Glendo State Park is founded in one of Wyoming’s most historic areas. Spanish diggings, suggesting a large area of aboriginal activity, lies just a few miles east of the reservoir. Rising out of the reservoir’s east side at Sandy Beach is a series of sand dunes that reach from the Great Divide Basin and the Green River to the sand hills of Nebraska. The Arapaho and Cheyenne Indians arrived in Southeastern Wyoming and the North Platte River Basin in the 18th century. The Oglala and Brule Sioux arrived in the 1830s, moving into eastern Wyoming from South Dakota. Teepee rings can still be found at Glendo State Park and the surrounding area.
We went to Curt Gowdy Wyoming last summer and had a really good time. Glendo is one of the best state parks for camping too so we decided to try it.
It was a very different experience. We never saw a ranger and everything was very hands off. The only similarity was the amount of mountain biking trails. Glendo has 45 miles of trails to explore and Curt Gowdy had 35 miles.
Glendo’s reservoir is huge! When you look out from the beach it looks like it is ocean. The swim beach is 2 miles long.
Most of the people at the park were interested in water activities (jet skiing, paddle boarding, boating). I have never seen so many water activities going on at once.
The sunset was so beautiful over the reservoir.
Unfortunately, there was a fire ban in Wyoming so we brought our brand new gas operated fire pit. It was perfect and we could even roast marshmallows.
Glendo’s drive was about 1 ½ miles longer than Curt Gowdy. We passed Cheyenne and almost made it to Casper. Once we got into Glendo State Park, it was still another 45 minutes before we made it to our campground.
We stayed at the Sandy Beach Campground and it was at the very eastern side of the park. Our campsite was very secluded and we were not near people. It was lovely.
Behind our campsite was a stream that had so many toads. I caught one and showed the kids.
The kids had so much fun catching them and seeing all the different sizes they were. Unfortunately Carly got peed on by one of them.
I absolutely loved swimming in Glendo Reservoir. I swam a total of 3 miles in that water while I was there. Carly swam a ½ mile with me.
On the first 2 days, we went during peak times and there were a lot of people, boats, paddle boards, and jet skis. I got very nervous that they might not see me and run right over the top of me while I was swimming. Sandy Beach is a no wake zone area but I was still nervous.
On the last day, I decided to go out and swim at 8am when no one was out there. I was swimming along and heard a loud motor. I stopped and popped my head up to see a speed boat moving by very fast about 10 feet from me. The guy looked at me like I wasn’t supposed to be there but he was the one driving around in the no wake zone.
Connor and Lloyd did a lot of mountain biking and I went running behind them. Connor said that this was one of his favorite places that he has mountain biking so far. He loved the technical parts and the jumps.
There were some gorgeous birds that kept flying around the sunflowers. I think they are called yellow-headed blackbirds.
Camilla found some wildflowers that we have never seen before while we were walking along the Sandy Beach.
We saw so many deer wandering around our campground.
On the way home, we stopped at a cafe in Cheyenne and had some breakfast sandwiches and a delicious Honey Bee Latte.
This was our last vacation before we all return back to school.
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