2017-11-09 03:40:33
IN THE ROCKIES TO TETONS REGION 1 EXPLORE CHEYENNE’S HISTORIC TREASURES Cheyenne Take a guided tour of the intricately restored 1905 Historic Governors’ Mansion, which was inhabited by 19 Wyoming first families until a new mansion was built in 1976. Then peruse the exhibits at the Wyoming State Museum, which highlights the Cowboy State’s prehistoric and modern history, the importance of natural resources like coal to Wyoming’s economy and some of the most famous wildlife in the West. 2 SOAK AWAY YOUR CARES Saratoga Rest your weary bones in Hobo Pool, a natural hot-spring pool located on the banks of the North Platte River in Saratoga. The waters have been touted to possess healing properties and have attracted wellness-seekers — from Native Americans to pioneers — for centuries. While there’s no charge to use the pool, donations are welcome. 3 STROLL PICTURESQUE MAIN STREETS Multiple locations The main thoroughfares of downtown areas in the Rockies to Tetons region are infused with history and charm. Spot the dozen murals in Rawlins’ central business district, which showcase Carbon County’s colorful history, or find out why Laramie was known as “The Gem City on the Plains” during its boom-town days by picking up a walking-tour brochure at the Laramie Main Street Alliance or Chamber of Commerce. 4 HIKE SINKS CANYON STATE PARK Lander Several trails give visitors the chance to explore the park’s unique backdrops. Lined with interpretive signs highlighting the area’s flora and fauna, the easy one-mile-long Popo Agie Nature Trail travels through sagebrush meadows, conifer forests, aspen groves and riparian habitats. Meanwhile, the steep half-mile-long Lower Climbing Buttress climbs to the top of sandstone cliffs. 5 DRIVE TO VIEWS OF 12,000-FOOT PEAKS Between Laramie and Saratoga The 29-mile-long Snowy Range Scenic Byway between Laramie and Saratoga — typically open between late May and mid-November — traverses spectacular landscapes of the Medicine Bow Range. Soak up sights of dense sagebrush and pine woodlands, towering mountains and pretty wildflowers during the summer months. 6 LISTEN TO LIVE MUSIC OUTDOORS Multiple locations Outdoor summer concert series around the region make it easy to enjoy live tunes by local musicians and national and regional bands amid peaceful scenery. Options include Lander Live at Lander’s Jaycee Park on select dates in July and August, Music in the Park on select Thursday evenings in June, July and August at Rawlins’ Washington Park and Friday Nights on the Plaza at Cheyenne’s Downtown Depot. WY INDEED The National Outdoor Leadership School was established in 1965 in the Wind River Range — the perfect wilderness classroom, according to John Gans, the school’s executive director. “We are born and bred in Wyoming … the Winds are super scenic yet it’s relatively easy to go off trail and explore,” he says. “The school started here, and the main operating location is still in Lander even though we operated in 28 countries last year.”
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