Have you ever wondered what town in Wyoming looks down on all the rest? To be a contender, the town has to be one that is the highest town in Wyoming and is permanently occupied year-round. There is one town that meets both of those criteria and it’s worth exploring. Having the highest elevation in Wyoming isn’t the only interesting thing about Encampment. There are so many cool things to do in Encampment, Wyoming.

Wikipedia/RCsprinter123
Encampment is a town located in Carbon County along the Wyoming/Colorado border. With an elevation of 7,277', it is the highest town in the state.
Flickr/Shiny Things
Pictured is the town of Encampment from State Route 70. The town has a total area of 1.60 square miles and a population of around 440.
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The Encampment River flows north along the eastern side of the town. The river is a 44-mile-long tributary of the North Platte River.
TripAdvisor/Jakepenn
This small Wyoming settlement is also known as Grand Encampment. The town was once a booming town of copper mining and smelting.
TripAdvisor/Jakepenn
A 16-mile tramway was built to carry the ore from the mountains into the town. Once in the town, the metal was extracted from the ore by a heating and melting process known as smelting. At the time, the steam-powered tramway was the longest in the world.
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The mining company eventually went bankrupt. This was due to a sharp drop in copper prices and extensive fires.

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One of the best history museums in Wyoming is located in Encampment. It recreates the town's history of copper mining, logging, and ranching.
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The museum consists of over 15 historic buildings with thousands of displays. There's even a research library in the Doc Culleton Interpretive Center.
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Not only is there a museum but there's an eclectic market known as The Red Wagon. This marketplace and coffee shop features handmade goods from the area. Some of the merchandise there includes handmade soap, yarn, and art. They also serve fresh-brewed coffee, Italian cream sodas, and homemade lemonade.
TripAdvisor/Jakepenn
Where else would you find a double-decker outhouse? This interesting structure is known as the Early Day High Mountain Outhouse. It was built in 1976 for the Bicentennial.
TripAdvisor/A TripAdvisor Member
If you decide to spend the night, there's a rustic bed & breakfast. The Whispering Winds Bed & Breakfast offers spacious rooms, delicious food, and beautiful views of the valley.
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If you want to get out and explore the surrounding landscape, nearby is Green Mountain Falls Trail. This is a hiking trail lined with aspens that leads to a beautiful series of falls known as the Green Mountain Falls.

Get an in-depth look at the history and culture of Encampment:

The highest town in Wyoming may be small in size but it’s big on character. Do you have any favorite things to do in Encampment, Wyoming? Let us know in the comments.

For the smallest town in Wyoming, check out The Smallest Town In America Is Right Here In Wyoming.

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More to Explore

The Best Towns in Wyoming

William Suphan | March 22, 2023

What are the most beautiful towns in Wyoming?

The most beautiful towns in Wyoming include:

  • Dubois. This is one of the most gorgeous towns in Wyoming and it is surrounded by the Wind River Mountains, the Absarokas, and the Rocky Mountains.
  • Sundance. This lovely town in the Black Hills was where the Sundance Kid was jailed and today it is quite progressive.
  • Story. Nestled near the Bighorn Mountains, this beautiful town is a haven for artists and only has a population of 900.
  • Thermopolis. People from all over the state come here to soak in the hot springs and it has the largest mineral hot spring on the planet.

Learn more about the most beautiful towns in Wyoming. 

What are the most historical towns in Wyoming?

The most historical towns in Wyoming include:

  • Laramie. Starting as a tent city along the Union Pacific Railroad line in the 1860s, Laramie was named after a French trapper. 
  • Evanston. Established in 1868, Evanston had a roundhouse for locomotives and was an important stop on the Lincoln Highway.
  • Rock Springs. Immigrants from many countries worked in the coal mines here and it became known as the Home of 56 Nationalities.
  • Cheyenne. The state’s capital was built around the Union Pacific Railroad and was named after the local Native American nation that lived here.

Find out more about the most historical towns in Wyoming. 

What are the most charming small towns in Wyoming?

The most charming small towns in Wyoming include:

  • Ten Sleep. Sitting at the base of the Big Horn Mountains, this town has several museums and a great brewery.
  • Hulett. This town rests among the reddish cliffs of the Belle Fourche River and is surrounded by prairies, pine bluffs, and the Bear Lodge National Forest.
  • Hartville. As the oldest continuing incorporated town in the state, this town has many of its original buildings still standing.
  • Kemmerer. This town has a rich history and is home to the first JC Penney store in the world. 

Discover more about the most charming small towns in Wyoming. 

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Encampment, WY 82325, USA