Castle Gardens

One of my favorite places in Wyoming, and one of my fondest memories is Castle Gardens. There are actually 2 Castle Gardens in Wyoming. This is the southern location near the center of the state. The landscape is beautiful with cliffs and hills that form a small valley of rock outcrops and boulders in colorful soil dotted with juniper and pine trees. Some impressive petroglyphs are located along the cliffs. The area is remote enough that it doesn't receive much visitation, which makes it a perfect destination. There is no official camping; however, the site is on BLM land, so camping is allowed just about anywhere. When I visited, we camped in the parking area.

Hell's Half Acre

As you drive along the plains west from Casper along US-20/26 you will encounter a sign for Hell’s Half Acre. If you are not paying attention you will drive right by this large 150 ft deep badlands canyon of colorful eroded rock formations. The canyon is quite unexpected and looks like something you would find in Utah rather than Wyoming. This is actually one of several badlands areas in the state, but is probably the most intricate and striking. The canyon can be viewed just off the road or you can walk around the area for a more complete viewing. There is no access to the bottom of the canyon, and access is not permitted.