Just to the southeast of Laramie, I-80 cuts through an edge of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest where a string of picnic areas and campgrounds are scattered between the interstate highway and U.S. Route 210. This region of southeastern Wyoming charts some of the oldest landscapes in Wyoming, excluding the Grand Tetons which are significantly older. Here an uplift of the Laramie Mountains occurred about 70 million years ago. Since then erosion has stripped away the softer overlying sediments exposing some tough Sherman Granite. These ancient rocks are what make the Vedauwoo (VEE - dah - voo) Recreation Area such a tantalizing stop between Laramie and Cheyenne.
   Vedauwoo's hoodoos and rocky outcrops attract outdoor enthusiast bent on chimney climbs, crack climbing, rappelling, mountain biking, and hiking in this rock-garden wonderland. Grouped together in large granite towers, the huge granite blocks have been smoothed and polished by windblown sand. Rock hounds will also discover some of the younger rock formations contain fossils of sea urchins, snails and sea lilies.
   Deeper into the forest preserve, hikers and wildlife fans may spot ground squirrels, mule deer, elk, moose, wild turkeys and yellow-bellied marmots. Open plains are home to pronghorn and prairie dogs, while coyotes and mountain lions are seldom seen but still make the Medicine Bow-Routt Forest their home. The rec area includes a day-use picnic area and an overnight campground, making the Vedauwoo Recreation Area a popular stop on the I-80 corridor.

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