Medicine Bow Rail-Trail

Build it and they will come....
That was the dream of many involved with making the Medicine Bow Rail-Trail a reality.
This trail is a non-motorized trail that has been converted from a portion of the abandoned Laramie, Hahns Peak and Pacific Railroad.
Construction of the trail began in the summer of 2005 and it was just completed in August 2007.

The Rail-Trail has a hard-packed gravel surface (like that found in a baseball outfield) averaging 10 feet wide.
It is suitable for mountain bikes or cycle-cross bikes (road bikes are not recommended).
Grades and curves are very gentle and suitable for users of varying abilities.
The trail is 21 miles from the Pelton Creek Trailhead in the south to the Dry Park Trailhead in the north.
The Pelton Creek, Woods Creek and Lake Owen Trailheads are open for use.
All three have accessible vault toilets and picnic tables. Lake Owen has a hand pump for water.
The outhouse at Lincoln Gulch will be installed in summer 2008 - and it's a donation from Cycle Wyoming to the trail users.

Click Here for the Trail Map

An overview of the conditions of the trailheads as of October 2007 and each of the trail segments is provided below:

Pelton Creek to Vienna Trailheads (6 miles)

Pelton Creek trailhead marks the southern end of the Rail-Trail.
Facilities include a restroom, picnic table and gravel parking area where a parking use fee is required.
To drive to the trailhead, take Forest Road 898 (north side of highway) just after crossing the state line on Highway 230. The trailhead is about a mile down the road.
The Vienna trailhead lacks any facilities but is well suited for horseback riders to load and unload their horses.
The path between these two trailheads is resurfaced with bicycle-friendly small gravel and rolling terrain.

Vienna to Woods Creek Trailheads (5 miles)

The trail along this segment is resurfaced with small gravel and is bicycle-friendly. The Woods Creek trailhead includes a restroom, picnic table and gravel parking area that requires a parking use fee. The trail is resurfaced but needs more use to keep weeds from sprouting on the path. The trail passes through a small segment of the 2003 Gramm forest fire, making it interesting to see how the forest is coming back.

Woods Creek to Lincoln Gulch Trailheads (3 miles)

The trail crosses Highway 230 with easy-to-open gates on each side of the highway. Use caution when crossing the highway. The trail from Highway 230 north to Fox Park is unimproved and rough. A culvert washout was repaired this summer but resurfacing was not completed. It will be resurfaced later this season or next summer. While the route is rough, it is fine via mountain bicycle.
The Rail-Trail reroutes through Fox Park due to the lack of access for a short segment of the railbed. There’s a steep but very short drop from the railbed to the gravel road that curves through Fox Park. Follow Forest Road 512 for a short bit before taking the 90-degree turn onto Forest Road 517, heading north. Follow this road just past Fox Park and then turn north, back onto the Rail-Trail.
The Lincoln Gulch trailhead has a gravel parking area but no other facilities. A restroom, being donated by the non-profit group Cycle Wyoming, is slated to be in place next summer

Lincoln Gulch to Lake Owen Trailheads (5 miles)

This segment of trail is the most bicycle-friendly of all the trail segments. Parking at either end and doing an out-and-back is an excellent route for a family outing. The trail is resurfaced with small gravel and the terrain is flat to rolling.
The trailhead at Lake Owen includes a restroom, picnic tables, potable water supply and gravel parking area. A caboose is also on the site along with information reader boards about the railroad. An added treat is the handicap-accessible hiking trail that takes a mile-long path around Lake Owen. A campground and additional parking areas are on the southeast end of the lake and all sites require a day use parking permit.

Lake Owen to Dry Park Trailheads (2 miles)

The trail from Lake Owen to Dry Park is a bit soft, but has an excellent small gravel surface. It was recently resurfaced and just needs more traffic to help pack it down. The terrain is flat to rolling and provides an excellent option for beginner cyclists.
The Dry Park trailhead lacks any development or facilities, but has a dirt parking area. There is no fee required to park at this site.

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