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History | Snowy Range Scenic Byway | Medicine Bow Non-Motorized Recreation Trail

The Snowy Range, named for large amounts of snow that remain at high elevations during the summer months, is known for its excellent outdoor recreation, pristine mountain scenery and abundant wildlife. Wyoming’s second highest pass, the Snowy Range Scenic Byway/Highway 130, historic remnants, the Medicine Bow Non-Motorized Trail and two fire lookout towers are featured below.

History

The Medicine Bow Mountains received “National Forest” designation to preserve its natural resources in 1902. During the late 1930’s to early 1940’s, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) developed many of the trails, roads, bridges, campgrounds, picnic and recreation areas in the Snowy Range.

The Ryan Park Campground was once occupied by the CCC as a camp during the depression and later as a prisoner of war (P. O. W.) camp during World War II. A map of the (P. O. W.) camp is available at the Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District Office in Saratoga.

Snowy Range Scenic Byway

The Snowy Range Scenic Byway, Highway 130, was completed in the early 1940’s as a main artery between Centennial and the Upper North Platte River Valley. Threading its way over the Snowy Range, it showcases some of the most breathtaking and easily accessible peaks in the Rocky Mountains, including famed Medicine Bow Peak at 12,013 ft. Brief descriptions of some of the more notable points of interest along the highway are summarized below. The Snowy Range Scenic Byway Mileage Chart (below) shows the distances between points of interest along the Scenic Byway from Centennial to the Highway 130/230 junction. There are also two Forest Service Visitors Centers located near each end of the Scenic Byway for additional maps, brochures and information.

Located minutes east of the Medicine Bow National Forest, the friendly community of Centennial offers plenty of places to stay and eat, a convenience store and the Nici Self Museum, which is housed in the 1907 Hahn's Peak and Pacific Railroad depot.

Once inside the forest, you’ll find the Libby Creek Recreation Area and Barber Lake. This area is ideal for families looking for small campgrounds, lakeside picnics and enjoyable fishing. In the winter, the Barber Lake Road doubles as a cross-country ski trail. The nearby Corner Mountain and Little Laramie trails, which are great for mountain biking, are also used as cross-country ski trails in winter.

A large network of trails and campgrounds tie into the Scenic Byway. Most of these trails can be accessed from campground trailheads. See Snowy Range Upper Elevation Hiking Trail Map for a detailed view of these trails and the types of fish available in surrounding lakes. Forest Service Road 317 leads to the Nash Fork Campground, the Brooklyn Lakes, St. Alban’s Chapel and the Brooklyn Lake Campground. At 10,000 ft. in elevation, there are approximately 100 lakes and streams within a 10-mile radius.

Sugarloaf Recreation Area is one of the most popular places in the forest due to its access to many trails, glacial lakes and summits. Two picnic areas and restrooms are available. Day use fees are required.

The Libby Flats Observation Point and Medicine Bow Peak Overlook are located at the highest point on the Snowy Range Scenic Byway at 10,847 ft. The mountain ranges of Colorado, the Sierra Madre Range and the Continental Divide can be seen from the Libby Flats Observation Point. “Tree islands” or krummholz are unique to this area. High winds and harsh conditions prevent the growth of these trees, leaving branches to form only on the leeward side. A short loop trail leads from the Medicine Bow Peak Overlook to the abandoned Red Mask Mine and a miner’s cabin.

Bellamy Lake, Mirror Lake, and Lake Marie lie below majestic Medicine Bow Peak. Lake Marie is named after Mrs. Mary (Marie) Bellamy. Marie led a successful suffrage drive that resulted in the passage of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution. She became the first woman elected to the Wyoming Legislature in 1910. A trail leads to the summit of Medicine Bow Peak from the West Lake Marie parking lot.

The Silver Lake Scenic Overlook, on the south side of the highway, offers wonderful views of Silver Lake below. The Silver Lake Campground is temporarily closed, however, you can hike down the road to fish and hike the Silver Lake Trail and Meadow Falls Trail.

Forest Service Road 227 leads to the French Creek Campground and French Creek trailhead. This well-maintained gravel road is a particularly beautiful drive in the fall when aspen leaves turn honey gold. Eventually joining Forest Service Road 500, the route continues to Rob Roy Reservoir and the Spruce Mountain Fire Lookout Tower.

Sled Hill, just east of the Brush Creek Visitors Center, is the popular place for sledding around here in the winter. A parking area is available on the north side of the Highway. Please use extreme caution when crossing the Highway to access Sled Hill.

Just before leaving the forest, Forest Service Road 100 winds northward toward Lincoln Park Campground and South Brush Creek Campground. The new Stump Hollow ORV trail is on the west side of the road, just past these campgrounds. This well-maintained gravel road continues northward to the Kennaday Peak Fire Lookout Tower, Turpin Reservoir and the Medicine Bow River before leaving the forest.

North of Turpin Reservoir, you can stop and walk through a meadow where there are several tie hack cabin remnants. Western chorus frogs can often be found in nearby Turpin Creek.
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Medicine Bow Non-Motorized Recreation Trail

The Medicine Bow Non-Motorized Recreation Trail is Wyoming’s longest rail-trail stretching close to 25 miles from south of Albany, Wyoming to the Colorado border. Old rail tracks from the Laramie, Hahns Peak and Pacific Railroad have been converted into this scenic, hard-packed gravel hiking and biking trail. There are picnic tables and restrooms at the Pelton Creek, Woods Creek and Lake Owen Trailheads and a hand pump for water at Lake Owen.

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Woods Landing Resort
27 miles SW of Laramie on Highway 230
307-745-9638
www.woodslanding.com
A quiet getaway in a full-service yet rustic setting. Open year round, our campground offers 10 RV spaces with electrical and water hookups, a remote sanitary dump and hot showers. In addition to modern and rustic cabins and a guest house, the resort features a full-service bar and café, general store and post office. See DINING and LODGING.

WyColo Lodge &
Mountain High Rentals
4039 Hwy 230
307-755-5160 | 888-RMK-2006
Information | www.wycololodge.com
Located 40 miles W. of Laramie and 2 miles N. of the Colorado state line. RV spaces with electric hookups, rustic and modern cabins and modern rooms with private baths above the Lodge. Freshly prepared meals in the Lodge to satisfy your appetite. Full service bar. See DINING, LODGING and SNOWMOBILING.
Click here to see our ad.

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The Friendly Store and Motel
& The Century Bar and Grill
2758 Hwy. 130 West | P. O. Box 195
Centennial, WY 82055
307-742-6033 | FAX 307-745-8750
www.friendlycentennial.com
Friendly staff ready to serve you! Grocery store, gasoline, packaged liquor, full service bar and grill. Hunting and fishing licenses and supplies, souvenirs, gifts and much more. Clean, public restrooms, pay phone and ice. Pet friendly. Open 7 days a week. See DINING and LODGING.

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Albany Lodge
35 miles W. Laramie via Hwy. 130 & 11
1148 State Hwy. 11
Laramie, WY 82070
800-291-5959 | 307-745-5782
www.albanylodge.com
You have to experience it to believe it! Enjoy breakfast in our country restaurant, a grilled sandwich or a sack lunch midday and a wide selection of full course meals in the evening, including prime rib every Saturday night! We welcome weddings, anniversaries, club banquets, business meetings and large gatherings. Open 365 days a year for lodging, dining, bar, fuel, packaged liquor, convenience store, camper, jeep and ATV rentals. See JEEP, ATV & CAMPER RENTALS and LODGING. Click here to see our ad.

The Friendly Store and Motel
& The Century Bar and Grill
2758 Hwy. 130 West | P. O. Box 195
Centennial, WY 82055
307-742-6033 | FAX 307-745-8750
www.friendlycentennial.com
Friendly staff ready to serve you! Full service bar and packaged liquor. Full breakfast menu from 7am-3pm featuring omelets, breakfast burritos, biscuits and gravy and our $3.99 one egg breakfast. Hot & cold lunches, spicy homemade green chilli and sandwiches. Open 7 days a week. See CONVENIENCE STORES and LODGING.

The Vee Bar Guest Ranch and Bed & Breakfast
38 Vee Bar Ranch Road
Laramie, WY 82070
800-483-3227 | 307-745-7036 | FAX 307-745-7433
veebar@veebar.com | www.veebar.com
One-of-a-kind, year 'round family adventure. Cozy, comfortable cabins with decks, private bathrooms and washer/dryer, hot tub and saloon. Hearty full breakfast in the historic main lodge. Menu style dinners are served by reservation only. Our restaurant is open Friday and Saturday nights. On other nights we require a minimum of 12 to serve. Skiing and snowmobile access to the mountains nearby; private fishing and horseback riding during the summer months. See LODGING.

Woods Landing Resort
27 miles SW of Laramie on Highway 230
307-745-9638
www.woodslanding.com
Stop by and enjoy the best steaks, hamburgers & prime rib in the Big Laramie Valley. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Woods Landing café, bar and dancehall offers fine western cuisine in a cozy, rustic setting. Open year round, we offer prime rib every Saturday night, along with live music dances during the summer months. See CAMPGROUNDS and LODGING.

WyColo Lodge &
Mountain High Rentals
4039 Hwy 230
307-755-5160 | 888-RMK-2006
Information | www.wycololodge.com
Old-time mountain hospitality. Our meals are freshly prepared to satisfy your appetite. Hot breakfasts, prime rib (most Fridays-Saturdays), seafood specials, hamburgers, buffalo burgers and steaks--plus all the fixings. Full service bar. Private parties, family reunions and weddings welcome. 40 miles west of Laramie and 2 miles north of the Colorado state line. Open 7 days a week. See CAMPGROUNDS, LODGING and SNOWMOBILING.
Click here to see our ad.

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Albany Lodge
35 miles W. Laramie via Hwy. 130 & 11
1148 State Hwy. 11
Laramie, WY 82070
800-291-5959 | 307-745-5782
www.albanylodge.com
Retreat yourself! Explore some of the most scenic and remote regions of the Snowy Range with a GPS-Guided Jeep Tour. Our Jeep Wranglers are properly equipped for backcountry travel on unpaved forest roads. And after a day filled with great vistas, there’s nothing better than a retreat to a fully-equipped campsite. Choose from hard-sided or pop-up campers or tent camping. Call us for details; reservations are required. Open 365 days a year for lodging, dining, bar, fuel, packaged liquor, convenience store, camper, jeep and ATV rentals. See DINING and LODGING. Click here to see our ad.

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Albany Lodge
35 miles W. Laramie via Hwy. 130 & 11
1148 State Hwy. 11
Laramie, WY 82070
800-291-5959 | 307-745-5782
www.albanylodge.com
You have to experience it to believe it! Each room in our nine-unit hotel has a queen bed, two twin beds and satellite TV. Our two-story house, that sleeps 12, offers two bedrooms with queen beds, a loft with two twin beds, and two hide-a-beds in the great room, a kitchen, a dining area, satellite TV and two bathrooms. We also have four other houses that sleep 6 to 10 people with full kitchens and satellite TV. And a one bedroom cabin with a queen bed, a bathroom, a kitchenette/living room with a hide-a-bed and satellite TV. Plus a new addition that is great for weddings, meetings and large gatherings. Wireless Internet in the Lodge. Pets allowed. Open 365 days a year for lodging, dining, bar, fuel, packaged liquor, convenience store, camper, jeep and ATV rentals. See DINING and JEEP, ATV & CAMPER RENTALS. Click here to see our ad.

Aspen Creek Cabin
1124 State Hwy. 11
Albany, WY 82070
Reservations: 303-437-0001
www.aspencreekcabin.com
The ultimate dream for the outdoor person! We are conveniently located at the eastern edge of the Snowy Range, with nearby access to approximately 300 miles of marked trails for riding ATV’s, viewing wildlife, skiing and snowmobiling. Aspen Creek Cabin is a newer secluded mountain home and is beautifully hand-crafted with log accents. We offer two bedrooms with five beds, a full bathroom, a full kitchen, a living room with pull out couch, video library and flat screen TV. Weekend and weekly rentals available.

Brush Creek Barracks
11 mi. West of Hwy. 130/230 Jct. on Highway 130
Reservations: 877-444-6777
Brush Creek/Hayden District Office: 307-326-5258
www.fs.fed.us/r2/mbr/recreation/cabinrentals/index.shtml
www.recreation.gov
Located in the Snowy Range with groomed snowmobile and cross-country ski trails nearby. The Brush Creek Barracks is a bi-level modern facility with electric lights and heat, running water, a full kitchen, four bedrooms with 2 single beds in each (no bedding provided), two bathrooms with two showers and a cozy living room. Rent is $120 per night, December - April. Click here to see our ad.

The Friendly Store and Motel
& The Century Bar and Grill
2758 Hwy. 130 West | P. O. Box 195
Centennial, WY 82055
307-742-6033 | FAX 307-745-8750
www.friendlycentennial.com
Friendly staff ready to serve you! Refurbished rooms from $60.00, double occupancy with satellite TV. Open 7 days a week. Pet friendly. See CAMPGROUNDS, CONVENIENCE STORES and DINING.

Mountain View Historic Hotel
and Coffee Shoppe
2747 Hwy. 130 | P. O. Box 328
Centennial, WY 82055
800-400-9953 | 307-742-5476
mountainviewhotel@msn.com | www.themountainviewhotel.com
Old fashioned hospitality and country charm greet you in a newly renovated turn-of-the-century hotel. We offer rooms and suites adorned with pillow-topped mattresses and hand-peeled log beds. Amenities include Direct TV, microwave, small refrigerator, coffee makers, kitchens and wireless Internet. Call for seasonal pricing.

Snow Survey Cabin
7 miles East of Ryan Park on Highway 130; north side of Highway 130 at FS 257
Reservations: 877-444-6777
Brush Creek/Hayden District Office: 307-326-5258
www.fs.fed.us/r2/mbr/recreation/cabinrentals/index.shtml
www.recreation.gov
Located in the Snowy Range with fishing, hiking, biking, & horseback riding trails nearby. The Snowy Survey Cabin is a 1-room log cabin that can sleep up to four people on two sets of bunk beds (no bedding provided). There is a propane cook stove, and heater; no refrigerator or indoor plumbing. Rent is $50 per night, year round with winter access by snow machine or cross country skis. Winter access is one mile. Click here to see our ad.

The Vee Bar Guest Ranch and Bed & Breakfast
38 Vee Bar Ranch Road
Laramie, WY 82070
800-483-3227 | 307-745-7036 | FAX 307-745-7433
veebar@veebar.com | www.veebar.com
One-of-a-kind, year 'round family adventure. Cozy, comfortable cabins with decks, private bathrooms, small refrigerator, coffee maker and washer/dryer. Hearty ranch cooking in the historic main lodge. Summer horseback trail rides, cattle drives, wagon rides, hikes and 1.5 miles of river and pond fishing. Skiing and snowmobile access to the mountains nearby. See DINING.

Woods Landing Resort
27 miles SW of Laramie on Highway 230
307-745-9638
www.woodslanding.com
A historic roadside retreat cradled in the foothills of the Medicine Bow Mountains, alongside the Big Laramie River. Our Aspen cabins feature all the conveniences of home in a new log cabin, including kitchenettes, satellite TV and a sunny front porch. Our guest-house-on-the-river features a full kitchen, washer & dryer, 3 bedrooms, telephone & satellite TV. Plus six newly remodeled cozy rustic cabins on the river, teepee camping, RV hookups, country store, gas station, post office and year round activities. See CAMPGROUNDS and DINING.

WyColo Lodge &
Mountain High Rentals
4039 Hwy 230
307-755-5160 | 888-RMK-2006
Information | www.wycololodge.com
Old-time mountain hospitality. Comfortable, modern rooms with private baths & satellite TV above the Lodge. Cozy, rustic cabins that sleep up to 6 and a NEW modern cabin complete with kitchenette, electric fireplace, satellite tv, bathroom, full-size and bunk beds; sleeps up to 4. Our guests enjoy the convenience of snowmobiling & hiking right from the Lodge. Discounted rates available. Full service restaurant and bar. See CAMPGROUNDS, DINING and SNOWMOBILING. Click here to see our ad.

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WyColo Lodge &
Mountain High Rentals
4039 Hwy 230
307-755-5160 | 888-RMK-2006
Information | www.wycololodge.com
Old-time mountain hospitality. Access groomed trails right from your cabin or room. New Polaris Snowmobiles available to rent by the day and by the hour. Gasoline available on premises. Guided snowmobile tours and guided extreme riding available with advance reservation. Trail maps and permits. Group discounts. See CAMPGROUNDS, DINING and LODGING. Click here to see our ad.

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