Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to OCTOBER. Hope you have an awesome month!

Monday, October 22, 2018

Snowy Range Scenic Byway, Highway 130, Wyoming ---9/15/18

When we first got on Highway 130,  we could see where we were going!!!!!!  WOW!
Dear Friends,  On the way home on Sept. 15, from our West Trip,  George and I meandered off of I-80 and took a wonderful 'back road'  between Rawlins, Wyoming and Laramie, Wyoming.   This was Highway 130 which  is called the Snowy Range Scenic Byway.   We had never been in this area ---and in a word or so,  we LOVED it.

Snowy Range Pass is part of the Medicine Bow National Forest.    The Snowy Range used to be called the Great Sky Road.  Today I'll share pictures from our little  'side trip'....   Hope you enjoy them!!!!


Along Highway 130,  we enjoyed the beautiful Colors of Fall.   (Photo taken from inside the car)



Oh how I love seeing the ASPENS in their glory!!!!  And the Lodgepole Pines were beautiful here (as opposed to Yellowstone --where many of them had been destroyed by beetles)



The SNOWY RANGE is now in view!!!!!  Wow!



Getting CLOSER and higher in Elevation  (the Peak at Medicine Bow is 12,013 feet)


A nice lady took our picture together when we stopped at Libby Flats --which was over 10,000 feet.  



One of my favorite pictures from Libby Flats --showing one of the many GLACIAL Lakes in that area.  I think this lake is named Bellamy Lake.   



From the Libby Flats area,  I took this picture looking south --toward the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.



From Libby Flats,  we just had to walk to the Observation Point in the distance...  See it????  It is so neat --and looks like a castle!!!!



I haven't found any details about who/how this Observation Point was built --but I do know that it is an official  Historical Site.



On the way up!!!!!   What an awesome observation point.



I took this picture of George at the Observation Point.  The weather up there wasn't cold --but it was VERY windy.  Hence NO hat for my man!!!!! ha



 I love seeing the Lodgepole Pines here... I did learn some interesting trivia.... Do you know what a Krummholz tree is?????  It is a stunted or deformed tree caused by the wind/extreme weather in high altitude areas....  I've seen many Krummholz trees through the years --and George and I have always called them our Creative Trees... ha



Another beautiful picture along the Snowy Range Scenic Highway;   That peak on the right is named  Sugar Loaf!!!



I'll close with one more picture of the Gorgeous ASPENS showing off their colors along the Snowy Range Scenic Byway.
Well---as you can see,  George and I loved this little side trip.   IF you are ever in that area,  we highly recommend it.. However,  this road is closed from November to June each year due to high amounts of snow.....

If you enjoy high mountain hiking,  there are LOTS of trails.   I'll close by giving you a great website telling much more about this amazing area.  Click HERE.

Have a great week.. We plan to have a wonderful week ahead!!!  Blessings to all of you!

Hugs,