Wyoming
We had was an incredible experience visiting Wyoming. It is the least populated state in the U.S. and dominated by wide-open spaces. The population is sparse because most of the state is either mountain or desert. A significant amount of the land has been preserved and Wyoming is home to two major National Parks, Yellowstone and Grand Tetons. We visited both parks and so much more.
Fireside Resort
Fireside Resort was our home base for Grand Tetons National Park. While not in the city of Jackson, it is considered a Jackson Hole establishment. We wanted hookups and a good location. It met the criteria, but was expensive at almost $160 a night with taxes. I was expecting something elegant and that was not what we got. The campground had no pool, dog park, recreation room, nor fancy landscaping. However, there was a bathhouse and laundry, plus cute rental cabins. We understand that everything in Jackson Hole is expensive, so perhaps it was to be expected.
But, we had a nice, long, full hookup site with lots of shade. There was also a creek behind it where moose are sometimes seen. All things considered, I was happy with what we had, especially the shade.
Yellowstone National Park
Old Faithful Geyser is Yellowstone’s most well-known feature. Crowds were heavy while we were at the park, but I am happy to say we had an opportunity to see the geyser spew. We were there around five pm and were able to get a seat for the show. Old Faithful performs about twenty times a day, so eruptions are a little more than an hour apart.
I was not expecting to be so awed by the incredible beauty of Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon. It is between 800 and 1,200 feet deep and between 1,500 and 4,000 feet wide and 24 miles long.
The park also has plenty of buffalo. In addition to buffalo, we saw horses, deer, geese, and prairie dogs.
Lastly, there is the beautiful Yellowstone River and an enormous lake. I have seen only a few National Parks, but Yellowstone is my current favorite.
Grand Tetons National Park
The Grand Tetons Park is significantly smaller than Yellowstone, but it is very beautiful. We drove the loop with our puppy and made lots of stops along the way.
Four elk antler arches at each of the corners of the park in Jackson are popular for photos. Unfortunately, Jackson was extremely crowded when we were there and we had our puppy with us. So, we just drove through and snapped a picture.
Casper Wyoming
Casper is the second largest city in Wyoming. It was a one-night stop for us on this long trip, but we saw more of the city than planned. My husband’s new phone was having SIM card issues and we didn’t want to be without a phone while so far from home.
We found an open Verizon store and they took care of our issue. The parts of the city that we saw driving there were very impressive. Beautiful scenery, lots of useful commerce, and nice neighborhoods. All the conveniences of home and a gorgeous backdrop.
Fort Casper Campground
The gravel sites were very close at this campground, but the view was amazing. The campground had a dog park, laundry, and very nice bathhouse. So, the $42 a night price for full hookups seemed fair.
Fort Casper Museum
Nearby Fort Casper Museum was so worth the time to see. It is a reconstructed 1865 military post and the location was linked to the river crossing related to Oregon, California, Pony Express, and transcontinental trails. We were fortunate to have a tour provided by the curator. The history of the fort was fascinating and the way the fort was furnished made it easy to envision those frontier times.
A reconstruction of the Mormon Ferry is below. Crossing the river was a major obstacle in the push westward and viable methods to cross did much to fuel the tremendous migration west.
A man named Guinard constructed a bridge. The photo below is a replica of a portion the bridge that was built in 1859. It was 810 feet long and they estimated the cost to be approximately $40,000. The toll to cross the river was from $1.00 to $6.00 based on the height of the river.
Sundance Wyoming
Sundance is a very small town that dates back to 1875. We wanted to get breakfast before heading out to Devil’s Tower, but were surprised that nothing was open. It is definitely not a big tourism town. But, we had a delicious steak that afternoon at the Longhorn Saloon, which was populated mostly by locals.
Mountain View Campground
Mountain View Campground was my favorite on this trip. It is surrounded by lovely mountains, but its greatest asset is its owners who take exceptional care of it and its guests.
Our hosts provided fresh baked cookies at check in. The sites were nice with many trees. A very nice pool and dog park greatly enhanced our stay. The bathhouse was immaculate and the laundry was the nicest I have ever seen. All this for $44 a night!
The heat was the only negative for our stay because it hovered around 100 degrees.
Devil’s Tower
Devil’s Tower was about an hour away and is impressive. It was our country’s first National Monument. I made the 1.3 mile hike around the monument and took a photo of the three people actively working to climb it.
Downtown Sundance
Sundance has a really nice museum with artifacts from its past.
The park has a life-sized Sundance Kid to honor the famous outlaw who served some time in the local jail. So, I paid him a visit.
Lastly, we stopped at Vore Buffalo Jump in Beulah, a natural sinkhole used by ancient tribes to obtain buffalo for the winter. They discovered Buffalo remains dating to 1500 AD in the 1970s when the interstate was being built. Archaeologists estimate that over 20,000 buffalo were stampeded over the banks.
In Conclusion
Wyoming was the most beautiful state on our trip. It has abundant mountains, rivers, and wildlife. I am so glad we got to see it! Check out posts for other states at States Visited, a Campsite Resource.
Happy Camping!
