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A rustic wooden sign welcomes visitors to Atlantic City, a small town nestled in a valley surrounded by rolling hills and scattered houses in Wind River Country.

Atlantic City and South Pass City

Where Dreamers Struck Gold

Welcome to Atlantic City and South Pass City

High in South Pass, Atlantic City and nearby South Pass City hold onto the stories of Wyoming’s gold rush era. Walk past original buildings, follow mountain streets and spend time in places where that history still feels close. Just minutes apart, these towns offer a chance to explore the South Pass mining district, from preserved structures and working exhibits to quiet stretches of land where prospectors once searched for gold.

Discover Wyoming’s Legendary Mining Towns

Atlantic City is a small mountain town where historic buildings and quiet streets reflect its gold rush beginnings. What started as a mining settlement in the late 1800s remains a place where you can walk through that history today.

A few miles away, South Pass City State Historic Site preserves more than 30 original structures. Walk through the restored town, step inside historic buildings and follow the stories of the South Pass mining district.

Spend the day exploring both, then return to Atlantic City for a meal or drink in a setting that still carries the character of the Old West.

Atlantic City Mercantile during a sunny day in one of Wyoming's gold mining towns.

Fun Facts

Population
Atlantic City: approximately 40 residents
South Pass City: only a handful of year-round residents; the historic town operates primarily as a state historic site

Elevation
Atlantic City: 7,694 feet above sea level
South Pass City: about 7,900 feet above sea level

What the Area Is Known For
Gold discovered near South Pass in 1867 sparked a rush that created several mining towns, including South Pass City, Atlantic City and Miners Delight. Within a year, thousands of prospectors arrived, making the area one of the most populated regions in the Wyoming Territory at the time.

Historic Significance
South Pass City played an important role in Wyoming’s early women’s rights history. In 1870, Esther Hobart Morris served here as the first female justice of the peace in the United States, shortly after Wyoming granted women the right to vote.

Today
South Pass City State Historic Site preserves more than 30 historic structures from the town’s gold rush era, while nearby Atlantic City remains a small mountain community along the Continental Divide.

Boom or Bust: Tour Real Gold Rush Stories

Atlantic City Mercantile during a sunny day in one of Wyoming's gold mining towns.

Where Treasure Shook the Town: Atlantic City

Tucked into the mountains near South Pass, Atlantic City remains a small, active community shaped by its gold rush roots. Walk the streets, take in the surrounding peaks and settle into a town where the past is still part of daily life.

Established in 1868, the town sits near the historic South Pass crossing once traveled by pioneers along the Oregon and Mormon Trails. Today, it’s a place to slow your pace, explore the landscape and spend time in a setting that feels largely unchanged.

Pan for Glimmers in South Pass City

A short drive from Atlantic City, South Pass City offers one of Wyoming’s best-preserved gold rush sites. Wooden storefronts, homes and exhibits bring the mining era into focus.

Tour the Carissa Mine, learn how gold was extracted and try panning for yourself. During the summer, living history programs and events add another layer to the experience, connecting past and present in a hands-on way.

A wagon parked in front of a white house in the South Pass City Historic Site, a former gold mining town in Wyoming.

Public Lands and Trails

Beyond the towns, trails and public lands stretch across the South Pass region. Follow sections of the Continental Divide Trail, explore historic routes or head into the backcountry where landscape and history meet.

A museum exhibit featuring a large, detailed diorama of a mountainous landscape with various wildlife specimens, including deer, elk, and bears, displayed on rocky terrain in Wind River Country.

Recreation

Outdoor recreation continues year-round in the surrounding mountains. Fish nearby waters, explore by snowmobile in winter or spend time moving through the landscape in every season.

Fishing
Snowmobiling
A plate of food with a large piece of meat, topped with crispy onion strings and served over a bed of mixed vegetables in Wind River Country.

Dining

Stop in for a meal in Atlantic City, where places like the Atlantic City Mercantile and Miner’s Grubstake serve hearty food in a setting that reflects the town’s history.

Savor the Local Flavor
A museum exhibit featuring a large, detailed diorama of a mountainous landscape with various wildlife specimens, including deer, elk, and bears, displayed on rocky terrain in Wind River Country.

Where to Stay

Stay nearby in cabins, rustic lodging or campgrounds that make it easy to spend more time exploring South Pass and the surrounding mountains.

Dream Here

Curious About Wind River Country? Start Here

Go further into the history and landscape of Atlantic City and South Pass City through stories that highlight the mining era, the Continental Divide and the experiences that shape this region today.

Peek Into Your Next Getaway
Listen to Local Stories

Historic Driving Tours

Follow historic routes through South Pass, where mining history, high-country landscapes and quiet stretches of road connect the region’s past and present.

Carissa Mine at South Pass City.

South Pass City Gold Rush Days

Each summer, Gold Rush Days brings South Pass City to life with demonstrations, activities and events that reflect the town’s mining-era roots.

Come Celebrate This July

In Town for These Events

See what’s happening nearby and consider adding a local event to your time in South Pass and the surrounding area.

Find your next event

Businesses in Atlantic City & South Pass City

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Follow South Pass in Real Time

See Atlantic City and South Pass City as they are today, from historic streets to high-country views. Follow along and share your experience by tagging @windrivercountry.

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Where the Wild West lives on.

Photo: Bob Wick

#thatswy #windrivercountry #wyoming

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Where the Wild West lives on. Photo: Bob Wick #thatswy #windrivercountry #wyoming

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Dirt bikes + badlands + snow-dusted mountains in the background = our perfect Wyoming day.

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Oct 26

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Dirt bikes + badlands + snow-dusted mountains in the background = our perfect Wyoming day. Photo: Melanie Limpus

windrivercountry

No matter how you found our account, we`re happy you`re here. This is Wyoming`s Wind River Country, a destination with wide-open landscapes, living cultures and the kind of space that lets you breathe deep.

Come find your West with us here in Wyoming. Learn more at the link in our bio.

Photo: @bradytildeath

#wyoming #windrivercountry #thatswy

View Instagram post by windrivercountry

Oct 19

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Open post by windrivercountry with ID 18114617156168505
No matter how you found our account, we're happy you're here. This is Wyoming's Wind River Country, a destination with wide-open landscapes, living cultures and the kind of space that lets you breathe deep. Come find your West with us here in Wyoming. Learn more at the link in our bio. Photo: @bradytildeath #wyoming #windrivercountry #thatswy