Snowy Range Scenic Byway

Snowy Range Scenic Byway follows Highway 130 for twenty-nine miles through the center
of Medicine Bow National Forest. A high-altitude drive, it offers you an unforgettable
introduction to the mountainous West as it winds through the Rocky Mountains. Here,
you'll embark on an extended adventure that encompasses three primary points of interest.
Explore Medicine Bow National Forest, which encompasses parts of the Laramie, Medicine
Bow, and Sierra Madre mountain ranges. A mild climate and sunny skies dominate summer
months, creating an ideal setting for outdoor fun. Explore the thick forests by hiking,
horseback riding, or mountain biking. Go fishing in one of many alpine lakes and streams
filled with trout. In the winter, you'll find yourself in a snowy solitude. Well-marked trails and
hundreds of inches of powdery snow entice you to hit the slopes. Stride cross-country or
zoom on a snowmobile across 300 miles of trails and wide snowy fields in this region. Thick,
iced-over lakes provide ice skating or ice fishing.

Stay overnight at Ryan Park Campground, surrounded by aspen trees. Formerly a Civilian
Conservation Corps camp during the Great Depression and a prisoner of war camp during
World War II, it has since been revamped. Follow the interpretive trail that leads to the
foundations for the old prisoner of war buildings and learn about the history presented
on the signs along the way.

As you drive the Snowy Range Scenic Byway, you'll wind through the massive Medicine
Bow Forest on a mountain drive that offers views of gigantic granite peaks, glittering lakes,
and thick forests. Exploring this region will place you in a new element where almost any
adventure is accessible.

Length: 29 miles / 46.7 km
Time to Allow: 45 minutes

http://www.byways.org/browse/byways/2054/overview.html