#2 WHITE MOUNTAIN PETROGLYPHS Etched into the sandstone walls of White Mountain, a unique version of Southwest Wyoming’s history is told. The Plains and Great Basin Native Americans who lived in this area anywhere from 200 to 1,000 years ago left a legacy of their lifestyle in the form of hundreds of fascinating carvings. Located in the Upper Wasatch formation, the White Mountain Petroglyphs are a permanent reminder of the ancient people that called Sweetwater County home. With a 300-foot cliff face as their canvas, the area’s earliest-known human inhabitants created rock art that tells stories of a time long ago. Anyone can learn about Southwest Wyoming’s history in the pages of a book or with a click of the mouse, but not everyone gets to view the stories told by those who lived it. HOW TO ACCESS IT: Head up US-191 about 10 miles north of Rock Springs. Turn right at CR 4-18 (at the sign that reads Petroglyphs, Sand Dunes, Boar’s Tusk), then left at CR 4-17, and drive about 14 miles on the dirt road until you reach the White Mountain Petroglyphs sign. Turn left onto the rougher dirt road and drive about 2 miles until you reach the BLM parking lot. From here, you’re on foot for a 1 / 2-mile, on a packed foot trail to the petroglyphs. Make sure to travel in a fueled-up AWD vehicle in nice weather with plenty of daylight. Pack food and water and let someone know where you’re going and when you plan to return. the massive amount of coal that was being mined, the railroad built a tipple in town, where millions of tons of coal were sized and sorted by men, women and machines onto waiting railroad cars. Then in 1936 a new tipple was built entirely of steel and iron which waits today to tell visitors the rich mining stories of old. You can get a sense of the historic mining period by taking a self-guided tour of the tipple. No need to bring a pickaxe though, coal is no longer mined here, and any spirits you might come across mean you no harm. HOW TO SEE IT: Take US-191 three miles north of Rock Springs and turn east on Reliance Road. You’ll see the steel tipple about two miles ahead. Park along the footpath and take a two-minute walk to the tipple’s first interpretive sign. #3 THE RELIANCE TIPPLE Around the turn of the 20th century, there appeared to be no stopping the industrial engines of the American economy. Fueling much of this growth was coal, and Wyoming was a significant provider of this resource. The mining and railroad industries gave birth to towns throughout much of the state, many which all but disappeared. But the spirit of the mining towns still seems to linger. In Sweetwater County, you can visit the Reliance Tipple, where the remains of a coal mining town and its structures show the often-overlooked story of an industry that powered America forward. Built entirely by the Union Pacific Coal Company, the town of Reliance came into existence in the first decade of the 20th century. To handle HISTORY // 22
Sweetwater County Official Travel Guide 2021 Sweetwater Official Travel Guide: Page 22
