Fontenelle Creek Recreation Area
RV Guide

For families that are looking to enjoy some sand and surf on their RV holiday, a trip to Fontenelle Creek Recreation Area will not disappoint. This much-loved park and camping facility sits on the same grounds as the Fontenelle Reservoir, a manmade body of water which was created to stem the overflow from the Green River.

When temperatures start to soar in the summer months, swimming is extremely popular here. Lifeguard service is not provided, so families must be prepared to swim at their own risk and only enter the reservoir when the water is calm.

Other popular activities at Fontenelle Creek Recreation Area include fishing, boating, canoeing, and kayaking. A picnic lunch is all that is needed to make a trip to Fontenelle Reservoir complete.

No trip to Fontenelle Creek Recreation Area would be complete without a walk around downtown Kemmerer and a visit to the J C Penney House and Museum. This property was inducted into the National Register of Historic Places in the year 1976.

Though it takes only a small amount of time to tour the buildings, it is definitely worth the effort to enjoy a small sampling of America's rich history. The museum employs a full-time staff member to provide tours and information about the history of the store and former home as well as local facts about the area.

During a visit to J C Penney House and Museum, families can enjoy exploring the building whose claim to fame is the very first J C Penney store in the United States.

For hours of operation, tour times, and any associated fees, consult the museum's website.

Fossil Butte National Monument is an interesting place for families to visit on their RV stay at Fontenelle Creek Recreation Area. The property bears the distinction of being home to a vast collection of freshwater fish fossils. In the prehistoric past, this portion of the state was submerged beneath water, making it ideally suited to the preservation of skeletal remains.

Fossil Lake still remains on the grounds and is a natural habitat for many different animals. Among the fossil remains found on the grounds are alligators, turtles, bats, fish, small horses, and insects.

But Fossil Butte National Monument offers more attractions than simply the opportunity to view a wide array of fossil exhibits. The landscape is extremely diverse and rugged, making it well-suited to hiking. There are several well-marked, developed trails for families to use.

Also found on the grounds is a visitor center that provides interactive exhibits families can partake in to learn more about the culture and history of the region.

For more information about hours of operation, programs, and any associated fees, consult the monument's website.

A visit to the National Bighorn Sheep Interpretive Center is a unique experience. Located in the town of Dubois, Wyoming, the region is home to a large grouping of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. When the town's industry began to falter, local officials considered the construction of a wildlife habitat specifically for these unusual creatures as a tourist draw. A cooperative effort led to the construction of the National Bighorn Sheep Interpretive Center, a building that offers the typical services of a visitor center with an emphasis on the bighorn sheep and their importance in the region.

The building was completed and presented to the public in 1993. Today, the property is staffed by personnel that can provide helpful information as to area attractions including hotels, restaurants, and points of interest.

Bring along a camera on this adventure to capture photos of the bighorn sheep, a fascinating sight to behold in person.

Grand Teton National Park is a much-beloved place to visit on an RV stay at Fontenelle Creek Recreation Area. The property is believed to have ancient origins that stretch back at least 10,000 years. In ancient times the land was inhabited by Paleo-Indians, and evidence of their life on the land still exists today.

There are several points of interest found within this popular public facility. Many families like to spend some time in the Menors Ferry Historic District, a section of the park that prominently houses a former country store, a ferry that offers service in the summer months, and a building known as the Chapel of Transfiguration.
Another area attraction includes the Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum, a building which details life in the Jackson Hole region which includes a history of the park itself.

Wyoming Frontier Prison played an important role in the state's history. The facility was in operation for over 80 years and was the original penitentiary in Wyoming.

The prison has a controversial history, making it an interesting place to spend a day exploring the grounds. Building began on the prison in 1888; however, low municipal funds coupled with poor weather conditions led to delays. The penitentiary would not see completion for an additional thirteen years.

1901 was the prison's first year of operation. At that time, there were 104 cells in the facility and none of them offered power or water. The building was renowned for being exceptionally cold.

In its 80 years of operation, Wyoming Frontier Prison housed 13,500 inmates. Eleven of those prisoners were women. One of the primary problems facing prison officials was constant overcrowding. This led to several expansion projects on the building over the years.

Over the prison's history, several different methods of disciplinary action were employed; many of them considered cruel by today's standards. These include the use of a dungeon, solitary confinement, and a crude system in which men were attached to poles and beaten with rubber hoses.

In operation during the death penalty years, prison officials used a number of means to execute prisoners. In the initial years, gallows were the favored method of putting an inmate to death. In time, the prison would institute its own death row and would adopt gassing as their preferred method of execution.

In 1981, the prison closed permanently. The penitentiary has been used as a movie set for several different films. However, much damage was done to the grounds. In 1988, the Wyoming Frontier Prison was named to the National Registry of Historic Places.