Five families, 11 kids, four dogs, and a campfire – a few days in the Wyoming wilderness made for a fantastic Labor Day weekend 2017! Vedauwoo is an amazingly beautiful escape from the monotony of Interstate 80, between Cheyenne, Wyoming and Laramie. In the middle of flat-land nowhere suddenly a forest with huge rock formations appears, and the area has something for everyone. It’s an easy drive from Fort Collins – 1.5 hours up I-25 and west on I-80, and even with the holiday weekend there was very little traffic.
We managed to find a somewhat level spot for our Odin Designs roof-top tent – good thing it’s got a little flex, eh?!
There were no super-flat areas for the annex, though, and we used every inch of its adjustable height. The tent ladder was just long enough when fully extended since the rock face dropped down considerably on the drivers side of the Jeep. Our son had a cot in the annex and he kept sliding to the bottom of it the first night, although the next morning he commented that it was the “most comfortable bed I ever slept in!” Well, that’s what a day of fresh air will do for ya!
This dispersed camping area was fairly secluded with forest area on all sides, and there were beautiful views of the Vedauwoo wilderness.
Three other families brought campers, and one had a classic tent. We were super glad two of the families had sacrificed their sleep the night before, driving up early to snag this perfect campsite before the holiday weekend got into full swing!
Most of the camping area was rocky and of course my Jeep needed a little Flexy Friday workout as we searched for that perfect spot!
The kids enjoyed exploring in the surrounding woods…
Our son had a tremendously good time with all the kids – they just ran around, went on little “hikes” up the nearby rocks, and did kid stuff in the Great Outdoors – it was awesome!! When we went home, our son commented that he was “a little happy and a little sad to be leaving.”
The young dogs played...and played...and played!
On Saturday the ladies went out Jeeping the forest service trails in the surrounding Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest area. We came back a little dirtier than when we left!
Each family took a turn cooking breakfast and dinner during the weekend. Wowee, there was some yummy food (made even better by fresh air in the Great Outdoors!). The campfire area was an ideal central gathering place for everyone…
Amid all the natural beauty of the area, however, were abundant clues that humans have used this land for years. Broken glass was everywhere, along with rifle shells, plastic, garbage, and paper. Other dispersed campsites I’ve been to, all over Colorado, are not like this and I wonder what the difference is. In Vedauwoo it looked like many people didn’t care what they left behind in nature. It was thought-provoking – like, what can I do to help? Maybe bring an extra garbage bag or two dedicated to picking up any trash, and throw it in the Trasharoo. Pay more attention to any waste I create everyday, live greener and cleaner. Beautiful places like Vedauwoo will only stay amazing if we keep it that way.
As we were packing up to go home I felt like I always do, and like our son said: sad/happy. And also there was the thought that crosses my mind at the end of every camping trip: ‘Whew, camping is a lot of work!’ But that won’t stop us from seeking the next Great Outdoor Adventure! Til then, thanks for reading and happy trails in this beautiful wild world…
