Cheyenne Wyoming

We arrived at Cheyenne Wyoming on 30 April 2025 for four nights. We had three days to do things and one was taken up with laundry and grocery shopping. We got to see Curt Gowdy State Park, located between Cheyenne and Laramie Wyoming. Steve knew about Curt Gowdy State Park, but Anita only learned about it when we watched a YouTube video about things to do around Cheyenne. We did a 4-mile hike that we'd seen on YouTube and was recommended by the volunteer at the visitor center. We talked to a couple of people who volunteer there and they were each full-time RVers before settling in Wyoming. It is a beautiful state.

The Internet says: Curtis Edward Gowdy (July 31, 1919 – February 20, 2006) was an American sportscaster. He called Boston Red Sox games on radio and TV for 15 years, and then covered many nationally televised sporting events, primarily for NBC Sports and ABC Sports in the 1960s and 1970s. He coined the nickname "The Granddaddy of Them All" for the Rose Bowl Game, taking the moniker from Cheyenne Frontier Days in his native Wyoming.

Steve remembers Curt Gowdy hosting the fishing and hunting show, American Sportsmen too. After a morning hike at the park, we drove out past Laramie to take the Snowy Range Scenic Byway. We couldn't go all the way because it doesn't fully with snow plowing open till Memorial Day, but the part we got to drive was still beautiful.

Curt Gowdy State Park 2 May 2025

Curt Gowdy State Park 2 May 2025

Curt Gowdy State Park 2 May 2025

Curt Gowdy State Park 2 May 2025

Curt Gowdy State Park 2 May 2025

The view from the entrance and visitor center

Curt Gowdy State Park 2 May 2025 - Crow Creek Trail to Hidden Falls

Curt Gowdy State Park 2 May 2025 - Crow Creek Trail to Hidden Falls

It was 39 degrees when we started!

Curt Gowdy State Park 2 May 2025 - Crow Creek Trail to Hidden Falls

Curt Gowdy State Park 2 May 2025 - Crow Creek Trail to Hidden Falls

These pretty flowers are growing out of the side of the mountain. We later learned at the Botanic Garden that flowers like this are called "crevice flowers".

Curt Gowdy State Park 2 May 2025 - Crow Creek Trail to Hidden Falls

To see the falls, we would have had to go through the water after the rock walk. We had planned before we started not to get our feet wet, especially in 40 degree weather.

Curt Gowdy State Park 2 May 2025 - Crow Creek Trail to Hidden Falls

Warming up with the sun and moving...

Curt Gowdy State Park 2 May 2025 - Crow Creek Trail to Hidden Falls

Curt Gowdy State Park 2 May 2025 - Crow Creek Trail to Hidden Falls

Curt Gowdy State Park 2 May 2025 - Crow Creek Trail to Hidden Falls

On our way back we got this pic of the water coming down from the falls...

Curt Gowdy State Park 2 May 2025 - Crow Creek Trail to Hidden Falls

Crazy rock formations...

Curt Gowdy State Park 2 May 2025 - Crow Creek Trail to Hidden Falls

Our drive on the Snowy Range Scenic Byway 2 May 2025

Our drive on the Snowy Range Scenic Byway 2 May 2025

Our drive on the Snowy Range Scenic Byway 2 May 2025

Our drive on the Snowy Range Scenic Byway 2 May 2025

Our drive on the Snowy Range Scenic Byway 2 May 2025

On Saturday 2 May 2025 we decided to spend most of the day in downtown Cheyenne and hang around to attend 4pm mass at St. Mary's Cathedral. Our first stop in Cheyenne was the Wyoming Historic Governor's Mansion Museum which is a Wyoming State Park and Historic Site. As the first residence provided for governors and their families, the Wyoming Historic Governors' Mansion takes pride to preserve and interpret the history of the people who lived here between 1905 and 1976.  Out front on the corner where the house is located stands a small statue of a lady. She was the first female governor in the United States. Nellie Ross became governor after her husband, Governor William Bradford Ross died from complications after an appendectomy. The Internet has more about her:

NELLIE TAYLOE ROSS, the first woman to take the oath of office and serve as governor of a state, was born in St. Joseph, Missouri. Educated in both public and private schools, she settled in Cheyenne after her marriage to William B. Ross. Upon the death of her husband, who had been elected Governor in 1922, Nellie Ross was nominated as the Democratic candidate for the unexpired term of the governorship pursuant to the convening of an emergency Democratic State Convention, and defeated her Republican opponent to take her husband’s place. As governor, she stressed the need for tax relief for farmers, and proposed legislation to require counties, school boards, and the state council to prepare budgets and publish them before levying any taxes. She opposed legislation to empower the state bankers’ association to appoint state bank examiners, instead backing a measure designed to prevent bank failures while making examining officials responsible to the governor. After being defeated for reelection in 1926, Ross went on to become vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, and was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to two five-year terms as Director of the U.S. Mint. She died in Washington, D.C. in 1977.

The Wyoming governor's mansion was moved out of downtown to a more secure property in 1976. We enjoyed our walk through the rooms and hearing about some of the families who lived there through the years. The volunteer who showed us around was very knowledgeable.

State of Wyoming Historic Governor's Mansion Museum - Cheyenne WY - 3 May 2025

State of Wyoming Historic Governor's Mansion Museum - Cheyenne WY - 3 May 2025

State of Wyoming Historic Governor's Mansion Museum - Cheyenne WY - 3 May 2025

State of Wyoming Historic Governor's Mansion Museum - Cheyenne WY - 3 May 2025

State of Wyoming Historic Governor's Mansion Museum - Cheyenne WY - 3 May 2025

State of Wyoming Historic Governor's Mansion Museum - Cheyenne WY - 3 May 2025

State of Wyoming Historic Governor's Mansion Museum - Cheyenne WY - 3 May 2025

State of Wyoming Historic Governor's Mansion Museum - Cheyenne WY - 3 May 2025

State of Wyoming Historic Governor's Mansion Museum - Cheyenne WY - 3 May 2025

Carriage House on right

We noticed big painted boots throughout downtown Cheyenne. Online we read that The Downtown Cheyenne Boot was created as part of "These Boots Are Made for Talking" and are installed around downtown. The Big Boots Initiative is a joint public art project of the Cheyenne Depot Museum Foundation and the Cheyenne Downtown Development Authority. The eight-foot-tall cowboy boots have been carefully painted by local artists to show the history of Cheyenne and Wyoming.

Downtown Cheyenne Wyoming - 3 May 2025

Downtown Cheyenne Wyoming - 3 May 2025

Downtown Cheyenne Wyoming - 3 May 2025

Cheyenne Depot Museum

Downtown Cheyenne Wyoming - 3 May 2025

There were several statues around the city...

Downtown Cheyenne Wyoming - 3 May 2025

Back of current State Capital building

Downtown Cheyenne Wyoming - 3 May 2025

Front of current State Capital building

That afternoon we went to the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens and later attended mass. The Cheyenne Botanic Gardens is huge and laid out over several acres. The indoor tropical plants were interesting, but uncomfortably warm with the hothouse temps. We enjoyed walking around the grounds which are beside a Sloan's Lake in Lions Park. The area is very nice for being outside and enjoying walking paths, fishing, and picnics.

Cheyenne Botanic Gardens - 3 May 2025

Notice the big boot in the background...

Cheyenne Botanic Gardens - 3 May 2025

Cheyenne Botanic Gardens - 3 May 2025

Orchids

Cheyenne Botanic Gardens - 3 May 2025

Cheyenne Botanic Gardens - 3 May 2025

Cheyenne Botanic Gardens - 3 May 2025

Cheyenne Botanic Gardens - 3 May 2025

Flowering Cactus

Cheyenne Botanic Gardens - 3 May 2025

Cheyenne Botanic Gardens - 3 May 2025

St. Mary's Cathedral - Cheyenne Wyoming - 3 May 2025

St. Mary's Cathedral - Cheyenne Wyoming - 3 May 2025

St. Mary's Cathedral - Cheyenne Wyoming - 3 May 2025

Today (Sunday 4 May 2025) we drove from Cheyenne to Buffalo Wyoming. We'll be here for a week and are looking forward to exploring the area.