — representing the homesteaders who settled Wyoming’s open range
Woodruff Cabin Site preserves the location of one of Wyoming’s early homestead cabins — representing the thousands of homesteaders who settled the open range under the Homestead Act of 1862. The Homestead Act offered 160 acres of free land to anyone who would live on it and improve it for 5 years — it was the largest transfer of public land in US history, distributing 270 million acres (10% of the entire US!). Wyoming’s harsh climate and short growing season made homesteading especially challenging — many claims were abandoned. Wyoming remains the least populated state, with just 577,000 people across nearly 98,000 square miles.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Wyoming |
| Entry Fee | Free |
| Act | 1862 Homestead — 270M acres free! |
| WY | 577K people — LEAST populated state! |
About Woodruff Cabin
Woodruff Cabin Site in Uinta County marks where frontiersman Ezra Woodruff established one of the first permanent non-Native settlements in the Green River Valley in 1853. Woodruff operated a ferry crossing and trading post serving Oregon Trail emigrants. The site represents the transition from transient trail traffic to permanent Euro-American settlement in southwestern Wyoming.
Things to Do
Visiting the cabin site, viewing interpretive markers, fishing in the nearby Green River, and exploring the frontier settlement history of the Oregon Trail corridor.
Insider Tips
Pioneer shelter: The Woodruff Cabin represents early settlement in Wyoming — isolated homesteaders facing harsh winters, drought, and isolation. Pro tip: Wyoming’s population density (5.8 people per square mile) is the second-lowest in the US — only Alaska has fewer people per square mile. Equality State: Wyoming was the first territory to grant women the right to vote (1869) — earning its nickname.
Best Time to Visit
Summer: Best access. Year-round: Site marker. Fall: Autumn setting. Spring: Green sagebrush.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Wyoming give women the vote first?
Wyoming Territory granted women’s suffrage in 1869 — 51 years before the 19th Amendment. Motivations were mixed: genuine progressive beliefs, attracting women settlers, and political strategy. When Wyoming applied for statehood (1890), Congress threatened to block it unless suffrage was repealed. The territorial legislature famously replied: “We will remain out of the Union one hundred years rather than come in without the women.” Wyoming joined with suffrage intact.
Make it a road trip: Pair a visit with Bear River State Park (within about an hour’s drive) or Piedmont Charcoal Kilns (within about an hour’s drive).
Wildlife & Nature
Woodruff Cabin Site — marks the location where Mormon leader Wilford Woodruff received a divine revelation in 1890 leading to the end of polygamy in the LDS Church. The site’s Teton Valley views, sagebrush, and prairie support moose, pronghorn, and raptors.
Nearby Attractions
Teton Valley — nearby. Grand Teton NP — nearby.
🐾 Dogs & Pets at Woodruff Cabin Site
- Pets allowed? statewide rule
- Pets are welcome in Wyoming state parks, historic sites and recreation areas, but must be in a vehicle or on a leash whenever outside a camping unit.
- Leash rule statewide rule
- Leash no longer than 10 feet, physically controlled at all times (statewide rule)
- Beaches & swim areas statewide rule
- Pets are prohibited on designated beach areas statewide
- Cabins & lodging statewide rule
- Pets are prohibited in public buildings, eating places and food stores; no statewide pet-lodging policy published
- Statewide exceptions statewide rule
- Guide dogs are exempt; hunting dogs allowed where hunting is permitted; pets may not be left unattended longer than one hour; pets are prohibited in the reservoirs at Curt Gowdy State Park
Are dogs allowed at Woodruff Cabin Site?
Pets are welcome in Wyoming state parks, historic sites and recreation areas, but must be in a vehicle or on a leash whenever outside a camping unit. Individual parks can post stricter rules — check signage on arrival.
Rules verified July 2026 via wyoparks.wyo.gov. More: Wyoming state parks guide · Dog rules in all 50 states compared
Park Location
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