The Encampment River runs
through the heart of Riverside
and Spirit West.

 

The Riverside Garage — sells everything from camping supplies to videos.

 

The Trading Post — Riverside's gas station/ sporting goods/feed store — even an ATM!

 


The Bear Trap — a rustic, western cafe/bar and a favorite gathering spot for breakfast, lunch or dinner.



The Mangy Moose — a local "watering hole"






Easily accessible, the town of Riverside is situated in Carbon County, just 30 miles north of Colorado in south-central Wyoming. Located adjacent to the town of Encampment (population 443) and nestled along the banks of the trout-filled Encampment River, Riverside nurtures a population of approximately 59. It's a tiny town, but complete — offering local shopping for food, gifts/souvenirs, sporting goods and supplies; casual dining spots; a gasoline station; and even a couple of western bars. What Riverside doesn't have is a fast pace. Nor does it have noise, congestion, pollution, traffic, and all the urban stressers most people long to escape. The peaceful river, scenic setting, abundant wildlife, and friendly folk offer no choice but to relax and enjoy yourself.

Riverside was actually born before the town of Encampment. It was originally a ranch headquarters for the Swan Land and Cattle Company, and the Swan brothers established regular mail service in 1881, along with building a school and opening a general store. Naturally, the town was called Swan. Prior to that, Newton Doggett and his brothers had established a weigh station, and the Swan site was eventually sold to the Doggetts. Doggett erected a store and cabins where travelers could spend the night, and the town was then named Dogget. In 1887, Henry P. Cullerton acquired a 157,650-acre homestead around the town of Doggett. The homestead was sold in 1900 and then subdivided into lots, which were called the Riverside Addition to the town of Doggett, WY. The Doggett Townsite Company was sold to the Riverside Township Company, and to escape the town's unflattering nickname of "Dogtown," the name was changed to Riverside in 1902.

Prospering during the copper boom of the late 1890's and early 1900's, Riverside boasted a "large" forty-room hotel; but as copper prices declined and mines were closed, so too was the hotel abandoned. Interesting "fossils" of those boom-town/copper mining days (including the old smelter site) are still evident throughout the area, and the popular Encampment Museum is full of mining artifacts. Local history is rich with tales of mines, miners, and entrepreneurs who helped settle this area of the West.



Riverside Town Park

Today Riverside is an incorporated community with an economy based mainly on agriculture, as most of the land surrounding Riverside was settled for that purpose. Along with the Encampment River running through the heart of town, Riverside also has a large park with picnic area and an area visitor's center. The small town uses the post office and school of neighboring Encampment, and also shares police and emergency services; however, Riverside remains autonomous in name and government.

Located in the North Platte River Valley on the lower edge of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range (just below the Continental Divide), Riverside is a haven for anyone who enjoys the beauty, recreation and small-town fun of the Rocky Mountains. From fishing, skiing and golf to chariot races, melodramas and fine dining, this valley offers an enormous variety of activities and events to fill your days and nights. Riverside invites you to relax in the small town atmosphere, to rejuvenate in the crisp mountain air and sunny skies, and to revel in the outdoor splendor that draws so many visitors back to this part of Wyoming.

For area maps and driving instructions to Riverside, visit Maps & Weather.

SPIRIT WEST RIVER LODGE
P.O. Box 605 - Encampment, WY 82325
Toll Free: 1-888-289-8321 (reservations only)
All other inquiries: 307-327-5753
getaway@spiritwestriverlodge.com