Seeking the great outdoors for a vacation in southern Wyoming overflows with options. But when the destination towns are population 66 or 450 or even a whopping 1,700—where to sleep is the question.
Might little-town lodging choices be slim?
Riverside, Encampment and Saratoga, Wyoming – towns with those population numbers and enticing things to do between the Snowy Range and Sierra Madre mountains prove otherwise.
If you really need familiar, brand-name hotel deals, stay in Rawlins, capital of Carbon County, population 8,200.
SheBuysTravel took a close look at three of the surprisingly diverse lodging choices.
Each includes a restaurant or all-inclusive dining.
Brush Creek Ranch
Brush Creek Ranch calls for longer, detailed hotel review writing, and experiences. It’s 30,000 acres with three ranches and a farm, and nightly rates of $1,500-$2,100 in the summer and $750-$1,500 in the winter.
The address is Saratoga; the mood is definitely river valleys, forests and majestic mountain views. . . and luxury.
A Gulfstream 5 from London that I saw in Shively Municipal Airfield is an indicator of some of the customer base for Brush Creek.
Riverside
Tiny Riverside supports four vacation rental choices, all next to or very close to the Encampment River.
Cabins are three of the styles with different owners and one is a mix of tent camping, RV hookups, a cabin and four motel rooms with television, free wifi and air conditioning.
Medicine Bow Lodge
Adventure guest ranch is one way owners Tim and Debbie Bishop refer to Medicine Bow Lodge because they delight in providing lots of ways to experience their place in the Medicine Bow National Forest.
Horseback rides. Hiking. Guided fly fishing. Archery and skeet shooting. Cookouts. E-bikes.
And as Tim recognizes to be praise-worthy too: “plain-old relaxation in the cool mountain air by the creek bordering our property.”
Specific months at Medicine Bow Lodge offer additional dude ranch options. Go in July for overnight horse pack trips. Or in mid-June to mid-August for a river float.
One cabin called the Grasshopper sleeps six which families often choose. Five other cabins are duplexes with a bedroom and full bath on each side.
One cabin is a single.
All that means people meet in the gathering rooms and dining spaces, but there’s never a big crowd.
Tim cooks breakfast every day and declares, “I go through a lot of bacon.” Debbie creates soups from scratch and sandwiches for lunch. Tomato basil with grilled cheese was on tap the day I visited for a trail ride on horseback.
“Gourmet to down to earth food” is the way Tim explains the menus, with the caveat, “I love my wife’s cooking.”
That can include buffalo meatloaf, prime rib on Friday nights, smoked salmon, barbecued pork ribs and pizza nights when kids can help in the kitchen.
Sunday to Saturday is the summer reservations schedule, with a four-night minimum. June 11 – August 26 were the 2023 summer dates. Prices include lodging, food, regular activities and taxes.
The last week of August is adults only, and so is the week surrounding Labor Day. An entire week devoted to rodeos happens in late July.
Hotel Wolf
City Center has been the location of Hotel Wolf in Saratoga since 1893, and today it still forms a grand backdrop for downtown festivals and gatherings.
I saw that firsthand on the Fourth of July, when local folks dressed in red, white and blue garb to admire parade trucks and floats, horses and walkers–even one on stilts.
The 10-room hotel holds on to its early character, which owners Douglass and Kathleen Campbell honor … even as they begin to relinquish management to their next generation of family.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Let your imagination run back a century or so in your comfortable guest room, but know ahead of time you have to climb the stairs to get there. No elevator. There is a folding ladder to hang out the window for escape if needed in an emergency. Wolf Hotel is three stories.
Special feel dining, drinking and sleeping in a family-run hotel. I found Doug and Kathleen perched on tall stools in the Wolf Hotel saloon, enjoying the setting as much as travelers and neighbors.
Their life story matches the enthusiasm for living in southern Wyoming that I heard over and over. Both grew up in this part of the world, yet met on the West Coast, pursuing careers far afield from hoteliering. Jointly they felt the passion to return.
The hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The hotel dining room has served full meals all day every day for years, and intends to do so again when hiring staff isn’t a challenge. Check first for open hours.
Expect reliable cell service, free wifi and television, but the hotel is not pet-friendly.
Five rooms have one bed, three rooms have two beds and two rooms hold three beds to sleep six.
Since Hotel Wolf and Saratoga are in the North Platte Valley, gorgeous outdoor activities seem limitless. In town, strolling the old west streets is pleasant and shops include an exquisite art gallery named Studio T with designer Trisha Kauffman.
Pine Lodge
Encampment is the home of Pine Lodge–11 rooms with two connections to the Continental Divide.
First: 20 minute drive to the distinct place where America’s rivers flow either to the Atlantic or Pacific oceans.
Second: A delightful restaurant with live music, original art, big bar with TV often showing rodeos–named The DiVide!
Pine Lodge has the exterior feel of an updated ‘50s roadside motel.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Feel confident planning a winter trip because the parking lot is heated! No snow and ice challenges getting in and out of Pine Lodge.
Here’s what “rustic” seems to mean since that’s how the rooms are described: all have entertainment centers, Roku TVs, mini-fridge, microwave, fast wifi and keyless entry.
The king suite has a full kitchen, twins can convert to kings and every bed has a custom-made headboard.
Pet-free and non-smoking applies here. Bathrooms all have tubs, no walk-in showers.
Pine Lodge manager David Pelker anticipates snowmobiling, cross-country skiers and snowshoeing travelers in abundance all winter, a growing vacation trend in Encampment.
He already sees visitors heading to the North Platte River, the Encampment River, the Platte Valley, Medicine Bow National Forest and the mineral springs in Saratoga.
Places to Eat
Rather interesting eating out on a tiny-towns getaway. All you need when renting a vacation home can be gathered at the grocery with big-game taxidermy seeming to watch as you shop.
Choosing a restaurant does not require scanning multiple menus to make a decision. Stay several nights and you can try them all!
The DiVide – Encampment
First there was the DiVide and then Pine Lodge opened next door, partners in year-round tourism in Encampment.
Fettucini with bison sausage and huckleberries, caramelized onions and some spinach caught my attention, and would do so again if southern Wyoming becomes a repeat destination.
My starter was cactus fries with prickly pear tequila dipping sauce. Sounded western to me!
Yes plenty of meats filled the menu too.
DiVide owner Duke Altschuler wanted to reflect the nearby Continental Divide and honor the hikers who also explore this Encampment River region. The logo includes a gentle wisp of majestic mountains.
Find live music many nights, a full bar—long with seating–and often a rodeo on the TV.
Bella’s Bistro – Saratoga
Classic Italian is the focus, with husband and wife team Tommy and Cassie Orduno in the kitchen.
The mood is close and convivial, an easy walk in downtown Saratoga.
My Chiant-braised mushroom caps as a starter was delightful, but a tough choice instead of the fried ravioli or focaccia bread with oil and balsamic for dipping.
Gnocchi on a neighboring table looked superb but I chose shrimp and artichoke linguine. Meatballs, meat sauces, roasted Italian sausage and chicken provide nice meat-lover options.
Bella’s Bistro desserts, of course, include gelato, tiramisu and cannoli.
307 Pub & Grub – Encampment
“Good old grub” they like to call the food at the 307 Pub & Grub in Encampment Wyoming — 307 is the Encampment area code. So I was surprised to find Eggs Benedict on the menu! Thought that was fancy food.
Bacon-loving breakfast eaters might order the hot tub—that’s scrambled eggs surrounding the perimeter of the entire plate – with bacon and toast shaped like people in that tub.
Cinnamon rolls are to share with the table they’re so big.
If a cowboy burger for lunch sounds right, expect a dollop of cream cheese on top, and maybe also some cowboy candy. That’s jalapeno sweet potatoes, fried.
Live music is just one of the connect-to-community features at Pub & Grub. My server looked familiar and here’s why: I had just walked past her photo on a big poster. She was one of the 11 2023 high school graduates—and they’re all off to college.
Wondered what the future holds since only three kids are in the sixth grade class.
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