Enjoy it while visiting Sheridan in Wyoming
King’s Saddlery and Museum in Sheridan, Wyoming, is one of the most celebrated western tack shops and leathercraft destinations in the United States, attracting visitors from around the world who come to see the legendary Don King create handcrafted ropes and hand-tooled saddles in the same workshop his family has operated since 1946. The shop is famous for producing some of the finest custom saddles, rawhide ropes, and leather goods available anywhere, with clients ranging from working cowboys on nearby ranches to Hollywood filmmakers and even royalty. The attached King’s Western Museum houses an extraordinary collection of western artifacts, vintage saddles, Native American beadwork, and historic cowboy gear that tells the story of the American West through the lens of the working cowboy tradition.
The King family story began when Don King started learning the craft of leatherwork and saddle making in his youth, apprenticing under master craftsmen who passed down techniques refined over generations on the open range. Don’s father established the original shop in downtown Sheridan, and the business grew steadily as the King reputation for quality spread throughout the ranching community. Over the decades, Don King became internationally recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities on rawhide braiding and rope making, a distinction that brought commissions from film productions, rodeo champions, and western enthusiasts worldwide. Don’s intricate rawhide work required thousands of hours of patient braiding, and many of his finest pieces are now displayed in the museum, where visitors can marvel at the extraordinary craftsmanship up close.
The working saddlery shop remains the heart of the operation, where skilled leatherworkers carry on the King tradition of building fully hand-tooled saddles using techniques that have changed little in a century. Visitors can watch craftsmen cut, shape, and stitch leather into saddles destined for working ranches, competitive roping events, and collectors who prize American-made western craftsmanship. The shop carries an extensive inventory of western tack, ropes, bridles, bits, spurs, chaps, and saddle blankets that serve both local ranchers who need reliable working gear and visiting tourists looking for authentic souvenirs. Every item in the shop reflects the King family philosophy that western gear should be functional, durable, and beautiful in equal measure.
The King’s Western Museum occupies the upper floor and back rooms of the building, showcasing a private collection that rivals many dedicated western museums. The collection includes more than 500 vintage saddles spanning the history of the American West, from Spanish Colonial designs of the 18th century to the ornate parade saddles of the early rodeo era. Cases filled with Native American beadwork, including Plains Indian moccasins, war shirts, and cradleboards, provide cultural context for the region’s indigenous heritage. The firearms collection features historic rifles and pistols from the frontier era, while cowboy memorabilia such as spurs, branding irons, and historic photographs bring the ranching lifestyle to life. One of the museum’s most remarkable exhibits is a collection of Don King’s own rawhide masterpieces, including intricately braided reins, bosals, and reatas that represent the pinnacle of the rope-making art form.
The museum also pays tribute to Sheridan’s broader western heritage with exhibits on the area’s cattle ranching history, the Johnson County War, and the role of the railroad in transforming Sheridan from a frontier outpost into a thriving community. Historic photographs of early Sheridan document the town’s growth, while displays on the Bighorn Mountains highlight the relationship between the range country and the high country that defined life in north-central Wyoming. A section dedicated to the rodeo tradition features championship saddles, trophy buckles, and photographs of legendary competitors who passed through Sheridan on the rodeo circuit, reinforcing the city’s connection to the sport that grew directly from working ranch life.
King’s Saddlery and Museum remains a family-owned business with multiple generations now involved in preserving Don King’s legacy and carrying forward the traditions of western leathercraft. The shop continues to attract filmmakers seeking authentic costumes and props, with King saddles and leather goods appearing in numerous western films and television productions over the years. International visitors from Europe, Asia, and Australia frequently make the journey to Sheridan specifically to visit King’s, drawn by the shop’s reputation as an authentic western institution rather than a tourist attraction. The staff are knowledgeable about the products they sell and generous with their time, often taking visitors on impromptu tours of the workshop and explaining the craftsmanship behind the items on display.