The Albany County CattleWomen Ranch Tour will be held on July 16, 2022 The tour is free to the public and includes an informative tour guide. Gray Line Travel Coaches will be available for transportation at a charge of $35/person. Payment must be made at the time the reservation is made. Personal vehicles may be used, and will be directed to parking areas requested by the ranch owner. Parking personnel will be available to assist vehicles to those areas.

Box lunches will be offered for $15 each. These will consist of a roast beef sandwich/condiments, veggies/dip, potato salad or applesauce, chips, dessert bar/cookie and bottled water or Arnold Palmer drink. Lunch reservations are required, and payment must be made at the time the reservation is made. This is to assure the caterer has an accurate number prepared.

Please join us at the south end of the Wyoming Territorial Prison Historic Site at 8 am for light refreshments and tour information. There will also be Albany County CattleWomen items for sale before the tour payable by cash or check. Departure from there will be promptly at 9 am. Bring chairs, as none will be provided, sunscreen and/or mosquito repellent, plus good walking shoes.

Reservations and payment arrangements may be made by calling Sandra Eike 307-760-5590 or Bonnie at the Eppson Center for Seniors 307-745-5116 All reservations and payments must be made by Friday, July 8, 2022.

2022 will be the 70th Ranch Tour since Dr. Robert Burns conceived the idea in 1950. The event was promoted by the Kiwanis Club of Laramie from the inception until the Albany County CattleWomen were invited to take over the reins in 2016.  Since 1950, only three years have been postponed, 1982, 2014 and 2020.

The tour has always been scheduled for the 3rd Saturday in July. Historically, that weekend was a free weekend between the end of Laramie Jubilee Days and the beginning of Cheyenne Frontier Days. “These days that weekend isn’t quite the “unscheduled” weekend as in the past, but it still works best for our ranchers and our guests – haying is not yet in full gear, and the mosquitoes are usually on the way out,” explains co-chair of the Albany County CattleWomen, Sandra Eike.

The event began as a free tour where individuals drove their own vehicles, carried their lunches and drinks as well as chairs. When the ACCW took over they had some changes in mind. The first year it was exactly as the Kiwanis group had done. Since then it has changed quite a bit. Eike describes, “We added limited transportation, vans at first, then moved to school buses, and now we offer two gray line buses – which our guests absolutely love! We do have to charge for the buses, $35/person. For an 8 our day, with AC, potty on board, comfortable seats and an ACCW committee person giving history of the countryside and the ranches, no one complains. Most of our guests are with us each year, many are older citizens who look forward to Tour day. We have offered lunches since taking on the tour, this year that cost is $15 for beef sandwiches with all the trimmings. Those who wish to drive their cars and pack their own food are still invited to come along at no cost.”

“Depending on travel distance, we visit 5 ranches in a day and there is a speaker at each location. We meet at the Wyoming Territorial Park at 8 am to give instructions for the day. At that time guests pick up their Tour Guide and are offered to take part in a light breakfast of coffee, rolls of some type, fruit and water. We leave the Park promptly at 9 am and return by 5 pm, earlier if our route can include ranches in close proximity to each other. We “carry” our speaker system, 3 port-a-potties, trash cans, lots of water, and we have liability insurance. Guests are requested to bring folding chairs, sun screen, and mosquito repellent”

“Each year the guests receive a Tour Guide which gives a little history of each of our chosen ranches, includes the route map, some sponsor ads and beef recipes. the tour is a very rewarding project and meant to educate folks on Agriculture in general, and ranch life in particular.” Eike concludes.

For more info click here: https://wyaccw.com/

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