Rawhide

Additional Information: Rawhide Wildlife Habitat Management Area is two miles south of Lingle and eight miles northwest of Torrington on the North Platte River. The 812 acres was purchased by the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission to replace the riparian habitat lost when Grayrocks Reservoir was constructed near Wheatland in the late 1970s. Riparian habitat (river bank) is extremely rich and diverse and 75 percent of the wildlife species in Wyoming are dependent upon this habitat type. Cottonwoods and willows provide vertical diversity for wildlife along these riparian zones. There are prairie grasses such as sandreed, wheatgrass, and blue grama. The wetlands created by fluctuations in the water level of the North Platte River and the high water table are choked with cattails, rushes, and sedges. The diverse vegetation is home to white-tailed deer and mule deer, cottontail rabbits, red squirrels, wild turkeys, ring-necked pheasants, Canada geese, and ducks. You might even spy a wood duck or yellow-billed cuckoo. Rawhide has excellent opportunities for photography and hiking. Many small mammals and reptiles reside here, including beavers, red foxes, raccoons, muskrats, turtles, toads, and snakes. At certain times of the year, bird watchers can also see bald and golden eagles, hawks, owls and more than 50 species of songbirds. Fishing along the North Platte River is marginal due to insufficient flows. Carp and suckers dominate the river, but there are small populations of perch, walleye, brown and rainbow trout, catfish and green sunfish. Hunters are restricted to use of shotguns, black powder or archery equipment only on this habitat management area. Facilities are available; specifically, three parking areas and a camping site.