2016-10-22 01:16:26
We took the liberty of mapping some popular trips to get you started planning your journey. If you’re looking for a more personalized tour of the state, visit TravelWyoming.com/map and use the interactive tools to plan your ideal trip. Share your road-trip photos at facebook.com/visitwyoming using the hashtag #ThatsWY. Follow the Continental Divide Trail to Yellowstone National Park along Wyoming’s western slope and stop along the way for boating at Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, a fossil dig at Fossil Butte National Monument or backpacking in the Wind River Mountains. ROUTE A EVANSTON TO KEMMERER Upon crossing the Wyoming state line, stop in Evanston, a railroad town founded in 1868. Surrounded by mountains on all sides, the city is a hub for fishing, hunting, hiking, mountain biking and wildlife viewing. Find your way back to the interstate and exit onto Hwy 30 to the town of Kemmerer, the headquarters for two famous festivals: Fossil Fest in June and Oyster Ridge Music Festival in July. It’s also where James Cash “J.C.” Penney founded his first retail store in 1902 when it was a booming mining town. Just west of Kemmerer is Fossil Butte National Monument. As Wyoming’s newest national monument, it contains more than 8,000 acres and protects a portion of the largest deposit of freshwater fish fossils in the world. The visitor center houses more than 300 fossils but if that’s not enough, hike one of the interpretive trails. 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 Mountain Range. The 12-mile-long boater- and fisher-friendly Fremont Lake is just 3 miles from town. On your way to the lake, stop by the Museum of the Mountain Man for a fascinating look into life during the 1800s fur-trade era. Afton is located in a growing rural community along the banks of Swift Creek. Admire 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 TO JACKSON Once you arrive in Pinedale, consider staying at one of the welcoming dude and guest ranches for a real taste of Old West character. Check out the collection of old-school rides at Buckys Vintage Snowmobile Museum or the Museum of the Mountain Man’s fur-trading relics. From there, jump back on Hwy 191 and make your way to Jackson, cutting through the southern end of Bridger-Teton National Forest. JACKSON HOLE TO YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK Grand Teton National Park shelters stunning mountain scenery and a diverse array of wildlife. Rising more than 7,000 feet above the valley of Jackson Hole, the Teton Range dominates the park’s skyline. The range is very popular among climbers, hikers and photographers. Yellowstone National Park has more than 2 million acres of sprawling wilderness to explore, including the world-famous Old Faithful geyser. The park’s vast network of trails takes hikers to hundreds of secluded places where nature is left to its own devices. ROUTE B EVANSTON TO ROCK SPRINGS From Evanston head to Bear River State Park, where you can stop off at the visitor center to speak with locals about your travel plans. The park also has a small herd of bison and elk and 3 miles of hiking trails. Continue east on I-80 to visit Fort Bridger State Historic Site, which was originally established as an emigrant supply stop along the Oregon Trail. Visit historic buildings like the trading post and stone barracks and browse the museum and gift shop. Before making your way to Rock Springs, dip down from the town of Green River into Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, where 2.5 million boaters, campers, hikers, fishermen, cross-country skiers and other outdoor enthusiasts flock each year. ROCK SPRINGS TO PINEDALE Follow Hwy 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 the White Mountain Petroglyphs, featuring hundreds of etchings on sandstone cliffs. PINEDALE TO GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK From Pinedale, continue north on Hwy 191, which becomes the Wyoming Centennial Scenic Byway — a 163-mile route that stretches all the way to Dubois. Take the byway to Jackson and stop to admire the town’s signature antler arches and picturesque Town Square; or spend a few hours perusing the National Museum of Wildlife Art. Then, take Hwy 191 to the entrance of Grand Teton National Park. GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK TO YELLOWSTONE Stop at Jackson Lake to soak in magnificent views of the snow-marbled Teton Mountains, then cruise the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway (Hwy 191) through dense forests and meadows to Yellowstone. Keep your eyes peeled for grizzly bears, moose, elk, bighorn sheep and mule deer along the way.
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Salt To Stone
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