Story Pines Inn is situated just east of Bighorn National Park, right at the base of the Bighorn Mountains. All around are rolling hills and forests, complete with an abundance of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and ATVing, as well as a variety of places to fish, hunt, and sightsee. The inn can be described as a boutique country inn, having six guest accommodations available ranging from one to two beds in size. The property also features a barbecue patio area and a grass lawn complete with swings, benches, and picnic tables. A unique policy of the inn is that it is pet-friendly. The owners of the property are Paula and Patrick Morgan, and their goal is to create an environment of peace, quiet, and relaxation while also being close to nature. The property is open year-round.
Story Pines Inn is located in Story, Wyoming, a small mountain village at the base of the Bighorn Mountains and the Bighorn National Park. The inn can be described as being a "boutique country inn." The lodging building is constructed from stone and stucco, with bright red doors on each unit complimenting the red roof. The parking lot is located right outside each of the rooms' private entrances so that guests can park directly outside their rooms, and there are potted plants and benches available for guests to relax outside if they so choose. There are six guest accommodations on the property that are 300 square feet in size and each unique in its decor and theme. Of these rooms, four have a single bed, namely the Discover Your Light Room, the Northern Lights Room, the Walk in the Woods Room, and the Lavender Fields Room. These guest accommodations come complete with a private bathroom, various tables and nightstands, a mini-refrigerator, and a microwave. However, the first of these four units is unique as it has a massage table included in its features.
The other two units at the Story Pines Inn share the same amenities as the single-bed accommodations, but they each come complete with two beds, allowing them to sleep upwards of four guests. These larger accommodations are respectively known as the Whispering Pines Room and the Clarity in Stillness Room. Besides this distinction, another thing that sets each unit apart from the others is the handmade log furniture and a picture on the wall that matches the name of the room—for instance, the Northern Lights Room has a picture of the northern lights, and the Lavender Fields Room has a picture of a lavender field. Other amenities that these rooms share between them include private air conditioning and heating, Wi-Fi, Direct TV on a smart television, a hairdryer, and a few relatively large windows giving views of the property and the surrounding area.
The only other room on the property guests can visit is the Story Pines Inn office, where they also check-in and check-out. The owners, Paula and Patrick Morgan, provide complimentary coffee and snacks in the office each morning should guests want some. They also have a variety of gift shop-style items available for purchase. Among these items are coffee cups, greeting cards, and other memorabilia. Additionally, they have a selection of breakfast-to-go meals guests can buy and eat in their rooms or on their way out the door. They do this because many of the local restaurants in their area aren't open early in the morning. The meal options consist of breakfast cereals with milk, oatmeal, breakfast sandwiches and burritos, yogurt, and other grab-and-go food items. In the office, guests have access to a coin-operated laundromat service as well.
The Story Pines Inn grounds consist of nearly an acre of property. There are several features Paula and Patrick have implemented on the premises to better cater to their guests' stay. Chief among these is the outdoor patio area, complete with a community fire pit and a barbecue grill. Additionally, there is plenty of manicured grass area guests can spend time at and also where they can play with their dogs. A relatively large Ponderosa tree is on the grass area with a couple of "big sky chairs" hanging underneath and a white bench situated in the shade. Beyond this, there are several other picnic tables and benches located around the premises, as well as a pergola. This pergola is unique because it was built by the owner Patrick himself, who handles much of the upgrading and maintenance of the inn personally. Because of the proximity to the Bighorn Mountains and the surrounding area's nature, guests staying at the Story Pines Inn will often get the privilege of seeing wildlife meandering on the property's grounds. Some of the more common of these animals include deer and turkey, but it is not uncommon to see other animals, especially other birds.
Story, Wyoming, is a small mountain village close to nature and several well-known natural attractions. According to Paula, the motto of Story is "You may leave Story, but Story will never leave you." The town has a single store and post office guests of the Story Pines Inn can walk to, as well as a few parks, trailheads, and a disc golf course. Additionally, guests can find historic battle sites between the Indians and the Calvary along the Bozeman Trail for those wishing to get a little taste of the area's history. Because the village is so small, guests who want more abundant cuisine options may have to travel a few minutes to the neighboring towns. Some restaurants nearby that Paula and Patrick recommend are the Winchester Steakhouse in Buffalo, as well as the Big Horn Mercantile pizza place, the Cowboy Café, and Perkins, all located in Bighorn. Some well-known nearby attractions include the Britain Museum and Fort Phil Kearny. Guests can also visit downtown Buffalo or Sheridan to shop in the various stores there.
The culture of the Story Pines Inn is one that is perhaps best characterized by the surrounding area of Story, Wyoming, and the Bighorn Mountains. Paula Morgan, a co-owner of the property with her husband Patrick, describes the local as being a "mountain village, not shiny glitz and stainless steel." She says that instead of offering their guests attractions, like inner-city places, they sell them "peace, quiet and relaxation." One of the primary ways that Paula and her husband try to create this culture is by trying to be welcoming, personable hosts. They talk about the friendly interactions they have with their guests and are often appreciated or mentioned in reviews. One guest review, in particular, reads, "From scheduling the stay all the way to check out, the staff was personable, professional, and amazing. They left a note in my room with their condolences along with a welcoming message." As this review talks about, Paula has always strived to provide "personalized customer service" to each of her guests, even going so far as to write each of them a personal note welcoming them to the inn.
Paula and Patrick aren't the only people known for providing "personalized customer service" at the Story Pines Inn. They also have their dog Raya who loves to greet guests and interact with them. One guest who stayed at the property mentioned that Paula and Patrick are "Very friendly owners, and Raya was the highlight I needed!" To go along with their own dog, a unique policy of the inn that is very popular among their patrons is that it is a pet-friendly lodging place. Patrick tells how they have had dogs as small as three pounds all the way up to 150 pounds visit their property. However, it should be noted that visitors with pets should clean up after them and let Paula and Patrick know ahead of time. One guest review says the inn is "such an appealing place, and so accommodating for pets!" Additionally, the inn has a no-smoking policy.
Another way that the owners of the Story Pines Inn try to create this atmosphere of "peace, quiet, and relaxation" is by having a goal to maintain a high standard of cleanliness. Paula wants each of her guests to feel as if they are "the first person who ever stayed in their room." She also tries to make sure the amenities and features in each room add to the comfort and the convenience of her patrons' stay. According to Paula, because of this attention to detail, many of her repeat customers who have been coming to the inn for decades mention that the rooms look "the same and as new and as crisp as it ever was!" Other of her newer clients have even told her, "I had the best sleep I've ever had" while picking up their cup of coffee in the morning. A guest review perhaps supports this by saying, "The hospitality was excellent. Paula was incredibly nice and very sociable, and the rooms are really clean and well kept. The beds will make you want to sleep in them all day long."
The locale is also an additional way Paula and Patrick Morgan help their guests feel the "peace, quiet, and relaxation" they want to provide at Story Pines Inn. Because they don't live in a bustling city with a lot of attractions, they know that many of their patrons are coming to Story, Wyoming, to get a break from the hustle and bustle of city life and connect with the abundance of natural attractions and recreational activities nearby. To accommodate these guests, Paula and Patrick help them plan out day trips and local activities they can do in the nearby area. They also try to provide comfortable and well-maintained property grounds, with lots of seating and shade, so that guests can relax and enjoy the surrounding nature at the inn itself.
The inn is open year-round, so Paula and Patrick get guests visiting the area for many different reasons. In the summertime, many visitors want to enjoy nature in the warmer weather, often going hiking, mountain biking, or ATVing nearby. Into the fall season, their demographic changes to many hunters, who use the inn as their home base of sorts. In the winter, Paula talks about how Story, Wyoming might get upwards of 250 inches of snow, so their patrons coming that time of year are more likely in the area for snow activities or just to relax in a cabin-style atmosphere. Paula mentions that even with all the snow, Wyoming has a drier climate, so often, it is still sunny in the winter.
Regardless of what season guests are coming to the area, some of the recreational activities nearby that they can participate in include fishing, hiking, mountain biking, bird watching, rock climbing, and ATVing. Perhaps the primary location guests can go and participate in these various recreational activities is the Bighorn Mountains and Bighorn National Park. Penrose National Trail is a popular trail for ATVing and hiking in the woods and mountains. There is also the Cloud Peak Wilderness guests can explore, where there are dozens of reservoirs and lakes hidden among the forest trees. Some specific attractions include Kayak Reservoir, Medicine Wheel, and Crazy Woman Canyon. These three places are part of the itinerary of a recreational, sightseeing day trip Paula and Patrick often recommend to their guests. They mention that visitors might be able to catch a glimpse of wild elk, moose, and bears on this day trip. South Piney Canyon is also nearby and is a popular place for rock climbing. A little closer to home, guests can visit the Story Centennial Park, where they can find the Story Penrose Trailhead for hiking, the Fish Hatchery to feed and catch fish, and a disc golf course.
The current owners of the Story Pines Inn are Paula & Patrick Morgan. They also serve as the property's day-to-day management, maintenance, and the hosts with their dog Raya. Paula talks about how she and her husband Patrick were drawn to the lodging industry because they wanted to work for themselves and live in a place that paid for itself. They also loved the locale of Story, Wyoming, that the property was located in. In particular, they loved the energy of the community of the mountain village and the area's scenic nature. So back in May of 1999, when the property that is now the Story Pines Inn was put up for sale, Paula and Patrick jumped on the opportunity. Since then, they have been running it as an inn.
The property itself has been around for a relatively long time, at one time serving as a veterans retirement home and being an apartment complex another time. However, in the late 1990s, the building burnt down in an unexpected fire. Paula talks about how it was then purchased by some realtors who planned to flip the property after building it again, and they did. Reconstruction finished in 1998, at which point they opened it, with the intent to sell, as the Story Pines Motel. Because of this fire and the reconstruction, when Paula and her husband Patrick obtained the property in 1999, it was relatively brand new. Paula explains, "they were just getting it ready for when I got here." Upon their purchase, she and her husband changed the name and established the lodging place as the Story Pines Inn.
Paula and Patrick have made many changes to the property and the units since the inn's establishment. They have a goal to continue to renovate and upgrade their amenities, rooms, and grounds so that they might better provide their guests with top-quality features and make their stay more convenient. Paula herself describes Patrick as being her "handyman husband" as he has done the majority of the upgrades and renovations himself. A specific change he has made is installing air conditioning in all of the units so that guests staying in the summertime heat might have a more refreshing experience. Beyond this, Paula and Patrick have also added various personal touches, such as decorations, tables, and chairs, to each guest accommodation. In particular, they hired a wood craftsman artisan that lives in Story to make log furnishings for all the rooms. They did this to better match the "mountain village" theme and to match their name—Story Pines Inn. Since then, many guests have commented on how homey the log furnishings make their rooms feel, appreciating the aesthetic detail Paula and Patrick have tried to make a priority.
Despite the fact that Paula and Patrick are reaching retirement ages—one being 65 years of age and the other 72 years old—they fully plan to keep adding more upgrades and changes moving forward. One of these upgrades they plan to do is replace all the carpets in each unit. Though they make sure to clean them regularly, they want to make sure they are able to provide a level of cleanliness and comfort and feel that they are due for a replacement. A feature they have had their mind on for a long time, and hope to get to soon, is building a community event room. A place where they, or their guests, could have gatherings, host events or parties, use as a venue, or even just as a meeting room.
46 North Piney Road
Story, Wyoming 82842
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Paula & Patrick Morgan
