Wyoming Information

Wyoming became the 44th state in 1890, adding 97,914 square miles to the United States and is an area of great variety and unsurpassed beauty. Long after statehood, Wyoming was a battleground where cattlemen and sheepherders engaged in open warfare. Modern Wyoming is more peaceful. Modern Wyoming is wildlife and wildlands. Wyoming is located in the Rocky Mountain section of the western United States, bounded on the north by Montana; on the east by South Dakota and Nebraska; on the south by Colorado and Utah; and on the west by Utah, Idaho and Montana.

Wyoming is the ninth largest state in the US and is made up of 23 counties. From the north border to the south border, it is 275 miles; from east to west, 365 miles. The highest point of elevation is Gannett Peak at 13,785 feet in Fremont and Sublette counties and the lowest level, 3,100 feet, is on the Belle Fourche River in Crook County. The state boasts diversity with high plains, desert, grasslands and mountains.

Wyoming has the second highest mean elevation in the United States, 6,700 feet above sea level. The climate is semi-arid, but because of its topographical diversity, the weather is quite varied. Annual precipitation varies from as little as five inches per year to as much as 45 inches per year, in the form of rain and snow.

Because of its elevation, Wyoming has a relatively cool climate. Above the 6,000 foot level, the temperature rarely exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit. For most of the summer, the average high temperatures in July range between 85 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Summer nights are almost invariably cool, even though daytime readings may be quite high at times. Away from the mountains, low July temperatures range from 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

For more information on visiting this great state, please visit www.travelwyoming.com.