Laramie's Top 6

Located on the edge of the Snowy Mountain Range north of Rocky Mountain National Park, Laramie has a ton of outdoor and cultural attractions for travelers from great microbrews to uncrowded alpine hikes. Here are the top things to do.

Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site

Why go: Go on a guided or self-guided tour of this historic prison site built in 1872. For three decades, it housed some of the West’s most notorious criminals.

Little-known fact: The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the only prison in the world to have housed the notorious Butch Cassidy.

Snowy Range Scenic Byway Highway 130

Why go: This stunning road enables you to bypass Interstate 80, taking you past glacial lakes, dazzling quartzite peaks, gorgeous meadows and over the second-highest mountain pass in Wyoming. This breathtaking route reaches its high point at 10,000 feet. It’s closed mid-November to Memorial Day weekend.

Tip: Head to the Green Rock Trailhead to hike the 3.2-mile, moderate Barber Lake Trail or the more difficult Libby Creek Trail that’s 3 miles. For exceptional views and some rock scrambling, head to the Gap Lakes Trail.

Download the map at visitlaramie.org/things-to-do/scenic-drives/snowy-range-scenic-byway/.

University of Wyoming Geological Museum

Why go: See a 75-foot Apatosaurus skeleton, along with other dinosaurs, in this museum. While it roamed Wyoming, a living Apatosaurus ate one ton of vegetation daily and weighed 25 tons. The museum’s hours of operation are Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Admission is free. University legend has it that if you can land a pinecone in the T. Rex statue’s mouth outside the museum, you’ll ace your finals. Even if you’re not a student, it’s fun to try.

Trivia: Disney-Pixar’s 2015 The Good Dinosaur featured a Wyoming Apatosaurus named Arlo who meets a human friend while navigating an unfamiliar landscape.

Atmosphere Mountainworks

Why go: This cool outdoor store creates handmade-and-designed, one-of-a-kind gear in historic downtown Laramie. Focused on sustainability, makers use fabric end rolls to keep material out of landfills. A bonus? Gear made with these high-end materials ends up costing prices accessible to the average consumer. From apparel to bags and backpacks, you can pick up gear for your park trip that’s guaranteed to be unique.

Tip: Afterwards, check out Laramie’s Brewery Tour that brings you to five micro-breweries within a few blocks of each other downtown. Start at Accomplice Mycro-Pub and end at The Library Sports Grille & Brewery.

Vee Bar Guest Ranch

Why go: Settle into horseback riding, evening campfires and incredible food at this gorgeous guest ranch. The main lodge was built in 1891 and served as a stage coach stop and a post office in its early days. Ranch manager and former wrangler Kari Kilmer is the oldest granddaughter of Vee Bar co-owner Lefty Cole. She and her husband Brent Kilmer have managed the ranch since 2006. From May through September, you can enjoy all-inclusive three-night or six-night stays. The rest of the year, the ranch offers overnight bed and breakfast stays, including hot breakfast and access to an outdoor hot tub, yard games, walking trails, and à la carte dude ranch activities.

Wyoming Women’s History House

Why go: This downtown museum honors Louisa Swain and 12 other Wyoming women who had far-reaching impacts on society. When 70-year-old Louisa Swain stepped up to the ballot box in 1870, she did something no female in the country had ever been able to do — she voted in a general election under laws that granted men and women equal status.

Her revolutionary act was made possible by a women’s suffrage bill passed by the Wyoming Territorial Legislature. It would be 50 years before women secured the right to vote on a national scale.

Trivia: Joining Swain as trailblazers in 1870 were Eliza Stewart, the first woman in the country selected to serve on a jury and Esther Hobart Morris, the nation’s first female justice of the peace. Swain cast her vote a block from this building.

Learn more at VisitLaramie.org.

Laramie Area Visitor Center/Albany County Tourism Board
800 S. 3rd St.
Laramie, WY
(800) 445-5303
VisitLaramie.org