Rawlins Wyoming Tourism

Rawlins, in Carbon County, is still as important a stop on the Union Pacific Railroad as it was in the wild days. In 1868 the railroad came through and Rawlins soon became a regional center for the area ranchers and miners and was also an important stopover for stagecoaches, wagon trains and outlaws.

Rawlins’ early reputation was for wildness in the days when “outlawing” was typical and citizens resorted to vigilantism. In 1901, after many notorious Iynchings and skinnings, the Wyoming Frontier Prison was built and it serviced this unruly frontier until 1981.

Rawlins may have been a rough and ready community in the old days, but today’s visitors will find Rawlins to be a modern city, perfect for family vacations. Accommodations, restaurants and shopping are abundant.

Hunting and fishing opportunities in and around Rawlins are among the best. Carbon County, with its 7,991 square miles, is home to a variety of wildlife offering the sportsman exceptional opportunities for hunting.

From the upper reaches of the Snowy Range and Sierra Madres to the high plains, to the sagebrush flats and awesome Red Desert, Carbon County provides diverse habitat for many kinds of wildlife. Within the county, one can hunt for deer, elk, antelope, black bear, mountain lion, bighorn sheep and a variety of upland birds and waterfowl.

Fishing opportunities abound and include superb lake fishing in the Seminoe and Pathfinder Reservoirs for Trout, Walleye and other species as well as the Blue Ribbon Trout waters of the North Platte River. The mountain ranges of Carbon County offer a variety of smaller streams and lakes which allow the angler to enjoy excellent fishing and mountain splendor simultaneously.

There are also many other recreational opportunities. They include boating, camping, canoeing, float trips, hiking, backpacking, biking, water-skiing, snow skiing, snowmobiling, horseback riding and rockhounding. Medicine Bow National Forest, Seminoe State Park & Dam, Kortes Dam, Miracle Mile and Pathfinder Dam all lie within the boundaries of Carbon County, which offer abundant recreational activities.

Golfing as well as baseball, softball, tennis, square dancing, swimming, bowling, roller skating, ice skating and rockhunting are all available in Rawlins.

The Carbon County Fair & Rodeo Days are held in August, but the residents and visitors to Carbon County enjoy many rodeos in the area throughout the summer months.

Other places you won’t want to miss on your visit to Rawlins are Frontier Prison, Carbon County Museum, Wyoming’s Peace Officer Museum and Historic Downtown Rawlins.

The historic Ferris Mansion, Rawlins Recreation Center and the Rawlins Uplift which is a unique geological formation ranging from the Archean Era (2600 M) to the Tertiary and Quanternary Periods.