The Southern Rockies are composed of steep, rugged mountains with high elevations. Although coniferous forests cover much of the region, as in most of the mountainous regions in the western United States, vegetation, soil and land use, follows a pattern of elevational diversity gradient, which is an ecological pattern where biodiversity changes with elevation.

The lowest elevations are generally grass or shrub covered and heavily grazed. Low to middle elevations are also grazed and covered by a variety of vegetation types including Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, aspen, and juniper-oak woodlands. Middle to high elevations are largely covered by coniferous forests and have little grazing activity. The highest elevations have alpine characteristics.

The easternmost part of the southern Rockies ecoregion of Wyoming is in the southeastern area of the state rising up from Colorado, adjacent to the Great Plains to the east and adjacent to the Wyoming Basin to the West. There is a separate more western part of the Southern Rockies ecoregion which is located in south central Wyoming which also rises up from Colorado, and which is adjacent only to the Wyoming Basin ecoregion.

Rocky Mountains Region, Wyoming

Southern Rockies Ecoregion

Red Feather Lakes, Roosevelt NF, CO.

Medicine Bow Mountains and National Forest

Snowy Range Mountains

Sierra Madre Mountains

Hobo Hot Springs, Saragoga, Wyoming

Continental Divide Trail

Battle Pass Scenic Byway

Snowy Range Scenic Byway

Awake, climb into the front seat, start the engine, drive to the w-mart for a quick stop to use the facilities and then I return to the jammer, and notice that there is an expansive sunglow in progress. I reach down to take my phone out of my pocket and snap a photo of the eastern sky sunglow.

Then I drive out of the parking lot, turn right on US 287 and drive north along the highway with the Great Plains on my right (to the east) and the Rocky Mountain foothills on my left (to the west). I continue in the foothills all the way to Wyoming and after crossing into Wyoming, continue in the Rocky Mountains to Laramie.

After filling my gas tank, I leave out of Laramie on SH 130 headed towards Snowy Pass and the Snowy Range Scenic Byway but before I even become close, I espy a sign informing me that the Snowy Range Pass is closed to all traffic. Previously, I have crossed this highway, but it has always been later in a warmer season, and which, upon arriving on the opposite side, would then drive to the Hobo Hot Springs in Saratoga, Wyoming, a scenic crossing of 95 miles, but a two hour drive.

Now, however, due to this current closure, I turn around, drive back to Laramie and then turn left on IH 80 west and drive around the north side of Medicine Bow Mountains before arriving at exit 235 in Walcot, Wyoming. Here I turn under the interstate onto SH 130 and drive south to Hobo Hot Springs. This alternate route is 97 miles and takes less than 1 and and half hours to drive. I know, the interstate is the quickest path, but all you get to see on this route is the Red Desert.

Then, after 21 miles south on SH 130, I cross the North Platte River and enter Saratoga, Wyoming.

Awake and find Joe already up and making coffee, so I get out my stove to make a cup of hot for myself. Then, I tell Joe good bye, after which I walk to Gordon′s van to tell him good bye and then drive out of the Red Feather Lakes forest, down to The Forks where I turn north on US 287, drive across the state line into Wyoming and turn west on IH 80 for a short ways until I arrive at the SH 130 exit.

Once on SH 130, I drive up into the Snowy Range mountains, which is in the Medicine Bow National Forest, but do not stop except for a couple of times to take photos and then down the west side towards Hobo Hot Springs in Saratoga, Wyoming.