North Platte River Valley

An off-the-beaten path destination that's renowned for its trout fishing, the North Platte River Valley is most wild and rugged near the headwaters in south-central Wyoming. The beauty of this area is its remote, undiscovered nature. The town of Saratoga is full of fishing guides and fly shops, and a couple of first-rate historic hotels. Also in the vicinity are Encampment and Medicine Bow, the latter being the home of the historic and famous Virginian Hotel. North of Saratoga, a pair of reservoirs - Seminoe and Pathfinder- tame the North Platte River before it cuts east and passes through the city of Casper, a drilling center with a good ...

An off-the-beaten path destination that's renowned for its trout fishing, the North Platte River Valley is most wild and rugged near the headwaters in south-central Wyoming. The beauty of this area is its remote, undiscovered nature. The town of Saratoga is full of fishing guides and fly shops, and a couple of first-rate historic hotels. Also in the vicinity are Encampment and Medicine Bow, the latter being the home of the historic and famous Virginian Hotel. North of Saratoga, a pair of reservoirs - Seminoe and Pathfinder- tame the North Platte River before it cuts east and passes through the city of Casper, a drilling center with a good enough selection of lodging and dining to make it a good stopover en route to another destination, following the route of several of the most notable pioneer trails, such as the Oregon and the Mormon trails. To explore the history of these trails and others, the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center in Casper is a worthy destination.

About the Expert

Eric Peterson has written and contributed to numerous Frommer’s guidebooks covering the American West, including Montana & Wyoming, Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks, and Texas.