Breaks in the Prairie - Lusk, WY
N 42° 44.881 W 104° 28.902
13T E 542418 N 4732963
A Wyoming's Wildlife marker at the rest area on the south side of US 18/20, a little over two miles southwest of Lusk, provides some background about the wildlife you'll see in the area.
Waymark Code: WM12GG6
Location: Wyoming, United States
Date Posted: 05/23/2020
Views: 2
The marker has an inset of the silhouette of a mountain lion, and the emblem of Wyoming's Wildlife -- "Worth the Watching" -- in the lower corner. It reads:
Rawhide Buttes in front of you is an island habitat within the shortgrass prairie. Because the Buttes contain forest habitat, they support different species of wildlife than the surrounding prairie.
Elk, deer, turkeys, bobcats and mountain lions are found on the buttes. Historically, elk were native to this area but were killed off as food when the area was settled. In the 1960s the Game and Fish Department transplanted elk to reestablish the herd. The elk continue to thrive in their native environment.
Both mule deer and white-tailed deer are found in this area. Mule deer were not found here until the 1920s; and white-tailed deer appeared in the 1950s. Changes in the area due to agricultural development provided additional water sources, forage and predator control for wildlife.
Mountain lions, also called cougars, pumas or panthers, can be found in various habitats throughout Wyoming. The key to the presence of mountain lions is the existence of deer or elk. Mountain lions may kill sick or injured animals, thus improving the overall health of elk and deer herds.
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In the lower left corner, the shield of the Wyoming Game & Fish Department is accompanied by "'Wyoming's Wildlife -- Worth the Watching' is funded in a large part through interest earned from the Wildlife Trust Account."
Marker Name: Breaks in the Prairie
Marker Type: City
Addtional Information:
The rest area is open 24/7. Most visitors agree that it's a clean place to stop, with family restrooms, tourist information, picnic areas, and a place to walk your pets. Be sure to visit the final resting place of George Lathrop, an area pioneer whose memorial also honors those who worked and traveled the Cheyenne & Black Hills Trail that passed right through here.
Group Responsible for Placement: Wyoming's Wildlife
Date Dedicated: Not listed
Marker Number: Not listed
Web link(s) for additional information: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Please post a photo of you OR your GPS at the marker location. Also if you know of any additional links not already mentioned about this bit of Wyoming history please include that in your log.
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