Laramie Off The Beaten Path

One of the joys of travelling in Wyoming is the lack of traffic, and particularly if you get off the main roads and seek out the scenic byways. We took the road from Laramie up to Centennial and through the Snowy Range Pass. The road is winding and climbs to an elevation of 10,800 feet but it's well-maintained and an easy drive. At the highest point there's a good-sized pullout and a short walk to an observation tower from where you can get amazing views (on a clear day you can see Colorado).

There are good views of the Snowy Range Mountains, and you'll pass several pretty lakes. We particularly liked Lake Bellamy, one of the smaller ones. You can get excellent photos of the Snowy Mountains reflected in the water here. Look out for a pullout at the bottom of a series of hairpin bends (a little beyond the top of the pass assuming you're travelling away from Laramie).

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Centennial is a characterful little town about 17 miles west of Laramie on the road through the Snowy Range Pass (route 130). There's not a whole lot there - just a few wooden buildings and a couple of shops and restaurants, but it's certainly worth a stop if you're passing through - or even a detour if you aren't! Certainly if you're a keen photographer in search of something other than scenery to add variety to your images of Wyoming, you'll love this place!

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Off Snowy Range Road, there is an otherwise reclusive neighborhood of old homes, a church, and a pedestrian bridge that crosses over the rail yard linking the detached neighborhood with the historic old town center. When walking over the bridge, it's interesting to loik down and see the new rails and rail cars being moved around by the Union Pacific workers.