Skip to content
Byway
Historic site · Wyoming

Fort Sanders Guardhouse

Fort Sanders Guardhouse from directly overhead

Fort Sanders Guardhouse is a historic site in Wyoming, at a modelled elevation of 2,190 m. Jelm Mountain stands 2,943 m to the west-southwest, 23 miles off. The nearest named place is Jerry Ullrich Park, a park 2.3 miles away. Snowy Range Scenic Byway passes 29 miles off.

About

The story

Fort Sanders was a wooden fort constructed in 1866 on the Laramie Plains in southern Wyoming, near the city of Laramie. Originally named Fort John Buford, it was renamed Fort Sanders after General William P. Sanders, who died at the Siege of Knoxville during the American Civil War. This was the second fort to be named after Sanders, the first being in Knoxville, Tennessee. The fort was originally intended to protect travelers on the nearby Overland Trail from Indian attacks, but later the garrison was tasked with protecting the workers of the Union Pacific railroad when it arrived in the spring of 1868. In 1869 the town of Laramie (originally called "Laramie City") was created about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of the fort. Fort Sanders became less important following the construction of Fort D. A. Russell in Cheyenne in 1868, but the War Department maintained it until 1882 when the buildings were sold.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Wikidata Q5471978, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.

Getting there

How to reach it

Driving directionsPlan a drive around it
Coordinates41.27124, -105.59829
Around it

Named places within 25 miles

Peaks
Parks: 24
Artworks: 12
Cliffs: 12
  • The Dark Side: 10.1 mi
  • Rat Brain: Fantasia Wall: 12.7 mi
  • Skull Rock: 12.7 mi
  • Walt's Wall: 13.8 mi
  • The Coke Bottle: 13.8 mi
Historic sites: 4
Museums: 3
Springs: 3
  • Soldier Spring: 3.0 mi
  • Pope Springs: 3.1 mi
  • Simpson Springs: 4.3 mi
Attractions: 2
Ghost towns: 2
Rest areas: 2
Gardens: 1
Picnic sites: 1
Waterfalls: 1
On the horizon

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 24.0 miles of Fort Sanders Guardhouse. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Jelm MountainWSW 239°2,943 m23.1 mi
Green MountainS 185°2,818 m21.6 mi
Deadhorse MountainS 179°2,762 m21.9 mi
Pole MountainESE 104°2,751 m11.1 mi
Leg BenchmarkESE 104°2,749 m10.9 mi
Crow BenchmarkESE 108°2,708 m8.5 mi
Sheep MountainWSW 258°2,703 m21.8 mi
Pilot HillENE 70°2,691 m8.0 mi
Conditions

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:0718:3819:15
June solstice05:3019:5820:40
September equinox06:5118:2519:01
December solstice07:2615:5316:37

Local time (America/Denver).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: Jun–Sep.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F232533394859676458443324
Precip in0.40.50.81.42.01.51.61.11.91.00.50.4

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Laramie 4SE, 4 mi away.

Sources

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

National Register of Historic Places, reference 80004300OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidata

OpenStreetMap element way/390143699

More historic sites in Wyoming

Drive to it

Byway plans a real route around stops like this one.

Plan a driveMore historic sites
Private beta · Free to join

Take the scenic way to Fort Sanders Guardhouse.

Byway plans around your taste, verified places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.

Private beta · Free to join · No card · Invite when a spot opens