Weekend Getaway: Southern Wyoming

September 23, 2025

Weekend Getaway: Southern Wyoming

The city of Cheyenne, Wyoming is only a 1 1/2 hour drive from Denver. So it was a natural place to do a fall weekend getaway - and we added in some of southern Wyoming, too. Come along as we start in the tiny town of Saratoga and make our way to Cheyenne!

Saratoga

The small town of Saratoga, population 1,700, is surrounded by the Snowy Range and Sierra Madre Mountains. Known for its plethora of outdoor activities (as evidenced by our car being the only non pickup truck at our hotel), Saratoga is a great place to visit if you love nature and adventure.

It was an overnight stop on our weekend getaway - we stayed at the Snowy Mountain Inn, an updated 50's style motor lodge located right in town. And we had a late dinner at a hopping Snowy Mountain Brewery & Pub. (Keep in mind that this is a very small town and there aren't many restaurants and their hours are limited)

One of the things that Saratoga is known for the most, however, is the Hobo Hot Springs. Open 24 hours per day and everyday all year, the Hobo Hot Springs is free for everyone. There are heated changing rooms with toilets and lockers (not much privacy) - and two different "pools" that are about the size of an extra large hot tub. Heated from 106 degrees to 114 degrees, you can find your perfect spot, and temp, for soaking. (If you are not of the heated persuasion you can swim in the Saratoga Public Swimming Pool, which is adjacent and one of the last public pools in Wyoming, in the summer months.) You can also unwind in the nearby S. Platte River which ranges from small, rocked in areas with heated water to cold river water. I would call these hot springs "rustic" and there was a bit of a sulphur smell, but it was an enjoyable way to spend a morning. And free to boot!

Source: Follow Tiff's Journey

Saratoga seems to be quite a quirky town and one of the things that tickled me the most here was the local grocery store. We went in to get some snacks for our road trip through the national forest and encountered taxidermied animals all through the store including a large bear in a case. There were deer, lynx, and various other wild animals around the top of the store! I just laughed when I saw them - and had to get some photos! Take a gander....

Medicine Bow Routt National Forest (Snowy Range Scenic Byway)

Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest is US Forest Service land of some 2 million acres in northern Colorado and eastern Wyoming. Unless you live in Colorado or Wyoming, you may never have heard of it. It's an underrated gem - alpine lakes, mountain peaks and no crowds. In fact, I think it's one of Wyomings best kept secrets. We drove it on a Saturday morning in the fall and encountered few cars or people.

We started off from Saratoga on the Snowy Range Scenic Byway which was full of golden aspens lining the route. Soon we were in the mountains including the Snowy Range, the Sierra Madres and the Medicine Bow Mountains. The peaks range form 5,000 feet to 14,000 feet and there are several viewpoints to pull off on your drive. Plus there are several hikes: the Lake Marie Loop, an easy one mile walk, the Lost Lake Trail, a 4.2 mile forest trail and there's always a picnic to be had by Mirror Lake. And Libby Flats observation area has fantastic views of the Medicine Bow Mountains.

I'd highly recommend this area - less crowded than Rocky Mountain National Park and as beautiful. And only an hour from Laramie.

Laramie

We arrived in Laramie, the home of the University of Wyoming, on game day. The fourth most populous city in Wyoming, population 31,700, is a throwback that is more of a small town than city. Sitting at an elevation of 7,200 feet, Wyoming's only college town is part cowboy and part arts scene.

Only in Wyoming would you have pronghorn on campus?

We deposited ourselves on a bar stool at and watched all those University of Wyoming students and fans passing by, or stopping in for a beverage also. We swung by the stadium and its small tailgating crowd - right after spotting some pronghorn in town - and then started our short drive to be in Cheyenne by nightfall.

Our stay was short but I was charmed by the small city of Laramie. In fact, I liked it much better than Wyomings most populous city of Cheyenne.

Cheyenne

I'll be honest and say that Cheyenne was the most disappointing part of our road trip. The capital city, and the most populated city in Wyoming, I had heard that it was a fun city to visit. Maybe it was because we got here late on a Saturday afternoon - don't know. Or maybe it was because I found Laramie so charming. But we couldn't find much to do. And the downtown streets were quite empty. We ended up at a brewery, Black Tooth Brewing, and then spent the night in a suburban hotel. I'd like to give it another try sometime with more planning - I'm always up for another road trip!