Whooshing winds whip up watery white caps While whipping willows hiss a whispering wail And whistling swallows whiz by wistfully I wonder wherefore would this weather well? Why it’s windy Wyoming welcoming you
Looking more like a clump of British Columbia ripped up and
deposited in south central Wyoming, the steep grey cliff faces of Medicine Bow
Peak (aka Snowy Range) stand tall amid a scattering of tarns and glacial
rock-strewn valleys. The hiking here is breath-taking, that is if the
ever-present Wyoming wind doesn’t blow you off your feet first and knock the
wind out of you instead! I guess either way it takes your breath away, huh?
We have explored this area in all seasons, but summer in particular celebrates the scenery the best. We hiked up to Lookout Lakes trail that parallels the cliff side of Medicine Bow peak up to the saddle pass that overlooks the dozens of lakes in this glacial valley. The views are stunning. If you hike one trail in this area, hike this one.
We also made a stop by the miner’s cabin and mine, one of
the many mines in the area.
The next day we hiked the Lost Lake trail on the other side of the pass. I will let the captioned pictures speak of the beauty and history of this region.
Side note: We based ourselves at one of our favorite hideaways, Saratoga Hot Springs Resort and Spa, in the tiny western town of Saratoga, Wyoming. The resort is nestled around a natural hot spring with multiple teepee-covered rock hot tubs and a massive Olympic sized hot spring pool. We are welcomed on arrival with warm homemade cookies. Even better the resort has the Snowy Range Brewery on-site with a selection of microbrews, a Biergarten and a good restaurant to boot. If you are a golfer, there is a golf course and driving range on site as well. Check out the historic Wolf Hotel downtown for prime rib dinner and nearby Lollypops for a quaint breakfast in a restored old general store and billiard hall. There is a “hobo” hot springs in town as well which is well maintained by the city.