2026 Heart Mountain Pilgrimage
SAVE THE DATE!
July 23 – 25, 2026
General Registration Open NOW
Registration runs April 1 through June 30
What It Means to Be American: Voices from Heart Mountain
The 2026 Heart Mountain Pilgrimage invites you to join a powerful and timely exploration of American identity as the nation marks its 250th anniversary. Centered on the voices and experiences of Heart Mountain survivors and descendants, this year’s pilgrimage asks the question: What does it mean to be an American?
Attendees will experience an unforgettable live performance of Defining Courage, explore a compelling exhibit on the draft resistance movement, engage in hands-on activities for kids, take part in multigenerational discussion groups, and hear from acclaimed author and Smithsonian speaker Dr. Damion Thomas of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Participants will also have the opportunity to tour the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center and explore the historic site campus.
This is a weekend for deepening connection to community and place. Together, we will reflect, learn, and connect through history that continues to shape our present.
Have questions or concerns? Please check out our Pilgrimage FAQs Page:
Exhibits:
We the People: Exploring American Identity
At Heart Mountain, behind barbed wire and guard towers, incarcerated Japanese Americans lived lives that were unmistakably, and complexly, American. They celebrated Christmas and Obon, played baseball and practiced sumo, wore Sears fashions and traditional kimono. This exhibit invites visitors to explore how American identity was challenged, preserved, and reimagined at Heart Mountain, revealing a powerful story of culture and belonging that expands our understanding of the American experience.
The Patriotism of Protest: Draft Resistance Behind Barbed Wire
Over thirty thousand Japanese Americans fought for the U.S. in the military during World War II. However, others chose the courtroom as their battlefield. This exhibit follows the story of how the government came to draft Japanese Americans who were confined behind barbed wire on the basis of presumed disloyalty, and how the Japanese Americans attempted to stand up not only for themselves, but for the very principles on which the United States was founded. It features profiles of individual resisters, exploring the human faces and stories behind the resistance.
Talks:
Dr. Damion Thomas
Dr. Damion Thomas, museum curator of sports for the National Museum of African American History and Culture, will explore the power of sports as connective tissue in movement making and in community building, celebrating the story of the Heart Mountain Eagles football team.
Authors of Incarceration
Join prominent authors who have written extensively about the incarceration experience for an engaging conversation about their work and research. They’ll share insights into their creative process, answer audience questions, and be available for book purchases and signings.
Activities / Programming:
Multigenerational Discussion Groups
Small, intimate gatherings spark open dialogue, personal storytelling, and deep curiosity. These meaningful conversations create space for reflection, connection, and shared experiences across generations. Be sure to sign up when you register to secure your spot in a group.
Art Healing Session
Designed as an open, informal space, this session invites participants—particularly those from the Multigenerational Discussion groups, to process emotions through art. Art supplies and prompts will be provided, allowing for creative expression and continued conversation in a flexible, come-and-go format.
Defining Courage
Defining Courage is a story about what it means to be an American. The show is a journey into the legacy of the Nisei Soldier, Americans of Japanese ancestry who served in the segregated military units of the 100th IB, 442nd RCT, MIS, and 522nd FAB. Considered among the greatest fighting units in American military history, their extraordinary stories have rarely been heard.
Narrated by Emmy-winning ABC7-Los Angeles News Anchor and Filmmaker David Ono along with musicians and vocalists curated by Music Director Chris Wade, we immerse you into the profound and inspiring world of these heroes who fought prejudice at home and the enemy abroad.
SEE, HEAR, and EXPERIENCE their incredible heroics through this piece of innovative storytelling. Far from a history lesson, it is a testament to inner strength, one that inspires us in our search for courage in today’s world.
This event is sponsored in part by Wyoming’s Semiquincentennial Celebration: A Declaration of Imagination, and Travel Wyoming.
Site Tours
Hospital
When it opened in 1942, the hospital complex on top of the hill could care for up to 150 patients. The hospital’s boiler house chimney is one of the most iconic structures of the former incarceration site. Explore the medical experiences of incarcerees at this original structure.
Memorial & Honor Roll
The Honor Roll lists all Heart Mountain incarcerees who served in the military during WWII (as well as WWI and the Korean War). After hearing about this structure, participants will have the opportunity to tour the Setsuko Saito Higuchi Memorial Walking Trail, which features images and facts about the original layout of the confinement site.
Barrack
Learn about life and camp experiences in the barrack setting. This original barrack building was brought back to Heart Mountain in 2015 and has been undergoing restoration work since then.
Root Cellar
Construction began on the root cellar in the summer of 1943, as part of the camp’s agriculture program. That year, the incarcerated laborers of the agriculture program accomplished what was known as the “Heart Mountain Miracle,” turning a dry Wyoming desert into verdant farmland in less than a year. Take a guided tour through this original Heart Mountain root cellar and see the restoration work that has been completed over the last few years.
Guard Tower
There were nine guard towers around the original Heart Mountain site, manned by military police. Visit our replica guard tower and learn about life behind barbed wire.
Heart Mountain AR App
Explore our national historic site with the Heart Mountain Augmented Reality (AR) App, which provides added storytelling and background to sixteen separate spots around the site.
Kids Activities
At this year’s Pilgrimage, kids can take part in a variety of fun, optional activities that help bring the past to life through creativity and play. They can make and fly kites like children once did at Heart Mountain, try the Chopstick Challenge, or draw what the mountain and camp site look like today, then compare it to artwork created during incarceration. Kids can also join book readings, color themed pages, and watch the short film, Hello Maggie! These activities offer a meaningful way for young participants to connect, reflect, and have fun.
Silent Auction
Take home a new treasure while supporting an important mission! Our Silent Auction features fine art, jewelry, antiques, and unforgettable experiences, with bidding open through 8:30 pm on Saturday, July 25. All proceeds directly support the work of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation.
Dancing Across Cultures: Apsáalooke-Crow and Japanese Traditions
Join Johnny Tim Yellowtail of the Apsáalooke Nation (Crow) and Haruka Takaku (Japan Outreach Coordinator) for a hands-on workshop exploring the traditional Crow Push Dance and traditional Japanese dance. Learn about the dance’s cultural roots and social significance, then get moving with step-by-step instruction in its rhythmic, partner-based movements. All are welcome, no dance experience needed!
General Information:
Local Area Medical Resources:
If you need a pharmacy or over-the-counter medication:
The most convenient pharmacy is at the Walgreens at 1585 Sheridan Ave in downtown Cody, just across from the Holiday Inn. It’s open from 7:00am to 10:00pm and the pharmacy is open from 8:00am to 6:00pm. Other pharmacies in town are at Albertsons and Walmart.
If you need to visit a medical facility or speak to a doctor:
Cody Regional Health
707 Sheridan Ave
Open 24 Hours
307-527-7501
Billings Clinic
201 W. Yellowstone Ave
Open 8:00am – 5:00pm
Mon – Fri
307-527-7561
Cancellation Policy:
No refunds will be given after the close of registration (July 1, 2026).
Archives & Collections Donations:
If you are considering bringing artifacts, documents or photographs from camp to the Pilgrimage for donation, please contact us beforehand at info@heartmountain.org or 307-754-8000.
Travel Information:
Our host hotels in Cody are the Holiday Inn, Comfort Inn, and Buffalo Bill Cabins. We have a discounted rate available at all of these locations.
Check out the map below to see the layout of this group of hotels:
(307-587-5555)
(307-587-5556)
(307-587-5544)
***If you plan to stay at any of the above hotels, please call them directly to make your booking and mention that you are attending the Heart Mountain Pilgrimage to take advantage of the discounted rate. If you book online, you will not be able to get the discount.
Please note: we have a block of rooms reserved until May 20 with these hotels. After that time, you may still be able to book a room, but we cannot guarantee availability. We recommend you book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Cody, Wyoming has an airport (named Yellowstone Regional Airport—COD) that is served by United Airlines with connecting flights through Denver, CO. The next closest airport is in Billings, Montana, which is approximately 90 minutes away by car. If you’re flying through Billings, you will need to make arrangements to rent a car at that airport as there is no public transportation between Billings and Cody.
For more information regarding travel arrangements for getting to and around Cody and Powell, Wyoming, you can visit www.codyyellowstone.org.
Check out previous Heart Mountain Pilgrimages:
2025 Heart Mountain Pilgrimage
2024 Heart Mountain Pilgrimage
2023 Heart Mountain Pilgrimage
2022 Heart Mountain Pilgrimage
