Summit: 12,018ft
Native Lands of the: Arapaho, Cheyenne & Eastern Shoshone
Hike stats: 7m 2,116ft of gain
Medicine Bow Peak rises over 12,000 feet high in the Snowy Range of Southeastern Wyoming. It’s the highest point in Southern Wyoming and Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest. This relatively small and well-named range is filled with sparkling lakes, flowery meadows, abundant wildlife and dramatic peaks! Pulling up to any of trailheads is enough to give you a taste of alpine scenery that you usually have to work hard to see. It’s not far from Laramie, WY or Hwy 80 so if you are like me make the best detour to Medicine Bow.
1st trip: 7/21/2023
We moved back to Georgia to be close to family and getting everyone and everything from Vancouver, Washington to Georgia took a lot of effort. We shipped most of our stuff, flew as a family to GA then my father and I flew back the next day. After arriving in Portland, Oregon we ran a few errands, picked up Moose, packed up the truck using every square inch of space, did a final sweep of the house and started driving east on I-84 along the the beautiful Columbia River. In the gorge I can point out almost every peak and waterfall recalling countless adventures with Ellie, Leo and Moose! Gorge adventures were never complete without a stop at the greatest fish market in the world, Brigham Fish Market in Cascade Locks next to the bridge of the gods! So that was naturally our first stop!
We hit all the best spots for Moose to cool off and to see some waterfalls.
Our day started at 5:30am ET in Georgia and after leaving Vancouver, WA at 3:30pm PT we drove to a best western in Boise, Idaho arriving at 1am MT. Wish I could have extended our trip by a day to hike in the Wallowas or Rock Creek Butte in northeastern Oregon.
Day 2 we drove about 10 hours from Boise to a small hotel, the Copperline Lodge, in Saratoga, Wyoming.
I picked Saratoga as it was only 45 minute drive to the West Lake Marie trailhead where we could really stretch our legs in the morning! Thanks to my Dad sticking with the truck, Moose and I planned out a 7 mile, 2,100 feet of gain point to point hike in the Medicine Bow Mountains.
Lake Marie was beautiful! Shoutout Ellie Marie!
The trail climbs steeply until reaching the south ridge of Medicine Bow Peak. From there we followed the ridge to the summit with many stops for snow wiggles.
Summit! We didn’t stay long with another big day on the road ahead of us. We would continue along the other side of the ridge then down and around Sugarloaf Mountain.
Many more Marmot friends!
This was by far the best detour of the roadtrip and worthy of a trip on its own!
Moose saw real Moose before we left the Bow for a long straight and flat drive to Lincoln, Nebraska.
Not a ton of highlights along this stretch of road. A morning stroll around the University of Nebraska campus was great though.
From Lincoln we drove 7 hours to Saint Louis, Missouri for some good barbecue and a stop at Gateway Arch National Park.
The park was nice and well maintained but it’s hard to compare a city park with other National Parks. Of course I’m all for conserving land so glad the area is somewhat protected.
From Nashville it was a short, for our new standards, drive to my hometown. Our last pit stop was at the battery outside Truist Park in Atlanta for Antico Pizza.
Huge thank you to my dad for all the fun, support and driving!! I’m ready for another road trip but with more peakbagging!
CAPPY TRAILS 