A Come Back

 I am going to make a comeback with this blog. I gave it up a couple of years ago thinking that it was not getting enough readers. Right now I am thinking about a once or twice a month post. 

Love this great park. 

From the Castle in the Park

With the warm weather, it is nice to be out and about in the park again. Nothing is better than a quick drive up to the North Bluff to visit the Castle. 

All the photos today are from the Castle and Skyline Drive, the road up to the North Bluff.
I never tire of the view from the Castle where it has proudly sat on the North Bluff overlook for more than 80 years. 

Guernsey State Park - Hiking Roundtop Mountain

Today was a perfect day for hiking in the park. With temperatures in the mid-40s and only a hint of a breeze. Our favorite days for hiking are the ones like today. Days when we might need a hoody or a jacket, but no need for gloves, stocking hats, and heavy coats.

Today's Hike - Roundtop Mountain Behind the Museum

Our destination this afternoon was Roundtop Mountain. Roundtop is the mountain behind (east) of the museum. There was at one time a hiking trail from the museum to the top. Now all we can find of that trail are one nice set of Civilian Conservation Corps steps.

CCC Steps

The mountain can still be negotiated this way by going up the steps and then following along on the parts of the trail that can still be found.  The alternate route to the top is an old road that at one time was used for TV towers. Today that road is no longer used, and it does not appear that any type of vehicle could drive it to the top. But, it makes a terrific hiking trail.  ( It is closed for vehicles to keep crazy drivers from trying)

Walking the Old Road Down

Once on top, the views are worth it.

Guernsey Only Two or Three Miles Down River

The hike to the top up the east side (the old road) is not difficult and takes only about 15 or 20 minutes, depending on the hiker's speed, to reach the top. 

We did see several other people and groups enjoying the day, hiking, walking and climbing. Seems like there was an old song that started - Oh, what a day. 

Climber On the Wall

Brimmer Point

The famous view from Brimmer Point

Anyone, visiting the park that has not taken the time to drive, or hike up to Brimmer Point is missing out on something special. Here is what I wrote about the Point in my book on the Civilian Conservation Corps and the building of Guernsey State Park.

Watching boats on the lake from The Point

Brimmer Point and the road leading to this, the highest point in the park, were intended to be one of the highlights of Skyline Drive. The Point, setting at the top of Powell Mountain is named after an influential Cheyenne businessman who helped push legislation to build the park. Brimmer Point features a prairie style sandstone viewing area. Built up twenty feet above the parking lot the viewing level is reached by a beautifully made set of curving stone steps leading to the observation platform. The Civilian Conservation Corps built steps, and the viewing area blend into the landscape almost unnoticed to the casual observer.

Going to the top

Things to remember when visiting Brimmer Point

1.  The road, like the Point, was a project of Camp BR-10 of the Civilian Conservation Corps.

2.  It was built not only for a view of the lake but of Laramie Peak and the range to the north and Guernsey to the south as well.

3.  No one was hurt in the building of Brimmer Point, even though it must have been terribly dangerous.

4.  The fence was added to after young women reportedly fell from the cliff in the 50s or 60s. (A story I was told when researching the park, I was never able to substantiate, which I hope means that if it indeed took place, no one was seriously injured).

5.  They really did push a car from Brimmer Point as part of the early water carnivals held in the park

6.  The trail from Brimmer Point to the bridge below is a terrific walk – give it a try. Oh- remember to have someone drive your car down so that you do not have to walk back up unless that is your plan, which isn’t bad either.

We even enjoy the cold weather views

The Book

Want to find our more? Click on my book about the park on the right-hand side of this page and read a free sample. The book is available in many locations, in the park, it can be purchased, autographed copy, at the Parks Civilian Conservation Corps, museum.

Why The Green Print?

The color of the tree Army – The terrific CCC men, who built Guernsey State Park.

Brimmer Point as seen from the park Museum

February and a Walk In the Park

What a beautiful day in the park. I had to look hard to find much ice as it appears about 99% gone.

A Bit of Ice near the dam

 Today we took kids, grandkids and friends for a hike. The temperature was in the low 50s no wind, just a hoody and my ever-present gloves – hands never seem to stay warm.

The lake is back

We hiked the Red Cliff to Museum Loop Trial. A nice hour and a bit more trip. As always it was fun, good exercise, and you just never know what you might see.

These might be the best steps the CCC built in America

With the snow now melted and nearly forgotten and the trails drying out we will be on our, almost every day, schedule of walking in the park.

Get out and see the park and maybe a mink, like this one we watched today

 We like to go east side one day and west the next.

Always interesting raptors in the park

 It is also almost that time of the year for our rather unscientific annual deer in the park count.

Never know what might fly over when we walk in the park

Meanwhile, get out for a hike in one of Wyoming’s great State Parks. 

Museum is well past the half-way point of our hike

Anything Floats and the Slit Run is Coming Up

We enjoyed watching the anything that floats, boat race last weekend at the lake.

Fun, funny and great weather. Sponsored by Tri-City Parks and Rec and the Guernsey State Park staff the race has been going on for several years and is always a crowd pleaser.

Not much time left until the annual silt run and the lowering of the lake. It’s a nice time to get out and enjoy the park. And after the water is lowered - enjoy the trails, picnic shelters and the Museum.

The enchanting CCC steps of Red Cliff Trail

Take a look here at my new book on Guernsey State Park.

The book is available on Amazon, from my blog site and in Guernsey State Park's CCC Museum. Check it out, nearly 200 photos with lots of park history, folktales along with things to do and see in the park.

A park must see - View from the Castle

 I like the looks of the book much better than the eBook, would look great on your coffee table or at the office.

A park for all ages to enjoy - On the path at the Castle

Vacation and Back to the Park

So where have I been the last week? Well, I have been on vacation. We went to Grand Island, Nebraska to see the Sandhill Crain migration.

Spectacular there were more than 200,000 birds, I would guess we saw three or four thousand.

We also went to the south-east corner of Nebraska to see family. I got to spend some time with brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-laws and various others and had a thoroughly enjoyable time. Now I am back home writing and editing. Very nice to be back in the park.

Almost Dark tonight when I took this photo

I am also excited about being part of a documentaryAfor the Wyoming State Parks, Historical Sites and Cultural Resources. I have finished my book, still with a reader/editor, on the Civilian Conservation Corps and this is the subject of the new documentary. The CCC not my book.

The Cover of my CCC book.  The Worker Statue at the Museum

And, by the way, 85 degrees here in my part of Wyoming today.

This Evening - Never a Bad Sunset at Guernsey State Park

Random Photos Today in the Park

So who is hanging out in the Park now that most of the visitors are back home? This guy

Reflections at Sundown

The Falls at Guernsey State Park - Never seen them before? When the spillway is running a low volume of water these falls develop below the spillway. They are always there but hard to see when the spillway is running hard.



Back in the park for the first time in two weeks. Some nice fall color, not sure I am ready for winter but I have always enjoyed the changing of the seasons.

 

A Few Things We Saw in the Park Yesterday – or What We Saw on the Trail

We spent a great four hours in the park yesterday. Although I am not sure I have ever spent any bad time in the park. Walking two, seldom used trails, we had an enjoyable, exhilarating and exhausting time. We chose two seldom used trails, one's that are only hiking trails, we like the combo bike/hike trails also, but yesterday we must have felt the need to work a little harder than usual. Might be one of those, “I’m still not too old to do this," kind of day.”

Spend enough time on the trails and you will see some great wildlife

The sun turns part of the lake a summery bronze. What a view!

The sun puts it golden touch on a pair of pines 

One of the great western blooms
 

Wildflower Season - still going on in the park.
 

The end of the trail

I never leave the park in the evening if it looks to be a great sunset and last night was a very nice sunset indeed.

No touchup needed

And nothing beats the sun setting over the North Bluff Castle.

I will post more at a later date on trail specifics but wanted to show a few of our views from the trail.

 

A Walk In The Park, Guernsey State Park

Did you know that the Museum parking lot was a tennis court in the 1930s? The CCC built the court and today’s lower lot was used for all museum visitors. Not sure when the courts were abandoned and made into a parking lot. Below see a photo of the parking lot and the tennis court taken from roughly the same place.

Photo Courtesy of Wyoming State Park and Cultural Resources

We caught this deer nibbling on a green ash tree near the park headquarters as we drove into the park this evening. 

The Mountain Mahogany in the park is spectacular, as are many wild flowers now in bloom. Good time of the year to take a walk in the park.

Mountain Mahogany

For anyone interested there will be a meeting of the, Friends of Guernsey State Park, in the Museum, this Sunday, June 1, at 1:30.

If you would like to learn more about the park, or help out with ideas for park activities, come join us Sunday, all are welcome. Yearly dues are very reasonable and we are looking to grow the membership numbers. Come join us Sunday.

Mark Twain once said, "Golf is a good walk spoiled." I love to play golf but, if you would like a great walk, with a chance to see nature and the park at its best, there is no time like now.

Great View of Guernsey RR Bridge from Red Cliff Trail

 

The park offers wonderful camping and boating, both terrific park activities, but hiking and picnicking, this time of the year, priceless.

Now This is What I Am Talking About  -  Guernsey State Park (5/29/14)

Come and take a few photos, send them to your friends, and make them wish they were walking in the park with you.

North Across the Spillway  -  Photo taken 5/29/14