Mountain View Hotel in Centennial — Live Web Cam

Historic Mountain View Hotel in Centennial

In the small mountain town of Centennial, nestled among the grandeur of Wyoming, stands a building that remembers the days of the gold rush and the arrival of the railroad. Mountain View Historic Hotel was built in 1907, when these lands were experiencing a decline in gold mining but had not yet lost their significance as a transportation hub. Construction cost $8,000 — a considerable sum for a provincial town at the time. Twenty guest rooms accommodated travelers, ranchers, and merchants who stopped here on their way through the mountains.

More than a century later, the building has not only survived but found new life. In 2014, the hotel was purchased by Kat and Mike — a family couple who took on the restoration and transformation of the historic building into a cozy family hotel. Through their efforts, Mountain View Hotel has preserved the spirit of old Wyoming, becoming one of the few operating historic hotels in the state where guests can experience the atmosphere of the early 20th century.

Centennial — Gateway to the Snowy Range

Centennial is located at an elevation of 8,076 feet (2,461 meters) at the foot of the Snowy Range Mountains. It is one of the highest settlements in Wyoming, and the climate here matches — winters are long and snowy, summers are short but sun-saturated. The town is situated 30 miles (about 48 km) west of Laramie, making it a convenient base for those heading into the mountains.

Centennial is a typical small western town with a population of just over 250 people. There are no large stores or shopping centers here, but there are several restaurants, saloons, and guest houses that serve tourists and travelers. The town's main street is essentially the entire settlement, and around it stretch endless meadows and mountain slopes.

How to Get to Centennial

The main route to Centennial runs along Wyoming Highway 130 from the city of Laramie. The road is a scenic mountain serpentine that rises from the plains to the peaks of the Snowy Range. The drive from Laramie to Centennial takes about 40-50 minutes under good road conditions — the distance is approximately 30 miles.

Laramie, the nearest major city with an airport, is itself an important transportation hub in southeastern Wyoming. It is also where the famous Snowy Range Scenic Byway begins — one of the most beautiful mountain roads in the state, which passes through the pass and descends to the town of Saratoga on the western side of the range.

Highway 130 and Road Conditions

For travelers and locals alike, the condition of Highway 130 is not just a matter of convenience but a matter of safety. The Wyoming Department of Transportation officially closes the road for the winter season — this usually happens in mid-November when snowfall becomes too intense. Closure gates are installed on the section between mile markers 36 and 48 (from Green Rock trail).

In winter, the road is not plowed — it is economically unfeasible for such a remote section. Traditionally, Highway 130 is opened by snowplows before the summer season, and full traffic resumes from June through November. During this period, the road is accessible to all types of vehicles, including motorcycles and RVs.

This is why the webcam in Centennial is so valuable for travelers — it allows you to assess current road conditions before heading into the mountains. During transitional periods (late fall and early spring), information about the highway condition can be crucial for route planning.

Medicine Bow National Forest — Nature All Around

Centennial is surrounded by Medicine Bow National Forest — a vast national forest that begins literally at the town's entrance. The forest covers a huge area along the Snowy Range and offers numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation: hiking, fishing, camping, skiing, and snowmobiling.

Medicine Bow National Forest got its name from Native Americans who made bows from local tree species here. Today it is a protected area inhabited by deer, elk, black bears, and numerous bird species. Elevations here range from 8,000 to over 12,000 feet, creating diverse climate zones and landscapes.

For tourists, Centennial serves as a convenient base for forays into the forest. Numerous trails start here, leading to mountain lakes, waterfalls, and scenic overlooks with panoramic views of the Wyoming plains.

Climate and Best Time to Visit

Centennial's climate is high-continental, with large temperature swings between seasons and even throughout the day. Summers here are short and cool: daytime temperatures rarely exceed 77°F (25°C), and at night even in July they can drop to 41-50°F (5-10°C). Winters are harsh — frosts down to -22°F (-30°C) are not uncommon, and snow cover can reach several meters.

The best time to visit Centennial is from June to September, when all mountain roads are open, alpine meadows bloom, and all tourist activities are available. Fall brings golden colors to aspen forests, but the first snowfalls are possible as early as October. Spring in these latitudes comes late — snow melts from the mountains only by May-June.

What You Can See on the Camera

The live camera in Centennial is mounted on the Mountain View Historic Hotel building in the center of town. The camera is designed to monitor current road conditions on Highway 130 and provide a view of the Snowy Range surroundings. Under normal conditions, the camera offers a view of Centennial's main street and the mountain slopes in the distance.

Currently, the video signal from the camera contains significant distortion artifacts — vertical stripes cover most of the frame. In the upper part of the image, a text line with hotel information and a fragment of sky are visible. The real view of Centennial and the mountains is unreadable due to video signal damage. The camera broadcasts in real time, but the image quality does not allow for detailed viewing of the area.

To check road conditions on Highway 130, it is also recommended to refer to official resources from the Wyoming Department of Transportation, especially during the winter period when the highway is officially closed and not maintained.