Erica Wollman Photography: Laramie, Wyoming

I went to college at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. It was definitely a big transition after having lived in Denver because Laramie is a lot smaller. However, this quaint town was a fun place to live. There was always something going on at the University and Medicine Bow and Vedauwoo are close if you like the outdoors.

●population: 30,816 at the 2010 census

●at an elevation of 7,165 feet

●41 miles West of Cheyenne, WY, 113 miles North of Denver, CO

1. Medicine Bow (Snowy Range): This mountain range is about 30 miles West of Laramie. There is a ski resort, hiking, canoeing, etc.

2. Wyoming Territorial Prison: The prison was constructed in 1872, running as a Territorial Prison until 1890 when Wyoming became a state. The building held notorious outlaws like Butch Cassidy, Dan Parker, Clark Pelton, and Ellijah Canary.

3. The University of Wyoming: land-grant university with 13,657 students

4. Ames Monument: The Ames Monument is a large pyramid designed by Henry Richardson and dedicated to the Ames brothers. The brothers garnered credit for connecting the nation by rail upon completion of the United States’ First Transcontinental Railroad in 1869. The Ames Monument marked the highest point on the transcontinental railroad at 8, 247 feet.

5. Vedauwoo: Rock climbing, hiking, camping…an assemblage of weathered granite slabs, boulders, and cliffs covering 10 square miles, about 16 miles east of Laramie.