Guernsey, Wyoming - Emigrant Trail Ruts, Register Cliff, CCC structures at nearby state park

[bpaikman]

since I was a child always wanted to see some (obvious) pioneer trail ruts. On a family vacation trip in the 60s, somewhere in the western states, we once passed a sign that said "Wagon Ruts" and I really wanted to see them. But it turned out they were quite far out of our way, so we didn't go. but I remembered.
so when I was planning this trip, I wanted to go to Guernsey because I had read they had extremely distinct trail ruts, so I worked it into our itinerary.
1. it's a long ways from nowhere! Pretty little town of 1100 with a rich mining, ranching, emigrant, and CCC history.
2. We opted to stay at the city park in town because it's within a short distance of several hietoric sites: the Oregon/California trail ruts, and Register Cliff. The Register Cliff is a bit remote, unmonitored, so it's sadly overrun with modern inscriptions. Some attempt has been made to protect the older ones.
3. Guernsey State Park came along nearly 80 years later - lots of CCC construction, including a beautiful CCC-built museum. The state park is around the lake that was formed from the Guernsey Dam. It has several camping sites and has some water and electrical hook ups but a lot of dirt roads which we don't like for Diesel motorhomes.
The city park where we stayed is basic, but satisfactory. you have to read the reviews in trip wizard. They have a lovely nine hole golf course.
The whole area is quite dog friendly. They even allowed us to take our dog in the museum.. Not many visitors anywhere, probably because the area is so remote.
mid July and it can get up to nearly 100, but it was only in the low 80s while we were here, and quite pleasant all day long.


42.25630° N, 104.74163° W

 

[Wemustrv]

Nice! What is CCC?

 

[bpaikman]

Nice! What is CCC?

During the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps was part of President Roosevelt's New Deal, providing employment for thousands who worked in public parks. They built museums, cabins, bridges, trails, decorative structures ...from native stone and evn materials imported from other states, that still exist today, and are in like new condition, When I was a park ranger, I worked in a visitors center built by the CCC in Texas. See Wikipedia.
The museum at Guernsey is the most beautiful CCC structure i've seen so far. It features 'pecky cypress" from Florida, so evidently the government spared no expense.
I've seen their handiwork in manay state and national parks - if it's stonework, it's probably CCC.
I used to be a park ranger, and occasionally worked in a beautiful CCC visitor center in Texas.