West - Tell me about Casper, WY

It seems I might be heading there for a 2 day seminar in the near future. Is there anything interesting to do there?

Or better yet, is there anything nearby that I can check out while I'm there? (I can always extend if it's interesting enough)

If you're up for a drive, Mt Rushmore and Devil's Tower are each about 3-4 hours away.

Please follow this thread in the FT West Forum.
Thanks..
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

Not really keen on seeing Mount Rushmore to be quite honest.

I'd rather drive the longer distance to Grand Teton Nat'l Park...Though we'll see if I want to drive because I certainly don't want to drive in snow conditions (never done it).

Speaking of which, what's the weather like? I'm going late March at the earliest.

Not really keen on seeing Mount Rushmore to be quite honest.

I'd rather drive the longer distance to Grand Teton Nat'l Park...Though we'll see if I want to drive because I certainly don't want to drive in snow conditions (never done it).

Speaking of which, what's the weather like? I'm going late March at the earliest.

I don't get the Grand Teton thing. I've driven through the park several times on the way down from Yellowstone and it has never wowed me. Maybe I'm used to seeing big mountains all around me and I don't have the WOW factor any more.

If you're not up for driving in the snow, don't plan to drive anywhere around the area in March. Good chance you'll get snow, especially in higher elevations.

I am from Florida! Yes, I've seen big mountains (Alaska, Washington and to a lesser extent in North Carolina).

I like the change of scenery. I love snow too, just not the driving in it.

Casper is an oil and gas town, kinda like Billings MT. Big Horns are not that far north. I really like Buffalo, Story and Sheridan. Sunlight Basin in the NW part of Wyo is very special. Cody has excellent western museums. Hot springs in Thermopolis. South, there's a great steak sandwich at Medicine Bow's Virginian Hotel (smile when you say that).

If your business is energy, the Powder River Basin is major.

Wyoming is really wide open. There's a different cultural attitude about distances.

My husband is from Sheridan, about 200 miles away. I asked him your question and he said to bring a kite - Casper is notorious for always being windy. :) Late March in Wyoming will either have blizzard conditions or 70 degree weather. You really could get either. We got married in May 2008 in the Big Horn mountains and it snowed 8" the night before. Just check the weather before you go and you should be fine.

What to see? Wide open space. Devil's Tower is 3 hours away. Battle of Little Bighorn is just past the WY/MT state line. There is a really amazing prime rib at the 1893 Grille in Sheridan. Sheridan is fun, western town. If this interests you, Alliance, NE (about 4 hours) is home of Carhenge.

Since the OP asked for posters to tell him ABOUT Casper and what was nearby, not about all of the other places in Wyoming that he could drive to, I'd thought I'd post some things to see IN (or no more than an hour's drive from) Casper.

Several pioneer trails (California, Mormon, Pony Express and Oregon) passed through Casper and there is an excellent federal museum in Casper to learn about them. http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/NHTIC.html You can also go hike where the trails concurrently ran. http://wyoshpo.state.wy.us/trailsdemo/independencerock256k.htm

Casper has a planetarium. http://www.casperplanetarium.com/

Casper has a ski hill. http://www.casperwy.gov/Play/OutdoorActivities/WinterSports/DownhillSkiing/HogadonSkiArea/tabid/555/Default.aspx

Casper has a (very small) shopping mall. http://www.shopeastridge.com/

An hour from Casper is Ayers Natural Bridge. http://www.wyomingtourism.org/overview/Ayers-Natural-Bridge/4806

Now, if the OP DOES have the time to drive somewhere, further away, here is a suggestion for a scenic drive not yet mentioned. http://www.wyomingtourism.org/overview/Seminoe-to-Alcova-Scenic-Backway/31252
Check ahead of time to make sure it is clear of snow.