Snowy Range Pass, WyomingOn our one full day in Laramie, we headed out on the Snowy Range Scenic Byway, Wyoming’s second highest pass at 10,847 feet. Our first stop was the Libby Flats Observation Point (from which the panorama above was taken, as well as the two pictures below).
Libby Flats Observation Point
Snowy Range Pass, Wyoming
A short distance down the road, the Medicine Bow Peak Overlook had good views over the peak and Bellamy Lake nestling below it.
Medicine Bow Peak and Bellamy LakeFrom here, we also took a short trail of about a mile which looped round the abandoned Red Mask Mine and a miner’s cabin. Built in the 1920s, the mine was thought to contain rich veins of copper, gold and silver but only traces were ever found.
Red Mask Mine Trail
Red Mask Mine Trail
Descending a little further, we parked at Lake Marie, named after Mrs Mary (Marie) Bellamy who led the successful suffrage drive which led to the 19th amendment allowing women to vote. She was also the first woman elected to the Wyoming Legislature in 1910. Wyoming women’s history rocks!
Lake MarieA trail led off from Lake Marie passing Mirror Lake, Lookout Lake and several smaller lakes – and now I can’t remember which is which! So I have helpfully labelled all the photos in the next gallery Lakes Trail. Breath-taking views – in more ways than one….
Lakes Trail
Lakes Trail
Lakes Trail
Lakes Trail
Lakes Trail
Lakes Trail
The trail wasn’t difficult as it climbed gently uphill, but I found myself short of breath and (even) slower than usual. The air is much thinner when you’re at 10,000 feet before you even start walking and it took us a few days to acclimatise.
Eventually, we reached a saddle with a junction of trails.
Lakes Trail
Lakes Trail
We could, of course, have continued upwards and onwards to the summit of Medicine Bow Peak and back to Lake Marie along the ridge – um, not likely! We returned by the same 2.4 mile route we had come. At least it was now mostly downhill and easier to breathe.
The next day, we left Laramie and headed for Rock Springs.
Always like the mountain regions in any country and good to put a landscape on a name. I must have heard it somewhere in a book or film before as Medicine Bow Peak rings a bell.
I do love a good mine! And leave it to you to track down something named after the local suffragette! I’m glad you did though; I always enjoy reading your facts about women’s history!
Groan but also smiling – ‘Wyoming women’s history rocks!’
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It’s very punny!
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A brilliant pun 😀
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Beautiful photos..
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Thank you!
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Wow, pictures are like a postcard!
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Thank you! Glad you like them.
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I don’t know why I was drawn to this one. Snow isn’t my thing at all, but it does look a very picturesque walk, Anabel. 🙂
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Thanks, it was! Apart from the breathlessness at the altitude which, thankfully, we acclimatised to after that.
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How gorgeous isn’t this? What a beautiful scenery, loving your photos of Snowy Range Pass.
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Thank you! It was absolutely gorgeous.
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I want to visit Lake Marie 😍😍😍
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She was a good ‘un!
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Hi Anabel, I had to change my blog to private quite abruptly, please when you get a chance simply visit my blog and request access.
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Done!
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Always like the mountain regions in any country and good to put a landscape on a name. I must have heard it somewhere in a book or film before as Medicine Bow Peak rings a bell.
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I think a lot of this area has appeared on film at some point.
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I do love a good mine! And leave it to you to track down something named after the local suffragette! I’m glad you did though; I always enjoy reading your facts about women’s history!
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I always seem to manage to sniff something out! Had no idea Wyoming would be so fruitful for women’s history though.
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