Devil’s Kitchen

A Hidden Badlands Labyrinth Near Greybull, Wyoming

Just outside the quiet town of Greybull, in Wyoming’s Bighorn Basin, lies a surreal and surprising pocket of landscape that few travelers ever see a place where badlands formations rise like ancient ruins, sculpted by wind, water, and time. This is Devil’s Kitchen, a remote and otherworldly corner of the public lands that feels more like Utah’s red rock country than northern Wyoming.

With its multi-colored clay hills, eroded spires, hoodoos, and hidden gullies, Devil’s Kitchen is a dream for photographers, hikers, geology buffs, and anyone who finds beauty in the stark and unusual. It’s quiet, rugged, and uncrowded — a perfect example of the kind of secret landscape Wyoming hides in plain sight.

A Landscape of Stone and Silence

Devil’s Kitchen isn’t marked by official signs or visitor centers. Instead, you’ll find it tucked into a patch of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land northwest of Greybull, accessed by dirt roads that weave through sagebrush and open rangeland. And then, suddenly, the ground begins to shift the soil turns shades of red, pink, gray, and white, and the terrain drops into a maze of soft stone gullies and sculpted buttes.

The formations here are part of the Willwood Formation, a geological layer dating back around 55 million years to the Paleocene and Eocene epochs. Fossils of ancient mammals and reptiles have been found throughout the region, and the layered hills record eons of changing environments, from swamps and rivers to arid deserts.

But you don’t have to be a geologist to be amazed the colorful bands of clay, the twisted textures of the land, and the unexpected shapes feel like something out of a fantasy novel.

Exploring the Kitchen

There are no formal trails, which is part of the appeal. Visitors can roam freely through the formations, climbing up ridges, descending into slot-like gullies, and discovering new perspectives around every turn. The area is relatively compact, but it’s easy to spend hours exploring, photographing, and just taking it all in.

Because it’s so open and unregulated, come prepared: sturdy shoes, sun protection, plenty of water, and a good sense of direction are essential. This is classic backcountry Wyoming beautiful, raw, and largely unmarked. Cell service is spotty or nonexistent, and GPS may not always be reliable among the canyons.

Leave no trace, and be respectful of the land it’s fragile and easy to damage, especially after rain when the clay turns slick and sticky.

Getting There

Devil’s Kitchen is located about 15 miles northwest of Greybull. To reach it, head north on Highway 310 or 14, then take one of several dirt and gravel roads leading toward the BLM lands west of the Bighorn River. The exact route can vary depending on road conditions, so it’s best to check with locals in Greybull or consult a BLM map before heading out.

A high-clearance vehicle is recommended, especially in wet weather.

A Place Few Others See

What makes Devil’s Kitchen so special is that it’s still largely unknown a quiet, almost secret landscape that hasn’t been turned into a park or tourist stop. It’s one of those rare places where you can feel completely alone in a landscape that feels ancient, mysterious, and untouched.

If you’re exploring the Bighorn Basin, making a trip between Thermopolis and Cody, or just looking for something off the beaten path, take the detour to Devil’s Kitchen. It won’t be on the main tourist maps but that’s exactly why it’s worth going.