Scenic Drive SR-34 Wheatland, Laramie Mountains, Laramie Plateau

We are staying in the FREE city campground in Wheatland. It has electricity 30 & 50 amp. Water & dump station at a central location. The campground is located at the south end of 8th street. Once in town you will be on 9th street when you get to the red light turn east and go to 8th street then turn south and proceed to the city campground about 6 blocks. You will spot the park, the campground is on the south side in a row of large cottonwood trees.

We headed out to drive Wyoming SR 34 from Wheatland to where it connects with US-30 north of Laramie. To get to SR 34 we have to travel on a local highway for a short distance. Of course around here that means traveling through an agricultural area.

Wheat field in Wheatland with Laramie Mountains in background

As we headed out on our scenic drive along SR 34/46 from Wheatland we stopped to watch this large machine loading 2,000 pound bails of hay on the waiting 18-wheeler.

Large hay operation along SR-34 outside Wheatland with Laramie mountains in background

This is what you call a serious hay operation, with the Laramie Mountains in the background.

Crops grown along scenic SR-34

This grain looks different than the wheat we were seeing in Kansas and even here in Wyoming. It is standing about 36" tall and has a much larger seed head. Since we do not know our grains I hesitate to make a guess but since this is a livestock intensive area around here it may be oats, but that is just a guess.

Scenic view off SR-34 west of Wheatland

As we head west on SR-34 we leave the irrigated fields behind. We also start gaining elevation. We are looking south from a small rise in this picture.

Laramie Mountains on SR-34 side road

We turned north on this road from SR-34 for about 5-miles then it turned into dirt/gravel. We decided to turn around and continue our scenic drive following SR 34. It would have been an interesting drive since it was taking us north and into the Laramie Mountains.

Interesting signs we saw on our scenic drive out SR-34 west of Wheatland

These signs were at the corner where that road headed north from SR 34. Note where these ranches are from this intersection. One is 25-miles the other 20.6 miles. Like the .6 makes any difference. What we also noticed at this intersection but did not get a picture of was 5-mail boxes. The five families living on this road have their mail boxes here. I do not know how far all the ranches are from these mailboxes but these two are 25-miles and 20.6-miles from their mailbox. That is hard for me to comprehend since my mail slot is in my front door. Things are different out here. Much different.

Horses and Laramie Mountains out SR-34 west of Wheatland

These horses indicate that some form of human is probably nearby although we could not see where they might be. They did not appear to be wild or very wild horses. However, there wasn't a ranch house or building within miles of here. I can not even remember a road turning off SR-34 anywhere near here.

Storm cloud building south of SR-34 west of Wheatland

This storm cloud was building south of us and we guessed it was probably somewhere between us and Cheyenne.

Laramie Plateau off SR-34 west of Wheatland

As we traveled west on SR-34 we traveled through some small mountains then popped out on the Laramie Plateau. My, what a sight!

Snow fence on Laramie Plateau protecting SR-34

Snow fences appear on every rise on the Laramie Plateau. Note that there is a building of some kind in the distance. I do not think it is a residence although it may be. The dots you see are cattle. This plateau is cattle country.

Pronghorn and serious snow fence on Laramie Plateau

I should say the Laramie Plateau is pronghorn and cattle country since we are seeing as many pronghorn as cattle. Folks, that is a serious snow fence protecting SR-34. It must be 10 feet tall.

Serious snow fence on the Laramie Plateau

These folks are serious about their snow fences.

Huge mule deer on Laramie Plateau as seen from SR-34 on our scenic drive

This was one huge mule deer. It was hard to see his antlers for those huge ears. At first we thought it was an elk it was so big.

Serious snow fence protecting SR-34 on Laramie Plateau west of Wheatland

Some of these snow fences stretch for unbelievable distances.

Huge snow fence protecting SR-34 on the Laramie Plateau west of Wheatland

It is hard to imagine snow being that much of a problem but it obviously is. They say the wind howls across this plateau in the winter.

Pronghorn on the Laramie Plateau as seen from SR-34 west of Wheatland

Pronghorn are alive and well on the plateau. If you want to hunt pronghorn this would be the place to go.

The Laramie Plateau west of Wheatland on SR-34

The scenery is always changing on the high Laramie Plateau. At this point we are around 50-miles west of Wheatland on SR-34 and looking north.

Laramie Plateau about 60-miles west of Wheatland on SR-34

This picture, of the Laramie Plateau, was taken near the intersection of SR 34 and US 30 about 60-miles west of Wheatland. We were looking to the southeast in this picture.

Sign seen on SR-34 about 40 miles west of Wheatland in the foothills of the Laramie Mountains

Joyce took this picture on the way back to Wheatland. We didn't get a picture as we passed but thought it so funny that we turned around in the highway and went back for this picture. It is a classic. We failed to get a picture of the "Shamrock Saloon" but I can guarantee it isn't a place you would stop, much less go inside, unless you really needed that beer.

Pronghorn along SR-34 west of Wheatland

Pronghorn, and more pronghorn. The critters are everywhere out here.

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That is all there is.

July 17, 2009

Until next time remember how good life is.

Mike & Joyce Hendrix