BILL SNIFFIN

Perspective

As the snow melts and the temperatures climb, it marks a good time to think about places to see here in Wyoming. I always thought it would be fun to develop a list of what could be considered our Seven Natural Wonders.

When the idea came to me to promote what seemed the most likely seven wonders, well, it was not as easy as originally thought.

With lots of friends around the state, I made the mistake of asking them what areas they thought would qualify?

They came up with at least 50 wonders and you can bet when this column gets published from one end of the state to the other, well, my readers will let me know what an incomplete list I've compiled here. Doggone it, why isn't my favorite place listed?

Two wonders were on everybody's list. My No. 1 was Yellowstone National Park, the world's first national park. And what a wonder it is! And No. 2 was its next-door neighbor, the Grand Tetons/Jackson Hole area. Most also agreed the world's first national monument, Devils Tower, should be No. 3, along with the Wyoming Black Hills, which it dominates.

But coming up with the four other wonders proved to be somewhat more controversial.

Journalist Shelley Ridenour of Rawlins talked about Aspen Alley on the Battle Mountain Highway and Silver Lake in the Snowy Range. Pat Schmidt of Thermopolis lobbied for the Beartooth Mountains.

Worland State Rep. Debbie Hammons said that surely my list would include the Medicine Wheel and Chief Joseph Highway. Bed and Breakfast owner Marv Brown lobbied hard for Devil's Gate and Red Canyon.

Kari Cooper of Jackson says the most beautiful place in Wyoming is the headwaters of the Green River near Pinedale. Carole Perkins of Sheridan touted Shell Falls outside of Greybull.

Former Cheyenne resident Mike Lindsey could not imagine how the Oregon Trail could not make the list. State Rep. Pete Illoway of Cheyenne pushed hard for Hell's Half Acre and Wind River Canyon, with the latter also being Tucker Fagan's favorite.

Former Gov. Mike Sullivan, Casper, pitched the Chugwater formation with its red rock formations ranging from Flaming Gorge to Red Canyon to Thermopolis.

Rodger McDaniel of Cheyenne said he thought Elk Mountain, Gannett Peak and any one of several rivers should be on my list. Secretary of State Max Maxfield likes the Big Horn Mountains and also boosted Sinks Canyon. Tom Lacock of Cheyenne wanted Wind River Canyon and the Saratoga Hot Springs included.

Pennie Hunt of Laramie thought our wide-open spaces should be listed. The Great Divide Basin in the Red Desert was pushed by Charlie Smith.

Dave Langerman wanted more waterfalls. Vince Tomassi of Diamondville railed at me for not touting Fossil Butte. My daughter Shelli thought Bighorn Canyon deserved consideration. Jeff Rose of Lingle likes Guernsey State Park. Also Vedauwoo outside of Laramie.

Jim Hicks of Buffalo said the Seven Brothers Lakes and Lake Solitude are four-mile hikes into the Cloud Peak Wilderness and deserve consideration. Ernie Over pushed for Togwotee Pass and the red walls around Butch Cassidy country.

Travel Commission Chairman Gene Bryan offered up a host of sites including the usual suspects but also added the gangplank west of Cheyenne, Wapiti Valley, McCullough Peaks, Greybull's Sheep Mountain and a special plug for South Pass for what it meant to the country.

Many agreed the vast Red Desert should count as No. 4 with all its various sites including the many buttes, Boar's Tusk, Killpecker Sand Dunes and all the other unique places tucked away in this gigantic area.

The fact that the Thermopolis Hot Springs are the largest in the world makes it easy to include as No. 5.

Whew. Just two left to go.

Rodger is right. I need to include at least one river on my list. My choice is the North Platte River System. This huge river makes up five reservoirs and carries more water than any other river in our state. But we sure have wonderful rivers like the Snake, Green, Laramie, Sweetwater, Popo Agie, Wind/Bighorn, Greybull, Tongue and even the Powder. But the North Platte is No. 6 on my list with all its wondrous sites from Saratoga to Casper to Torrington.

My No. 7 is South Pass, with all its meaning to the country. Without this natural gap in the mountain ranges, the USA of today would probably only reach to the mountains. Some 350,000 emigrants traveled the Oregon, California and Mormon Trails in the 19th century over South Pass to extend our country to the Pacific. The history around that area is superb for any tourist to enjoy.

So there you have it.

No doubt you will not agree on all of them. You should agree with me that there are hundreds of places that are wonderful natural wonders to see in our great state.

What are your seven favorite natural wonders of Wyoming?

Check out Bill Sniffin's columns at www.billsniffin.com. He is a longtime Wyoming journalist and columnist from Lander.