US Forest: Medicine Bow National Forest
Length: 29.0 miles / 46.7 km
Time to Allow: Allow 45 minutes to drive the byway.
The Snowy Range Road, Hwy 130 from Laramie to the Upper Platte River Valley, was designated the Second National Forest Scenic Byway in the United States. Begun in 1920, it took 6 years to complete and was called the "Great Skyroad". This route is a popular recreation attraction with many picnic, camping, observation and interpretive facilities. The mountain ranges of Colorado can be seen from the Libby Flats Observation Point. The Krummholz vegetation associated with the alpine zone is located in this area, and a beautiful array of wildflowers can be seen from early June through July. A self-guided tour is available at the Ryan Park Campground which was the site of a WWII Prisoner of War camp. Medicine Bow Peak, at 12, 013 feet, the highest point on the Medicine Bow Forest, is immediately adjacent to the Byway. There are several hiking trails accessible from the Byway, including a trail up to Medicine Bow Peak. A trip along the Snowy Range Scenic Byway is a must when you visit southeastern Wyoming!
Overview
Snowy Range Scenic Byway follows Highway 130 for twenty-nine miles through the center of Medicine Bow National Forest. A high-altitude drive, it offers you an unforgettable introduction to the mountainous West as it winds through the Rocky Mountains. Here, you'll embark on an extended adventure that encompasses three primary points of interest.
Visit Vedauwoo and embark in some intense climbing. Located in the Laramie Mountains, it features strange shaped pedestal rocks, composed of Sherman Granite that dates back nearly 1.5 billion years. Due to the grandeur of these rock formations, many Native American people once revered this place as sacred.
Explore Medicine Bow National Forest, which encompasses parts of the Laramie, Medicine Bow, and Sierra Madre mountain ranges. A mild climate and sunny skies dominate summer months, creating an ideal setting for outdoor fun. Explore the thick forests by hiking, horseback riding, or mountain biking. Go fishing in one of many alpine lakes and streams filled with trout. In the winter, you'll find yourself in a snowy solitude. Well-marked trails and hundreds of inches of powdery snow entice you to hit the slopes. Stride cross-country or zoom on a snowmobile across 300 miles of trails and wide snowy fields in this region. Thick, iced-over lakes provide ice skating or ice fishing.
Stay overnight at Ryan Park Campground, surrounded by aspen trees. Formerly a Civilian Conservation Corps camp during the Great Depression and a prisoner of war camp during World War II, it has since been revamped. Follow the interpretive trail that leads to the foundations for the old prisoner of war buildings and learn about the history presented on the signs along the way.
As you drive the Snowy Range Scenic Byway, you'll wind through the massive Medicine Bow Forest on a mountain drive that offers views of gigantic granite peaks, glittering lakes, and thick forests. Exploring this region will place you in a new element where almost any adventure is accessible.
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