Laramie, WY – We hiked the Libby Creek Trail Loop, about 4.5 miles in length, which starts from the Green Rock Trailhead in the Snowy Range section of the Medicine Bow National Forest. For hikes in this region, we refer to “Hiking Wyoming’s Medicine Bow National Forest” by Marc Smith. The closest entry town is Centennial, Wyoming. The hike is actually a lollipop that starts and ends on Barber Lake Trail and combines the Libby Creek Trail. The route gains about 1,000 feet elevation and takes you through pine forest with other scenery along the route. The trail is a mix of shade and sun and there were definitely mosquitoes on the sections close to streams and Libby Creek.
Green Rock Trailhead along Highway 130
From the trailhead parking lot, which offers a vault toilet, head across the bridge and begin a slight descent on Barber Lake Trail for about 1/4 mile. Stop to take in the view of the creek and distant mountains shortly after the bridge. Continue to the junction and turn right onto Libby Creek Trail. Trails are signed, look up higher than expected, as this is also a winter cross country ski route and the signs would be buried in the winter at normal height. Libby Creek Trail climbs fairly quickly to gain the ridge. The hike is mostly through forest with intermittent views of meadows, flowers, streams, and other forested hillsides.
Cross the bridge from the parking lot to start on the Barber Lake Trail
Mountain view from near the bridge
The beginning of Libby Creek Trail
Lupine along the trail
Libby Creek Trail
View from the ridge on above Libby Creek
A meadow along the ridge section
After crossing a section of the ridge, signage directs a left turn to stay on Libby Creek Trail. This sections heads downhill to Libby Creek, which we heard before we could see in mid-July. The trail then parallels the creek for a distance, with some sections that were a little wetter and muddy. The trail becomes more rocky starting with a rocky hillside before climbing up to reach Barber Lake Trail where the rocks take over the trail. Turn left to return to the trailhead. From this junction with Barber Lake it is about 3/4 mile back.
I spotted this painted rock at the turn to head downhill to Libby Creek
Libby Creek in mid July
Rocky hillside
Trail junction signs are located high as this is also a winter ski route
After our hike we continued west on Highway 130 for views of the snow covered mountains of the Snowy Range. You can also see the mountains of Rocky Mountain National Park to the south. Near the Brooklyn Lodge turnoff, I spotted a large male moose eating in willows.
The scenic Snowy Range in Wyoming
Bull moose I spotted from the road
Another shot of the moose
While in Laramie this trip we also hiked the Alpine Lakes Loop. We stayed at the Laramie KOA, which is about 45 minutes from the Snowy Range area of the Medicine Bow National Forest. We have previously car camped and hiked from the Sugar Loaf National Forest Campground and often snowmobiled in this region from the Albany Lodge while living in Fort Collins, Colorado.
