The Seven Wonders of the West

Our town, Sheridan, WY, is quite pretty. It’s at the foothills of the Big Horn Mountains, it has a cute downtown, and there are lots of things to do outdoors. The husband and I love hiking, climbing, camping, and kayaking. We are loving the opportunities and the scenery here.

Just last week I pulled over to take this photo at the Wildlife Reserve just two streets from our house.

I would have shown a little more of the mountains in this picture, but, unfortunately, a pair of buffalo were doing unspeakable things in that region, so I thought it best if I just focus on the nice, grazing ones.

Another good thing this Geography Nerd loves about Wyoming is that I finally live in a state I can accurately illustrate!! Don’t get me wrong, I love Texas and will certainly return one day, but, for now, it’s nice to be in a state I am able to draw.

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The downside? I moved from the DFW Metroplex, with a population exceeding six million people. Before that, I attended Texas A&M University in the small town of College Station, Texas with a population just under 100,000. Now? I live in a state with a population of 560,000! In Wyoming’s defense, a great portion of it is a national park. And it's beautiful.

So, while we’re here, we definitely want to make the most of it. I’ve complied a list of seven touristy attractions we want to see. I understand that the title is misleading, because, technically, they’re not all attractions in the West. Rather, they’re the attractions within driving distance that I really, really want to visit.

Number One:  Yellowstone

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Beautiful, breathtaking, amazing. Husband has been once before and says it is his all-time favorite vacation. I, on the other hand, have never been. It’s a definite summer trip we’ll take. Hopefully when we have visitors? (*hint*hint*nudge*)

Number Two:  Jackson Hole

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This was our Number One Honeymoon Destination until, midway through our wedding planning fiancé got a job offer in Wyoming. After he took it, we nixed the idea of honeymooning in state we were moving to. However, I still really, really want to go!

Number Three:  Mt Rushmore

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As a history nerd, I’ve always wanted to visit. A friend of ours says to see Crazy Horse while we’re at it, but I’m more curious to see if my very favorite president Calvin Coolidge actually buried invaluable treasures here. (ten billion points if you know what I’m talking about!)  This will certainly be a weekend trip for us as the Black Hills are not far at all.

Number Four:  Calgary

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A Canadian city I’ve just always wanted to see. A bit more of a drive than the other trips, but still somewhere we plan to visit.

Number Five:  Devils Tower

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Or Devil's Tower? After a little research (googling), I'm still unsure...

Number Six:  Glacier National Park

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I am really excited about this! We’re planning on making this more of a vacation than a weekend getaway. Plus, you can (sometimes, maybe, rarely) see the Northern Lights here, which has always been a dream of mine.

Number Seven:  Red Lodge Ski Resort

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I’ve been told this is the best skiing close by. We’re thinking of making a Memorial Day three-day weekend trip to do some skiing and stay in the lodge.

Any suggestions for other places to visit? Comment on what to do while we're at any of these destinations?

Cheers!