Photography in the Casper, WY area

I have to go the Casper for 12 days for work and was looking for wildlife photo opportunities in the area. I'd love to drive over to the Tetons, but since I leave next week, I'm sure the crowds in the Teton/Yellowstone area will be horrendous. Anyone have any ideas or experience in the area? I'll post a similar post on the landscape threads to see what may shake out there too.

Thanks

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Hey, Woody!

I'm sorry - I've been offline for quite some time, and didn't see this thread until now. . Ironically, since I was last online back in early June, I traveled through the Casper Wyoming area twice - once going and once returning.

So .... how did you do while there? . What kinds of opportunities did you find in the area?

Would love to hear about your time there and to see some pics.


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There's antelope all around Casper. You could head up the mountain and try to find something up there.

Conversely, you could also head north to Bighorn National Forest. There's more antelope, moose and what not. About 1-2 hours from Casper.

huntersdad wrote in post #18892575
There's antelope all around Casper. You could head up the mountain and try to find something up there.

Conversely, you could also head north to Bighorn National Forest. There's more antelope, moose and what not. About 1-2 hours from Casper.

Thanks. I've seen lots of antelope along US26 from Casper to Shoshoni. Unfortunately, most are quite a ways from the highway and when I stopped, they decided to leave. I noticed they are in seasonal coat change and look pretty ragged. I don't blame them for shedding, it’s been in the mid to upper 90's the past two days.

I drove up to Buffalo and over across the lower part of the Big Horn on US16. It was really nice.

Today, after several emails and a conference call, I struck out for the Tetons. A long drive from Casper, but what a beautiful place. I went straight through and over to Jackson Hole (what a mad house that was) and came back. I tried to get into the visitor’s center to get a map, but there was nowhere to park and I had the nagging little over 4 hour drive back on my mind. I’m sure I missed some really good stuff. I did see at least one of every critter I thought I would except a moose. Unfortunately, most were seen while at road speed or were too far for my 400mm. Regardless, it was a treat. It’s not the perfect "photo trip" but I'm 2,000 miles closer than I am from home and this is a business trip.

By the way, there’s a nice little waterfall north of town in Rotary Park. When I got up there the light was bad, and the wind was blowing 30+ mph.

Thanks to all for the ideas. I hope to visit a camera shop listed in downtown Casper tomorrow. Maybe a drive up to Cody to the Firearms Museum Sunday. Glad I have unlimited mileage on my rental. All the better stuff is 2-4 hours away.

I'm finaly home from my Wyoming trip. I took the advise of several of you and some of the locals I was working with.

Here are the ones I thought worthy of sharing. I ended up driving about 2,000 miles rambling the state.

Thanks for all the input and encouragement.

Woody

https://woodawg.smugmu​g.com/Wyoming/

Tom,

I've attached a link to my SmugMug page with the photos in a previous post. I'll list it below again for convenience. Capser is a neat town. I mentioned in an earlier post about a neat waterfall north of town in Rotary Park. It would probably be photogenic in the right lighting. I also found the prairie dogs, antelope and mule deer just 5 miles outside Casper on some WY Landtrust land. I also found a prairie rattlesnake that I took a not very good photo of before it decided to crawl off into some high grass in this same area. The other pictures are from the lower portion of the Big Horn Mountains and the Tetons. I did see a yearling grizzly in the Tetons but it was too far off and in brush that prevented a photo. No moose this this trip, but did see a lot fo bison over in the Tetons a good ways from the highway.

Being from the east (NC) we get lots of heavy thunderstorms, but its hard to tell just how big they are because of the limited sight distance. However, when you can see for 100 miles on the horizon you can see some REALLY BIG thunderstorms in Casper area. I tired to get some lightning photos but that ddin't workout. My plan to try some star photos were ditched to cludy nights, or very windy.

Everytime I commmented on how much I liked the area and people to a local, they would respond "come back in February and tell me that".

Woody

Woody, you got some very nice landscapes, enjoyed looking at them. Hope you made it to Cody to see the gun collection, I thought it was awesome when I was able to visit there. Beautiful area you visited, trouble is, the distance can be overwhelming and I hesitate sometimes to pass on ideas. Seems that section of the country always has something that is a must see just two hours away, when you get there it is only two more hours from another awesome site. Before you know it you are now 8 hours from your Motel.

Grizz1 wrote in post #18897219
Woody, you got some very nice landscapes, enjoyed looking at them. Hope you made it to Cody to see the gun collection, I thought it was awesome when I was able to visit there. Beautiful area you visited, trouble is, the distance can be overwhelming and I hesitate sometimes to pass on ideas. Seems that section of the country always has something that is a must see just two hours away, when you get there it is only two more hours from another awesome site. Before you know it you are now 8 hours from your Motel.

Thank you. You are so right. I did make it Cody. The firearms museum is awesome. After about 3 hours it dawned on me that I had a 3 1/2 hour drive back to my hotel in Casper. Like you said, there are lots of great places in Wyoming, the only thing is they are 2-4 hours from each other. One of the locals I was working with stated, "our state is kind of blah in the middle and exceptional around the edges"..

Lt Colonel wrote in post #18896893
I'm finally home from my Wyoming trip. I ended up driving about 2,000 miles rambling the state.

That's great!

Driving around Wyoming ...... that's, like, one of the best things a person could possibly do with their time. . Lucky you!

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Lt Colonel wrote in post #18897005
Tom,
I've attached a link to my SmugMug page with the photos in a previous post. I also found a prairie rattlesnake that I took a not very good photo of before it decided to crawl off into some high grass in this same area.

I checked out the images that you put on Smugmug - fun stuff! I especially like the panoramic image of the Tetons that you used as the banner at the top of the page.

Shame you couldn't manage to get a better photo of the Rattlesnake .... I would've enjoyed seeing that. . I've had good success "coralling" rattlesnakes with my boot or a stick, and kinda not letting them go under cover, so that they stay our in the open where I can photograph them effectively. . But I suppose it could be a bit risky, especially if you're not used to working with them.

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Tom Reichner wrote in post #18897625
That's great!

Driving around Wyoming ...... that's, like, one of the best things a person could possibly do with their time. . Lucky you!

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I checked out the images that you put on Smugmug - fun stuff! I especially like the panoramic image of the Tetons that you used as the banner at the top of the page.

Shame you couldn't manage to get a better photo of the Rattlesnake .... I would've enjoyed seeing that. . I've had good success "coralling" rattlesnakes with my boot or a stick, and kinda not letting them go under cover, so that they stay our in the open where I can photograph them effectively. . But I suppose it could be a bit risky, especially if you're not used to working with them.

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The Tetons were amazing. I'd love to see them when the air is a bit clearer, but beggers can't be choosers.

Yeah, I'm not much into snake wrangling especially wearing low cut hiking shoes . Or for that matter pretty much any shoe since seeing what happened when my daughter was bitten by a copperhead.

Hello I am glad you had a nice time on your trip, I passed through Casper on the way to Yellowstone, I drove from Richmond Va to
Yellowstone National. That is some beautiful country. Strange highway and speed limits to say the lease. Love it out there.

N2bnfunn wrote in post #18899281
Hello I am glad you had a nice time on your trip, I passed through Casper on the way to Yellowstone, I drove from Richmond Va to
Yellowstone National. That is some beautiful country. Strange highway and speed limits to say the lease. Love it out there.

Thank you. It is a beautiful area. Wow, that's an incredible drive. I’ll be in central Illinois, Iowa, Indiana Utah and Montana over the next several weeks. Not much into photographing cornfields but I may be able to sneak in a free day in Montana or Utah. Sounds like an excuse for a Canon R for travel.

I I agree about the speed limits. Even on the secondary roads the speed limits are 65 unless otherwise posted according to the locals I was working with.