North Crow Reservoir Loop

Curt Gowdy State Park lies between Cheyenne and Laramie and provides a varied set of recreational options. The 38-mile trail complex is primarily oriented toward mountain bikers, making the trails less pleasant for hikers. One area not used by bikes is around the isolated North Crow Reservoir about 5 miles from the main entrance to the park. The 3-mile drive down the dirt access road to North Crow passes through beautiful rolling hills with granite outcroppings. The road forks as it nears the lake;the left fork leads to parking areas on the south side of the lake and the right fork leads around to the north side. Either side can be used as a starting point for a nice hike around the lake, but this adventure starts on the south (left) side. The trail appears to be an old double-track that is now closed to vehicles and quite overgrown. It generally hugs the lake shore, providing nice views of the lake, and crosses two causeways built over inlet creeks at the west end of the lake. The trail eventually leads up to the north shore parking area and the dirt road leading to it. The loop around the lake can be completed by following the road back to the fork and then up the left fork again to the parking area. As the road crosses the outlet stream there are several beautiful ponds and wetland areas below the dam, and the waterfall coming from the spillway can be impressive when the lake is full.