Laramie, Wyoming: University Town, Snowy Range Gateway, Best Brewery Scene in the State
Laramie is Wyoming's college town, home of the University of Wyoming, Vedauwoo's rock formations, and the gateway to the Snowy Range. The honest two-day visitor's guide.
Laramie sits at 7,200 feet on the Laramie Plain in southeastern Wyoming, on Interstate 80 between Cheyenne and Rawlins. Population about 32,000 with the University of Wyoming in session, dropping by 30% in summer when many of the university’s 12,000 students leave town. The University of Wyoming, founded in 1886 (six years before Wyoming statehood), is the state’s only four-year university and the dominant economic and cultural force in the town.
What makes Laramie worth visiting in 2026: the historic downtown is genuinely intact and the brewery-and-coffee scene is the best in any Wyoming town, supported by the university workforce and the I-80 traveler economy; the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site (where Butch Cassidy served two years) is a substantial museum experience; Vedauwoo’s granite rock formations 10 miles east are world-class for climbing and weird-photography purposes; and the Snowy Range 40 miles west is the most accessible alpine country in southeastern Wyoming.
Two days here, run thoughtfully, gives a strong sense of college-town Wyoming and pairs cleanly with Cheyenne (45 minutes east) for a full southeastern Wyoming trip.
What to do
Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site
On the southwestern edge of Laramie, the Wyoming Territorial Prison was the federal prison for Wyoming Territory and the early state, operating from 1872 to 1903. The most famous inmate was Butch Cassidy, who served 18 months from 1894 to 1896 for horse theft (and was pardoned by Governor William A. Richards on the condition he agreed not to commit further crimes in Wyoming, an agreement Cassidy honored throughout his subsequent career).
The site preserves the original cellblock, the warden’s house, and the prison farm buildings. The interpretive program covers Wyoming territorial law enforcement, the conditions of late-19th-century imprisonment, and the prison’s role in the broader Wyoming political history of the era. Includes substantive exhibits on Butch Cassidy and the Hole-in-the-Wall outlaw network.
Open seasonally (typically May through September). Modest admission. Plan 2-3 hours.
Historic downtown and the brewery scene
Downtown Laramie is approximately 10 blocks of intact brick storefronts dating to the 1880s and 1890s, when Union Pacific railroad money and the new university built the town in its current form. Walking-tour brochures available at the visitor center.
The Laramie brewery scene, anchored by Altitude Chophouse and Brewery, Coal Creek Tap, and Bond’s Brewing Company, is the best of any Wyoming town. The university workforce supports the operations through the school year; the I-80 traveler economy supports them in summer.
Notable downtown stops:
- Coal Creek Tap. Strong beer selection, local crowd, food.
- Bond’s Brewing Company. Newest of the trio, open kitchen, family-friendly.
- Altitude Chophouse. The oldest, the most ambitious food, occasional live music.
- Crowbar & Grill. Long-running local bar with food.
- The Library Restaurant. Brunch and casual dinners, a college-town staple.
Vedauwoo Recreation Area
About 30 miles east of Laramie via I-80 (exit 329, then 5 miles south on a Forest Service road). The Vedauwoo Recreation Area is on the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest and includes some of the more bizarre granite rock formations in the West: massive rounded boulders, towers, and spires, scattered across 4,000 acres of pine forest.
For climbers, Vedauwoo is one of the most technically demanding crack-climbing destinations in North America. The granite is famously coarse (locally called “Vedauwoo crystal” for the way it abrades climbers’ skin) and the routes are pure crack: hand jams, fist jams, off-widths, the kind of climbing that requires technique rather than power. The Vedauwoo guidebook lists over 900 routes; the area has been a major climbing destination since the 1960s. The standard current guide is The Voo: Rock Climbing in Vedauwoo, Wyoming by Zach Orenczak and Rachael Lynn.
For non-climbers, Vedauwoo is a half-day of hiking among the formations, picnic area access, and excellent photography. Multiple short trails. Modest day-use fee.
Snowy Range Scenic Byway
Wyoming Route 130 climbs from Laramie westward over the Medicine Bow Mountains (the “Snowy Range”) to Saratoga, 80 miles total. The byway tops out at 10,847 feet at Snowy Range Pass and provides access to alpine lakes, hiking trails, and the Mirror Lake / Lake Marie viewpoints that are among the most-photographed Wyoming scenery outside the parks.
The road is open mid-June through October only (snow closes the high pass in winter). For visitors with a half-day, the drive to Mirror Lake and back from Laramie is approximately 4 hours including stops. For visitors with a full day, the loop continuing to Saratoga (and the Saratoga Hobo hot pool) and returning via I-80 is one of the better Wyoming day trips available.
University of Wyoming campus
The university campus is walkable from downtown. The American Heritage Center (a substantial archives and rare-books library) is open to public visitors and is one of the better academic Western-history collections in the country.
For visitors interested in Wyoming history research, the American Heritage Center holdings include extensive Buffalo Bill Cody, Tom Horn, and Johnson County War primary materials.
Laramie Plains Civic Center and the Ivinson Mansion
The 1892 Ivinson Mansion, downtown, was built by Edward Ivinson (one of Laramie’s founding cattlemen) and is now a small museum operated by the Laramie Plains Museum Association. Period furniture, local history exhibits, and one of the more atmospheric small museums in the state. Modest admission. One hour.
Where to eat
Laramie’s food scene is genuinely strong for a town this size, supported by the university workforce.
Sweet Melissa’s Cafe. Vegetarian, the longtime local favorite, downtown.
Anong’s Thai Cuisine. Real Thai food in Wyoming, run by the same family for over a decade.
The Library. Brunch and casual American, the college-town staple.
Altitude Chophouse and Brewery. As above, the destination dining option.
Lovejoy’s Bar and Grill. Steakhouse with strong cocktail program.
Sweet Melissa’s, Coal Creek Coffee Company, Night Heron Books and Coffeehouse. The trio of strong coffeehouses, all downtown.
Where to stay
Mid-range: Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn, Best Western around the I-80 interchange. $130-200/night most of the year.
Boutique: Vee Bar Guest Ranch, 22 miles west of Laramie in Centennial. Working guest ranch with horseback programs; $400-700/night per person all-inclusive.
Camping: Vedauwoo Recreation Area campground (30 minutes east). Multiple Medicine Bow-Routt campgrounds along the Snowy Range Scenic Byway.
During university events (graduation weekend in May, football game weekends in fall, the Wyoming State High School Activities Association tournaments): lodging fills and prices double. Plan accordingly if visiting during these windows.
When to visit
Summer (June-August): all roads open, Snowy Range at peak, university quieter. Best window for outdoor priorities.
Fall (September-November): strongest window. University in full session brings energy to downtown. Wyoming Cowboys football games are major events. Snowy Range fall colors in the aspens early-mid September.
Winter (December-March): ski areas open at Snowy Range. Town stays active with university. Laramie winter is genuinely cold (regularly below 0°F at night) but the wind is less aggressive than Cheyenne.
Spring (April-May): shoulder season. Snowy Range still snowed in. University commencement in mid-May brings a brief peak.
What’s around Laramie
- Cheyenne, Wyoming (45 minutes east via I-80): the state capital. The natural pairing for a Laramie trip.
- Vedauwoo (30 minutes east, as above).
- Centennial, Wyoming (40 minutes west): tiny mountain town, gateway to the Snowy Range, the Vee Bar Guest Ranch.
- Saratoga, Wyoming (90 minutes west via the Snowy Range): hot pool, the North Platte fly fishing.
- Fort Collins, Colorado (45 minutes south via US-287): substantial city for shopping and dining, brewery-tour destination.
- Snowy Range Ski Area (40 minutes west): small, family-friendly ski area, less crowded and much cheaper than Jackson.
Why Laramie matters
Laramie is the most consistently functional small Wyoming city for visitors. It has the substance of a university town (real coffee, real food, real bookstores, real brewery scene), the access of a freeway town (I-80 cuts through), and the wilderness adjacency of the Mountain West (Vedauwoo and Snowy Range within an hour). It is also genuinely affordable; lodging here runs 30-50% less than Jackson and 20-30% less than Cody or Sheridan.
For visitors driving I-80 across Wyoming, Laramie is the obvious overnight stop. For visitors planning a southeastern Wyoming circuit, pairing Laramie with Cheyenne covers both the state capital and the state university in a clean 3-4 day trip.
For students considering the University of Wyoming, Laramie is an underestimated college-town environment that punches well above the size of the institution. Tuition is among the lowest in the country for a full-research university.
Gear for Laramie and the Snowy Range
- Klean Kanteen insulated 20 oz — for the Snowy Range hike or the long drive to the next Wyoming town
- Pendleton wool blanket — Laramie at 7,165 ft is legitimately cold; wool is the answer
- Black Diamond Mojo Zip Chalk Bag — for Vedauwoo crack climbing; the coarse granite eats through chalk fast
Related reading on this site
- Cheyenne, Wyoming: the state capital and the Daddy of ‘Em All
- 9 Wyoming hot springs you can actually soak in
- 9 Wyoming ghost towns worth the drive
- Cheyenne Frontier Days: the complete guide
- Tom Horn: stock detective, hanged in Cheyenne 1903
Further reading
- T.A. Larson, History of Wyoming (University of Nebraska Press, 1978). The University of Wyoming and Laramie history is covered substantially.
- University of Wyoming American Heritage Center publications.
- Western History Quarterly (published by the Western History Association, headquartered at Utah State University but with strong Wyoming representation).
- Visit Laramie official site for current event calendars.
Frequently asked questions
What is Laramie, Wyoming known for?
The University of Wyoming (the state's only four-year university, founded 1886, about 12,000 students), historic downtown anchored by the Wyoming Territorial Prison (where Butch Cassidy served time), Vedauwoo Recreation Area (10 miles east, world-class rock climbing on dramatic granite formations), and the Snowy Range (40 miles west via Wyoming Route 130, the most accessible alpine country in southeastern Wyoming). Population about 32,000 with university session, smaller in summer.
How does Laramie compare to other Wyoming college towns?
Laramie is the only Wyoming town with a university large enough to define its character. The University of Wyoming employs over 2,000 people directly and supports a downtown coffee-and-brewery scene that is genuinely the best of any Wyoming town for visitors used to college towns elsewhere. Other Wyoming towns have community colleges; only Laramie has a research university and the cultural infrastructure that comes with it.
Is Laramie worth visiting if I'm not connected to the university?
Yes. Two days will cover the Wyoming Territorial Prison, the historic downtown (with strong brewery and coffee scene), one Vedauwoo half-day, and a Snowy Range scenic drive. The town is also the cheapest substantial Wyoming city for I-80 travelers (45 minutes west of Cheyenne, 2 hours from Denver). Pair with [Cheyenne](/wyoming/cheyenne-wyoming/) for a full state-capital-and-university trip.