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. 

Guernsey State Park - Davis Bay Trail

Along the Davis Bay to Brimmer Point Trail.

A few days ago we hiked the east Davis Bay Trail to the Bridge on Brimmer Point Trail. The two Davis Bay Trails start up the hill south of the Parking/camping road loop in Davis Bay.

Davis Bay

 This is a nice, well-marked, hike of only about a mile and a half. It is a one-way trail, (my term for a trail we walk, turn around, and walk back).

This trail can be looped at a little more than double the distance by walking the Brimmer road, where we turned around, up the mountain road west, and then following the west Davis Bay Trail back to the parking area. If anyone wants to try this loop, I would suggest that both the Davis Bay trails be one-wayed first as the west trail is not marked where it crosses the road. Don’t worry, it is picturesque and fun to hike both ways. 

The west trail is longer and a bit more strenuous than the east, but a terrific example of how the Civilian Conservation Corps laid out and built trails.

Not sure where Jan and I will hike this week, we are debating doing a trail or one of the old CCC roads.

This is one of the best times of the year to get out and enjoy the park.

Hiking – Suitable for all who are interested in feeling better physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Also likely better than Aspirin or Tylenol for what ails you.

The CCC loved building trails with terrific views.

For those who have asked, Thanks! Here is the link to my book about Guernsey State Park. It can also be purchased locally at Register Cliff Pharmacy, the Park Museum, and in other places around the area. 

Enjoy the rest of the week! 

Hiking Red Cliff Trail - Guernsey State Park

Last week was too hot to get in much hiking, but we did get out twice. The Red Cliff Trail, the first built by CCC Camp-9 is well shaded, and an excellent choice for too hot days. This is a trail we have walked more than any other in the park and often the only trail many people have walked in Guernsey State Park. No matter how many times we walk this terrific CCC path, it never fails to be an enjoyable hour, or a bit more.

The trail starts here - 50 yards northwest of the huge Spillway gate

This trail has the longest run of stairs of any in the park, from the top, overlooking the spillway (running fast) and the huge Stony Gate there are 77 steps, a few inclines, and not much flat trail, to the bottom. Sounds tough, but it isn’t.

If an old duffer like me can make it, just about anyone can!

The trail is well marked, and the steps are an excellent example of Civilian Conservation Corps work in the 1930s. Red Cliff Trail winds from the bottom back up to an outstanding view of the area below the dam and the North Platte River winding toward Guernsey. 

The original trail ended, up on top, at CCC Camp-9, but hikers can catch a branch of the path going, North, Northeast, that connects to the golf course road to loop back.  

View from the trail

A Hike in Guernsey State Park

Today's photos are from Brimmer Point trail, which starts just west of the parking lot on the point, winds around and down to the CCC walk bridge below Powell Mountain, and then returns to the top.

View from Brimmer Point

 Wonderfully laid out Civilian Conservation Corps built trail with some great views. This year's wet spring left the trail a bit overgrown in spots, but it is hikeable (not sure that is a real word, but I am on a roll and too lazy to look it up), for this pair of septuagenarians. The trail measures about a mile and a half and took us a bit over an hour with multiple stops for rest, photos, a quick drink (water) or to simply scan the surroundings and watch nature in action.

Sage Wren along the way

        After some health setbacks and quite a bit of procrastination, we are back hiking in the park. I must admit my wife has been better about getting in her steps than I have. After more than a year of doing not much writing, not much hiking, and not taking many photos I'm giving it another try. I will post as we explore the park.

Walking through the iconic Pass-Through Rock on the trail

        Want to find out more about Guernsey State Park? Here is the link to my book on Amazon, available as an eBook or in softcover. I am partial to the softcover as it cannot move photos around like the eBook.  The book is also available, signed, from many local, and around the state, booksellers.

View along the way

Winter in the Park

Bald Eagle Relaxing on the Ice

I have not done much with this blog since the readership started to dry up two years ago. I am still around and still spending much time, maybe too much in the park. Thought I would share some of my photos from last week in Guernsey State Park.

From Mae West Hill

Twisted Cedar at Spotted Tail Campground

Frozen Lake from Sitting Bull Shelter

Newell Bay

Guernsey State Park and Happy Independence Day

Happy Independence Day to all. Please have a safe day with family and friends. We plan to watch the local parade then drive to Fort Laramie to take in some of their old-fashioned 4th of July events. Later a traditional cookout on the propane grill, just like our founding fathers. We may take a sunset drive up to the Castle on the North Bluff, to see how full the park is, then home, sit outside, and watch fireworks, not ours, just whatever happens to fill the sky.

Note -  Guernsey Lake will be drawing down after today, and soon will be unusable for boats, looks like this years annual silt-run will only last a couple of weeks, with the lake full again the last week of July.

Enjoy the day and all of our great American freedoms.

Guernsey State Park - Fall Hiking

The years have slowed us down but not kept us down

It has been a while – too long since I posted on this site. Jan and I continue enjoying the park with one of the longest and most beautiful falls ever. All of today’s photos were taken in the past week on our outings in the park.

Through the rocks on Brimmer Point Trail

We are seeing a few people out and about in the park. Maybe others are finding some of the great walking trails.

Some heavy cross traffic near the park headquarters

Today for the first time we drove to a place to hike and there was a vehicle already parked there – we went somewhere else. I love it when others are enjoying what too often we take for granted.

Nice Mule Deer Buck

It’s a great time to get out and enjoy the park.

Loon on the Lake

In other news, I am getting close to releasing my tenth book. This one is a reflective and humorous look at turning 70, and the process of aging.

 From Our Hike on top of Fish Canyon

Christmas - Now as we get into the Christmas season my book of Christmas stories, released last year, is starting to sell quite a few copies. You can read the first of the 14 Christmas stories here, for free.  The book is available as an eBook or as a Christmas gift soft cover. Enjoy.

View from atop Round Top Mountain behind the Museum

Now get outside and enjoy the Wyoming fresh air, and along with that some great exercise. 

View of the lake and Laramie Peak from near the west boat ramp

Guernsey State Park - Happy Birthday CCC

The Civilian Conservation Corps was created on this day, March, 31, in 1933. A week later they were up and running and by May of 1934 the CCC began the building of Guernsey State Park. 

CCC Worker Statue and the CCC Museum

The first camp at Guernsey was Camp RS-1, which soon was titled Camp BR-9, the first North Platte River Project Camp in Wyoming. The camp was established on May 21, 1934, during the third of the CCCs six-month enrollment periods. 

The Castle on the North Bluff

The camp at Guernsey was a multiple joint project among the Bureau of Reclamation, The National Park Service and the Corps.

Stoney Gate and Spillway built
by the Bureau of Reclamation

When the corps came to Guernsey the dam was seven years old and had no recreational offerings.

Sitting Bull Picnic Shelter

By 1936 the Civilian Conservation Corps reached its high point employing more than 600,000 people across the United States. 

Inside the Museum

Want to read more about the Civilian Conservation Corps and the building of Guernsey State Park? Take a look at my book on Amazon here. The book is also available in many Wyoming bookstores and can be checked out at several local libraries.

The view from the CCC built Brimmer Point - atop Powell Mountain

Available as this nice looking, lay on your coffee table
book, or as an eBook

You can take a look at all of my books here

On a cool day in front of the Museum

Guernsey State Park Wyoming - 20 Minute Drive

Once again there was some worrisome cross traffic in the park

No time for a hike today so, I settled for a quick drive in the park.

Geese in the air

Well, "Hello There."

Still not much water but with the recent snowfall, many of the low spots have water.

Moving Wyoming Coal

Bald Eagle Ice Hockey

Guernsey State Park - A Place to Walk on Water

I have always wanted to walk on water, and at last, I have. Well not really, but kind of. With the lake still drained, as work continues on the original Stoney Gate on the face of the dam, we have taken several walks in the dry lake.

Mud & Snow - The lake bottom between Long Canyon and the Narrows

Here is what I had to say about the huge Gate in my book, The Civilian Conservation Corps & the Building of Guernsey State Park. (Click the link and take a look at the book on Amazon – read the first part for free, available as a beautiful softcover book or as an eBook)

"One of the dam’s focal points, the north spillway gatehouse, is like nothing else in the park. The park features so much of the magnificent Civilian Conservation Corps rustic building that the gatehouse seems out of place with its classic arches.

The gatehouse raises and lowers a 50-foot square, 434,000-pound head gate. The ironclad gate, filled with a mixture of heavy concrete and native stone from the park, was built especially for the Guernsey, North Platte River dam. A one of a kind, Guernsey Dam gate."

The Spectacular North Spillway

In a brochure I recently completed for the Bureau of Reclamation I went on to say.

"This type of roller mounted gate was invented forty years before the building of Guernsey Dam by Irish engineer and builder F.G.M Stoney."

I took this telephoto shot on a November 14, as we hiked Red Cliff Trail

Incredible Civilian Conservation Corps work on Lakeshore Drive as seen from the lake

Not sure when the work on the gate will be complete but understand that it will be before the late spring runoffs begin. Meanwhile, we will add to our walks in the dry lake. So far we have walked in Davis Bay, the Narrows, Long Canyon, Sandy Beach and the west boat ramp area. 

Davis Bay before the recent snowfall

Once the water starts to fill the lake, I will no longer attempt my walk on the waters of Guernsey Lake. But if the summer heats up enough I may sit on a dock and dangle my feet in the water or take a barefoot walk on along Sandy Beach.

Won't be long now and water will fill the lake and I will be breaking out the shorts.