Casper (pop 49000), nicknamed 'the oil capital of the Rockies', is Wyoming's second largest city. Tucked alongside the North Platte River, Casper's skyline is dominated by Casper Mountain (ele. 8485 ft) to the south and is framed by expansive grasslands to the north. Casper, founded during the mid 1800's as a way station along the Oregon Trail, quickly became a popular stop for restocking and trade. Casper continues to cherish its Oregon Trail history and is the location of the recently built National Historic Trails Interpretive Center, a museum dedicated to the trails and the pioneers that crossed them. The Casper area is an interesting land for exploration, and offers a good amount of recreational opportunity along with a colorful history and remarkable scenery.
Casper is located along I-25 and is easily accessed by car. Natrona County Airport is located in Casper and hosts several national airlines that offer daily service. Visitors will find a variety of accommodations fitting any type of budget as well as a host of quality eateries to choose from (though there are a disproportionatly large number of steakhouses).