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Wyoming:

Published: Friday, August 17, 2007

Taken from an old Algonquin word that means "large prairie place", Wyoming still carries essentially that same geographical feature. The prairies are still as large as they come, complimented by grasslands, rivers, lakes, and an astounding eleven great mountain ranges. With such an incredible array of natural attractions, it should not come as a big surprise if RV-boarded travelers find Wyoming a worthy place to set up camp in and engage in any number of prominent outdoor recreations.

The "Cowboy State" Regions

The land that goes by the nickname the "Equality State" also happens to be called the "Cowboy State". Why this is so should become clearer once a study of its five regions is made, many of which are composed of mountain areas where cowboys reigned supreme. These regions include Northwest Wyoming, Northeast Wyoming, Central Wyoming, Southwest Wyoming, and Southeast Wyoming.

The Northwest Region

The highlight of this region is Yellowstone National Park, a beautiful spot adorned with raging waterfalls, serene lakes, challenging river gorges, and sprawling mountain meadows. Its prime attraction, though, is its approximately 10,000 geysers complemented by several hot springs where major geothermal activities regularly take place.

Yet, Yellowstone National Park is not the entire Northwest Wyoming area for there are many other attractions here that RV-boarded travelers will find simply awesome. For example, Grand Teton National Park, lying on the southern end of Yellowstone, features the Teton Range, considered as among the most breath-taking of mountain ranges in North America. Meanwhile, nearby Bridger-Teton National Forest covers a portion of the Wind River Range whose most prominent resident is the 13,804-foot tall Gannett Peak, acknowledged as the highest mountain in Wyoming. Within this vast set of peaks lies numerous natural lakes, with the Snake and Green Rivers as the more popular ones.

As the region is literally engulfed in mountains, RVers will naturally find outdoor adventures here nearly overflowing. They can hike, hunt, fish, ride a kayak, scale a mountain, go horseback riding in fair weather and go downhill skiing or ride a snowmobile during winter.

Many of the regional attractions, particularly the national parks, can be visited aboard motor vehicles, and this should augur well for RV owners. Nevertheless, if RVers prefer to park in their vehicles before exploring Northwest Wyoming, there are actually several cities where RVs are generally welcome. These include Cody, Greybull, Dubois, Lovell, and Meeteetse, among others. Cody alone has about nine RV campgrounds nestled in its midst, one of which is only about 30 miles away from the eastern entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone Valley Inn and RV Park, found on the western corner of Cody, can be accessed from the Yellowstone Regional Airport after a short 30-minute ride.

The Northeast Region

A vast and largely unpopulated area is how one can best describe Northeast Wyoming, but this does not mean that RV-boarded travelers will find nothing of great interest in these parts. On the contrary, there are many attractions based here having extensive links to early Native American settlers that should arouse the curiosity of many RVers. These include Bighorn Mountains with its resident towering peaks, rugged canyons, and mountain meadows where outdoor recreations can easily be engaged in, including hiking, hunting, horseback riding, fishing,rafting, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling.

Natural wonders also abound in these parts with most RVers being recommended to either have a peak of Devils Tower National Monument or enjoy the waters of the Powder River. These are the two regional attractions closely linked to Northeast Wyoming and getting to see them ought to bring the ultimate thrill to visiting RVers.

There are many regional cities that have RV parks situated near these two natural wonders including Buffalo, Moorcroft, Sundance, and Sheridan. However, for the most convenient access, particularly with regards to Devils Tower National Monument, RVers should ideally head off to Devils Tower KOA which is located right beside the massive monolith.

The Central Region

Just like the northwest and the northeast regions, Central Wyoming is a land engulfed in a sea of mountains with plant-adorned plains nicely caught in between. Heading these mountain attractions is the Absaroka Range housed inside the Shoshone National Forest alongside a portion of the Wind River Range as represented by Gannett Peak. Meanwhile, smaller peaks can be explored along the Laramie Mountains where a portion of little-known Medicine Bow National Forest is covered.

Douglas, Glenrock, Alcova, and Casper are the regional cities that RV-boarded travelers should try seeing once they get to Central Wyoming. These areas offer various tourist attractions aside from hosting at least one RV campground. Casper, in particular, has about eight RV parks under its fold. Casper East RV Park and Campground, however, should be most ideal for many visiting RVers because it offers nearby attractions other than the resident regional mountains. Fine examples of these are the Eastridge Mall, the Werner Wildlife Museum, the Speas Fish Hatchery, the Edness Kimball Wilkins State Park, the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center, and many others.

The Southwest Region

Southwest Wyoming offers a different set of attractions for the visiting RVer. For starters, at least 1,600 different species of wild horses can be seen here, variously housed in five diverse Wild Horse Herd Management Areas. From there, one can opt to take a peek at the many fossilized animal remains as preserved in the Fossil Butte National Monument.

Still, there is no doubt that mountain ranges dominate a significant portion of this region even though its landscape is basically arid. Specifically, the Laramie mountains can be observed towering high above the sage-painted plain area alongside the Medicine Bow peaks. For RVers who double as hikers, mountain bikers, backpackers, campers, and cross-country skiers, they will definitely find this region a haven of outdoor pleasure.

When it comes to RV parking concerns, RV-boarded tourists have a choice among the cities of Green River, Evanston, Fort Bridger, Thayne, and many others. These cities each have their own set of attractions aside from having several RV parks in their midst. Thayne, however, has the advantage of lying within the vast expanse of the Salt River Range where RVers can find exciting grounds suited for hunting, hiking, and fishing ventures apart from having a bite of the resident juicy cheeseburgers by Star Valley Cheese Restaurant. For a place to stay in, Flat Creek RV Park and Cabins awaits the weary RV traveler with its 26 trailer sites.

The Southeast Region

Southeast Wyoming, just like its southwestern counterpart, is characterized by a vast prairie land backdropped by several major mountain ranges that include the Sierra Madre, the Shirley Mountains, the Medicine Bow Range, and the Seminoe Mountains. What makes this area different from Southwest Wyoming, though, is that its prairies, while predominantly arid, are nevertheless put to good use as they are occupied by farmlands and ranches.

Cheyenne, the state capital city, is found here, further providing diversity to the region. Its rich history, starting with the Cheyenne Indians, its military past, its railroad years, and finally its present-day cowboy spirit has given Southeast Wyoming a distinct personality and RVers will eventually feel this once they set foot in these parts.

Cheyenne also happens to be an RV-friendly Wyoming city with a total of ten RV parks nestled in its midst. RV-boarded tourists can check in at any of these campgrounds and get easy access to popular city attractions like the state capitol building, several state museums, and many historic landmarks. However, if preference is for outdoor enjoyment, Rawlins City is a better alternative since one of its five RV campgrounds, Rawlins KOA Kampground, is set near several prominent outdoor attractions like the snow-capped peaks of Snowy Mountain Range, the exciting trails of Overland, Oregon, and Mormon, the green fields of Rochelle Ranch Golf Course, and the fishing waters of Miracle Mile in North Platte River.

The Cities of the "Cowboy State"

Apart from Cheyenne, no other Wyoming city can boast of having an edge over the others. This is because every city in the "Cowboy State" has a set of attractions that somehow overlap with that of the other cities, making exploration relatively convenient. While this should be good news to many visiting RVers, it could also mean difficulty in choosing which Wyoming city to visit, in which case, accessibility via RVs should prove to be the most logical reference point.

Lander

Considered as among the pioneer towns in Wyoming, Lander was named in honor of General F.W. Lander, who built the first North American government-financed public road. The town is quite small although it does provide visiting RVers with a wealth of outdoor opportunities with its strategic base at the foot of the Wind River Mountain Range near the Popo Agie River banks. The river is a favorite among anglers since its waters are the perfect dwelling place of trout fishes. The mountain, meanwhile, is filled with hiking paths that extend for miles complemented by rugged cliffs that make for good mountain climbing ventures and game animals that are natural magnets for hunters.

Snow lovers will likewise find Lander to be a gracious host with its offerings of the Beaver Creek skiing terrain, a trail system ideal for cross-country skiing and the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail for snowmobiling enthusiasts. These features have been rated as among the best in North America and visiting RVers who engage in snow-based sports will definitely find them absolutely exhilarating.

Seeing all these Lander-based attractions ought to be quite easy for many RV-boarded travelers since there are many RV parks operating in the city. Note-worthy, though, is Pioneer RV Park lying less than two miles from Southern Lander. Resting along Sunflower Street, the campground offers the most convenient access point to the Wind River Mountains and to many other nearby attractions, including the Wind River Casino, set approximately 20 miles away.

Jackson

Jackson town is a small area set in a valley region that stretches for about 50 miles. The valley is more popularly referred to as Jackson Hole and is characterized by its enveloping high mountains but what makes it a favorite among tourists is that it serves as a perfect jump-off point from where one can explore two national parks namely Grand Teton and Yellowstone.

Of course, the town is not really without its own set of natural wonders. The valley, for instance, is filled with many mountain streams whose waters flow into Snake River where RVers will find fishing genuinely pleasurable. Meanwhile, up in the mountains, the Sleeping Indian is an incredible natural wonder formed by erosion and mountain rock movements that RV riders will definitely want to see. The alternative, though, is to engage in skiing at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, at Grand Targhee, and at Snow King.

For RV-boarded travelers who have a passion for wildlife, they can head straight to the northeastern side of the town and visit the National Elk Refuge, where numerous elks find shelter during the winter. Otherwise, they can sit at the foot of the valley and watch silently as deers, elks, and various mammals roam freely from afar alongside diverse waterfowls like geese, swans, and ducks.

With such a wide array of attractions, RV-boarded tourists visiting Jackson town will need more than a day to make a complete exploration. For this, they can try checking in at one of many Jackson-based RV parks of which Snake River Park should prove to be most suitable. The campground is nestled right in the midst of Jackson Hole with direct access to Snake River where white-water rafting is a major outdoor activity.

Taking Time to See Wyoming

Wyoming weather is generally varied and is usually dependent on the terrain. The mountain areas naturally exhibit cooler temperatures due to their higher elevation while the lower regions, like the prairies, typically have humid weather particularly during summer when temperatures reach extreme levels although these are somewhat made cooler when the Chinook winds blow in as they come in from the west.

When visiting the "Cowboy State", off-seasons ought to be ideal since there are less explorers. The usual peak season, like the summer months and even spring, are often crowded which deprives one of seeing various Wyoming attractions at a leisurely pace simply because there are too many people around, and this is particularly true if one is coming in aboard an RV.

Off-seasons typically include autumn and winter which some may find unattractive periods to see Wyoming since many popular tourist destinations are often closed during this time. Yet, this is not always accurate because there are actually several prominent Wyoming attractions that are open even during the cold months. A good example of this is Jackson Hole, formerly an isolated cowboy town that has now become a popular converging point for hunters and anglers. These outdoor sports are offered all year through in these parts although during winter, one can opt for the usual winter pursuits like skiing and snowboarding which are likewise available here.

Mountain View Campground

In Sundance town, one Wyoming RV park carries the amazing feature of an outdoor pool that has heated waters and although this offer is available only seasonally, RVers will most likely appreciate it since Mountain View Campground is situated in the hillsides of Northeastern Wyoming where the climate can be rather cold.

Yet, that is not the only feature that this campground boasts of. For one, its RV sites are large and spacious, with visiting RVers having the option of spending the night in any of the many resident sleeping cabins where CATV, wireless Internet, and clean restrooms are being generously offered. Another option is to try experiencing a more ancient way of camping via the many resident tent sites.

For nearby attractions, there is the Devils Tower National Monument to head off to. Situated about 28 miles from Mountain View Campground, the landmark is quite historic as it was the worship place of early American Indians in Wyoming and was named in 1906 as the first American national monument.

Pony Soldier RV Park

Hiking lovers will find the Pony Soldier RV Park absolutely suitable for their primary interest. This is because the campground is the passageway of many prominent hiking paths, including the Texas, California, Mormon, and Oregon trails. Aside from that, they will most likely appreciate the many roads found here that were the routes taken by many Pony Express Riders on their way to their destinations and to world history books.

Of course, the campground offers more than just a look into early American history. Moreover, there is a gift shop situated here where visiting RVers can purchase various items that are the perfect souvenir presents. Additionally, the campground also features an RV store where all kinds of RV needs are available at affordable rates.

For a more exhaustive exploration, RV-boarded travelers can get aboard their vehicles and travel for various miles to reach such destinations as Devil's Tower National Monument, Yellowstone National Park, and even Mount Rushmore National Park. Meanwhile, nearby cities that are easily accessible via this campground include Denver in Colorado, Custer in South Dakota, and Cheyenne in Wyoming. Indeed, Lingle-based Pony Soldier RV Park is a rich ground from where RVers can best explore the wonders of Wyoming.

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