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Friday, August 1, 2008
830 - In the Good Old Summertime in Wyoming
By school vacation standards, summer is now two thirds over. Hard to believe.
Here in Wyoming we are going into our best season. August, September and October are my favorite “warm” months. It is a great time to see our wonderful state.
Last year, Wyoming’s unique tourist attractions were featured in a couple of my columns – one was about the state’s seven natural wonders, which ended up with over 50 wonderful sites. The other dealt with my personal “Wyoming bucket list” – places I wanted to see before I kicked the bucket. Both columns are on my new web site www.billsniffin.com.
People are staying closer to home. Wyoming has one of the best state park and historical site networks in the country and they are under-visited, too.
Three of my favorites are Guernsey State Park, Sinks Canyon here next to Lander and Fort Bridger in SW Wyoming.
Our state has a wonderful network of motels, campgrounds and restaurants to accommodate just about every need. Also there are some great golf courses that offer unique experiences. Again three that come to mind is the fine little course in Buffalo, the Saratoga town course (watch for that elevated tee box) and again, here in Lander where the local 18-holer features some of the state’s best mountain views.
The Indian powwows on the reservation are interesting. The most incredible events, though, are the sun dances. Very private and very special. Hard to attend one without coming away feeling spiritually enriched.
Wyoming has developed several wonderful music festivals. Places like Casper and Kemmerer have really out-done themselves. Jackson Hole’s fabulous music fest is Aug. 18-19 and features Ben Harper and the Black Crows. Targhee’s bluegrass festival is Aug. 8-10.
An old friend offered up some fun things to do. Ken Smith is a Journalism Department head at the University of Wyoming and former publisher of the Green River Star. He had this to offer:
“August is good for a hike on the Sheep Lake Trail at the Brooklyn Lake access in the Snowy Range. It includes forest, a hike over a glacier, tundra, and the access roads just opened
“Late September/Early October can be great time for watching the bull elk in their rut in Yellowstone. You have to get out at sunrise in the meadows around and just north of Madison Junction.
“Also the drive from Baggs to Encampment along what is called "Aspen Alley" is spectacular leaf peeking.
“October is a good month for soaking at the hot springs in Saratoga, whether it be the free hobo pool or the pools reserved for the guests at the Saratoga Inn. The fishing ain`t bad either.”
What better event to experience in these months than the five home football games at UW in Laramie in September and October?
This past week the temperatures soared to the mid-90s all over the state.
And with it will occasionally come our typical afternoon thundershowers. I must admit that I love these storms. The mornings are spectacular and then you notice the buildups over the mountains and pretty soon the wind starts to blow.
And then crash-bam, here comes the lightning and thunder. And some times even a few drops of rain will fall.
The hot weather draws a person to water and Wyoming has some interesting water spots.
Our fabulous river systems can provide a terrific cool-off on those hot days. Rivers in canyons like the Wind/Bighorn, Greybull and Popo Agie come to mind.
Broad rivers like the North Platte provide relief from Saratoga all the way through the state until exiting by Torrington.
Large bodies of water like Alcova, Boysen, Glendo, Buffalo Bill and Flaming Gorge provide great fishing, boating and, again, handy places to just have summer fun here in Wyoming.
If water is not your thing, mountain trails can provide a cool interlude to the hot weather.
If you go to the mountains in Wyoming, you can almost always expect an afternoon shower. And frankly, it can be refreshing if it does not catch you unexpected and unprepared.
Wyoming’s mountains are accessible to all and the trail systems in our state continue to get better.
Get out there and walk. Enjoy nature. We are so fortunate to live here in God’s Country and it’s spread out in front of us in all its glory this time of year. The personal enrichment we will gain from it far outweighs the tiny amount of effort to get there.
It’s the Good Old Summertime in Wyoming. Enjoy.
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