That One Wyoming Highway Reststop That’s Totally Worth It

This is part 3 of my useless tour of Wyoming highway rest areas.

On this stop, we visit the Gurnsey Rest Area, just off Interstate 25, between Wheatland and Glendo.

Actually, the turn on and off can be kind of fun if you are the driver. It's an interesting intersection, especially if you are driving south and have to turn under the overpass.

Actually, this rest stop has a couple of things worth the trouble of stopping.

One item is at the entrance.

The other is a short walk from the restrooms.

This stop is easy to get to and easy to get back onto the highway.

The rest stop area is big, grassy, clean- and it even has an old-fashioned pay phone!

The phone is to your right as you walk in.

Give it a try, although it wasn't working when I was there.

I hate that I'm calling the phone "old-fashioned."

It wasn't long ago that these things were all over the country.

Now we have to explain what it is and how it works to our kids.

There are plenty of places to spread out lunch with Wyoming's enclosed picnic tables to protect travelers from our state's legendary winds.

You actually might enjoy the walk to see Laramie Peak, if you need to stretch your legs.

Laramie Peak is beautiful from this vantage point.

A short paved trail goes from the west side of the parking lot out to a gazebo that sits above the interstate and has a perfect view of the peak and the Laramie Mountain Range.

It really is worth the walk if you need to stretch your legs or let the dog out to do his business.

There is a historical sign there that shows how important the peak was to travelers back in the days of the Oregon Trail.

Not too far from this rest area are Fort Laramie, Register Cliff, The Oregon Trail Wagon Ruts, and the beautiful water-filled canyons of Gurnsey State Park.

WOW. A highway rest stop that's actually worth the stop.

There are actually a few working pay phones still out there- and no, I'm not kidding!

There is even a website showing where they are.

For The Young People Out There

There was a time when people did not carry their phones in their pockets. They are far too big and hand to be attached to what was called a "landline." Nothing was portable.

Payphones, like the ones you see in this video, were everywhere.

When my parents were kids they dropped a nickel in and then dialed the number. Later it was a dime. In my day it was a quarter.

Not many pay phones are out there today. If you do find one it probably does not work.

So where are these working pay phones in Wyoming?

Just follow this link, it should take you to them.

It has been a little while since this list was updated so, if you should decide to go exploring and find one of these phones, please let me know if it is still working.

Younger folks out there might need to get someone older to show them how a pay phone works. It's really not hard. Or watch this video for instructions.

For music lovers out there, you can imagine that there were a lot of songs about calling someone on a pay phone.

Usually, it was a sad love song like the one I have for you below.

This poor fellow is asking the operator to help him place the call, there are tears in his eyes and he can't see.

Way back when if you push the zero button and wait a moment a lady would come on the phone offering assistance.

At the end of the song he tells her, "you can keep the dime." Going back to when a phone call cost only a dime tells you hold old the song was.

Have fun searching for those Wyoming pay phones. Soon, there will be none left.