Sweetwater County, WY Recreational Activities

Wyoming's High Desert Serves Up Fun, Educational Attractions

Jan 30, 2009

Travelers to Southwest Wyoming find adventure while learning history whether on a wild horse tour, visiting petroglyphs, historic sites and trails or amazing fossils.

Visitors to Sweetwater County, Wyoming find recreational and educational activities while experiencing open space and no crowds. Free to spend more time at the attractions, visitors take in the beauty and splendor of Southwest Wyoming geology. From historic trails to petroglyphs, wild horses to sand dunes and magnificent dinosaur fossils, Sweetwater County offers visitors plenty of fun things to do while in Wyoming.

Visit Historic Sites in SW Wyoming

Just outside Farson, Wyoming, visitors can see where the Oregon, California, Mormon and Pony Express trails come together before the “Parting of the Ways”, and even walk the actual trail. Wyoming has more miles of intact trail than any other state, with 400 miles managed by the BLM. The interpretive sites of Sweetwater County are located along WY-28, many of which are easy pullouts along the road. The Historic Trails of Sweetwater county provide hours of intrigue and adventure.

The Rock Springs Historical Museum contains a variety of displays illustrating the history of Rock Springs, from coal mining, to railroad, to Native American artifacts, to the historic trails of pioneers, to the Wild West, Butch Cassidy and many others. The self-guided walking tour of Historic Downtown Rock Springs offers guests a glimpse into its past, a history of booms and busts. Visiting the museum and historic downtown is one of the fun activities to do while in Rock Springs and the Sweetwater County area.

Finding Adventure in Wyoming

The Killpecker Sand Dunes provide recreational opportunities for off-road vehicles and ATVs. The sand dune area does contain Wilderness Study Areas that are off-limits to vehicles. These areas provide protection to the sand dune habitat. The sand dunes are located off county road 191.

Visitors discover fun and magic on a wild horse tour across White Mountain in Sweetwater County, while learning history, viewing wildlife and enjoying nature. Traveling along the high plateau, visitors may see sage grouse, bull snakes, pygmy prairie ghost rattlesnakes, coyotes, pronghorn antelope, deer, desert elk, hawks and hopefully wild horses. Binoculars are recommended on this 24 mile tour, usually taking several hours.

Discover Fossils

The Natural History Museum on the Western Wyoming Community College campus in Rock Springs contains an impressive collection of full-size dinosaur skeletons, prehistoric fossils and other natural history displays. The Weidner Wildlife Museum is also located on the WWCC campus. The museum is a great place to take children. Families can walk around the college as the entire campus is connected indoors, beating the hot summer heat or staying warm during cold Wyoming winters.

Digging for fossils in Wyoming is fun way to discover the geology and history of the area. Fish fossils are most abundantly found by visitors, and easily found at that. Many fossils are found within short distances to area roads. Fossils can be collect on private land but not public land. There are many fossil quarries in the area, most of which charge a fee to dig. Perhaps the most popular is the Turtle Quarry near Little America. The Kemmerer Wyoming area fossil fish quarries are also popular destinations for digging fossils. Southwest Wyoming is considered the “Fossil Mecca”.

Great Places to Eat

Serving award-winning beers, tasty appetizers and offering a large variety of lunch and dinner options, Bitter Creek Brewery in Rock Springs, WY is a great place to eat. Whether stopping in for lunch or to enjoy a dinner with friends, Bitter Creek Brewing offers a variety of tasty dishes and drinks, with an open, lively atmosphere. Large windows and open skylights make the dining atmosphere a cheerful place. Located in Historic Downtown Rock Springs, the pub sits in close proximity to many local businesses and points of interest for visitors.

The copyright of the article Sweetwater County, WY Recreational Activities in Wyoming Travel is owned by Aurae Beidler. Permission to republish Sweetwater County, WY Recreational Activities in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.