2017-11-10 03:40:04
If you’re traveling to Wyoming from the greater Salt Lake City area, follow the Continental Divide Trail along Wyoming’s western slope to Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. ROUTE A EVANSTON TO KEMMERER Start your journey in Evanston, an 1868 railroad town flanked by mountains on all sides and a hub for fishing, hunting, hiking, mountain biking and wildlife viewing. Explore the Roundhouse and Railyards Complex or Bear River State Park. Find your way back to the interstate and exit onto Highway 30 to Kemmerer, the headquarters for two famous festivals: Fossil Fest in June and Oyster Ridge Music Festival in July. Kemmerer is also where James Cash “J.C.” Penney founded his first retail store in 1902. Possible stops include the Fossil Country Frontier Museum and Fossil Butte National Monument, located just west of town. KEMMERER TO PINEDALE OR AFTON Once you’ve stopped in Kemmerer, choose between Pinedale and Afton as your next destination. Pinedale is nestled on the western flank of the Wind River Mountains. The 12-mile-long Fremont Lake is just three miles from town and offers fishing and boating. On your way to the lake, stop by the Museum of the Mountain Man for a look into life during the 1800s fur-trade era or check out the collection of old-school rides at Buckys Vintage Snowmobile Museum. Afton is located in a growing rural community along the banks of Swift Creek. See the world’s largest elk-antler arch, built in 1958 with more than 3,000 elk antlers. Locals contribute to the growing arch when elk shed their antlers each year. PINEDALE OR AFTON TO JACKSON There are a variety of lodging options in both Pinedale and Afton, from welcoming bed and breakfasts to comfortable motels. After a restful night, make your way to Jackson. From Pinedale, jump back on Highway 191 and cut through the southern end of Bridger- Teton National Forest. Or, from Afton, drive north along Highway 89 and exit onto Highway 191. JACKSON TO YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK Take Highway 191 from Jackson to Yellowstone National Park, stopping to take photos of the majestic Teton Range, which dominates the Grand Teton National Park skyline. ROUTE B EVANSTON TO ROCK SPRINGS From Evanston, stop at Bear River State Park to pick up travel resources at the visitor center. Continue east on I-80 to Fort Bridger State Historic Site, once a supply stop for travelers heading west on the Oregon Trail. Before making your way to Rock Springs, dip down from the town of Green River into Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, where boaters, campers and cross-country skiers flock each year. ROCK SPRINGS TO PINEDALE Follow Highway 191 north toward the Killpecker Sand Dunes, a sprawling natural sandbox that’s popular with both off-road vehicle enthusiasts and hikers who take to the trails around Boar’s Tusk — the core of an ancient volcano. Also nearby are White Mountain Petroglyphs' hundreds of etchings on sandstone cliffs. PINEDALE TO GRAND TETON AND YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARKS From Pinedale, continue north on Highway 191, which becomes the Wyoming Centennial Scenic Byway — a 163-mile-long route that stretches all the way to Dubois. Take the byway to Jackson and stop to admire the signature antler arches and picturesque Town Square or spend a few hours perusing the National Museum of Wildlife Art. Then, cruise Highway 191 to Yellowstone, stopping to soak in magnificent views of the Teton Mountains from Grand Teton National Park’s Jackson Lake. Then hop back on the highway to drive through dense forests and meadows to Yellowstone. Learn more about the national parks on p. 59.
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