The Mountain Doesn’t Care If You’re In A Rush
Casper Mountain is eight miles away. It’s not optional. Skip it, you missed the point.
Eight miles from the concrete jungle. Full day commitment required. Any season.
Winter hits Hogadon Basin first. Ski rentals. Lessons. A bar in the lodge when you’re done shivering. Cross-country folks drift toward the Trails Center. 26 miles of groomd snow. Lit loop for night skiers who enjoy burning calories in the dark.
Summer changes the script. That same network becomes single-track madness. Berms. Drops. Riders fly in from out of state just for it. Hikers grab the Bridle Trail at Rotary park. 4.5 miles up 1,200 vertical feet. You’ll hit Garden Creek falls. Split rock frames the Bighorn mountains. An inverted V shape. Fast enough for a morning. Three hours tops for the loop.
Horseback riding changes the speed. C Bracket Horse Barn sits east of downtown. 60 horses. They know their stock. Guides match you to the beast before you even mount up. Cattle clinics. Trail rides. Same country. Different rhythm.
Sun’s out? Go south. Alcova reservoir catches most people off guard. Wyoming doesn’t scream lakes. Yet here is camping. Boating. Painted rock deserts rising out of green grass.
Push further. Fremont Canyon drops straight down. Sheer walls meet water. Rock climbers go nuts there. Pathfinder Reservoir waits next. Swimming. Camping. But the real deal is below. The Miracle mile. 5.5 miles of tailwater. Brown and rainbow trout. Best fishing in the nation if you can handle a fly rod.
Walk Around A Bit
Museums kill time well in Casper. Start at the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center. Multimedia. Models. Maps. Why does this strip of dirt matter? Four emigrant trails met here. The North Platte river crossing was the gate. They explain it clearly.
Fort Caspar Museum picks the thread. Reconstructed 1860 military post. Oil boom. Bust. Mining. Ranching. The good and the ugly.
Then the fossils. Tate Geological Museum sits on Casper college grounds. Over 6,000 specimens. Woolly mammoth skeleton stands guard. Nicolaysen Art Museum is cheap entry. $5. Western art meets contemporary pieces.
Books are downtown business. Wind City has the new stuff. Bookin It holds the used and strange. Sonic Rainbow piles vinyl high. Cassettes and CDs stacked like cordwood. Lou Taubert is the western anchor. Boots. Hats. Denim. Glamour meets practical.
Gear shops line the streets. 42 Degrees North does athletics. Mountain Sports handles camping. Zeelo Cranks N Planks sits near the mountain lift. Essential stop for bikes and snowshoes. Staff know every inch of the hill.
Eat Local Or Die (Maybe Not That Drastically)
Metro Coffee runs South David street since 2002. Local roast. Retro chairs. Art rotates monthly. Live music hits some nights. Bagels baked in-house smell like heaven.
Sit down? Eggington’s feeds the town for decades. Huevos rancheros get the treatment. Green chili. Pepperjack cheese. Pinto beans. Mimosas are local legend. Cinnamon pecan rolls come in the carryout box.
Crave something else? Sweet Zoey brings the med. Hummus. Falafel. Gyro french dips. Tahini cheese sandwiches break the beef monotony.
Want to impress? Frank’s Butcher Shop seats 16. That’s it. First come first served. Walk through the cold meat case. Pick your steak. They age it dry. 14 days minimum. Wyoming beef. Born raised processed here. Wait. Eat. Order the dill pickle vodka Bloody Mary.
Miss the cut? FireRock Steakhouse opens late weekends. East on US-20. Wine list does heavy lifting. Or skip red meat entirely. Racca Pizzeria Napoletana claims sole Neapolitan certification in the state. Wood fired. Brick walls. Dark wood bar. Authentic crust.
Craft beer took over the last five years. Casper became the hub.
Skull Tree Brewing feels tiny. Taproom size fits a closet. Owner pours samples before you speak. Sours. Bocks. Hazy Kveik IPAs. Locally grown hops. Norwegian yeast. Try the house-made root beer. One sip kills all others for life.
Gruner Brothers rents space where oilmen used to gamble. Former steakhouse. Back room coolers still hum. They brew. Can. Package. All under one roof. Petro Club Pilsner gets it right. Fluffy Cow Hazy tops sales at 6.7% ABV. AOK Marzen runs year-round. Barrel aged version carries whiskey barrel heat. Bourbon aroma hits first. Barley. Vanilla. Caramel follows.
Patio windows look out. City. Mountain behind it. Remind you there’s work to do after the tab.
Mountain Hops Brewhouse serves food. Mag’s Irish Red plays sweet against bitter hops. Zerschlagen Lager stays clean. Peanut Butter Stout tastes like an Oreo. Not cloying though. Beer nerds hunt for Hamm’s light lager there. Only Wyoming bar pouring the St. Paul vintage since 1865.
Backwards Distilling carries a circus theme. Pollock family built it in 2014. Ringleader vodka. Contortionist gin. Sword Swallower rum. Names fit the spirit. Absinthe burns herbal. 10 year Navy strength rum hits hard. Bourbons and ryes age 7 to 10 years. Grain to glass. Take a bottle home.
Getting There Isn’t Hard
CPR airport sits seven miles out. Northwest of downtown. United connects Denver. Delta runs Salt Lake.
Terminal is small. One building. Staffing light. Agents hide until flight time nears. Have everything ready before landing.
Most people drive anyway. I-25 punches straight through town. Signs don’t lie. Roads are simple. Free parking downtown is wide open. Truck spots. RV pads. Plenty of room for rigs.
Cell signal plays hide and seek. Spots die near the reservoir or the mountain trails.
Download a map before leaving. You might thank me later. Or not.
Wyoming isn’t finished with you yet.
