ADVENTURE AROUND EVERY CORNER

Against the backdrop of the endless horizon, you can enjoy simple pleasures from a more nostalgic time: A day of good fishing. A visit to historic Fort Laramie. A satisfying meal at a family-owned restaurant. A casual conversation with the keeper of an antique store. A glass of local wine, or the chance to simply get out of the car to stretch your legs and watch deer grazing on a distant hillside.

Around here, every unexpected discovery is a reminder that life’s greatest pleasures are often its smallest ones—and in Goshen County, they come in a very big package indeed.

Plan your path to local points of interest.

Download our handy Goshen County points of interest map, complete with coordinates and descriptions for 30+ places and spaces to explore.

Stroll the grounds once walked by fur trappers, Native Americans, pioneers, miners, and soldiers during the Western expansion.

Situated at the confluence of the Laramie and North Platte Rivers, the Army Iron Bridge is a peaceful place for your whole family to stretch their legs. The gateway to the Fort Laramie National Historic Site, Army Iron bridge was built in 1875 and served as a vital and fortified link between Cheyenne, Fort Laramie, Indian agencies, military outposts, and the goldfields of the Black Hills Dakota region.

Take some time to enjoy the river, and contemplate the many people that used this bridge for safe passage. You can also follow the 1.6-mile Confluence Trail through the region and gain an immersive look into the landscape and history of the area.

Looking for family fun? Explore Fort Laramie National Historic Site! Originally established as a fur trading post in 1834, the Fort Laramie National Historic Site eventually became the largest military post on the Northern Plains. Take an audio tour, tour on your own, or take a tour with a park official. While you’re there, be sure to watch a live reenactment, have the kiddos participate in the Fort Laramie Junior Ranger Program, or sip sarsaparilla and birch beer at 1883 Soldiers Bar (open select days and weekends). 

Take in views of dramatic bluffs set against a sprawling reservoir.

Whether you’re sunbathing on the sandy swim beach, casting a fishing line to reel in walleye and crappie, or enjoying an alfresco lunch in the picnic area, the views at the Hawk Springs State Recreation Area are spectacular.

Explore nature by hunting, fishing, or target shooting.

With 90 bodies of water—from small creeks to sprawling reservoirs—Goshen County is the place to catch crappie, largemouth bass, walleye, perch, catfish, and trout. Be sure to get your Wyoming fishing license before heading out to the water!

While you’re here, we invite you to explore more than 30 walk-in hunting and fishing areas and over 5,600 acres of wild habitat area with 290+ sightings of different species of birds. You can also take a trek along the Rawhide Wildlife Habitat Nature Trail, where we recommend keeping an eye out for white-tailed deer, cottontail rabbits, bald and golden eagles, ring-necked pheasants, beavers, and more than 50 species of songbirds.

Enjoy the crisp fall air during pheasant and goose hunting season at Springer/Bump Sullivan Wildlife Management Area near Yoder—considered by many to be one of the best pheasant and goose hunting areas in the state! Many species of flora and fauna benefit from the managed area, which provides excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing and unique nature experiences native to parts of Goshen County.

Want to feel the thrill of target shooting? Bring your friends, family, and your competitive spirit when you head over to Goshen County Sportsmen Club, the largest trap shooting facility in Wyoming. Choose from the outdoor rifle range, pistol range, archery range and skeet fields.

Learn the stories of Wyoming homesteaders, pioneers, and early residents.

Start your trip back in time at Torrington’s Homesteaders Museum, housed in a historic Union Pacific Depot. Outside, you can walk the grassy grounds to see vintage train cars, antique farm equipment, a turn-of-the-century homestead shack, and a one-room schoolhouse. Inside, you’ll find exhibits, photographs, interactive displays, and Goshen County’s early settler’s artifacts. Be sure to check the museum calendar for information on seasonal attractions (like the Terror Train Escape Room, Afternoon at the Boo-seum, and the Polar Express), as well as rotating displays and historic presentations.

Just eight miles southeast of Torrington, the former town of Empire offers a glimpse into Wyoming’s first racially self-sufficient and politically autonomous African American community. Founded in 1908, Empire was a byproduct of the upheaval of the Civil War and the Homestead Act of 1862. Lasting for nearly two decades, Empire, at its peak, played host to nearly 50 free African Americans and boasted its own school, post office, church, and farming community.

Today, its history showcases the importance of African American homesteaders in Wyoming. You can visit the Sheep Creek Presbyterian Church cemetery and pay respects at the graves of former resident, or head to the Homesteaders Museum to check out a historical display.