Everyone loves to take a day trip once in a while, and there are several places within a short drive from Laramie, Wyoming that you and your family can enjoy. One place that should not be missed is Rawlins, Wyoming. Rawlins has a rich history that includes many frontier and Old West stories, and you can get your fill of gunslinger history when you’re there.

Rawlins was a railroad town that was founded in 1868 and became a popular departure point for those seeking gold in South Pass. You can visit the old rail stations while you’re there, and then go see the original building for Wyoming’s state prison. The Old Frontier Prison looks almost medieval with its stone façade, and it really is quite a sight. The Old Frontier Prison also houses the Frontier Prison Museum and the Wyoming Peace Officers’ Museum. If you’re lucky enough to visit during October, then you should not miss the Halloween Night tour of the prison, but be sure to make reservations early.

The most famous outlaw in Rawlins’ illustrious history is Big Nose George Parrot. With a colorful history of robberies and shootings, it’s no wonder that he was caught and sentenced to hang. The doctor that took possession of the body, Dr. John E. Osborne, made a death mask with Parrot’s famous profile, which can still be seen, along with other artifacts from Parrot’s life and death, at the Rawlins Carbon County Museum.

Of course, you can’t leave Rawlins without visiting The Uplift. This thrust-faulted anticline is a unique rock feature formed by shifts in the Earth’s crust. In the exposed rock, you can see fossilized remains of prehistoric plants and animals, as well as rock formations that you can’t see anywhere else. Truly, Rawlins is worth the trip.