Vedauwoo Rock Formations
Forest Rd 720, Buford, WY
Buford, WY
A dreamlike jumble of rounded granite towers piled across the high plains, a sacred place to the Arapaho and a climber's paradise.
Vedauwoo is one of the strangest and most delightful landscapes in Wyoming, a jumble of rounded granite towers, knobs, and balanced boulders that rise straight out of the high plains between Cheyenne and Laramie. The rocks look almost soft, piled and stacked like something built by giants, and they draw climbers, hikers, and picnickers off the interstate for a closer look.
The name comes from an Arapaho word, and the place is sacred to the Arapaho people, who understood these formations as a place of spirits and vision. Formed from ancient granite slowly rounded by weathering, Vedauwoo is both a geological wonder and a place of deep cultural meaning.
What Guests Love
- The surreal, rounded granite towers and balanced boulders you can walk right up to
- World-class crack climbing on the coarse, grippy rock
- Easy trails, picnic spots, and camping among the formations
- Wide views over the high plains and the Snowy Range beyond
Worth Knowing
- The rock is very coarse and abrasive, famous for being tough on climbers' hands and gear
- It sits at high elevation, so afternoon thunderstorms and sudden weather are common; watch the sky
- Some areas require a day-use fee; check signs at the access roads
- Treat the site with respect for its sacred significance to the Arapaho people
Details
Buford, WY
Learn about Vedauwoo Rock Formations
How the rocks came to look this way
The rock at Vedauwoo is a very old, coarse-grained granite that formed deep underground more than a billion years ago. Over immense spans of time the land above it wore away, exposing the granite, and then the granite itself weathered along cracks into rounded blocks and towers.
Water working into the joints, freezing and thawing, and the slow crumbling of the coarse crystals shaped the piled, softened look, leaving stacks of huge boulders and knobs balanced in improbable ways. The same coarse texture that shaped the towers gives climbers their famously grippy, abrasive holds.
A sacred place to the Arapaho
The name Vedauwoo derives from an Arapaho word often understood to mean earthborn or the spirits of young men and animals, and the formations were regarded as a sacred place where people came for vision and reflection. To the Arapaho, this was not merely scenery but a place charged with spiritual meaning.
The Northern Arapaho today share the Wind River Reservation to the northwest, and their ties to this country endure. Visitors are asked to treat Vedauwoo with the respect due a place that has held meaning for Native people far longer than it has been a recreation area.
Climbing, hiking, and camping
Vedauwoo is renowned among climbers, especially for crack climbing, where the coarse granite and endless fissures offer challenging routes with a reputation for testing both skill and skin. Boulderers and roped climbers come from far away to work its problems and cracks.
You do not have to climb to enjoy it. Trails wind among the formations, including easy loops good for families, and picnic areas and a campground sit tucked among the rocks. Scrambling up the lower boulders for a view is a favorite pastime, and the setting is a fine place to simply wander and marvel.
Wildlife, weather, and seasons
The mix of granite, pine, aspen, and meadow supports mule deer, pronghorn on the open flats, marmots and pikas in the rocks, and a range of birds, with raptors riding the winds above the towers. Wildflowers brighten the meadows in early summer.
This is high, exposed country where the weather can change quickly and afternoon thunderstorms build fast in summer. Summer and early fall are the prime seasons for climbing and hiking, fall turns the aspens gold, and winter brings snow and cold that draw a few for quiet snowshoeing among the frosted rocks.
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 Buford
Ames Monument
About 3 miles south
A striking stone pyramid on the high plains honoring the railroad, at the old summit of the transcontinental line.
Laramie
About 20 miles west
A lively university town with a historic downtown and the Wyoming Territorial Prison site.
Curt Gowdy State Park
About 25 miles northeast
Reservoirs and world-class mountain-bike trails among granite outcrops.