The Dinosaur Museum at WWCC

As we drove back to Colorado, we planned a stop to see the dinosaur museum at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs. The Natural History Museum exhibits are scattered throughout the main campus building. The main attraction would have to be the T-Rex skeleton. The pamphlet says it is one of six in the U.S.


The stegosaurus was pretty cool. Some of the tail spikes seemed bigger than the head.

The triceratops was pretty sweet too. It was huge!

There is also the fossil of a xiphactinus audax- a huge fish. It is one of only a few complete skeletons found.

There were dinosaur eggs from China, and several other fossils and exhibits.

Another museum on the campus is the Weidner Wildlife Museum. We got lucky and arrived when it was still open. It's not open as much as the natural history museum (see hours below).

There were numerous stuffed heads of animals from around the world. Many were North American big game.

There were also African animals.

There was also a unique species called a Jackalope. It's a taxidermic hybrid (made only through taxidermy, it's kindof like in-vitro fertilization, but the parents both give their lives and the offspring is non-viable) between a male deer and a female jackrabbit.

Nearest City: Rock Springs, WY

GPS Coordinates:N 41° 35.520 W 109° 14.225

Time Needed: 1 hour

Difficulty: Easy

Kid Friendly: Yes

Hours: The natural history museum is open every day from 9 AM to 10 PM. The wildlife museum is open Monday and Wednesday from 10 AM to 1 PM and Tuesday and Thursday from 1 PM to 4 PM.

Additional Info: The fossils are located in the main building at Western Wyoming Community College. Exit I-80 at College Drive (exit #103), then head south and take the 2nd turnoff into the college. Park in the main parking lot, then walk inside.

The Point of Rocks Stage Station

We stopped at the Point of Rocks Stage Station on our way out to Utah. It was a nice stop and diversion from the road. The station was only used for a handful of years, and is now a State of Wyoming Historic Site.


The station was locked up and the windows were barred, but I could still fit my head in and take a few pictures of the inside. The station has been repaired and restored to the condition it is now in.

All that remains of the stable next door is walls and foundations.

The Overland Trail went right betweeen the station and the stable. Ruts are still visible to the west of the buildings.

We followed the ruts for a short ways to see what was in the white picket fence on a hilltop at the other end.

It was an old cemetary for seven murder victims, from a stage robbery in 1863.

Nearest City: Point of Rocks, WY

GPS Coordinates: N 41° 40.570 W 108° 47.510

Time Needed: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Kid Friendly: Yes

Additional Info: Exit I-80 at milemarker 130, turn south under the freeway, then follow the road to the southwest. The stage station is about 1/4 mile off the freeway.

The White Mountain Petroglyphs

We stopped at the White Mountain Petroglyph site- north of Rock Springs, Wyoming. The site is accessible in a passenger car. We drove 5 miles or so north of Rock Springs on Highway 191. Then we turned east and drove for another 17 miles on dirt roads. The site is well marked.

From the parking area, it's just over 1/4 mile to the petroglyphs.


Can you see the man on the horse carrying the spear? I really liked this petroglyph, but it was hard to photograph.

A few of the other ones.

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Fort Fred Steele

A few weeks ago we left Fort Collins for a trip to Utah. We planned several stops along the way to break up the drive. The first stop was Fort Steele. It's a perfect place for a break. 150 miles out of Fort Collins, and less than 2 miles from I-80. The fort was located where the railroad crossed the North Platte River. The fort was abandoned quite a while ago, so about all that's left are foundations, chimneys, and piles of rubble.

Among the ruins we found several artifacts from a bygone era. The colored glass was really pretty.

The old blockhouse is the only remaining structure.

Fort Steele is a fun stop. It takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to walk around the ruins- depending on how much you want to see.

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Time Needed: 30 minutes to an hour
Difficulty: Easy
Kid Friendly: Yes
Additional Info: Great rest stop off of I-80.

Echo Canyon Hanging Rock

In Echo Canyon between Coalville, UT and Evanston, WY there is a natural arch. The sign in the front of it calls it Hanging Rock. We stopped on the way through to take a look.

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Time Needed: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy, one short but steep part
Kid Friendly: Yes
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Santorini Greece- Wyoming style.

We've all seen pictures of Santorini, Greece with it's beautiful whitewashed buildings stacked up a hillside on the Mediterranean Sea. Santorini would have to rank near the top of the list of places that any savvy world-hopper has to visit before they die.





Now what if you relocated it to Wyoming? What would it look like on the high plains? Fortunately for all those who have wondered, we've discovered how it would be! Heading East on I-80 in Rock Springs, you come up over a hill and there it is in all it's majesty and glory.

Trailer park on a hill.

As we've traveled back and forth across Wyoming, each time we've passed this spot, I keep thinking of what Greece would be like and how similar, yet different this is. We finally got a picture, so if you ever drive through Rock Springs be sure to look!

Nearest City: Rock Springs, WY
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Vedauwoo

On August 1 we headed up to Vedauwoo in Wyoming with some friends from our ward. They are experienced rock climbers and Ben wanted to learn how to climb, and I was scared! Friday night we got up there and just wandered around a bit, fixed up dinner, and told stories at our campsite... and Saturday we learned how to climb....

Cool rock formations behind us

Kevin and Cata cooking dinner at the campsite

The sunrise view from our tent

Ben's first rappel down the clam shell

Ben climbing the crack

Ben smearing up the rock

The experts. Susan belaying with Dale coaching

Almost there

Starting out

Getting over the bump on my first climb... Scary!!

Me climbing the crack

Ben's last rappel

Me rappeling down

We did it, and we are alive to tell about it! Even though I was really scared it was a blast. Now we are thinking about going again :)

Nearest City: Laramie, WY
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