Elk Mountain is a quaint, little town nestled in the cottonwoods situated along the Medicine Bow River about 3 miles south of I-80 in Carbon County Wyoming.  The town sits at an elevation of 7,264 feet at the base of it's 11,156 foot namesake, Elk Mountain, so named after the Sioux Chief Standing Elk.  The Town of Elk Mountain stands as one of the gateways into the Medicine Bow National Forest and has a variety of activities for each season, some of which include world class trout fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, hiking, skiing, and camping.  Elk Mountain is a gorgeous place to get away and play. 

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From the time the trappers of the Ashley-Smith expedition first traveled through here in 1825 and on through to today, the Medicine Bow Valley and the settlements here have played an integral and important role in opening the way for travelers making their way across America.  With The Crossing Station here as early as 1860 and the Grand View Hotel here since 1905, Elk Mountain has been a place of rest and refuge on the journey for many weary travelers.  Nearby Fort Halleck was commissioned to protect travelers moving along the Overland Trail and served the area well for about four years.  Although Elk Mountain was never an end of track town as the Union Pacific Railroad blazed through the Wyoming Territory, the people here played a crucial role in supporting the coal mining and timber industries vital to the railroad's success.  As people came to work these industries, some families stayed and settled right here.  Many of them immigrated from Finland, Sweden and other European countries, bringing with them a rich diversity of cultures and traditions.  In addition to the railroad and the mining and timber industries that supported it,  Elk Mountain has a long and rich history of ranching.  Elk Mountain's claim to fame is the Famous Garden Spot Dance Pavilion.  The Garden Spot, with its renowned bouncy dance floor, hosted many dances and parties with popular musical performers such as Louis Armstrong, Lawrence Welk, Hank Thompson, Jim Reeves, Tommy Dorsey, Merle Haggard and many more.  Stop by the Elk Mountain Museum to learn more of Elk Mountain's important history.

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While some of the original settlements of this area are now ghost towns, the Town of Elk Mountain has managed to adapt through the changing times and needs of the transportation industry and still plays an important part in helping people get to where they are going.  The next time you're traveling through Wyoming, we hope you'll stop by for a visit

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