September 12, 2024

Edness Kimball Wilkins State Park, in an effort to make the recreational opportunities at the park more accessible, has acquired an accessible beach mat through the brand Mobi-Mat.

According to their website, the mat is a heavy-duty portable ramp made of 100% recycled polyester material “designed to create a stable and durable surface over soft or unstable ground.”  This apparatus provides light and medium-sized vehicles such as wheelchairs access to the pond’s shoreline. It can be seen in action at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_U8JebscDw&authuser=0.

These mats have been used successfully on beaches throughout the United States for many years. 

Teka Perry, Ms. Wheelchair Wyoming 2023, tried out the device after it was installed at the EKW pond at the end of August and provided staff with valuable feedback. Perry is a frequent visitor to EKW and an advocate for increased accessibility. 

“Thank you to the Ms. Wheelchair America Foundation for offering me the hope and freedom award, which I was then able to contribute the money I won towards this project,” Perry said. “This will be a great addition. I will be able to get down to the water with my kids.”  

The Mobi-Mat will be a welcome addition to EKW, according to Superintendent Linley Mayer.

“We are grateful to be able to work with the Wyoming State Parks team and with their support provide this addition to the park as we strive to meet the department’s mission of improving communities and enriching lives,” Mayer said.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_U8JebscDw&authuser=0 

September 12, 2024

Thanks to the generous support of the Bronco Wild Fund, Wyoming Wildflower Women’s 101 programming will be offered on October 12 and 13 at Curt Gowdy State Park. These programs are designed to empower and educate women in outdoor skills. 

Wyoming State Parks’ Ranger Angelina has offered sessions at Sinks Canyon, South Pass City, and Hot Springs State Park this summer, reaching over 100 women with campouts and skill-building.

This program features three specially curated sessions aimed at fostering confidence and knowledge in outdoor recreation:

Outdoor Survival: Saturday, October 12, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Leave No Trace: Saturday, October 12, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Animal Awareness: Sunday, October 13, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Pre-registration is required, and space is limited to ensure a personalized and immersive experience for all participants. Curt Gowdy State Park will provide a stunning backdrop for women to explore and enhance their outdoor skills!

Interested participants can learn more and sign up at: https://wyoparks.info/WildflowerWomen.

For more information, please contact: District Ranger Angelina Stancampiano, 307-677-2461, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

About Wyoming Wildflower Women

Wyoming Wildflower Women is an initiative by Wyoming State Parks to create a space for women to learn outdoor skills in a supportive and engaging environment, led by female interpretive rangers. The 101 programming offers basic to intermediate skills, helping women of all experience levels to connect with nature, each other, and themselves.

September 10, 2024

The Wyoming State Parks Ambassador Ferrets are on the move this week, from their home at Sinks Canyon State Park to Keyhole State Park. 

Ranger Katie and the domestic ferrets, Sandstone (Sandy) and Madison Limestone (Maddy), will be hosting a program about black-footed ferrets at the Tatanka Shelter in Keyhole State Park on Saturday, September 14, at 7pm. 

The conservation story of the black-footed ferrets is one of great importance, and it has ties to our very own state of Wyoming. Once thought to be extinct, a small group of black-footed ferrets was discovered in Meeteetse in 1981. This small group has given the species a second chance at survival through captive breeding, reintroductions, and cloning, and it is estimated that there are now about 300 in the wild!

The WyoParks Ambassador Ferrets help tell this story to visitors across the state,whether they are in the Sinks Canyon Visitor Center, visiting school classrooms, or traveling the state to other parks. In addition to the public program on September 14th, Ranger Katie and the ferrets will also be hosting a program for “Girl Scouts Love State Parks” weekend with local scout troops. 

Attendees to the public program will be able to interact with our super cute and personable Ambassador Ferrets. For directions, visit wyoparks.info/keyholemaps. Events and their descriptions can be viewed on the Keyhole State Park Facebook page: wyoparks.info/keyholeevents. Park fees apply to those attending the events. Interpretive Ranger Katie can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any specific questions.

September 10, 2024

Trail End State Historic Site and the Trail End Guilds, Inc. announce a FREE antique car and wagon show being held at the Kendrick Mansion on Saturday, September 21, from 1-4 p.m. 

Spend the afternoon viewing antique autos—and, new for this year, wagons as well! Cars made before 1969 will be on hand for viewing, and some of the wagons, buggies, and a sleigh date back to the early 1900s.  

“The earliest vehicles that have entered the competition were from 1919, but different autos enter the show every year, so you never know what you’ll see there! We’re very excited that the horse-drawn vehicles are joining us this time, so folks will have a lot to look at when they attend,” said Sharie Shada, Trail End’s Site Superintendent. 

If you would like to enter the show and are the owner of a car made in or before 1969, or the owner of an antique wagon, please email the Trail End Guilds at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to let them know. There is no charge to have an entry in the show! 

The mansion will also be open for self-guided tours during this time, and regular museum admission will apply: $8 per adult, $4 for Wyoming residents, and children 17 and under are always free but must be with a paid adult. 

The Kendrick Mansion is a 1913 historic house museum located at 400 Clarendon Avenue, Sheridan, on the grounds of Trail End State Historic Site. Trail End is a division of Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources.  For more information or directions, visit the website at www.trailend.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/trailend, or call 307-674-4589.

September 10, 2024

In celebration of Wyoming’s rich cultural heritage, Governor Mark Gordon will proclaim September as Wyoming Archaeology Awareness Month (WAAM) on September 11, between 10:45 and 11:45 at the State Capitol.

Anyone is welcome to join the proclamation event. Throughout the month of September, there will be events, activities, and lectures highlighting Wyoming’s history. To find an event near you, check out the WAAM 2024 Events Calendar.

The centerpiece of WAAM is an annually produced, award-winning poster. This year’s poster, “People & Plants,” highlights paleoethnobotany, the archaeological field that examines human-plant relationships.

The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the University of Wyoming’s Archaeological Repository (UWAR) have prepared a temporary exhibit just outside the entrance of the Wyoming State Museum in Cheyenne to provide the public with further information about paleoethnobotany.

The poster is available free of charge, and may be picked up at the State Historic Preservation Office, Barrett Building, 2301 Central avenue in Cheyenne, or in Laramie in the Anthropology Building located at 12th and Lewis, Room 312. If you wish to have a poster mailed to you, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for details.

The Wyoming SHPO and the George C. Frison Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology are also hosting their annual WAAM lecture on Thursday, September 19th at 4:10 pm in at the University of Wyoming’s Education Auditorium. This year’s guest speaker is Dr. Jesse Casana, professor of Archaeology at Dartmouth College. Dr. Casana will be speaking on “Lost Landscapes and Looted Sites: Archaeological Investigations Using Declassified Spy Satellite Imagery.” This lecture is free and open to the public, with a reception to following in the Anthropology building foyer.

The largest celebration of WAAM was the Wyoming Archaeology Fair, which occurred this past Saturday in Laramie at the Wyoming Territorial Prison. The event was a huge success, with over 1,100 attendees! The Wyoming SHPO would like to thank the scores of volunteers who help make the event a success.

September 6, 2024

The Wyoming Arts Council is now accepting applications for the 2025 Pattie Layser Greater Yellowstone Creative Writing and Journalism Fellowship. 

This annual prestigious fellowship of $3,500 is a national call open to creative writers (poetry, fiction, nonfiction) and journalists (writer, photojournalist, videographer, documentary filmmaker, online or print media) who demonstrate serious inquiry and dedication to the Greater Yellowstone region through their work. This fellowship seeks to intersect science, education, current events, and conservation to effectively communicate the Greater Yellowstone’s natural history and singular importance to society through creative and exceptional writing and subject communication. 

Applications are accepted online via Submittable at https://wyomingartscouncil.submittable.com/submit. The application deadline is November 1, 2024. Established and recognized authors are being sought, but emerging and mid-career writers are also encouraged to apply. Wyoming state residency is not required. 

The fellowship recipient will be expected to create or complete a relevant publishable or produced work and may be requested or encouraged to make public presentations. In addition to the financial award, the fellowship recipient may elect to also receive a one week housing residency at one of several prearranged different locations within the Greater Yellowstone region. Such residency will be based on availability and will be negotiated with the fellowship recipient. 

The jurors for this year’s fellowship are Kelsey K. Sather and Jim Robbins. 

Kelsey K. Sather was born and raised in Montana. She’s the author of “Birth of the Anima” and is a finalist for the National Indie Excellence Award for fantasy. Her stories, both real and imagined, explore the complexities of human-nature relations. She attended the University of Utah on fellowship and graduated with an MA in Environmental Humanities. The second book in her series, “Ancient Language of the Earth,” is forthcoming in the fall of 2025. When she isn’t writing, she directs the Biocene Foundation, providing grants for the individuals and organizations enacting solutions to the ecological crisis and sharing their stories of joy and perseverance. At the core of her vocation as a creator and conservationist is the hopeful intention to help people live with deeper connections to self, nature, and each other.

Jim Robbins has lived in Montana since 1977. He has written for the New York Times for more than 40 years, on a wide range of topics, but with a special focus on science and environmental issues. He is also a frequent contributor to E360, a Yale Forestry School environmental journalism website and has written for Audubon, Conde Nast Traveler, Smithsonian, Scientific American, Vanity Fair, The London Sunday Times, Conservation and numerous other magazines. He has covered environmental stories across the US and in far flung places around the world, including Mongolia, Australia, Mexico, Chile, Peru, the Yanomami Territory of Brazil, Norway, Sweden and other countries. In 2023 he was one of five ‘distinguished humanists’ awarded the Montana Governor’s Humanities Award.

This Fellowship is made possible with generous funding from The Pattie and Earle Layser Memorial Fund. In late 2021, The Pattie and Earle Layser Memorial Fund endowed this fellowship with the Wyoming Arts Council, ensuring funding this opportunity for years to come. 

A complete list of eligibility requirements and additional information can be found on Submittable at https://wyomingartscouncil.submittable.com/submit. For more information, contact Kimberly Mittelstadt at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 307-274-6673.

September 5, 2024

Plein Air in the Parks will be taking place at Hot Springs State Park on September 11-15, 2024.

Online registration for artists is available at https://pleinairintheparks-hotsprings.eventbrite.com or artists may register in person during the event. There are a number of events that are open to the public and the full schedule of events is listed below. 

Now in its seventh year, Plein Air in the Parks is a collaborative program by the Wyoming Arts Council and Wyoming State Parks. The tradition of plein air painting includes on-site painting and drawing outdoors. Plein Air in the Parks pairs talented artists with beautiful locations while offering cash prizes to top participants and free opportunities for the community to participate. 

See the Artists at Work

Mingle with artists as they sketch and paint the landscape right before your eyes as you explore Hot Springs State Park. This event is free and open to the public.
          Wednesday, September 11 | 12 - 5PM

          Thursday, September 12 | 9AM - 5PM

           Friday, September 13 | 9AM - 5PM

Saturday, September 14 | 9AM - 5PM

Beginner Plein Air Workshop in Oils with Cindy Clancy - Thursday, September 12 | 9-12 PM | Wyoming Arts Council Registration Tent 

Learn tips and tricks on how to pick a plein air location while exploring composition and design to give your art a unique point of view. Participants will need to bring their own supplies; this event is free and open to the public. 
Plein Air Tips with Carolyn Wostenberg and Victoria Bales  - Saturday, September 14 | 9-11 AM | Wyoming Arts Council Registration Tent 

The instructors will share tips and tricks for novice plein air artists to learn and enjoy the practice of plein air painting. Participants will need to bring their own supplies for your medium of choice, 9” x 12” (or smaller) canvas or sketch pad recommended. This event is free and open to the public. 
Artist Mingle with Plein Air Participants hosted by Sagebrush Artisans - Sunday, September 15 | 11-12:30PM | Safari Club Lounge 

While waiting for the Awards Ceremony, come meet the artists that have spent time in the Park creating the artwork for the Show and Sale.
Awards Ceremony, Show, and Sale - Sunday, September 15 | 1-3PM | Hot Springs Hotel and Spa Meeting Room

See the artwork created throughout the event, cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award, and purchase artwork from the sale.
For more information on these events please visit, wyoarts.state.wy.us/wac-program/plein-air-in-the-parks or contact Ismael Dominguez at 307-275-4476 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

September 3, 2024

Wyoming State Parks in partnership with the Girl Scouts will host a series of events as part of Girl Scouts Love State Parks, a nationwide initiative providing an opportunity for scouts to participate in curated outdoor activities.

Held in conjunction with a nationwide event September 14 and 15, Girl Scouts from primarily Wyoming will have an opportunity to attend events hosted by several Wyoming  State Parks.

Any Girl Scouts interested in participating in a Wyoming event, who need more information can contact their usual Girl Scouts Member Experience manager.

Five events will be held at different Wyoming State Parks with each park offering a unique activity.

Events and activities will be held at the following parks:

Bear River State Park 

Sunday, September 15, from 1 pm – 3 pm in the Rendezvous Area of Bear River State Park. 
Girl Scouts will learn about pollinators and put up bee bungalows around the park for native bees to use. 
EKW 

Saturday, September 14, from 1 pm – 3 pm 
Participants will take out canoes, dissect owl pellets, and do a scavenger hunt hike. 
Sinks Canyon 

Saturday, September 14, from 1 pm – 3 pm 
Join Sinks Canyon State Park staff to explore what wildlife makes their home in Sinks Canyon. Play “Animal Detective” and learn how to read animal signs and discover who has been in the area. Make seed bombs and learn how to provide things wildlife needs like food, water, and shelter. 
Keyhole 

Saturday, September 14, from 10 am – 1 pm 
Participants will build bluebird houses and take part in an educational program about black footed ferrets with the State Parks ambassador ferrets!  
Curt Gowdy 

Saturday 14 - Sunday 15
Overnight event involving a night hike along with camp-building skills in the evening, then a morning rotation activity where Scouts visit different stations to learn different outdoor skills. Everything is suited to Scouts of all ages and skill levels.

August 29, 2024

The Wyoming Archaeology Fair held annually as part of Wyoming Archaeology Awareness Month, will be held September 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site in Laramie.

A beloved annual celebration, the fair will showcase Wyoming’s cultural traditions including Indigenous lifeways and historic activities, and provides a unique, hands-on learning experience for all ages. The event is free and open to the public.

Featured during the fair is the Wind River Dancers, who will demonstrate a variety of Indigenous dance styles. The Wind River Dancers will perform at 1 p.m.

Musical entertainment will be provided by the Twaynes during most of the day.

Participants are invited to try their hand at flint knapping, atlatl throwing, and pottery making, as well as hide painting, cordage making, yucca leaf processing and more.

Attendees will have an opportunity to meet local archaeologists, ask questions, and find answers.

Additionally, the Office of the Wyoming State Archaeologist welcomes you to bring items from your collections to learn how an expert examines and identifies artifacts. We hope to see you there!