Jan
2016
Wyoming
(click on a picture to enlarge)
For my passion blog this semester, I’d like to write about some of the states that make up the country in which we live. However, since I won’t be writing 50 passion blogs, I’ll be focusing on some of the most interesting that I have had the experience of visiting. I’ll highlight some of the obvious and some more subtle points of interest for each state I talk about.
Bighorn Mountains
For my first blog, I’m going to talk about the least populated state in the union. This would be Wyoming, a state with an incredibly diverse landscape but not much to show for in terms of populated areas. The capital and most populated city in Wyoming is Cheyenne, coming in at about 62,000 people in 2013. Sitting in the southeast part of the state, the capital is on the High Plains third of the state. Most of the eastern side consists of vast prairie grasslands that are home to many ranches, mines, and milling towns. The Bighorn Mountains rise dramatically off the plains in the east, and they are home to many state parks and national forests.
The middle of Wyoming is, in my experience, one of the most desolate places I have ever been. There are no mountains, yet the prairie is far behind. There is quite literally nothingness. Not many people live in this region; one town I drove through, Emblem, had a population of 10. Aside from some historic abandoned mining towns, there’s not much to see in this part of Wyoming.
Yellowstone
Western Wyoming, however, is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Home to Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and the Wind River mountain range, the scenery in this part of the state is some of the best in the country. This sudden beauty is due to the Rocky Mountains, which slice down through the western part of the state.
Driving through Wyoming is an awesome experience, as I was able to observe these drastic landscape changes first hand. From the agricultural and resource rich eastern third, to the empty central section, and ending with a spectacular western side, Wyoming is a beautiful example of the dynamic land out west.
Grand Tetons
Wind River Range
6 Comments on Wyoming
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Dillon
January 24, 2016 at 9:40 pm (8 years ago)The pictures you have really make this post awesome. I especially like the Grand Tetons one with the sunset in the background. Also, the descriptions with the pictures are very detailed and knowing you have experienced these places first hand is really cool. I hope to visit the Northwest someday.
Nicole Kosuda
January 21, 2016 at 1:58 pm (8 years ago)Your pictures and descriptions make me want to go on a plane right now and go to Wyoming! This is the one state that I always forget, but after your blog I feel like I will never forget it. I love vacations that explore places that are not the typical tourist attractions. I can’t wait to read the rest of your blogs and see which places I could see myself visiting in the future.
Emily C Snell
January 21, 2016 at 1:52 pm (8 years ago)Andy,
Although I’ve always known Wyoming be really boring, you make it sound so interesting! I would absolutely love to visit Yellowstone and all of the other beautiful terrains.
Emily Purnell
January 21, 2016 at 1:43 pm (8 years ago)I think this is a really great idea for a passion blog! A lot of people have no idea about amazing scenery, animals, architecture, and cities that exist outside of their own state. I myself have been to Wyoming but only to Jackson Hole and Yellowstone. Including information about desolate and pretty much empty cities is really interesting!!
Jake Tyler Miscio
January 21, 2016 at 1:39 pm (8 years ago)Yellowstone certainly has some incredible scenery qualities that make Wyoming worthy of statehood in the Union. If not for the scenery I’m really not sure what the state would contribute, but I do not think I would mind living out in the beautiful western parts of the state. Emblem looks desolate, but loneliness in the middle of those mountains would not be the worst thing in the world.
Amanda Taylor
January 21, 2016 at 1:38 pm (8 years ago)This blog is an amazing idea. I have tried to name all 50 states and embarrassingly couldn’t name them all, especially ones with hardly anything going on. Wyoming as an excellent choice!