Curt Gowdy State Park
1264 Granite Springs Rd, Cheyenne, WY
Cheyenne, WY
A high, rocky landscape of blue reservoirs and granite ridges laced with some of the best mountain-bike trails in the country.
Curt Gowdy State Park spreads across the granite foothills of the Laramie Range, in the windswept high country between Wyoming's two largest southern cities. Its three reservoirs, Granite, Crystal, and Upper North Crow, were built long ago to store water for Cheyenne, and around them lies a rugged playground of rock outcrops, pine stands, and open ridgelines.
The park is named for Curt Gowdy, the legendary sportscaster and outdoorsman who grew up in Wyoming and championed its wild places. Once a quieter fishing and boating spot, it has become nationally known for its trail system, honored by the mountain-biking community as an epic destination for riding over slabs and around the water.
What Guests Love
- Granite outcrops and pine ridges reflected in three quiet reservoirs
- A trail network recognized for world-class mountain biking
- Hiking to Hidden Falls, tucked in the rocks above the water
- Fishing and paddling within easy reach of Cheyenne and Laramie
Worth Knowing
- The trails range from easy to genuinely technical over slabby granite, so pick routes to your skill
- It is high and exposed, and afternoon thunderstorms build fast in summer, so watch the sky
- Wind is common in this corner of Wyoming, which can make the reservoirs choppy
- Bring water and sun protection; shade is limited out on the rock
Details
Cheyenne, WY
Learn about Curt Gowdy State Park
Three reservoirs in the granite
The park's three lakes, Granite, Crystal, and Upper North Crow reservoirs, were built across small mountain drainages to hold water for the growing city of Cheyenne. Set among rounded granite outcrops and pine, they now serve just as much for recreation as for water supply.
The reservoirs draw anglers after trout and boaters and paddlers looking for a quiet afternoon. Coves and rocky points ring the shores, and the water mirrors the surrounding ridges on a calm morning before the wind comes up.
A trail system with a big reputation
What has really put Curt Gowdy on the map is its trails. Volunteers and the state have built an extensive, thoughtfully designed network that winds over granite slabs, around the reservoirs, and up through the rocks, earning national recognition as a premier mountain-biking destination.
Riders come for the mix of flowing singletrack and challenging technical rock, and the same trails serve hikers and trail runners. Routes fan out to hidden corners of the park, including a path to Hidden Falls, a small cascade tucked back in the granite that rewards a short walk.
Curt Gowdy and the Wyoming outdoors
Curt Gowdy was born in Green River, Wyoming and went on to become one of the most famous voices in American sports broadcasting, calling World Series, Super Bowls, and Olympics. He never lost his love of the outdoors, hosting a long-running program on hunting and fishing and speaking up for conservation.
Naming the park for him ties this landscape to that legacy of getting people outside. It is a fitting tribute, a place built around water and rock and trails where families come to fish, ride, and camp under the big Wyoming sky.
Wildlife, weather, and seasons
The park's mix of water, rock, and pine supports mule deer, pronghorn on the open flats, wild turkeys, and a good range of birds, from raptors overhead to waterfowl on the reservoirs. Mornings and evenings are the best times to see wildlife moving.
This is high, exposed country, famous for wind, and its weather can turn quickly, with summer thunderstorms building over the ridges in the afternoon. Summer is the busy season for riding and boating, fall brings crisp air and gold, and winter closes much of the park in snow and cold, when the reservoirs freeze under a wide, quiet sky.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Cheyenne
Cheyenne
About 25 miles east
Wyoming's capital, home of Cheyenne Frontier Days, the state's biggest rodeo and Western celebration.
Laramie
About 25 miles west
A lively university town with a historic downtown and the Wyoming Territorial Prison site.
Vedauwoo
About 20 miles northwest
A surreal jumble of granite towers popular with climbers and picnickers off Interstate 80.