Posted in Wyoming
March 22, 2017
You’ll Want To Plan Your Visit To The Highest Town In Wyoming As Soon As Possible
Have you ever wondered what town in Wyoming looks down on all the rest? To be a contender, the town has to be one that is the highest in the state and is permanently occupied year round. There is one town that meets both of those criteria and it’s worth exploring.
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Encampment is a town located in Carbon County along the Wyoming/Colorado border. With an elevation of 7,277', it is the highest town in the state.
Pictured is the town of Encampment from State Route 70. The town has a total area of 1.60 square miles and a population of around 440.
The Encampment River flows north along the eastern side of the town. The river is a 44 mile long tributary of the North Platte River.
This small Wyoming settlement is also known as Grand Encampment. The town was once a booming town of copper mining and smelting.
A 16 mile tramway was built to carry the ore from the mountains into the town. Once in the town, the metal was extracted from the ore by a heating and melting process known as smelting. At the time, the steam powered tramway was the longest in the world.
The mining company eventually went bankrupt. This was due to a sharp drop in copper prices and extensive fires.
One of the best history museums in Wyoming is located in Encampment. It recreates the town's history of copper mining, logging and ranching.
The museum consists of over 15 historic buildings with thousands of displays. There's even a research library in the Doc Culleton Interpretive Center.
Not only is there a museum but there's an eclectic market known as The Red Wagon. This marketplace and coffee shop features handmade goods from the area. Some of the merchandise there includes handmade soap, yarn and art. They also serve fresh brewed coffee, Italian cream sodas and homemade lemonade.
Where else would you find a double decker outhouse? This interesting structure is known as the Early Day High Mountain Outhouse. It was built in 1976 for the Bicentennial.
If you decide to spend the night, there's a rustic bed & breakfast. The Whispering Winds Bed & Breakfast offers spacious rooms, delicious food and beautiful views of the valley.
If you want to get out and explore the surrounding landscape, nearby is Green Mountain Falls Trail. This is a hiking trail lined with aspens that leads to a beautiful series of falls known as the Green Mountain Falls.
The highest town in Wyoming may be small in size but it’s big on character.
For the smallest town in Wyoming, check out The Smallest Town In America Is Right Here In Wyoming.
