Wayfarer’s Chapel

Let’s talk about a hidden gem West of Cody Wyoming.

The Wayfarer’s Chapel was created in coordination between Christ Episcopal Church and the Forest Service. You can find it just 8 miles away from the East Entrance of Yellowstone National Park.

I visited the Wayfarer’s Chapel in May to scout it out and bring all of the details to you.

Entrance to Wayfarers Chapel as Approaching North-west bound

Parking Lot at the top of the hill

Toyota Four-Runner for reference

30 yard walk at a slight incline to the chapel

Chapel Podium looking South-east

Chapel podium looking South-west

Chapel Podium looking West

Chapel podium looking East

From Parking Lot on the Hill Looking South East

There are some pros and cons to this location that I want to go over really quickly.

Pros:

• Free to Use

• Outdoors

• Beautiful Drive

• Opportunity to See Wildlife

• Intimate

• Can accommodate roughly 80 guest including bride and groom

• Trees provide a little cover from the elements

• Easy to reserve your date

Cons:

• Kind of a long drive ( 1 hour or 44 miles from Cody, WY)

• No restrooms or covered area

• Only accommodates 80 guest at most

Obviously, these pros and cons will weigh out different for each couple based on the details of their wedding and their goals for the day.

What I like about Wayfarers Chapel

I personally like the intimacy of inviting 80 guests tops. The location has enough parking to accommodate that many people if they ride together and the top parking lot brings you 20-30 yards away from the ceremony site. I like the idea of getting married in God’s creation and find a lot of meaning in an outdoor ceremony. The tree cover available could make up for the lack of a covered area. The chapel itself is kind of nestled between to hillsides that would protect from wind at least as well.

The drive from Cody to the chapel is kind of long, but there is a lot to look at. Being that I grew up in Cody, I have spent a lot of time on the Northfork Highway and there are so many opportunities to see beauty and wildlife.

Rebecca (me) at a key hole above the Mummy Cave

The view across the Northfork of the Shoshone River from the key hole

An Aspen Grove along the Northfork of the Shoshone River

Autumn along the Northfork of the Shoshone River

A Young Bull Moose Crossing the Northfork of the Shoshone River

A Young Bull Moose caught in the current of the Northfork of the Shoshone River

Young Bull Moose Flustered on the Bank of the Northfork of the Shoshone River

A sow grizzly and her cubs at a distance on the Northfork of the Shoshone River

You can reserve your date with the Episcopal Church by all them at (307)587-3849 or emailing them at info@christchurchcody.org. All they need to know is the date you would like to use the space, your name, and your phone number. If the date is available, they will write you down to make sure you are the only one there that day. If that day isn’t available, you could ask for another day.

The lady I talked to on the phone was very kind and helpful.

The Episcopal Church does not require payment to use this facility, but I would encourage anyone who would like to use this location to consider donating. I am not associated with the Episcopal Church, and when I asked for ways to donate in return for the use of their space they seemed surprised by the notion, so they certainly didn’t tell me to ask you guys.

You can donate by visiting this url and donating online.

• Online Donations to Christ Episcopal Church

Or by sending a check to their P.O box in Cody, Wyoming

• P.O. 1718

As I mentioned, the Wayfarers Chapel was created by the Episcopal Church and the Forest Service. The chapel is located in the Shoshone National Forest. To make sure we can maintain the chapel and the forest, I have included a link to the Forest Service’s Basic Forest Service Rules here.

Important things to note when considering this for a wedding venue are:

• You might need to discuss a permit with your wedding photographer. They will need to contact the Shoshone National Forest office located in Cody, Wyoming.

  • The woman who handles the permits can be reached at 307-219-8811.

• Fireworks are not allowed and depending on the fire restrictions at that time, sparkler exits or anything involving flame could be out of the picture.

• You must make sure the chapel and surrounding area are left as you found it or even better. I would assign someone or even a group of people to make sure you don’t leave anything behind or damaged.

Conclusion:

Overall, this is an intimate, rugged, authentic place to say your vows and share them with the people who are important to you.

If you are looking for a local photographer that has experience in the area, please take a look at my wedding packages and portfolios. I am a 5th generation Wyomingite that specializes in documentary style photography.

If you liked this blog, you might like these that also talk about local locations in the Big Horn Basin of Northwest Wyoming!