Where the Old West Meets the High Country in Carbon County, Wyoming

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BY KAY ESPOSITO | CARBON COUNTY WYOMING I HISTORY I

In southern Wyoming, Carbon County is a place where the past remains remarkably close to the present. Historic buildings, Old West legends and living-history events tell the story of the people who shaped the region, while mountain trails, waterfalls and alpine lakes offer a different kind of connection to the landscape.

From the county seat of Rawlins to the neighboring communities of Encampment, Saratoga and Medicine Bow, Carbon County blends Western heritage with some of southern Wyoming's most impressive outdoor scenery.

The Old West Is Still Alive

The Old West is alive in the county seat and neighboring towns of Carbon County. Rawlins and the surrounding communities carry stories from the days when cattlemen, miners, railroad workers, outlaws and lawmen helped shape Wyoming's frontier. Among the most famous names connected to the region is Butch Cassidy, whose Wild Bunch was well known around Carbon County during the 1890s.

The stories of Cassidy and his gang have become part of the county's enduring Western character, adding an element of frontier legend to communities that were already being shaped by railroads, ranching and mining.

To explore the local history of Butch Cassidy and his gang in the 1890s, visit

Baggs Outlaw Stop in southern Carbon County, Wyoming, which features the historic Mathews/Gaddis House roadhouse and local jail buildings frequented by the Wild Bunch.

But Carbon County's Western history goes far beyond outlaws. The region's communities preserve the stories of the people who worked the land, built businesses, operated mines and traveled through the rugged Wyoming landscape. Today, visitors can experience much of that history firsthand.

A Museum Where History Comes Alive

In the Encampment area, the Grand Encampment Museum, known as the GEM, provides an opportunity to step directly into the region's past.

The outdoor museum features historic buildings, artifacts and exhibits that help tell the story of the area's mining, timber, ranching and settlement history.

One of the museum's most unusual attractions is its famous two-story outhouse, a quirky piece of history that has become one of the stops visitors shouldn't miss.

Travelers can explore the museum on their own or join a knowledgeable and animated guide who helps bring the stories behind the exhibits to life. Either way, the GEM can easily become a half-day adventure into Wyoming's past.

Rather than simply looking at artifacts, visitors can walk among historic structures and imagine what life was like when Encampment and the surrounding communities were developing in the rugged mountains.

A Ride to the Waterfalls

Carbon County's history is only part of its appeal. Its landscape provides plenty of opportunities to get outside.

A ride along the Green Mountain Falls Trail takes visitors through forests of aspens and pines before reaching a series of waterfalls flowing over granite and limestone.

The Green Mountain Falls Trail in Carbon County, Wyoming, is a scenic 3.4 to 6.5-mile out-and-back hike located in the Sierra Madre Range of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests near Encampment.

Between the waterfalls are small pools where visitors can stop, cool off and relax. The combination of rushing water, forest and rock creates an unexpected oasis in the mountains.

For those who enjoy getting in the water, the pools can provide a refreshing swim after the ride through the forest.

It is an experience that captures another side of Carbon County. The area's history may draw visitors in, but its landscapes give them plenty of reasons to stay outside.

Living History in the Mountains

Carbon County also offers opportunities to experience the past through Mountain Man Rendezvous and Living History Days.

The event offers visitors a literal walk back in time. Participants dress in authentic clothing and establish primitive camps designed to resemble those used during the days of trade among mountain men, voyageurs, Indigenous people and trappers.

The experience goes beyond costumes. Visitors can explore hands-on activities, handmade crafts, metalwork and period clothing while learning more about the skills and traditions of the era.

For anyone interested in the culture of the early Rocky Mountain West, the event provides a memorable way to experience history rather than simply read about it.

The sights and sounds of the encampment create a connection to a period when travel through the mountains was difficult and survival depended heavily on knowledge, craftsmanship and relationships.

Mountain Man Rendezvous and Living History Days I Credit Carbon County

Medicine Bow National Forest

For those ready to trade history for high-country adventure, Medicine Bow National Forest offers another side of Carbon County.

The forest contains some of southern Wyoming's most striking scenery, including alpine lakes, wildflower-filled meadows, forests and rugged mountain peaks.

One of the area's highlights is Medicine Bow Peak, the tallest mountain in southern Wyoming. Hiking to the summit offers expansive views across the surrounding landscape. Below, Lake Marie and the Mirror Lakes sit among the mountains, while distant peaks stretch toward the horizon.

On a clear day, the views extend toward Rocky Mountain National Park, with the surrounding Medicine Bow peaks creating an impressive mountain panorama.

After descending from Medicine Bow Peak, trails around the lakes provide a slower-paced way to experience the landscape. Paths weave through wildflowers and along the Mirror Lakes, offering countless opportunities to stop and take in the scenery.

The contrast between the summit and the lakeside trails makes the area especially rewarding. One moment visitors are standing above the tree line looking across southern Wyoming, and the next they are walking beside alpine water surrounded by wildflowers.

A Wyoming Experience That Has It All

Carbon County brings together many of the experiences travelers associate with Wyoming. There are the legends of the Old West, including stories of Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch.

In Carbon County, a day can begin with the Old West and end high in the mountains. You can walk through a historic museum in the morning, ride through an aspen forest to a waterfall in the afternoon and watch the sun settle over an alpine lake before the day is over.

It is a place where Wyoming's history isn't simply preserved. It is still part of the adventure.

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