Right now, there is a huge group of college students who are stuck in Laramie. The majority of these people are not locals and haven’t had the opportunity to explore the beautiful treasures surrounding this town. Most of my friends who aren’t from here have been bored out of their minds, not knowing what to do while they aren’t in class and forced to stay away from friends. This post will help those new members of the Laramie community find places to go when they need to get out of the house without seeing anyone. Though, I primarily want to share these places because of the restrictions we are all under, I feel that it is a sore misfortune in general that such a large group of people living in Laramie do not know about the beauty surrounding it. I’ve provided a map, with some input from those closest to me, in order to help get new residents started in exploring the outdoors around us. At the bottom, an interactive map is available in order to fully visualize the sites around Laramie.
The first recommendation I have for new Laramigos is to head West. My favorite spot, all year round is the Snowy Range. It is a great place for snowing, hiking, fishing, and much more. While most people know the Snowy Range exists, many have not gotten the chance to explore it. Barber Lake Road is beautiful enough to bring tears to my eyes every time I go.
“Barber lake road has some of the best forest scenery. It’s a great place to just stop and let the nature around you just exist in peace,” Laramie High School senior Dane Oliver said.
In the winter, the road is entirely covered in snow, forcing any adventurer to take a hike (or a ski). In the summer time, there are tons of hidden camping spots, which were once used by park rangers. Finally, a trip up Barber Lake Road is crucial in the fall. The view of the mountain range with changing leaves always draws amazement.
Twin Buttes Lake and the surrounding plains lakes are next on the docket for exploring the area.
“The plains lakes are great places to go because you can almost always find a place to go where there aren’t too many people. There’s a lot of things to do at the lake, you can hang out on the beach, skip rocks, go swimming, boat, fish, and enjoy the general vibe,” Oliver said.
There are endless possibilities at the plains lakes, but one thing’s for sure, you need a lake day. Sit back, relax, enjoy a cold soda and throw some stones for a couple hours. The time will fly by at this relaxing spot.
The road to Albany is one of my favorite drives to do when I need to get out of the house. This unique road follows a stream for the first couple of miles paired with old shacks, you can only imagine were built by cowboys. A fork in the road stops you after a few minutes on the curvy road, which pushes you to choose between heading to Albany or Woodslanding. The good thing about this decision is either way, it will be a beautiful drive. Albany is a small town which sits comfortably in the mountains. Woodslanding is at the base of a hill that was recently covered in flames, making the beautiful drive somewhat eerie.
Rodger Canyon road is the first place any 16 year old drives in Laramie. Far away from town but a somewhat short drive, this is the perfect place for young folks to do stupid things in the woods.
“Rogers canyon is great, even just driving around up there is an enjoyable experience. With trails, caves, and shooting ranges, it really attracts all types of people, but there’s still a general respect to stay out of each other’s way,” Oliver said.
Along with its popularity among teenagers in Laramie, Rodger Canyon has beautiful trails that sometimes turn up surprising findings. This road is spotted with caves, while the tops of the hills were rumored to be the locations of satanist gatherings in the 70’s. Rocks covered in random lettering are easy to find with a little trail blazing in this beautiful area.
Highway 124 is the more scenic route to some of the most recognizable parts around Laramie. 124 can lead you to Happy Jack, Vedawoo, Ames Monument and gorgeous views stretching all the way to Colorado.
“You can get lost in it. It’s invigorating being outside and in nature. Being there, there’s so much to explore and so many different environmental factors that you can experience,” UW engineering student Kalei Jackson said.
This drive does a lot more for passengers than any other route to these well known spots. Along this road, through the trees, there are many camping spots that are still unknown within most of the Laramie Community. This road opens up site seeing, rock climbing, camping and hiking to all who take it.
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