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Converse County Park -- Box Elder Cyn

Wyoming > Casper Mountain
Warning Access Issue: Streamside land just downstream of the bridge immediately north of the park is private land DetailsDrop down

Geology and Climbing in Converse Couty Park

MAKE NO MISTAKE -- THIS ZONE IS PART OF THE LARAMIE RANGE and its proximity to the Laramie Range far exceeds its proximity to the arbitrary bounding of the Casper Region.  Do not blame me, blame our editors for where it is posted.  Perhaps as having status of State Park it could have a stand along post?
 
GEOLOGY

Converse County Park is the very rugged canyon region of land surrounding Box Elder creek where it cuts through the first rise of the west flank of the Laramie Range uplift just south of Glenrock, WY. About half way down the canyon potion that is within Converse County Park the granite rock plunges and is visible no more, but the canyon's bottom surface below here is strewn with limestone boulders/sediments that afford many deep pools along the stream. But there are no more narrows having wall to wall water. About 2 miles downstream from the last granite outcrop the uplifted sedimentary terrain dives and here the creek water is captured for immediate irrigation use in the adjacent North Platte River alluvial beds--private land.

This bulletin has more on the Precambrian geology here:

Precambrian geochronology and geology of the Boxelder Canyon area, northern Laramie Range, Wyoming
Geological Society of America Bulletin, May, 1976, v. 87, no. 5, p. 809-817,

and this bulletin is available $25 on line reading or free reading from UW geology library. The same author Ronald C. Johnson has an 82page book of the same title as the bulletin.

Here is another take on the landform origins:

http://geomorphologyresearch.com/2012/11/06/box-elder-creek-la-prele-creek-drainage-divide-area-landform-origins-in-the-laramie-mountains-usa/

There has been some talk & planning in the air to get this county park into the State Park Group but I see it has not happened as of late. If it would the ATV use would not be permitted and there would be a few formal structure added while some trails would be closed. And maybe no camping permitted. Presently you can camp anywhere and you will notice many ad hoc camping sites' fireplace rocks. For more see:

CLIMBING

Steve Betchel told me Pat Parmentor(now RIP) some time ago explored this rugged canyon and may have done some unreported climbs.  I have explored some of this canyon and found no obvious trace of past climbs.  There are routes of mine down low which I am getting around to reporting.

 But consider the following:

There are 3 obvious zones for potential rock climbs in the park.  

1) The buff colored limestone that rims the top side walls of the canyon.

2) The canyon bottom granite walls.

3).  The meta sediment quartzite layer that sits atop the granite.

Climbing on the east side of the creek involves crossing the creek at the canyon bottom.  There are private roads on the east side that go through the Viceroy Ranch which may permit access  for $$ as a trespassing fee?  Getting to the limestone base involves hiking along horizontally on steep side hills with sometimes vanishing trail shelfs and the old ATV routes to the cliff summits are now closed to motorized travel.  

 As for climbing the granite there are many ad hoc unreported ways to the Canyon bottom but walking in the canyon bottom is not possible for long distances because of wall to wall water pools.  For starters one can find a well traveled unmaintained trail to the bottom from the parking lot heading east and rightward to a side canyon.  There are some 2-track tails off the top (south on the road) going eastward that will get you to shelfs which may have as fishing trails to some zones in the bottom.

The quartzite layer offers the easiest access for climbs of about 40+ ft of both sport and trad.

Canyoneering. After July 15 water may be down enought.

Kayaking.  Honest class 5  when passable .  Maybe 700 cfs flow?

Hiking.  There are no developed trails in Convese County Park.  However the state owned Duncan Ranch land is just accross the the road from this parking lot. About 2 blocks south of here and on the west side of the pavement is the Duncan Ranch Trailhead Parking Lot.  There are several developed hiking trails that are loops to the west of here.

Getting There


A visit to Converse County Park

This almost unknown rugged terrain is just 6 miles south of Glenrock WY. For the all paved road access to the park take Glenrock exit of I-25 and at about 1.5 miles east of Glenrock on highway 20/87, turn south on County Rd 90, Box Elder Rd and drive about 6 miles south. After a steep climb you will see a pullout on the left at the crest of the rd. ATV'ing,Hiking, fishing, kayaking, ice climbing, rock climbing, base jumping and canyoneering await.

The Google aerial picture of this region makes for some difficult terrain to interpret in that the canyon is so steep that our minds invert the topography to make what is the bottom of the canyon appear as a ridge. Fortunately, the map in this region of the creek is labeled "Box Elder Creek." You will note some pinch-togethers of the canyon and these regions likely have at the creek bottom wall to wall water, as there are several in these zones.

The spring stream flow is often too high to safely cross Box Elder Creek in the narrows unroped before July 15. There are many rapids with fast flowing water and some rock laced water falls. You may want a dry suit top when canyoneering as the water is not very warm. See stream gauge flow readings:

waterwatch.usgs.gov/?m=real…;r=wy

The measuring station is some 10 miles upstream from the bridge and reads lower than the added water convergence it would get if it were at bridge just north of the park. The gauge can be reading 0.03 cfs and in the canyon bottom you may be dealing with 5-10 cfs.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

About 700 cfs at first falls below big falls. There is a cable crossing above falls.
[Hide Photo] About 700 cfs at first falls below big falls. There is a cable crossing above falls.
steep wall
[Hide Photo] steep wall
The limestone/granite contact visible north of the overlook parking lot high on the ridge.
[Hide Photo] The limestone/granite contact visible north of the overlook parking lot high on the ridge.
View from 2/3 down on the ad hoc fishing trail looking downstream to the narrows leading to the falls
[Hide Photo] View from 2/3 down on the ad hoc fishing trail looking downstream to the narrows leading to the falls
Trail bottom looking upstream
[Hide Photo] Trail bottom looking upstream
Just above the falls narrows
[Hide Photo] Just above the falls narrows
Stream gauge at 55cfs
[Hide Photo] Stream gauge at 55cfs
A zone of the canyon between the 2 major narrows
[Hide Photo] A zone of the canyon between the 2 major narrows
Steep walls prevail on the west side north of the parking overlook.
[Hide Photo] Steep walls prevail on the west side north of the parking overlook.
a Limestone cliff tops the east side of the canyon and across the creek.  A road thru private property can get one to the summit of the other side.
[Hide Photo] a Limestone cliff tops the east side of the canyon and across the creek. A road thru private property can get one to the summit of the other side.
A view after starting down the ad hoc fishing trail==steep
[Hide Photo] A view after starting down the ad hoc fishing trail==steep
Parking Lot view into Box Elder Canyon
[Hide Photo] Parking Lot view into Box Elder Canyon

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Co Mack
Wyoming
[Hide Comment] There are several areas in the Converse County Park and Bear Rock area that have been climbed. In the park area we have several Boulder problems and in the Bear Rock Area many bolted climbs. Unfortunately most of these in Bear Rock were on private land that changed hands and now we have no access too. On the south side of the road on the domes we have also done some routes. They are also under the ownership of the person that has Bear Rock. There is a small area just W of Bear Rock that we have called Organ Pipes that half is on state land. We have several climbs there, some bolted. We've chosen to keep them to ourselves due to the proximity of private land. We continue to work with the local owners of Bear Rock itself, but have made no progress.
We also have several Boulder problems that we've done called Rabbit Rocks. That is located on state land just south of the county road as you cross the creek enroute to Bear Rock. If you have questions contact me. A conscious decision has been made to not publish these areas at this time.

Cory McMahon
Corankinrok@yahoo.com Nov 28, 2014