Take a Trip Back in Time

You’ve got an action-packed day ahead; don’t forget to grab a hearty breakfast (and, of course, load up the car with snacks and drinks) before you go! 

Stop #1: Confluence Trail

Start your day on the Confluence Trail, a flat, easy hike for the whole family.

After turning left on County Road 15, you’ll find parking on your left, near the southern end of the historic Old Army Bridge.

The hike itself is a 1.9-mile loop, along which you’ll find plenty of shady spots and benches for breaks along the way. 

Tips from the locals

  • Bring layers; Wyoming weather is unpredictable, and you never know when you’ll need a jacket!

Stop #2: Fort Laramie National Historic Site

Free to the public, this Wyoming treasure is open from dawn until dusk, 365 days a year. 

Travel back in time as you wander through 20+ historic structures, each restored and refurbished to their original appearances, and learn the stories behind numerous ruins from the Fort’s past. 

From Memorial Day weekend through the end of the summer, you can also enjoy daily living history/interpretive programs and historic weapons demonstrations. (If you happen by on a hot summer’s day, don’t miss the Fort Laramie splash pad, located at 305 N. Brooke Avenue in Fort Laramie.) 

Tips from the locals

  • Plan to stay for about 2 hours. This leaves plenty of time to get the full experience. 
  • Best spots to grab souvenirs: Fort Laramie Trading Post, Country Grace, and Haystack Hills. (Haystack Hills also serves hard-scoop ice cream!)
a historical black and white image of a group of people in Empire Wyoming

Stop #3: Former Town of Empire

From Torrington, travel about 8 miles southeast 

A quick drive from 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. For nearly two decades, Empire was home to nearly 50 free African Americans and boasted its own school, post office, church, and farming community.

Tips from the locals

  • Learn more at the museum. After exploring, visit the Homesteaders Museum and Visitors Center in Torrington to see a historical display highlighting the importance of African American homesteaders in Wyoming.
Exterior shot of Torrington Homesteaders Museum

Stop #4: Homesteaders Museum and Visitors’ Center

The home of Goshen County history! (Even the building itself—a Union Pacific Depot—is historic.) 

This space and experience is truly one of a kind… where else will you get to see Goshen County’s first automobile, an original homestead shack, and a one-room schoolhouse, all in one place? 

Tips from the locals

  • Check Facebook for special museum events, especially around Halloween and Christmas.

Stop #5: Oregon Trail Historic Byway

Load up the wagon, pack a few snacks, and ready yourself for this 57-mile trip through history. 

You’ll start on U.S. Route 26 at the Wyoming/Nebraska border, near a marker that indicates where the legendary Oregon Trail entered Wyoming. 

Start to finish, it’ll take you about an hour and a half total—give or take how often you stop to get out and look around. 

Tips from the locals

  • Look for wildlife at the Rawhide Wildlife Habitat Management Area. If you’re quiet and lucky enough, you might just spot white-tailed deer, cottontail rabbits, bald and golden eagles, ring-necked pheasants, beavers, or more than 50 species of songbirds.