Summer Information For Laramie In Wyoming






Jul 19, 08

Laramie
Wyoming

Culture in the Old West

Laramie is located in Albany County with the Snowy Range and Medicine Bow National Forest to the west. Native Americans roamed these plains for 8,000 years before white man arrived.

One of the first to arrive was a French-Canadian fur trapper named Jacques LaRamie. His name was given to the future city and several other features in the region.

This former railroad/cowtown became a busy college community with the addition of the University of Wyoming in 1886. A variety of cultural and recreational activities can be found in and around this picture of the Old West.

Medicine Bow National Forest

Medicine Bow National Forest consists of three districts in southeastern Wyoming and covers 1,093,618 acres. It offers a host of outdoor activities. Camping is possible in many locations and sites are available for both tents and trailers. Numerous trails can be found for hiking and exploring this spectacular wilderness.

Rainbow trout is the most common fish found in the many lakes, streams and mountain creeks, but brown and brook trout can be found as well. Lake Hattie and Twin Buttes reservoirs are said to harbor lake trout and perch and Leazenby Lake some graylings.

For mountain biking and rock climbing, Vedauwoo Recreation Area and Happy Jack are popular spots and offer a variety of challenges.

Boating is available on the many lakes and streams in the region, both mountain and plains. Windsurfing can be enjoyed as well.

The History of the West

Several museums are located in and around Laramie for those wishing to delve into the region's past. Two of the most popular are the Laramie Plains Museum and the Wyoming Territorial Prison and Old West Park.

Located in the restored 1892 Victorian mansion of Edward Ivinson, one of the town's first settlers, the Plains Museum houses a wide variety of artifacts. Also on the grounds is a one-room schoolhouse and a cowboy line cabin.

The Wyoming Territorial Prison and Old West Park features a U.S. Marshals museum, a frontier town with Old West Characters come to life, and the restored territorial prison, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors can experience gunfights, stagecoach rides and panning for gold.

Jubilee Days in July is a weeklong celebration with rodeos, parades, fireworks and arts and crafts that attracts visitors from all over. Other popular events include the Laramie River Black Powder Brigade Mountain Man Rendezvous, the Albany County Fair and Demolition Derby and the Laramie Antique Show.