Carbon: Historic Places, Museums and Routes

Travelers choosing Carbon as a destination can focus on historic places, museums or outdoor activities. Townscapes tell the story of Wyoming’s development, while named scenic routes, rivers and trails offer different options for planning a trip.

Historic Places and Museums

In Sinclair, the Parco/Sinclair Museum is housed in the original First National Bank of PARCO building, dating from Wyoming’s oil boom in the 1920s. Several buildings and residential areas in town follow a general Spanish architectural style; most of the town’s original facilities are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The town square also features a fountain built in 1927 in honor of PARCO founder Frank E. Kistler.

Historic Downtown Rawlins is a nationally designated historic district with 19th-century architecture. The downtown art tour offers another perspective, featuring twelve murals created between 2005 and 2007. Rawlins thus brings both historic architecture and mural art into focus.

The museums explore a range of regional topics. The Grand Encampment Museum includes more than a dozen historic buildings with artifacts related to logging, mining and valley agriculture. The Carbon County Museum’s exhibits cover cattle and sheep ranching, mining, and artifacts and cultural information about Indigenous peoples. Fort Steele was established in 1868 as a military post that supplied expeditions and protected the Union Pacific Railroad, its workers and surrounding communities.

The Saratoga Museum features the town’s original Union Pacific train depot, dating to around 1915. The collection includes hundreds of Wyoming jade specimens. The research library holds stories from the Platte Valley, Carbon County territorial brand books, and audio and video accounts from local residents. Alongside its railroad history, these collections give the town a distinctive connection to regional stories and collections.

Smaller museums offer their own distinctive highlights: the Elk Mountain Museum showcases local history, coal mining and the timber industry; the Finn Swim Sauna stands as an example of Finnish tradition. Old barns and buildings illustrate European craftsmanship. Housed in the old train depot, the Medicine Bow Museum contains artifacts relating to the history of the American West and the town. Next to the museum, a monument erected in 1939 commemorates Owen Wister and his book “The Virginian.”

Routes, Trails and Rivers

The Snowy Range Scenic Byway runs for 29 miles along Highway 130 through Medicine Bow National Forest. Along the byway, trails cater to different skill levels, and visitors can fish for trout in alpine lakes, go horseback riding, mountain biking and wildlife watching. Since access at higher elevations can be seasonal, take this into account when planning. Another named route is the Battle Highway, which follows Wyoming Highway 70 through the Sierra Madre Mountains from Encampment to Baggs.

Carbon County offers hundreds of miles of trails and five wilderness areas. Trails lead to mountain lakes, clear streams and remote fishing spots; wildlife watching is another of the activities mentioned. In winter, there are cross-country ski trails for beginners and advanced skiers. Many snowmobile trails can also be used for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and dog sledding.

Activities along the North Platte River vary by section and river: the seven-mile-long Miracle Mile near Seminoe Reservoir is known for large trout and fly fishing. The Encampment River offers technical kayaking, while the North Platte River offers opportunities for whitewater and scenic rafting. In the Saratoga, Encampment and Riverside area, there are twelve access points to the North Platte River for rafters and boaters.

More Interests for Your Trip

Rochelle Ranch Golf Course is a municipal public 18-hole championship course designed by Ken Kavanaugh. At an elevation of 6,800 feet, the course features elevation changes and views; sand, sagebrush and low brush border the fairways. Amenities also include a grass-tee driving range and a practice green of more than 19,000 square feet. Check operating conditions before your trip.

Seminoe State Park was established in 1965 through an agreement between the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Wyoming Recreation Commission. Reservations are required for campsites in the park from May 15 through September 15. Keep this period in mind if camping is part of your plans.

Discover more destinations: Rawlins, Elk Mountain, Saratoga, Washakie, Big Horn, Johnson County, Crook County, Uinta County.

Return to the main travel overview: Wyoming.