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Wyoming · Wind River Country · #525
Fremont County, Wyoming
In the Wind River Basin at the foot of Wyoming's highest mountains, Fremont County holds the Wind River Indian Reservation - home of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho - in a landscape so wild and vast that the Continental Divide Trail crosses the county for more than 100 miles without passing through a single town.
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Office: Fremont County Emergency Management Agency – 818 S. Federal Blvd, Suite 200, Riverton, WY 82501 | (307) 856-2374 | Fax: (307) 857-4398 | Email: [email protected] | Coordinator: Milan Vinich
Services: Coordinates disaster preparedness, response, and recovery countywide, including wildfire information and response
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-287 and WY-28 serve Lander, the county seat; Fremont County is roughly the size of the state of Vermont
Transit: Wind River Transportation Authority (WRTA) – 2554 Airport Drive, Riverton – operates 2 bus routes connecting Riverton, Hudson, Lander, Fort Washakie, Ethete, and Kinnear, Mon–Fri 5:45 AM–7:20 PM (no weekend service), $2.00 fare
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Fremont County Planning Department – 450 North 2nd Street, Lander, WY 82520
Services: Fremont County has NO countywide zoning or building code – the state’s 2024 adopted codes (Electric, Building, Existing Building, Mechanical, Fire, Fuel Gas) are recommended but not mandated countywide; the county DOES require permits for Small Wastewater Systems (septic, under 2,000 gal/day) and for construction in FEMA-designated flood hazard zones around Lander, Riverton, Dubois, and Hudson
Notes: If your location is within a municipal boundary (Lander, Riverton, Dubois, Hudson, Pavillion, or Shoshoni), contact that municipality directly for addressing and permits – the county handles addressing only for unincorporated areas via a Rural Address Request Form. Lander, Riverton, Dubois, Hudson, and Shoshoni all participate in the NFIP; Pavillion does not.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
County VSO: Fremont County Veterans Service Office – Lander, WY
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Fremont County Library System – Lander branch (headquarters) plus additional locations
Main Branch: Fremont County Library, Lander – 451 N 2nd St, Lander, WY 82520 | (307) 332-5194 | Hours: Mon 1–6 PM, Tue–Thu 10 AM–7 PM, Fri 10 AM–5 PM, Sat 10 AM–3 PM (closed Sun)
Services: Public library serving Lander and the surrounding area
Related: Additional branches serve Riverton, Dubois, and other Fremont County communities.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Fremont County contains roughly a third of the WIND RIVER INDIAN RESERVATION, home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes – genuinely and uniquely the ONLY RESERVATION IN THE UNITED STATES SHARED BY TWO SEPARATE FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES; tribal headquarters are located at Fort Washakie, within Fremont County; the reservation’s roughly 2.2-3.5 million acres are governed by tribal Business Councils, and the two tribes took the initiative to establish a 180,000-acre roadless conservation area in the 1930s – 26 years before the federal government designated the nation’s first official wilderness area; Fort Washakie is home to SACAJAWEA CEMETERY, where local tradition holds that Sacajawea, the Shoshone guide of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, is buried – according to this account, she returned to her people late in life and was laid to rest here in 1884 by Reverend John Roberts, who said he knew her personally (a separate historical account holds she died decades earlier at a much younger age; the cemetery today serves as a genuine, actively visited memorial site regardless); also buried at the nearby Fort Washakie Cemetery is Chief Washakie, the legendary last principal chief of the Eastern Shoshone, who helped negotiate the creation of the Wind River Reservation and was renowned for speaking multiple languages including English and French; visitors can also see the Eastern Shoshone Tribal Cultural Center, the Northern Arapaho Experience Culture Room, St. Stephens Mission Heritage Center, and the Path of Honor Wind River Veterans Memorial
Notes: The Wind River Indian Reservation’s genuine, well-documented status as the nation’s only reservation shared by two separate federally recognized tribes – along with the real, actively commemorated Sacajawea and Chief Washakie gravesites – makes Fremont County an extraordinarily significant piece of Native American and American frontier history.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Fremont County GIS – accessible via fremontcountywy.gov
Parcel Search: Fremont County Assessor
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Fremont County Emergency Management and Planning Department
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Riverton Animal Shelter – 816 North Federal Boulevard, Riverton, WY
Services: Serves the Riverton area of Fremont County
Related: PAWS for Life Animal League, Riverton Animal Adoption Center – 515 South Smith Road, Riverton, WY, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit maintaining the Riverton adoption center; Lander Pet Connection – 385 Del Street, Lander, WY, an all-volunteer, donor-funded rescue group; Western Fremont County Humane Society – serving Dubois and Crowheart in the Upper Wind River Valley for over 25 years, maintains Gizmo’s Dog Park in Dubois and offers cost-sharing spay/neuter and feral cat TNR programs.
Notes: Fremont County’s animal welfare coverage is distributed across several independent organizations by sub-region (Riverton, Lander, and Dubois/Crowheart) rather than a single centralized county shelter – confirm the right contact based on your specific location.
Notes: Contact Fremont County directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Fremont County holds an extraordinarily significant place in Native American history, containing much of the Wind River Indian Reservation – the nation’s only reservation shared by two separate federally recognized tribes – along with the genuinely commemorated resting places of Sacajawea and Chief Washakie. All contact information above was sourced from official county, city, library, and shelter pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Fremont County
Fremont County is defined by water, mountains, and sovereignty. The Wind River originates in the Winds – the Wind River Range, Wyoming’s highest and most extensive mountain range – and flows through the county’s basin before becoming the Bighorn River at the Wedding of the Waters outside Thermopolis. The Wind River Indian Reservation, established by the 1868 Fort Bridger Treaty, occupies a large portion of the county and is home to the Eastern Shoshone Tribe and the Northern Arapaho Tribe – two nations with distinct histories and cultures who have shared the reservation since 1878 under circumstances that the Eastern Shoshone did not choose.
Lander, the county seat, has developed a strong outdoor recreation and adventure economy – the Lander Climbing Festival and the town’s position as a gateway to the Wind River Range backcountry have made it a destination for climbers, backpackers, and fly anglers. NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School), founded in Lander in 1965, operates its flagship campus here and has trained wilderness leaders for sixty years. Riverton is the larger commercial city, providing healthcare and retail services. The county’s economy blends tribal operations, oil and gas production, agriculture, tourism, and the unusual combination of two sovereign tribal nations’ governmental presence alongside Wyoming county government.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Wyoming assesses residential property at 9.5% of market value. Property owners may appeal to the County Board of Equalization (July 1 deadline). Wyoming has no income, estate, or inheritance tax. Note: real property on the Wind River Reservation held in federal trust does not pass through Wyoming probate – succession requires BIA coordination with the Eastern Shoshone or Northern Arapaho tribal realty offices.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
SENIOR SERVICES
Fremont County Senior Center
450 North Second Street, Lander, WY 82520
Phone: (307) 332-4137
Senior transportation, Meals on Wheels, caregiver support, and long-term care counseling for Fremont County residents.
Senior Services
Fremont County Senior Center
450 North Second Street, Lander, WY 82520
Phone: (307) 332-4137
Senior transportation, Meals on Wheels, caregiver support, and long-term care counseling for Fremont County residents.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
450 N 2nd St, Lander, WY 82520
(307) 332-1710
CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT
450 N 2nd St, Lander, WY 82520
(307) 332-1136
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Fremont County Clerk of District Court, Lander (probate case files – see Probate section above); Fremont County Clerk’s Office (separate office) for recorded deeds, small-estate affidavits, and summary distribution decrees.
The Eastern Shoshone Tribe and Northern Arapaho Tribe each maintain their own tribal genealogical and enrollment records for the Wind River Reservation, a key resource for family history research within those communities, separate from county civil records.
Local societies
No dedicated county-level genealogical society (outside tribal resources) was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Fremont County Clerk of District Court (Ninth Judicial District) 450 North 2nd Street, Suite 235, Lander, WY 82520
Fremont County is the largest county in Wyoming by land area, home to the Wind River Indian Reservation (shared by the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes), county seat Lander. Wyoming has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code – it runs its own probate framework under Title 2 of the Wyoming Statutes (“the Wyoming Probate Code”). Probate is filed with the DISTRICT COURT for the county where the decedent lived, administered day-to-day by that county’s Clerk of District Court. Note that Wyoming counties have TWO separate elected clerk offices relevant here: the Clerk of District Court (handles probate case filings) and the County Clerk (a separate office that records deeds, small-estate affidavits, and summary distribution decrees).
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Wyoming Statutes Title 2 governs probate.
Small Estate Affidavit (Wyo. Stat. §2-1-201) – available when the decedent’s entire estate, including personal property (and, per a 2025 update, mineral interests), does not exceed $400,000 (increased from $200,000 effective July 1, 2025, via 2025 Enrolled Act 85/SF0104), less liens and encumbrances. This estate must consist ONLY of personal property (no real estate) for the pure affidavit-to-County-Clerk route. Available 30 days after death; skips court entirely – filed with the County Clerk, who issues a certified copy the claimant presents to banks or other asset holders.
Summary Distribution (Wyo. Stat. §2-1-205) – for small estates up to $400,000 that DO include real property. Requires filing an Application for Decree of Summary Distribution with the District Court (not just the County Clerk); requires 2 consecutive weeks of published notice; the court issues a decree that gets recorded with the County Clerk to clear title.
Full Probate Administration – required for estates exceeding $400,000 or otherwise not eligible for the small-estate or summary paths. File a Petition for Probate with the Fremont County District Court.
Note: for enrolled members of the Eastern Shoshone or Northern Arapaho Tribes, estates involving trust land or other assets held by the federal government in trust on the Wind River Reservation may also involve separate federal/tribal probate processes through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, in addition to (or instead of) Wyoming state probate.
Step 2: filing for administration
File a Petition for Probate with the Fremont County District Court.
Notice must be published for 3 consecutive weeks (Wyo. Stat. §2-7-201).
Once a personal representative is appointed, creditors have 3 months from the date of first publication to file claims (Wyo. Stat. §2-7-703).
The personal representative pays valid debts and expenses, then distributes remaining assets to heirs/beneficiaries.
Close the estate with a final accounting to the District Court.
Wyoming courts are increasingly moving toward e-filing; check with the Clerk of District Court for current e-filing requirements for pro se (self-represented) filers.
Wyoming does NOT have a statutory percentage fee schedule for personal representatives or attorneys – unlike many states. Fees must be “reasonable” and are subject to court approval (Wyo. Stat. §§2-7-803, 2-7-804).
A bond may be required (Wyo. Stat. §§2-3-102, 2-3-111) unless waived by the will or all beneficiaries.
Wyoming does NOT impose a state estate tax, inheritance tax, or state income tax – one of the most tax-friendly states in the country for estate administration. Only the federal estate tax may apply, with a $15,000,000 per-person exemption for 2026.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
450 N 2nd St, Lander, WY 82520
(307) 332-1132
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
(307) 332-1710
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Public Health
Fremont County Public Health, 224 Grantham St, Lander, WY 82520
(307) 332-1073
DFS Office
Fremont County DFS Office, 224 Grantham St, Lander, WY 82520
(307) 332-2661
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Fremont County Public Health – Lander: (307) 332-1073, 450 N. 2nd Street, Room 350; Riverton: (307) 856-6979, 818 South Federal Blvd, Suite 700
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records – two office locations serve the county
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Lander
Population: 40,000
Tier: 4
Inmate Services
Care Packages
Send care packages to inmates in Fremont County facilities via Amazon.
