Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
mountain men, explorers, and the trails today. There's even a virtual river crossing exper-
ience. Wyoming's BLM manages more than 340 miles (60 percent) of the Oregon, Cali-
fornia, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express Trails in the state, and this museum celebrates
both the heritage of those trails and the remarkable ability to still see and experience them
in much the same way. For information on all of Wyoming's trails, their rich history, and
ways to experience them, visit
www.wyoshpo.state.wy.us/trailsdemo
.
Ayres Natural Bridge
Some 50 miles southeast of Casper and 10 miles west of Douglas is one of Wyoming's
earliest tourist attractions,
Ayres Natural Bridge
(208 Natural Bridge Rd., 307/358-3532,
8am-8pm daily Apr.-Oct., free), a natural arch where the LaPrele Creek worked its way
through a 100-foot-long, 50-foot-high solid rock wall over the centuries. It is set in a lovely
22-acre park. The Native Americans of the region thought of the natural bridge as a sinister
place because of a tale about a young brave being struck by lightning in the canyon. The
legend developed until it was widely believed among the Indians that an evil spirit lived be-
neath the bridge. Travelers on the Mormon Trail, which crossed the creek two miles north
of the site, discovered the bridge and the legend, and often visited the area to escape the
Native Americans.
