Confluence Trail

Part of the Fort Laramie National Historic Site, the Confluence Trail meanders through a forest of cottonwood and willow trees and provides good views of the North Platte and Laramie Rivers. The trail starts from the south parking lot of the Old Army Bridge that crosses the North Platte River and forms a lasso loop through the bottomlands. After parking, you can hike out on the Old Army Bridge and enjoy views of the river. Having explored the bridge, the trail starts to the right of the birdge and drops below the bridge. The trail moves along the North Platte River where views of the river can be enjoyed. Moving through the woods, the trail comes to the fork where you can continue straight along the river or break off to the right into the woods. Going to the right, the trail moves through cottonwood trees and through fields of wildflowers. In the distance, you can see Fort Laramie. Imagine traveling through the area in the 1800s and seeing the fort in the distance, a place where you can rest and resupply on your trip. As the trail continues to the right, a spur trail leads off to road RD 15. After the spur trail, the trail moves alongside the Laramie River as it flows down river to the confluence with the North Platte River. At the confluence, the two rivers combine and continue eastward as the North Platte River. After enjoying the views of the two rivers, the trail moves along the North Platte River back toward the split. Once it arrives at the split, you retrace your steps for 1/3 of a mile back to the parking lot. This is a nice quiet hike where you won't come across a lot of other hikers.