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Fort Laramie National Historic Site

An Aerial View Of Fort Laramie National Historic Site

"Originally established as a private fur trading fort in 1834, Fort Laramie evolved into the largest and best known military post on the Northern Plains before its abandonment in 1890. This 'grand old post' witnessed the entire sweeping saga of America’s western expansion and Indian resistance to encroachment on their territories."

John Gilpin via NPS
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Tribes Want Government To Review 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty, Return Lands

A treaty negotiated more than 150 years ago between the Standing Rock and Oglala Sioux tribes at Fort Laramie, Wyoming, needs to be reviewed and enforced, particularly the section that called for a "Great Sioux Reservation" for the two tribes for their "absolute and undisturbed use and occupation," say the tribes.

Photography In The National Parks: Lewis And Clark National Historical Park’s Fort Clatsop

If you are ever near the port town of Astoria, Oregon, you should take a little time for a side trip to Fort Clatsop, at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. Contributing photographer Rebecca Latson visited during her exploration of the Pacific Northwest portion of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and returns with a little history as well as ideas for capturing photos of what you might see during your own visit.

National Parks Traveler Episode 115: Western Expansion Through Fort Laramie

Appearance of Fort William/John/Laramie as painted by Alfred Jacob Miller pre-1840/public domain

If you're searching for the door that opened Westward Expansion, find yourself at Fort Laramie National Historic Site in eastern Wyoming. It's decidedly a side trip from anywhere, as it's about 100 miles north of Cheyenne, the state capital, and maybe 55 miles west of Scottsbluff, Nebraska. From Interstate 25, the nearest major highway, the drive is not quite 30 miles and 40 minutes from Wheatland, Wyoming.

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National Parks Traveler Episode 114: Walking The Grounds Of Fort Laramie

Fort Laramie National Historic Site in eastern Wyoming is a rare, overlooked outpost in the National Park System. It's not the only 19th century fort in the system, but it is richly steeped in Western history, from the fur trappers and the cavalry to the Oregon Trail and the Pony Express. During a recent visit, Kurt Repanshek and Fort Laramie Ranger Clayton Hanson walked the grounds. In this week's episode, the first of two episodes, they started at the approximate site of original Fort William and headed over to the sutler's store.

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Be Surprised By America's National Parks

The two of us have enjoyed a half century of travel, much of it devoted to visiting America’s national parks. The initial three decades involved travel in a series of four Volkswagen campers, a vehicle we loved, but that disappeared in 2004 from VW dealers in the United States. If only the company would export its California van to the U.S. More recently we tented and stayed in national park lodges. The many national park visits offered some wonderful surprises including these ten that we seem to remember best.

UPDATE | Wyoming To Ease Covid-19 Restrictions At Month's End, Doesn't Ensure National Park Openings

Wyoming officials by month's end plan to ease off on restrictions put in place to slow the spread of coronavirus, but that doesn't mean access to Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks or other park system units in the state will quickly return.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.