WYOMING: So Much History (Part 2 of 2)

 

There is so much amazing beauty in Wyoming, not the least of which . . . Grand Teton National Park.  And while Yellowstone National Park spreads through three states, the majority of the park is in Wyoming as well.  (The other two states are Montana and Idaho).

Where you have mountains and rivers, you will also find canyons.  When driving through the Rocky Mountain region, you cannot help but to be impressed with your surroundings. 

And the wildlife . . . truly "home on the range" moments as you wiz by fields of elk, pronghorn (antelope) and deer.  If you're really lucky, you may also stumble upon bears (black or brown/grizzly), moose or big horn sheep.

My drives through Wyoming never disappoint me, so with my three day weekend, and roughly eight hours in each direction (to Rawlins and home from Evanston) I was able to take a more scenic routes not taken before.

Sightseeing highlights from my Wyoming adventure were Legend Rock State Park (petroglyphs), Thermopolis (hot springs), Meeteetse (old western frontier town), Fossil Butte National Monument (ancient fossil lake) and Rawlins itself.  Most of these places have been on my list to visit, but I just never seemed to have the time or be going in the right direction.  I will admit, I didn't know Fossil Butt NM existed until doing a NPS search for Wyoming.  I'm so glad I was able to make all of them this trip.

Legend Rock State Park
Legend Rock is a world-renowned petroglyph site. It has been a sacred site for Native Americans of this region for thousands of years.  Located near Thermopolis, I have known about these petroglyphs for years!  Due to its remote location and required walking, it hasn't been someplace I felt comfortable trying to explore alone in previous years.  When I arrived, I guess I expected a bit more for a state park.  But being a weekday (Friday) after the summer season, I should have realized I might be in for a more remote experience.  Add to it the on and off rain showers since roughly Cody, I wasn't sure what more to plan for.

The walk along the loop viewing pathway, was less than a half-mile. It started at panel 1 of 15, each numbered so you could follow along on their Interpretative Trail map/brochure (available in a waterproof box near the visitor center).  As you walk along the path, going right to left, there is a slight incline which also requires some minor climbing over rocks.  At the end of the trail, you can either turn and go back the way you came . . . or "walk down" several stone steps to the main gravel pathway below.  While I was initially concerned (mostly because it was pouring rain and the rocks and path were slippery), I made it without incident.  Good thing, because I didn't see another human there during my hour walk.

I have so many photos of these beautiful artifacts, so here are just a sampling of these historic works of art.  This panel features some of the oldest petroglyphs at this site . . . believed to be over 11,000 years old.

There are other that are more clearly defined and recognized in terms of the human and animal figures depicted. Check out the panel below.

As much as the cloudy rain was a disappointment, I was really happy that the weather helped to "bring out" the images carved in the rocks.

Fossil Butte National Monument
I'm really glad I found out about this place Saturday night through a GOOGLE search of National Park Service sites in Wyoming.  Fossil Lake was one of three "great lakes" that covered areas of what are now Wyoming, Utah and Colorado.  The fossil beds in this region have been excavated for nearly 200 years.  The layers of rock have preserved thousands of plant and animal life from an estimated 52 million years ago.

While there are no easily accessible trails to view fossil beds here, they have done a remarkable job of providing visitors with exhibits of actual fossils including trees, birds, fish and other animal species.

Again, I took a lot of photos so I'm only sharing a few that I think are most interesting in terms of the life shown through the layers of limestone, volcanic ash and mudstone.

Rawlins, WY
I had couple of hours after breakfast with Patty & Rodney, so I paid a visit to the Carbon County Museum and the Wyoming Frontier Prison.  They are conveniently located within blocks of each other, so it was a nice opportunity to take in some local history.

The Wyoming Frontier Prison might have been "frontier" given it housed its first inmates in 1901 . . . but it remained an active prison until 1981!  The prison had a death row, with hanging being the initial means of execution, until in 1936 a gas chamber method was implemented.  In total, 14 death sentences were carried out here (nine by hanging and five by hydrocyanic acid gas).  There is a small museum open and free to the public.  One-hour guided tours are also provided based on seasonal hours ($10-$12/person).  I highly recommend the walking tour.

I suppose after a prison tour, the historical society's museum may seem tame . . . but it is also worth a mention and visit (and it's free).

Besides . . . who doesn't want to take a selfie with the Sinclair Dinosaur? 

Meeteetse, WY
My timing wasn't great given it was a Friday morning, a couple of weeks after Labor Day . . . but I still enjoyed a short impromptu stop here.  Initially it was more of a "stretch my legs" potty stop, but I was glad I took the opportunity to walk the small frontier town's wooden sidewalks to peer inside some of the many main street shops and museums.

The main Meeteetse Museum was open to the public and had several very interesting exhibits, including a ranger station and the "Wild Sheep of North America."  I'll admit to feeling sad for Big Joe, a 600+ lb grizzy bear that had become a nuisance to local ranchers and was euthanized in 2018.

Ranger's cabin as it would have appeared in the 19th and early 20th century

Big Joe is on display, in his taxidermy state.  He was an amazingly beautiful animal, that just got into trouble on the local ranchers' land.

Peering in through the front window of the old garage

 

 

 

 

 

Thermopolis, WY
This town is perhaps best known for the local hot springs turned tourist/resort stop.  Today, there is a state park that includes the thermal features which are beautiful. More than 8,000 gallons of water a day pour over the terraces which are easily accessible for viewing and photography.  There are several commercial hot springs pools in this area, for day use and overnight visitors.

Here is a video of one of the terraces . . . turn up the volume to hear the hot mineral water flow.

This is also where I stopped for dinner Friday night.  Missing a "Friday Fish Fry" for months . . . I enjoyed the fish dinner at One Eyed Buffalo in town before heading on to Rawlins for the night.

 

The sun setting on another fabulous day!