Snowy Range Scenic Byway (Highway 130)

 The Snowy Range Scenic Byway, Highway 130, is Wyoming's second highest pass. The Highway was completed in the early 1940's as a main artery between Centennial and the Upper North Platte River Valley, and the small towns of Saratoga (our destination), Encampment, and Riverside.

 From what we learned there are somewhere near 80 mountain lakes in the Snowy Range. This is the outlet of Brooklyn Lake, we detoured off the main highway, thinking about taking a side road, but once here we decided against that idea.

 What we did see was a couple fishermen, in rafts fly fishing. My guess as cold as this water was they were after trout.  This looks like a fisherman's heaven.

 For the adventurists here's a place to have your wedding, a chapel out in the forest.

 An overview of Brooklyn Lake, it sure was pretty along the drive, even our little off road trip.

 This is how the Snowy Range got or gets its name, that is for the large amounts of snow that remain at high elevations during the summer months, its also known for its excellent outdoor recreation, pristine mountain scenery and plentiful wildlife. It was tough walking at this altitude, we were at 10,800 feet, (NO OXYGEN). We did see pristine scenery, but no wildlife, a big disappointment.

 We stopped at Libby Flats Observation Point located at the highest point on the Snowy Range Scenic Byway at 10,847 ft. From here you could see the mountain ranges of Colorado, the Sierra Madre Range and the Continental Divide.

 "Tree islands", or krummholz, are unique to this area. High winds and harsh conditions stunt the growth of these trees, leaving branches to form only on the leeward side.

 You got to give her credit for climbing theses steps at this altitude, but the view was well worth the effort.

 One of the views from the observation tower, it was a breathtaking view to say the least.

 Another view from the tower, hope you enjoy it, see how far you could see, the picture does not see as far as I could with the eye.

 We moved down about a hundred feet to the Medicine Bow Peak Overlook, looking down to the highway, road is just in front of one of the many mountain lakes. In the background is plenty of snow.

 Our next stop was at one of the most photographed lakes, Mirror Lake, the day we were there the wind was blowing so we did not get the mirror effect we wanted. It still was beautiful.

 Another beautiful scene along our way, we really had a great drive through the range, hope you enjoyed some of it with us.

This beautiful creek was runoff from Lake Marie. Lake was named after Mrs. Mary (Marie) Bellamy. Marie led a successful suffrage drive that resulted in the passage of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution.