Glendo State Park
I’m not a big water sports kind of gal so it was a pleasant surprise to learn that there was more to Glendo State Park than a big lake with boats. I took a wander to the wetlands and watched the pelicans go fishing. I also watched an egret grab a fish in his talons but he was so fast I couldn’t catch it in time with the camera. You’ll just have to trust me. 🙂
Wild Skies and Winding Wyoming Roads
I guess that if you need rain in your part of the world, invite me over. It seems almost everywhere I have traveled to for this project, I have been challenged by the weather. Fortunately there have been small windows of perfect light for my shots and the wild skies have provided some pretty intense scenes while I drive the winding roads of Wyoming.
Fort Bridger
Fort Bridger began as a fur trading outpost established in 1842 on Blacks Fork of the Green River. Later it became a vital resupply point for wagon trains on the Oregon Trail, California Trail and Mormon Trail. The Army established a military post here in 1858 during the Utah War. The post closed in 1890 and the town of Fort Bridger, Wyoming, remains near the fort and takes its name from it.
I stayed after sunset for a torchlight tour around the fort and enjoyed skits put on by enthusiastic volunteers in 19th century costumes. Good times! 🙂
Guernsey Bambi
Guernsey State Park is a beauty. Along with a large body water for sporting, there are ample opportunities for hiking, biking, rock climbing, and my favorite- wildlife spotting. I saw twin mule deer fawns hiding in the brush and they, of course, were precious. These little ones are growing fast but haven’t lost their fuzz or spots yet. Her mature eyes are mesmerizing… and those ears!! 🙂
Fort Fred Steele
Named for Major General Frederick Steele, 20th U.S. Infantry, a Civil War hero, Fort Fred Steele is located on the west bank of the North Platte River. It was occupied until August 7, 1886 by soldiers who were sent by the U.S. Government to guard the construction of the transcontinental railroad against attack from Indians.
Unfortunately, many structures in the fort have suffered from repeated fires after being abandoned in 1886. In 1969 it was place on the National Register of Historic Places and is managed by the state.
This site is off the interstate near a rest area so it is easy to find. The interpretive center shows how the fort was built and objects found around the fort from that time. My favorite is the masonry detail.
Charcoal Kilns and a Ghost Town
This stop was not on the official list for my State Parks adventure. I have read about these kilns and quickly realized that Piedmont was only 10 miles south of I-80 . So, I made a detour in-between parks and traveled down a long gravel road to check it out.
These kilns are the remnants of a charcoal- making industry in Southwest Wyoming. They were built in 1869 by Moses Byrne to supply charcoal to pioneer iron smelters in the Utah Valley.
They were built out of sandstone and limestone- all local material- and are about 30ft in circumference and about 30ft high. Each kiln has a large doorway and a window placed high on the backside for loading cord-wood. Vent holes are around the bottom so that charcoal makers could adjust airflow. Once workers filled the kilns with logs, metal coverings were mortared in place over the doorway and window to seal before firing.
The making of charcoal stopped in the early 1900’s when the Union Pacific rail line was rerouted north of Piedmont. This left Byrne with no economical means of transporting his product to market. Therefore, the town died leaving a ghost town just up the road from the kilns.
These structures are obviously unsafe so I kept my distance as best as I could. But I did take a quick peek inside. 🙂
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