Muddy Mountain Junction is a spectacular day trip. We went for a little drive the other day up to Casper Mountain. Hiked on a couple of short trails at the top of Casper Mountain. Then we drove further down the road a little ways and saw the sign for Muddy Mountain Junction. There was still had a little daylight left, so off we went to see what was over there.
We drove about 9 miles on a dirt road. It had a beautiful scenic view down into the valley between Casper Mountain and Muddy Mountain Junction, a peak in the Laramie Mountains. Once we got there, we discovered the Muddy Mountain Environmental Education Area.
The Plush Amenities
This place is about 1,260 acres with an abundance of outdoor possibilities around every turn. There are two campgrounds, with a total of 23 camp sites and an interpretive trail connecting the two. These sites are ADA accessible, and have tent pads, fire rings, potable water, picnic tables and trash bins. Amenities to make things a little more comfortable for the slightly less adventurous. Cost for these sites is $7/night and $3/extra vehicles/night. Senior and Access Pass holder get 50% off. The scenery is gorgeous and the area is so far out on the dirt road, it is relatively secluded.
Non-Motorized Area
Inside the park is a 700 acre Natural Area that is limited to non-motorized traffic and great for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and primitive camping. That was tons of fun. Found a beautiful, quiet spot.
Motorized Area
The rest of the area is full of multi-use trails that will accommodate, ATV’s in the summer, snowmobiles in the winter and primitive camping with no facilities.
The bad thing here is that the roads are basically closed during the winter. However, you can utilize the area using snowmobiles, starting at the parking area at the top of Casper Mountain. Keep a trip to the area on your radar for next spring when the roads open up. It is definitely worth the trip.
Find BLM maps of the area at http://blm.gov.
Keep on adventuring and have a blessed day.