TORRINGTON – Goshen County is well known for its goose and pheasant hunting and for being the home of Fort Laramie, the largest military garrison on the Great Plains during the mid-1800s. However, the county does have another recreational opportunity that is not recognized by many who live here and even fewer who are just visiting, water sports.
The North Platte River traverses the entire county from west to east, offering plenty of canoeing and floating opportunity along its way. The most popular place to put in from is Whalen Diversion Dam between the towns of Fort Laramie and Guernsey, but there are other put in and take in sites along the way, such as Rawhide Recreational Area and at the Main Street Bridge in Torrington.
But for boating and fishing opportunities, most people visit Hawk Springs Recreation Area, located about nine miles southeast of the town of Hawk Springs.

The recreation area consists of the 1,950 acre Hawk Springs reservoir and about 50 acres of land. The reservoir and land are actually owned by the Horse Creek Conservation District, but, because of the reservoirs popularity, the site was named a state recreation area in 1987 and the Division of State Parks and Historic Sites, Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources agreed to administer the site.
The recreation area offers 24 primitive campsites, picnic tables and fire rings, boat ramp, boat dock, restrooms and a playground. There are seasonally operated potable water hydrants.
Wyoming Game and Fish regulates the recreational usage of the water and stocks the reservoir with fish and, depending on the time of the year, a fisherman might land a variety of game fish, including walleye, large mouth bass, yellow perch, channel catfish and black crappie. Walleye fishing is best in the months of June and July and bank fishing can be as productive as fishing from a boat. A valid fishing license is required.
Winter ice fishing is also popular at the reservoir but roads are not maintained during the winter and the ice can be thin, so caution is advised when using the recreation area during the winter.
For nature lovers and bird watchers, the Hawk Springs Recreation area boasts a blue heron rookery in the reeds at the South end of the reservoir. However, this area may only be accessed by boat.
Other birds that can be spotted in the recreation area include Canada goose, mallard ducks, blue–winged and green winged teal, gadwall, pintail, wood duck, avocet, great horned owl and white-faced ibis. So don’t forget your cameras and binoculars.