Independence Rock

Independence Rock is a historic monument that you can climb on! The early western settlers who passed through the Oregon and Mormon Trails carved their names into the rock; this rock was a natural landmark for them because of the way it stands out in the middle of flat Wyoming. 

Drive into the parking lot by the visitor's center, and head through the brick "turnstile" to the trailhead. You'll pass a few benches on the way over to the rock. There's a fence surrounding the rock with a gate that should be easy to open. From here you can choose to hike around the rock or climb to the top!

The north face is the one people usually hike; it's a bit steep, but you can do it without any climbing or scrambling. The south side also has a trail that's fairly easy to climb. You can climb up the west side, but it will require a bit of scrambling.

Once you're on the top, you'll find an entirely new landscape of miniature canyons, crevices, and boulders.