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Albany County Fishing Opportunities

The only thing better than celebrating the 4th of July holiday with hot dogs and homemade ice cream is going fishing. Albany County and the surrounding areas offer some of the best fishing opportunities to be found. Over 100 lakes, reservoirs and access areas surround Laramie, offering something for everyone. While you can fish anytime of the year, summer usually offers nice weather in addition to excellent fishing.

The seven lakes "locals" refer to as the Laramie plains lakes are 10 to 20 miles west of Laramie. Stocked annually with rainbow trout, these lakes have a lot of forage for fish and they can produce some real whoppers relatively quickly. On average anglers catch trout in the 8 to 16 inch range. Wheatland Reservoir #3, located just outside the town of Rock river, is widely known for its excellent fishing. Toltec, 20 miles up the road, also provides some great fishing. Annual stocking sustains the abundant fish populations in these lakes. East Allen lake, located about 1 mile south of Medicine Bow, has superb rainbow and cutthroat trout populations.

The high mountain lakes in the Snowy Range portion of the Medicine Bow National Forest, about 30 miles west of Laramie, provide a wide variety of fishing opportunities and many other recreational adventures. These lakes are usually accessible by mid-June and can produce some nice fish throughout the summer months. Barber Lake, about 20 miles west of Laramie on Highway 130, is stocked with catchable rainbow trout each June and will be stocked again in July. A fishing dock for physically challenged individuals is also available.

Lake Owen and Rob Roy Reservoir have camping sites, picnic areas and boat ramps as well as opportunities to hike or backpack. Lake Owen was stocked with 15,000 one to three inch rainbow trout this spring and Rob Roy was stocked with 70,000 three to five inch rainbow trout. "Rob Roy is expected to provide good fishing for rainbow trout with an occasional Splake and Brook trout," says Mike Snigg, Wyoming Game and Fish fisheries biologist.

The Pole Mountain area of the Medicine Bow National Forest, located between Cheyenne and Laramie, is a favorite recreation area and provides some great brook trout fishing. The department stocks one to three inch brook trout fingerlings in beaver ponds on the forest each year with the help of volunteers from Cheyenne and Laramie. Brook trout fishing in the Pole Mountain area has been really good lately according to anglers who frequent the area.

Those who prefer river and stream fishing should check out the Laramie River for brown and rainbow trout. There are two access areas off Highway 230; the Monolith is about 5 miles southwest of Laramie and the Jelm access is about 12 miles south of Woods Landing on Highway 10. Hunters and anglers pay the tab for fisheries management in Wyoming. License fees and excise tax on hunting and fishing related equipment are the Game and Fish Department’s only sources of revenue. Most sporting goods stores in Albany County sell fishing licenses. Non-resident one-day fishing licenses cost $6 per day and non-resident annual fishing licenses cost $65. Resident licenses cost $3 for one-day licenses and $15 for annual licenses.

Enjoy the peaceful surroundings and uncrowded trails in the Medicine Bow National Forest as you ski through country touched with picture perfect powder snow. Well-marked trails make this a great place for Nordic skiers, especially in the Happy Jack area. Our climate makes hundreds of inches of fluffy snow each year. There are many groomed trails for cross-country skiing and the Snowy Range Ski Area provides for a great day of downhill skiing. Snowy Range is just thirty miles west of Laramie with no winding roads or heavy traffic. Other very popular winter activities include: snowmobiling, sledding, ice skating, and ice fishing. Whether you would like to spend the day in the mountains or just building a snowman in your backyard, Laramie is a wonderful place to be during the winter months.

The Snowy Range Ski Area offers everything for downhill excitement and fun. With triple chairlift services, 5 lifts and 25 trails you get shorter lift lines and more skiing for your dollar. The longest trail is nearly 2 miles. One of the most popular and uncrowded family ski areas in the region. Snowboarders will enjoy Renegade Park at the Snowy Range Ski Area.

Snowmobile is another word for excitement. The Snowy Range offers world-class snowmobiling with 181 miles of groomed trails, 129 miles of ungroomed trails and hundreds of powder-filled meadows just waiting for you to explore.

The City of Laramie will be offering figure skating lessons from our Learn to Skate Program through our Moves and Freestyle Lessons. These lessons are designed to teach the beginner through the advanced skater in a group setting. Two different sessions will be offered this season. A mini three week session beginning in December and a regular six week session beginning in January. They follow the USFSA guidelines. The City of Laramie will also be offering for private figure skating lessons to those individuals interested in a one on one approach. For more information on lessons please pickup a brochure at Undine Ice Rink.

Riding The Range In Southern Wyoming

The Snowy Range Mountains in the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest west of Laramie are noted for their spectacular beauty in summer, but snowmobilers say the mountains are most beautiful in the winter. Snowmobiling generally starts in November and ends in April, although the 200 to 300 inches of snow that fall on the "Snowies" every year often extend the season well into May. The dry climate of southern Wyoming results in great quantities of inviting, fluffy powder to play in off trail, and the terrain is varied enough to please everyone and every ability. The variety ranges from challenging hills to climb to great open parks, often untracked, to roam.

The Snowy Range National Forest Scenic Byway, Wyoming Highway 130 through the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, is a treat in itself. Starting near Centennial, Wyo., at nearly 10,000 feet, the road isn't plowed in the winter from the parking area above the Snowy Range Ski Area, to the Silver Lake area, some 13 miles to the west. The highway/trail crosses Snowy Range Pass at 10,487 feet. Several trails branch out from this main thoroughfare.

Sportsmen who will be using their own machines are reminded that Wyoming now requires non-resident snowmobilers to pay a user fee on their machine. The fee is the same as that for residents, $15. Snowmobile fees are used to finance trail grooming and signing. Non-residents can obtain 1997-98 snowmobile packets for $18. The packet includes the use fee decal and a complete set of the state snowmobiling maps. Information on snowmobiling conditions or specific areas can NOT be obtained from this number, and Wyoming residents can not use this number to register their machines.

There are several locations in Albany County where out-of-state snowmobilers can pay their user fees and obtain their decals: Foster's Country Corner, Yeoman Marine, TNT Motor Sports and Frontier Cycles, all in Laramie, and The Friendly Store at Centennial, Wycolo Lodge and Albany Lodge. The Snowy Range is readily accessible from nearby Laramie via Wyoming 130 and 20, which lead to 310 miles of marked trails, 181 miles of which are groomed.

Accommodations of all kinds are available for those planning to enjoy the snowmobile trails of Albany County. These range from cabins, lodges, bed and breakfasts and resorts in Centennial, Albany, Woods Landing and Wycolo to full service motels in Laramie, some with indoor swimming pools and hot tubs. Dining also runs the gamut, ranging from burgers and fries to prime rib and international cuisine.

The Celebration of the Old West: Make the Old west come alive with fun and excitement for the whole family. Rodeos, carnivals, parades, fireworks, and Wyoming history is just a little part of the celebration. Laramie Jubilee Days is your chance to see the West the way it used to be; the way it still is in Laramie, Wyoming. Each year, during the first week of July, including July 10 (Wyoming Statehood day), is celebrated as Laramie Jubilee Days. Activities include barbecues, art shows, pancake breakfasts, and a cattle drive through town. A special attraction is "Fire in the Sky," a concert at UW's War Memorial Stadium followed by a spectacular fireworks display.