No easy task picking Cowboy State's 7 natural wonders

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

By Bill Sniffin

What are the seven natural wonders of Wyoming?  With lots of friends around the state, I made the mistake of asking them what areas they thought would qualify. They came up with at least 50, and I’m sure readers will let me know what an incomplete list I’ve compiled here.

Two wonders were on everybody’s list: Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first national park (and what a wonder it is!) and its next-door neighbor, the Tetons and Jackson Hole. Most also agreed the world’s first national monument, Devil’s Tower, should be #3, along with the Wyoming Black Hills, which it dominates.

But coming up with the four other wonders proved to be somewhat more controversial:
Journalist Shelley Ridenour of Rawlins talked about Aspen Alley on the Battle Mountain Highway and Silver Lake in the Snowy Range. Pat Schmidt of Thermop lobbied for the Beartooth Mountains. Worland State Rep. Debbie Hammons said that surely my list would include the Medicine Wheel and Chief Joseph Highway.

Bed and breakfast owner Marv Brown lobbied hard for Devil’s Gate and Red Canyon. Kari Cooper of Jackson says the most beautiful place in Wyoming is the headwaters of the Green River near Pinedale. Carole Perkins of Sheridan touted Shell Falls outside of Greybull.

Former Cheyenne resident Mike Lindsey could not imagine how the Oregon Trail could not make the list. State Rep. Pete Illoway of Cheyenne pushed hard for Hell’s Half Acre and Wind River Canyon, with the latter also being Tucker Fagan’s favorite. Former Gov. Mike Sullivan, of Casper, pitched the Chugwater formation ranging from Flaming Gorge to Red Canyon to Thermopolis. Rodger McDaniel of Cheyenne said he thought Elk Mountain, Gannett Peak and any one of several rivers should be on my list. Secretary of State Max Maxfield liked the Big Horn Mountains and also boosted Sinks Canyon.

Tom Lacock of Cheyenne wanted Wind River Canyon and the Saratoga Hot Springs included.  Vince Tomassi of Diamondville railed at me for not touting Fossil Butte. My daughter Shelli thought Bighorn Canyon deserved consideration. Ernie Over pushed for Togwotee Pass and the red walls around Butch Cassidy country.

Travel Commission Chairman Gene Bryan offered up a host of sites including the gangplank west of Cheyenne, Wapiti Valley, McCullough Peaks, Greybull’s Sheep. Many agreed the vast Red Desert should count as #4 with all its various sites including the many buttes, Boar’s Tusk, Killpecker Sand Dunes and all the other unique places tucked away in this gigantic area.

The fact that the Thermopolis Hot Springs are the largest in the world makes it easy to include as #5. (Just two left to go!)

Rodger is right. I need to include at least one river on my list. My choice is the North Platte River System. This huge river fills five reservoirs and carries more water than any other river in our state. Yes, we have many wonderful rivers – the Snake, Green, Laramie, Sweetwater, Popo Agie, Wind/Bighorn, Greybull, Tongue and even the Powder – but the North Platte makes #6 on my list with all its wondrous sites from Saratoga to Casper to Torrington.

And my #7 is South Pass, with all its meaning to the country. Without this natural gap in the mountain ranges, the United States today would probably only reach to the mountains. Some 350,000 emigrants traveled the Oregon, California and Mormon Trails in the 19th century over South Pass to extend our country to the Pacific. So there you have it. No doubt you will not agree on all of them. You should agree, however, that there are hundreds of  places that are wonderful natural wonders to see in our great state.
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No easy task picking Cowboy State's 7 natural wonders | Planet JH News Article: Left Wing Local

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