Sweetwater County, Wyo. Offers Five Can't-Miss Attractions for Summer Road Trips
Sweetwater County, WY (PRWEB) May 08, 2014 -- Sweetwater County Travel and Tourism invites national park visitors to stop off for extra adventure in Sweetwater County this summer. Conveniently located at the juncture of Interstate 80 and Highway 191 in Southwest Wyoming, this area is the perfect pausing point on the way to some of the most notable parks in the U.S., including Canyonlands, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Stopping to take in the wide-open space of Flaming Gorge country means “filling up” on adventure, history and cowboy spirit.
1. Flaming Gorge Reservoir – 91 miles in length and 350 of shoreline, Flaming Gorge offers endless adventure. Visitors can take their time hiking, camping and breathing it all in. For a quick stop, the designated state scenic byways along Highways 191 and 530 encircling Flaming Gorge are a pleasant detour, offering a break without really stopping. Accessible from the towns of Green River and Rock Springs via Interstate 80, the 160-mile loop dips into Utah toward Canyonlands National Park and takes about three hours.
2. Pilot Butte Wild Horses – There is no better way to get in the road trip spirit than by spotting Sweetwater County's magnificent wild horse herds. A picture of the hearty and untamed spirit of our nation's roots, these horses run along the Pilot Butte Scenic Tour. North of the town of Green River, it is only 24 miles – about one or two hours of drive time – where approximately 2,500 horses and other American wildlife play – deer and antelope, elk, coyotes and eagles, among others.
3. Killpecker Sand Dunes – Visitors looking for some off-road adrenaline should mark their maps northeast of Rock Springs and U.S. 191. The product of ancient volcanoes, flat-topped buttes and spires provide additional wild horse lookouts. Dunes reaching heights of up to 100 feet run 100 miles east to west providing fun on four wheels or a challenge on two legs – both surefire ways to get the blood pumping.
4. Historic Pioneer Trails – Traveling across the country means traveling through time, which is certainly true in Southwest Wyoming. Sweetwater County preserves early marks of American exploration by boasting more still-visible wagon wheel ruts of the 1800s American pioneers than any other place in the country. Travelers can stray from their automobiles along Highway 28 paralleling the Oregon Trail, which is actually four National Historic Trails in one corridor: Oregon, Mormon Pioneer, California and Pony Express.
5. White Mountain Petroglyphs – Visitors can go way back in time discovering the ancient artwork of pictorial writing known as petroglyphs on White Mountain. Teepees, animals and human figures were etched into the sandstone bedrock anywhere from 200 to 1,000 years ago by the ancestors of present Plains and Great Basin Native American people. North of Rock Springs off U.S. 191, glyph-seekers enjoy a brisk walk on a packed foot trail on the face of a sandstone cliff about a quarter of a mile long.
Smartphone users can download the Tour Sweetwater County App for on-the-road access to dining, lodging, maps and activity information. More information is also available online at http://www.tourwyoming.com.
About Sweetwater County (http://www.tourwyoming.com)
Sweetwater County, located halfway between Yellowstone and Canyonlands National Parks in southwest Wyoming, is home to 10,500 square miles of pure, high desert adventure. Known as “Flaming Gorge Country” the area is characterized by the 91-square-mile Flaming Gorge Lake, the famed Green River, expansive deserts and rugged mountains. Activities include camping, hiking, biking, fishing, golfing, sightseeing, wildlife viewing, hunting dinosaurs, shopping, and just plain getting away from it all. A perfect place to explore American history, Sweetwater County is also home to petroglyphs, pioneer trails and historical museums.
Gaylene Ore, Ore Communications, http://www.tourwyoming.com, +1 9705312336, [email protected]
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