2017-11-09 04:12:20
Home to the state’s future-forward yet western-rooted capital city and the iconic Snowy, Medicine Bow, Seminoe and Wind River mountain ranges, the Rockies to Tetons region brims with only-in-Wyoming experiences for culture vultures and adventure seekers. Highlights include natural hot springs, scenic byways and the Wind River Indian Reservation. That's WY WELCOME CENTERS • Southeast Wyoming Welcome Center (Cheyenne) • Summit Information Center (Laramie) VISITOR CENTERS • Cheyenne • Dubois • Lander • Laramie (Area Visitor Center) • Laramie (Summit Information Center) • Rawlins • Riverton • Saratoga ROCKIES TO TETONS DESTINATIONS 1 CHEYENNE FRONTIER DAYS OLD WEST MUSEUM CHEYENNE This museum interprets the storied past of the world’s largest rodeo and frontier celebration, which has attracted patrons from near and far to the state’s capital since 1897. Discover the romance of the very first Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo and let the kids explore the interactive children’s gallery. Learn more about the event on p. 94. 2 VEDAUWOO CAMPGROUND & RECREATION AREA BETWEEN LARAMIE & CHEYENNE Towering rock structures, rivers and campsites galore await in one of Wyoming’s most beloved recreation areas. Known to the Arapaho Indians as “Land of the Earthborn Spirit,” Vedauwoo offers hiking and biking trails as well as rock-climbing routes. 3 SARATOGA HOT SPRINGS RESORT & SPA SARATOGA A good dose of relaxation is guaranteed at this pampering resort, where guests are invited to lounge in intimate teepee-covered pools and a 70-foot mineral hot springs swimming pool. Lodging is available in rustic yet cozy guestrooms and suites, while the Healing Waters Spa is housed in the original 1902 State Bath House. 4 INDEPENDENCE ROCK STATE HISTORIC SITE NEAR ALCOVA To pioneers who made their way west along the Oregon Trail, this was an important landmark — if reached by the Fourth of July, they could make it over the Rockies before winter. They carved their names into the rock, earning it the nickname “Register of the Desert.” Today, visitors can still see the etchings, climb to the top or hike the trail around the base. 5 WIND RIVER INDIAN RESERVATION Bordered by the Wind River Mountains, the Wind River Indian Reservation is home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes. Learn more about the tribes and their cultures at the Wind River Hotel & Casino’s Northern Arapaho Experience Room. Visit in late June for the Eastern Shoshone Powwow and Indian Days or try your luck year-round at the Wind River Casino or Shoshone Rose Hotel and Casino. 6 NATIONAL BIGHORN SHEEP INTERPRETIVE CENTER DUBOIS During the winter months, the world’s largest wintering herd of bighorn sheep roams this remote area. Stop by the National Bighorn Sheep Interpretive Center to set up a tour — guided or solo — to see the majestic creatures in their natural habitat. STATE PARKS CURT GOWDY STATE PARK Near Cheyenne & Laramie This easily accessible park is a mountain biker’s paradise, with varied terrain for beginners and experts alike. Pitch a tent under the stars at one of three campgrounds, or reserve a stay at the historic Hynds Lodge nearby. SEMINOE STATE PARK Near Rawlins Seminoe has many opportunities to encounter bighorn sheep, elk, deer, coyotes and pronghorn. Explore 180 miles of shoreline along one of Wyoming’s largest reservoirs and camp beneath the beautiful Seminoe Mountains. SINKS CANYON STATE PARK Near Lander This rugged canyon at the foot of the southern Wind River Mountains is named for a unique geologic formation where the Popo Agie River vanishes underground near the mouth of the canyon and reappears as a pool a quarter mile away dubbed “the Rise.” Pass your time trout fishing, rock climbing or hiking. WY AM I HERE? “We don’t get to choose where we’re born, but I got here as fast as I could. It wasn’t just the state itself that I fell in love with even though it’s geographically amazing — it was the people,” says Joe Brandl, owner of Dubois’ Absaroka Designs and Tannery. “In Dubois, you’re going to find genuine people who want to go out of their way to help you … and people keep coming back because of that.”
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