Snowy Range Scenic Byway (views!) ⛰ Saratoga to Laramie WY-130 through Medicine Bow National Forest ⛰ Wyoming travel blog

Hi there!

 

The Snowy Range Scenic Byway is one of the many scenic byways in Wyoming.

It’s a drive along WY-130 through Medicine Bow National Forest that is located on the southern side of Wyoming.

You’ll be driving at high altitude!

 

 

The drive peaks at over 10,000 feet.

You can also make a stop along the Snowy Range Scenic Byway for a high altitude hike in Wyoming to over 12,000 feet.

 

 

 

Or if you’d rather not put out so much effort, then there are a number of mountain lakes that you can make easy stops at too.

 

 

Below are some highlights of what you can see while driving through Medicine Bow National Forest on the Snowy Range Scenic Byway!

 

 

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9 things to do in Medicine Bow National Forest along the Snowy Range Scenic Byway

I did this drive on the way from Idaho to Nebraska in October 2021. The temperature was in the 40s F.

Medicine Bow National Forest was part of a drive of several days, from Craters of the Moon in Idaho to the Nebraska badlands… and beyond driving back to Michigan!

 

 

I also stayed at a national forest cabin while in Medicine Bow National Forest, although that was in a different part of the national forest compared to the Snowy Range Scenic Byway.

Below is the order as you’d see it when driving west to east, from Saratoga to Centennial to Laramie.

If you’ll be driving from Laramie to Saratoga, you can start from the bottom up!

 

 

1. Lake Marie

 

You’ll look for the West Lake Marie trailhead.

There is a parking lot right along the Snowy Range Scenic Byway.

 

 

From here, you can take a short paved path to walk to Lake Marie.

 

 

Or you can take a short walk on a dirt trail to get to Lake Marie.

 

 

There’s also a basic bathroom and picnic area near Lake Marie.

 

 

Continuing the drive along the Snowy Range Scenic Byway…

 

 

 

2. Mirror Lake picnic area

 

As you keep driving, you will next come across the Mirror Lake picnic area.

 

 

From WY-130, you’ll turn off onto an easy gravel road with a lakeside drive until you get to the parking area.

This is a more “official” picnic area, and there are a number of picnic tables without having to walk far.

Once again, there is a basic bathroom at Mirror Lake too.

 

 

From the Mirror Lake parking area, you will also find a trail that leads to Lake Marie. (There is a sign.)

 

 

Continuing the drive along the Snowy Range Scenic Byway…

 

 

 

3. Medicine Peak Overlook

 

Next you will come to a parking lot for the Medicine Peak Overlook.

 

 

You can also start the Miners Cabin Trail here which will take you through “historical mining ruins.”

 

 

 

Continuing the drive along the Snowy Range Scenic Byway…

 

4. Libby Flats Observation Point

 

Next you’ll see a sign for Libby Flats.

 

 

You can then walk a short trail to get to the Libby Flats observation point.

 

 

 

5. Snowy Range Pass

 

At the Libby Flats parking lot is also where you will see the sign that you are at over 10,000 feet.

 

 

Continuing the drive along the Snowy Range Scenic Byway…

 

6. Sugarloaf Recreation Area

 

For the next 2 lakes on this list, you’ll go down the road where you see the sign for the Sugarloaf Recreation Area.

Driving through Medicine Bow National Forest is free if you’ll just be driving on the Snowy Range Scenic Byway.

But if you want to do anything in the Sugarloaf Recreation Area, then there is a national forest entry fee. In 2021, the Medicine Bow National Forest fee for this area was $5 per car.

There will be a self-pay station once you turn down the road.

 

 

If you have an annual national park pass, then your national forest entry fee will be covered by that. But you will still want to stop by the fee station so you can get your proof of payment tag to put on your car.

 

Continuing the drive just off the Snowy Range Scenic Byway into the Sugarloaf Recreation Area…

 

 

 

7. Libby Lake

 

This is another lake in Medicine Bow National Forest where you can make it a picnic with lake views.

 

 

Continue the drive further into the Sugarloaf Recreation Area…

 

 

 

8. Lewis Lake

 

And this is yet another lake in Medicine Bow National Forest that you can visit for a lake with mountains in the background.

 

 

This is also one spot that you can start your hike to Medicine Bow Peak! (Next on the list!)

 

 

9. Medicine Bow Peak Trail

 

If you are looking for a little bit of hiking in Wyoming during your time in Medicine Bow National Forest, hiking to Medicine Bow Peak is a hike to consider! This will take you to a peak of over 12,000 feet.

There are many ways to hike to Medicine Bow Peak, and hiking the Medicine Bow Peak Trail from Lewis Lake is one of them. You’ll want to give yourself 2-3 hours to hike this.

And remember that this is a high altitude hike, so you may find yourself getting tired more easily.

And, this is a hike UP the mountain.

And, once you get higher up, you’ll be walking across big rocks.

All of this can slow you down.

So although this Medicine Bow Peak hike is listed as around 3 miles round trip, it’s not a casual 3 mile stroll! Although the very first part along Lewis Lake is a casual lakeside stroll! (That doesn’t last very long, though!)

 

 

And then you can continue onwards on the Snowy Range Scenic Byway to Centennial WY and onwards to Laramie WY!

 

And that’s a bit about things to do along the Snowy Range Scenic Byway!

 

Plan more of your Wyoming trip and beyond:

• Best places to visit in Wyoming for VIEWS! (and perfect to make into a Wyoming road trip!)
• Best Grand Teton National Park scenic drive
• Grand Teton to Yellowstone National Park
• Best things to do in Yellowstone National Park
• Best things to do in Grand Teton National Park
• Best things to do in Devils Tower National Monument
• South Dakota to Wyoming road trip
• Wyoming to Idaho road trip
• Best hikes in Wyoming
• Best places to visit in South Dakota

 

HAPPY DRIVING THROUGH MEDICINE BOW NATIONAL FOREST IN WYOMING!