Curt Gowdy State Park

Curt Gowdy State Park
Wyoming State Park
Named for: Curt Gowdy
Country	United States
State	Wyoming
Counties	Laramie, Albany
Elevation	7,598 ft (2,316 m)
Coordinates	41°10′25″N 105°13′36″W / 41.17361°N 105.22667°W / 41.17361; -105.22667Coordinates: 41°10′25″N 105°13′36″W / 41.17361°N 105.22667°W / 41.17361; -105.22667
Area	3,552 acres (1,437 ha)
Established	1971
Management	Wyoming Division of State Parks and Historic Sites
Visitation	120,000
Location in Wyoming
Website: Curt Gowdy State Park

Curt Gowdy State Park is state-operated, public recreation area located on Wyoming Highway 210, halfway between Cheyenne and Laramie, 24 miles (39 km) from each city, in Albany and Laramie counties, Wyoming. The state park covers 3,552 acres (1,437 ha) and is known for its extensive trail system, fishing reservoirs, and Hynds Lodge, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The park was established in 1971 through a lease agreement with the City of Cheyenne and the Boy Scouts. It was originally called Granite State Park and covered 2,473 acres (1,001 ha). In 1972, it was renamed in honor of Wyoming native and sportscaster Curt Gowdy (1919–2006).

In 2006, the park saw initiation of an International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) trail improvement project. The trail system earned the IMBA's "Epic" designation in 2009. In 2009, Wyoming began a program to build additional hiking trails in several Wyoming state parks. Curt Gowdy State Park served as the pilot project for the program, with 32 miles of additional trails. The state required that the newly built trails do not fundamentally alter the landscape of the park. Funding for the trails came from federal and state funds and private donations.

Trail improvements resulted in a substantial increase in visitorship with number of annual visitors to the park increasing from 56,000 in 2006 to 120,000 in 2013. To accommodate the park's newfound popularity, a new state-of-the-art, green-certified, visitor center was opened in 2014.

Park terrain consists of rolling hills and sharp granite outcroppings in the foothills of the Laramie Mountains. Elevation ranges from 6,450 feet (1,970 m) to over 7,500 feet (2,300 m). Wildlife that can be found include: kokanee salmon, perch, brown, rainbow and lake trout, white-tailed deer, and mule deer. The park is divided into seven sections centering around three reservoirs: Granite Springs, the largest, Crystal, the smallest, and the isolated North Crow, located northwest of the main park.