Antelope Butte Lodge Officially Open

The doors to the new Antelope Butte Lodge are ready to swing open and welcome guests. The $2.7 million renovation was unveiled to the public on January 14, 2022. The culmination of the ten-year Open Antelope Butte Campaign, the lodge building received official occupancy approval this week from the Wyoming State Fire Marshal. 

“We are thrilled to have the Lodge staffed, ready and open to welcome guests, all four seasons of the year,” says Dick Stillson, Antelope Butte Mountain Recreation Area General Manager. The new 9200 square foot, three-story lodge features a grand fireplace, public areas on the main and upper levels, equipment rentals and a retail shop, indoor restrooms, weekend food and beverage service, mountain view decks, a conference room and other amenities.

“Welcoming guests to the Lodge truly symbolizes the full reopening of Antelope Butte,” says John Kirlin, Executive Director of the Antelope Butte Foundation. “Reaching this enormous goal is a milestone we hope the whole community will enjoy and celebrate with us. We couldn’t have done it without our very generous Lodge and Mountain Legacy donors; our amazing staff and board of directors; the many organizations and individuals who made donations; numerous volunteers; and our dedicated design and construction crew led by Jan Allen and Brad Nielson. We’re extremely grateful to everyone who gave of their money, time, energy and skills.”

Antelope Butte first opened in 1960 and was a popular local ski destination until it closed in 2004. The Antelope Butte Foundation purchased the area in 2016, and reopened it for limited public recreation in 2018. The original lodge had fallen into disrepair and was uninhabitable, so plans were made to completely renovate and expand the space. 

After years of fundraising and construction stops and starts, the new lodge opens with a large fireplace on the main level, abundant windows showcasing sweeping views, equipment rental operations, food and beverage services, lounge spaces, meeting rooms, and perhaps the most welcome amenity of all—indoor bathrooms. 

Visitors are invited to come tour the new lodge during regular operating hours, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sundays and Mondays. Lift hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Fridays through Mondays. Lessons, rentals and lift tickets are available for purchase online and on site. Limited food and beverage services will be offered in the lodge on the weekends. For more information, visit AntelopeButteFoundation.org. 

The Antelope Butte Foundation’s mission is to provide affordable and accessible year-round mountain recreation, training, and educational opportunities, with a focus on youth and beginners. Antelope Butte Mountain Recreation Area sits at a base elevation of 8,400 feet (9,400 ft. summit) in the heart of Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains, 59 miles west of Sheridan and 35 miles east of Greybull.