Annual Festivals: Annual State Fair, Jackalope Days, High Plains Music Festival
Jackelope statue
In 1886, when the railroad neared Fort Fetterman, there were already some 2,000 people settled in an area surrounding the fort. The railroad company secretly selected the Douglas town site in order to prevent settlement before the town was laid out and before long, a thousand inhabitants were on hand building the new town. From the beginning, Douglas was in the midst of excellent cattle country and soon became an important shipping point. By 1890, the emphasis switched from livestock to agriculture and farming grew steadily.
In 1905, the Wyoming Legislature provided $10,000 for a Wyoming State Fair and the city of Douglas matched the funds. An additional $4000 was borrowed by local residents from local banks for operating expenses. Douglas continues to host the state fair every year.
As for outdoor recreation opportunities, Douglas has lots to choose from. Visitors can camp, hike, mountain bike, fish, hunt and view wildlife all around the area. Just to the south is the Laramie Mountain Range, Medicine Bow National Forest and the Platte River runs right through town. Don’t forget Ayres Natural Bridge located just 5 miles off of I-25. A remarkable natural bridge over La Prele Creek, the site offers a beautiful spot for a picnic.
Hiding six miles from the nearest "road" (a barely-discernable dirt track narrow enough to make spelunkers claustrophobic), I'm thinking the fish I am in search of aren't as stupid as I've been told. If they were stupid they'd be right off the road, where even the laziest of fishermen could toss a line in. read more
In the 1840s and 50s, nearly a half million pioneers, gold rush Forty-Niners and Pony Express Riders embarked along the Oregon Trail during the greatest overland migration the country has even seen. read more
