Outdoor Recreation

Fun filled days, exciting nights...it's all here!

Visiting Sweetwater County is exciting and at over 10,500 square miles - it is huge!  Most of the county is public land with unlimited access.  However, because of the great distances and open country, you'll need to make certain basic preparations before you begin exploring.  Be sure your vehicle has adequate high clearance and 4-wheel drive.  Carry water, a cell phone and, most importantly, let someone now where you are headed and when to expect you back.  We're confident you'll enjoy all Sweetwater County has to offer.  

     As you drive across Southwestern Wyoming, you will more than likely see antelope, deer, and occasionally, elk. All of these animals graze on the grasses and sage you see throughout the area. But these are not the only animals you are likely to see. If you turn off the Interstate onto one of the less-traveled roads and pull over, alongside the road you will see a region teeming with life. 
      Eagles, hawks, coyotes, sage grouse, osprey, foxes, and the "jack rabbit" are everywhere. If you listen carefully, you can hear birds that have built nests in the sagebrush. Look closely and you may see the horny toad or horned lizard. You will also more than likely see wild horses as Southwest Wyoming is home to over 1,600 wild horses. 

     Visiting Sweetwater County is exciting and at over 10,500 square miles - it is huge!  Most of the county is public land with unlimited access.  However, because of the great distances and open country, you'll need to make certain basic preparations before you begin exploring.  Be sure your vehicle has adequate high clearance and 4-wheel drive.  Carry water, a cell phone and, most importantly, let someone now where you are headed and when to expect you back.  We're confident you'll enjoy all Sweetwater County has to offer.  

Big Sandy Recreation Area      

The Big Sandy Recreation Area and Big Sandy Dam are located on Big Sandy Creek about 15 miles north of Farson, Wyoming. Recreation at Big Sandy Reservoir is directly managed by the Bureau of Reclamation; it's a popular recreation area for local residents.  Situated in an open setting north of Farson, Wyoming, at the 6,760-foot elevation, with a 2,500-acre surface area. Use is low and seasonal. Available fish species include brown trout, cutthroat trout, and catfish. 

Bureau of Land Management Lands      

      With more than 6 million acres of public lands and easy access, travelers to Southwest Wyoming can enjoy recreational opportunities for a wide spectrum of tastes.
     The increasing usage and accompanying crowding of our nation's national parks and national forests is focusing more attention on Bureau of Land Mamagement lands. Although largely unknown in the eastern United States, BLM public lands are fast becoming the last "holdout" for recreational diversity.
Hiking, camping, mountain biking, fishing, river running, sight-seeing, wildlife watching, hang gliding, and generally just relaxing are just a few of the many opportunities available.
     Because of population shifts and increased recreational usage of public lands, the Bureau of Land Management is placing more emphasis on its recreation program. Free statewide recreation maps are available from any BLM office in Wyoming.
     Many campgrounds and facilities in Southwest Wyoming have been upgraded or improved in recent years The Three Patches picnic and day-use facilities south of Rock Springs, the Warren Bridge Campground west of Pinedale, and facilities at the Sweetwater River Campgrounds have all been improved. Major improvements are planned for the Killpecker Sand Dunes Recreation Area in 2004.
     Along with increased recreation, Americans as a whole are becoming more environmentally aware. Traveling only on existing roads, being careful with fire, picking up litter from thoughtless people, and paying attention to sanitation are simple things people can do to help the environment. Probably the most important aspect of enjoying public lands responsibly is keeping all vehicles - cars, trucks, motorcycles, four-wheelers, etc. - on existing roads and trails. The environmental damage from cross-country travel with wheeled vehicles is becoming epidemic in the United States.

Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
South of Rock Springs & Green River  

Located south of Rock Springs and Green River and into Utah is the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.  There are 90 miles of lakes and 375 miles of shoreline, ranging from flat and welcoming to rough and foreboding.  Some of the peaks reach up to 1,500 feet high and feature colorful rock formations and ancient Indian petroglyphs and fossils.  

Fontenelle Reservoir 

Fontenelle Reservoir is located on the Green River 24 miles southeast of La Barge, Wyoming. The reservoir has a surface area of 8,000 acres. The lake is 20 miles long when full and has a shoreline of about 56 miles. The reservoir is situated north of Kemmerer, Wyoming, at a 6,500-foot elevation. Recreation use is low and seasonal. Fish species include rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout. Fontenelle Creek campground has developed campsites with restrooms and running water. Three other campsites below the dam are more primitive. Stream fishing opportunities exist on the Green River above and below the reservoir.

The Green River
Contact the Green River Chamber of Commerce for information at (307) 875-5711

The Green River starts high in the Wind River Mountains and flows south on its way to meet the Colorado River, eventually flowing through the Grand Canyon.  In Wyoming, the Green River is a popular recreational site offering recreational opportunities for fishing, canoeing, kayaking, camping and hiking.  

Killpecker Sand Dunes
North and east of Rock Springs

This is one of the largest active sand dunes in North America today and ranges up to 150 feet high.  The dunes constantly change, as the wind blows eastward.  The name comes from Killpecker Creek, names by the U.S. Calvary in the 1860's because of the mineral-rich water.  This area is comprised of two wilderness study areas, one of which is open to ORV use. If you want to hike and explore the dunes areas on foot, all the dunes east of Killpecker, stretching out across the Great Divide Basin, are open to low impact recreation, and dispersed camping.  For additional information on the Killpecker Sand Dunes, visit the BLM website.  

National Forest - Green River Visitors Center
1450 Uinta Drive
Green River, WY 82935
875-1646

Plant Communities

Plants and plant communities provide recreation and enjoyment for visitors throughout Sweetwater County. Although Sweetwater County is mostly a high desert area, it is home to a variety of flowers, shrubs, trees and plants.  You'll enjoy the beauty weather searching for specific specimens or simply hiking along the trail. 

Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge
Highway 372
Green River, WY 
(307) 875-2187

Visitors to Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge will find a large number of wildlife species.  Habitats vary from the cottonwood river bottoms along the Green River to the surrounding sagebrush uplands.  

Consisting of 26,300 acres of river habitat in a 35-mile square area that features more than 200 species of birds, this refuge is a breeding ground for bald eagles, Canada geese, mallards and trumpeter swans.  Located in the high desert of southwestern Wyoming, this refuge is graced by many historic sites such as the Lombard Ferry and two main river crossing sites of the Oregon and Mormon trails. 

Wild events occur with regularity during the year.  Sage grouse "hold" a wild event annually when they gather on leks during April to compete for mates.  Wild events offer some of the best wildlife observation opportunities.  Other wild events on the Refuge include trumpeter swan wintering, bald and golden eagle wintering, sage grouse dancing, songbird migration and breeding, waterfowl migration and breeding, moose calving and rut, pronghorn and mule deer fawning and rut, raptor nesting and great blue heron nesting.  

Sweetwater County Recreation Board

The Sweetwater County Recreation Board manages 12 parks located throughout Sweetwater County. All parks are open year round, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Parks can also be reserved for special events, but overnight camping is not permitted. 

Sweetwater River Campground

Sweetwater River Campground features 2 locations; one at the Bridge, and one at the Guard Station. This area is ideally suited for the solitary adventurer. A traveler seeking a remote area for hiking, mountain biking, fishing, or quiet contemplation can find all she wants here at the southern end of the Wind River Mountains. There is trailhead access to the Bridger Wilderness, and Little Sandy Lake, and all the surrounding BLM land is crisscrossed with roads and trails to explore.

White Water Park - Green River

      The newest “Park” for the City of Green River to develop in 2002 is much different from the traditional grass, trees and park benches, this one is a “Whitewater Park”! Green River’s Whitewater Park has three drops with pools that are sure to attract, not only the kayak enthusiast, but rafters, folks in inner tubes and yes even the fisherman. The river improvements begin at the Pacific Power pump station, off of N. 8th Street. Two other structures are located next to Expedition Island. 
      Two “Kayak Rodeos” have been scheduled for 2002. A Kayak Rodeo is a competition that draws participants in to perform tricks in the pools. Each participant is given two 90 second slots to perform their tricks. The tricks are judged on difficulty, etc. the winner is determined by either by the highest score or the combined score. Categories include Professional, Amateur and Junior. 
      The improvements that the City has made to the river also includes viewing areas on the riverbanks that will allow for spectators to have a great view of the Rodeo.
      The river improvements will be great for not only the expert kayakist but also the inner tube enthusiast too. The fisherman is also going to benefit from the Whitewater Park. The new boulders and riffles that have been added are great areas for fish to congregate to. Call the Chamber of Commerce for more information on how to access the river and viewing areas at, 800-FL-GORGE or 307-875-5711. 

     One of the fastest-growing sports in the United States - mountain biking - is also growing in southwest Wyoming. The reasons for biking in Wyoming are simple - millions of acres of public lands with literally thousands of miles of existing dirt roads and outstanding country of all descriptions, just perfect for biking.

     From desert badlands to alpine forests and everything in between, the diversity of biking opportunities in the Sweetwater County area is unmatched in the United States.

     Detailed maps of southwest Wyoming, showing roads, trails, and land ownership, are available at Bureau of Land Management offices in Rock Springs, Pinedale, and Kemmerer.    
    

      Angling enthusiasts can have their hands full with some of Wyoming's best multi-species fishing habitats, located in the southwest region of the state.

      Breath-taking vistas and imposing red-rock canyon walls are not all that the Flaming Gorge Reservoir offers its guests. In fact, these trappings of grandeur may serve primarily to distract visitors from the real treasure yet to be found. Nationally renowned as a fisherman's paradise, the Flaming Gorge Reservoir in southwest Wyoming has been known to produce an array of record-size fish, including trout, bass, and kokanee salmon.

For a map of area fishing locations, click here. 
  

Wild Horse Viewing

     Southwest Wyoming is home to well over 1,600 wild horses. These horses are managed by the Bureau of Land Management, in partnership with private landowners, in five separate Wild Horse Herd Management Areas. Although one of the BLM's most controversial programs, both nationally and locally, no matter which side of the issue people are on, just about everyone enjoys watching these free-roaming animals.

     Spring and early summer are particularly good times to watch wild horses because of the young foals. Wobbly-looking on their long legs, the young horses grow up strong enough to survive a tough country and can run like the wind.

     For more information about the BLM Wild Horse Program or adopting a wild horse, contact the BLM Rock Springs Field Office or click here.

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