Vedauwoo

Late spring through early fall (May through October) is the primary season. Summer (June through August) is the finest time for rock climbing — the granite is warm and dry, the days are long, and the Medicine Bow National Forest is in full summer character (mountain wildflowers in the meadows around the formations, resident raptors nesting on the granite, thunderstorms building in the afternoon as they do across Wyoming in summer — start climbing early and be off exposed rock by early afternoon). Spring (May and early June) can bring snow and wet conditions on the granite (wet granite is extremely slippery — never climb wet Sherman Granite). Fall (September and October) is excellent: cooler temperatures, fewer crowds, golden grasses in the meadows around the formations, and the granite warm from the summer sun. Winter at Vedauwoo can be stark and beautiful — snow on the rounded granite domes, excellent cross-country skiing in the meadows — but road access and camping are limited.

Vedauwoo’s name derives from the Arapaho language — the Arapaho people who traversed the Laramie Mountains and the surrounding plains considered the bizarre granite formations to be places of spiritual power and the home of earthborn spirits. Euro-American settlers and travelers on the Overland Trail (which passed through the adjacent Laramie Mountains in the 1860s) were struck by the formations’ bizarre character. The Union Pacific Railroad’s Transcontinental Railroad was built through Sherman Pass (adjacent to Vedauwoo) in 1867-1869, bringing the first large numbers of Euro-American travelers through the landscape. The Medicine Bow National Forest was established in 1902; Vedauwoo has been a Forest Service recreation area for decades. The rock-climbing community discovered Vedauwoo’s exceptional crack systems in the mid-20th century, and the area’s reputation as an off-width and hand-crack training destination has grown steadily since.

Vedauwoo’s granite is the Sherman Granite — a Precambrian rapakivi granite (a distinctive coarse-grained granite with large feldspar phenocrysts) approximately 1.4 billion years old, part of the Precambrian basement exposed in the Laramie Mountains by the uplift of the Rocky Mountains during the Laramide orogeny (70-50 million years ago). The Sherman Granite’s characteristic jointing pattern (vertical and subhorizontal fracture planes that divide the rock into large rectangular blocks) controlled the weathering process that shaped Vedauwoo’s formations. Spheroidal weathering (the rounding of the sharp corners and edges of the joint blocks by chemical and mechanical weathering) transformed the originally blocky granite into the rounded, organic-looking forms visible today; the process operated underground (beneath a thick soil cover) during the Tertiary period, with erosion removing the surrounding material to expose the pre-rounded cores (called “corestones”) as the spectacular tors and boulder piles of Vedauwoo. The wide crack systems that make Vedauwoo famous for climbing are the original joint planes in the granite.

Vedauwoo’s granite formations and surrounding Medicine Bow National Forest support a rich Rocky Mountain wildlife community. Prairie falcons and golden eagles nest on the high granite faces (nesting areas may be temporarily closed to climbing in spring — check USFS for current closures). White-tailed and mule deer are common in the forest and meadows around the formations. Pronghorn antelope (the fastest land animal in North America) are frequently visible on the open grasslands at the edge of the forest. Black bears inhabit the Medicine Bow National Forest and may be present in the Vedauwoo area; proper food storage is required at the campground. Steller’s jays, Clark’s nutcrackers, mountain bluebirds, and American kestrels are common. Pikas and yellow-bellied marmots inhabit the boulder fields within the formations.

Vedauwoo’s ecological setting — a transition zone between the shortgrass prairie of the Laramie Basin (to the east and south) and the subalpine forest of the Medicine Bow Range (to the west) — creates a biologically diverse mosaic. The granite formations themselves support a lichen community (the orange, gray, and black lichens coating the granite surfaces are ecologically important — they are the primary colonizers of bare rock and contribute to soil formation over geological time; do not scrub or chalk-bag-clean lichen from the granite — the chalked hand-jams of rock climbing are damaging to lichen communities on heavily used routes). The meadows between the formations support native bunch grasses, sagebrush, and wildflowers (Indian paintbrush, penstemon, and wild iris in early summer). The surrounding Medicine Bow National Forest is a mixed lodgepole pine, Engelmann spruce, and subalpine fir forest.

Vedauwoo holds a unique place in Wyoming’s outdoor culture — a geologically bizarre and spiritually evocative landscape with deep roots in Arapaho cultural history, a legendary destination for the American rock-climbing community (Vedauwoo’s off-width crack systems are specifically sought out by climbers training for the widest and most physically demanding crack climbing in the country), an accessible and visually extraordinary day trip from Cheyenne and Laramie, and a hidden gem alongside I-80 that most interstate travelers speed past without knowing what they’re missing. For Wyoming residents, Vedauwoo is a beloved backyard climbing and scrambling destination. For visitors, it offers one of the most surreal and memorable natural landscapes in the state.

Vedauwoo is approximately 25 miles west of Cheyenne and 10 miles east of Laramie via I-80 (exit 329, then south on Happy Jack Road / WY-210 for about 2 miles to the Vedauwoo Road turnoff). The formations are clearly visible from I-80 — the rounded granite domes rise above the pine forest on the south side of the highway. The Vedauwoo Campground (a Forest Service fee campground) is within the formation area; the day-use parking area is adjacent. A fee is charged for camping; day use may be free or require a small fee (check USFS for current charges). Laramie (10 miles west on I-80) has full services; Cheyenne (25 miles east) has full resort services. Check the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest for current access, campground availability, and any climbing closures before visiting.

The Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest manages Vedauwoo. The most significant conservation issue is the impact of heavy rock-climbing use on the granite surfaces — excessive chalk application (climbing chalk) darkens the granite and kills lichen communities; the American Alpine Club and the Access Fund encourage minimal chalk use at Vedauwoo and the use of a brush to remove excess chalk from holds after climbing. Respect all seasonal climbing closures (prairie falcon and golden eagle nesting areas are closed in spring; the closures are posted at the trailhead). Camp only in designated camping areas; dispersed camping is not permitted in the Vedauwoo area. Pack out all trash; the campground and day-use areas have waste facilities. Do not move or dislodge boulders or rock fragments from the formations.

Rock climbing at Vedauwoo requires technical skills, appropriate equipment, and experience with crack-climbing technique. The wide, flared crack systems (off-width cracks — 4 to 7 inches wide) are among the most physically demanding in the American West; climbers who have not specifically practiced off-width technique should start on easier, more moderate crack routes. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer (July and August) — clear the granite formations well before any approaching storm (lightning on exposed granite is extremely dangerous; granite does not provide any lightning protection). The granite is extremely slippery when wet; never climb wet granite. Scrambling through the boulder fields without technical equipment carries fall risk — wear appropriate footwear and assess scramble routes conservatively. Respect the climbing closures, the afternoon lightning, and the off-width technique demands.

USFS fee for campground use (check Medicine Bow-Routt NF for current rates and reservation requirements). Day-use parking may have a fee (check USFS for current rules). Seasonal climbing closures for raptor nesting (typically March through July; specific areas posted at trailhead). No removal of rocks, minerals, or vegetation. Pets on leash. Pack out all trash. No motorized vehicles off designated roads. Campfire rules apply (check current USFS fire restrictions for the Medicine Bow NF). Check USFS for current road conditions, campground availability, and any climbing closures before visiting.

Laramie, Wyoming (10 miles west — the University of Wyoming’s home city, with the excellent University of Wyoming Geological Museum — featuring full-scale dinosaur skeletons — and a lively college-town character), Cheyenne (25 miles east — Wyoming’s capital city, with Cheyenne Frontier Days — the largest outdoor rodeo in the world, held every July), the Medicine Bow Mountains (stretching south and west from Vedauwoo into Colorado — offering excellent hiking, fishing, and camping in the Snowy Range), Snowy Range Ski Area (40 miles west of Laramie), and the Laramie Basin (one of Wyoming’s finest antelope and sage-grouse habitats) define the region. Vedauwoo is an essential stop on any itinerary traveling I-80 through southern Wyoming.

Arrive at Vedauwoo at sunrise for the finest light on the granite — the early morning sun strikes the rounded, lichen-covered surfaces of the formations from a low angle, creating extraordinary shadow and texture in photographs. If you are a rock climber, bring a full rack of wide gear (3-inch to 5-inch cams in multiple sizes — off-width technique demands large-format protection) and expect to be humbled; the Vedauwoo crack systems are deceptively difficult regardless of their rated grade because the wide, flared character demands technique that most climbers do not regularly practice. If you are a hiker or scrambler, the free scramble through the boulder fields to the highest viewpoints (non-technical but require some route-finding) provides extraordinary panoramic views of the Laramie Basin and the Medicine Bow Range. Start any activity by 7 AM in summer to be finished or sheltered before the afternoon thunderstorm window opens.