Colorful badlands, a vast wetland, and traces of past ways of life reveal different sides of the landscape and history around Washakie. At the Gooseberry Badlands Scenic Overlook, panoramic views open up over a colorful desert landscape, a wide blue sky, and artfully eroded rock formations. The geological history is tangible here, too: around Big Cedar Ridge, a mudflow of volcanic ash fossilized plants in their original location.
Wetlands and outdoor trails
The Duck Swamp Interpretive Area is an 81-acre oxbow lake and wetland, formed when a bend in the Bighorn River was cut off. A one-mile interpretive trail leads through the wetland, where you can observe wildlife and learn more about it. Day-use facilities include drinking water, restrooms, parking for cars and buses, grills, and covered picnic tables. Nature watching here goes hand in hand with facilities for a day visit.
The trails vary in length and character. The loop trail at Duck Swamp is one mile long. The non-motorized Gooseberry Badlands Scenic Overlook Trail is about 1.5 miles long. The Salt Lick Trail is also 1.5 miles long, but is described as challenging; it offers views of the landscape and its striking flora and fauna.
The Salt Lick Trailhead is about 6 miles east of Ten Sleep, just north of U.S. Highway 16. The trailhead has a restroom and an information kiosk.
From fossils to pioneer history
Exhibits at the Washakie Museum and Cultural Center tell the story of local human history, from early mammoth hunters to the first settlers. The Ancient Basin Gallery features casts of plant and dinosaur fossils and draws attention to discoveries from a much earlier period in Earth’s history. The Last West Gallery has a different focus: it includes a walk-in pioneer dugout and an original sheep wagon. Here, geological history and settlement history offer two distinct ways of exploring the past.
There are also connections to different periods beyond the museum. In the surrounding region, the Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite is Wyoming’s largest dinosaur tracksite and one of the few in the world dating to the Middle Jurassic. The tracks are estimated to be 160 to 180 million years old. In Worland, Washakie County, West Side School has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since November 17, 2021.
Regional orientation and events
In the area around Ten Sleep, Washakie County Road 580A follows the 1936 route of the Black and Yellow Trail. Southwest of the truss bridge, you can drive along the Black and Yellow Trail for several miles before terrain conditions make it impassable. If you plan to travel this section, check road conditions again before setting out.
A recurring event on the regional calendar is the Wyoming State BBQ Championship and Bluegrass Festival. It is held annually at the Washakie County Fairgrounds northwest of Worland, usually on the third Friday and Saturday in August. Dates may vary from year to year, so check the specific event dates before making plans. Another landmark for getting there is Worland Municipal Airport (WRL), about 3 miles south of Worland.
Discover more destinations: Worland, Park, Sublette, Converse County, Niobrara County, Lincoln, Carbon, Natrona.
See the main travel overview: Wyoming.
