Snowy Range Scenic Byway

Approximately 30 miles west of Laramie, the Snowy Range Scenic Byway crosses 27 mi of the Medicine Bow National Forest, rising from 8,000 ft on the valley floor to 10,847 ft at Snowy Range Pass, where nearby Medicine Bow Peak towers to 12,013 ft with year-round glaciers. From the Sugarloaf Recreation Area, as well as other trailheads, there are miles of high alpine trails, including a trail to the top of Medicine Bow Peak. Along the byway are other popular recreational activities, including interpretive areas, camping, picnicking, fishing, and OHV riding.

Beartooth Pass

Beartooth Pass is located in both Wyoming and Montana. The highway over Beartooth Pass is the highest paved primary road in Wyoming. From the summit south into Wyoming offers spectacular views and high mountain lakes. This is one of the most beautiful mountain passes that I have been on. This is a lightly traveled part of Wyoming as it is not on the way to anything else unless you are traveling from or to Montana.

Fremont Canyon Bridge and Overlook

The North Platte River runs through a 120 ft deep gorge, which is spanned by the Fremont Canyon Bridge. Just north of the bridge along the canyon rim is a large parking area with a railed overlook, which provides views into the red-walled canyon as well as a good view the old steel truss bridge. This is a popular spot for rock climbers.

Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark

On top of Medicine Mountain is the Medicine Wheel, an 80 ft diameter "spoke and wheel" alignment of rocks, with 28 spokes radiating from a central cairn and 6 smaller cairns evenly spaced around the perimeter. The original purpose of the Medicine Wheel is unknown, although scientists and archeologists believe that it was created between 1200 and 1700 A.D. by Native Americans. For many traditional Indian people the Medicine Wheel is considered to be the altar for Medicine Mountain, a site of great spiritual significance. Native American interpreters are present at the site during the tourist season.

Devil Canyon Overlook: Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

The Devil Canyon Overlook is the easily accessible highlight of the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. The overlook is situated on a point above a bend in Bighorn Lake where Devil Canyon joins Bighorn Canyon. The overlook offers views up and down Bighorn Canyon as well as into Devil Canyon where colorful canyon walls rise 900 ft above the lake. This is the only overlook that doesn't require hiking to the canyon rim. Several interpretive signs about the canyon geology and wildlife are located on both sides of the overlook.

Gooseberry Badlands

The Gooseberry Badlands are named for Gooseberry Creek south of the site. A large parking are and overlook provides a panoramic view of these colorfully eroded badlands. A 1.5 mi loop trail leads through these interesting rock formations. The area is right off a remote highway on BLM managed land.

Shell Falls

This waterfall on Shell Creek plunges 120 ft into Shell Canyon. Directly in front of the falls is an easily accessible viewing platform. Along the canyon rim is a short paved interpretive loop trail that offers additional views of the falls, river, canyon, and geological and scenic features of the surrounding area. The falls are just off the US-14 highway. This picture of the falls doesn't actually do it justice.

Wind River Canyon

Wind River Canyon is a scenic 11.0 mile canyon through the Owl Creek Mountains. The canyon is 1.3 - 2.0 miles wide with walls that reach 2,400 feet in height. The Wind River flows north through the canyon out of Boysen Reservoir. At the end of the canyon the river oddly changes names midstream to the Bighorn River. This unusual occurrence takes place at a point known as Wedding of the Waters. The road through the canyon provides a nice drive, many pullouts, and 2 picnic areas.

Legend Rock Petroglyphs

If you enjoy viewing Indian rock art, this is the place to see. The Legend Rock Petroglyphs are perhaps the most impressive collection of petroglyphs in Wyoming and rank up there with most that I have seen in my many travels in the western United States. The site contains nearly 300 petroglyphs along a 300 yd long cliff face depicting bison, elk, humans, and even a rabbit. This rock art ranges from 100 to 11,000 years old, but most are classified as the Dinwoody tradition, which is only seen in the Bighorn Basin and Wind River Basin west of the Bighorn River. Dinwoody Petroglyphs are always pecked and are often of large humanlike figures with headdresses, an unusual amount of fingers or toes, have a pattern of interior lines in the torso, and are sometimes upside down. This site is considered one of the oldest and best examples of the Dinwoody rock art.