Fort Laramie, Military fort in Goshen County, Wyoming, United States.

Fort Laramie stands at the confluence of the Laramie and North Platte Rivers in Goshen County, Wyoming. The army built its post around a large parade ground, with a barracks, hospital, officers' quarters, stables, bakery and guardhouse; the old Fort John served as a hospital until 1856 and was demolished in 1862. A stone sign at the entrance reads "Fort Laramie National Historic Site".

The site began in 1834 as a fur trading post and became a military fort in 1849 when the Army took control. This shift made it a key checkpoint for thousands of settlers moving westward across the continent.

The fort served as a meeting ground where Native American nations and settlers negotiated crucial agreements about land and coexistence. These conversations shaped the relationship between the two groups during the expansion westward.

You can walk through the grounds at your own pace, with the visitor center offering exhibits and recorded guides to explain the buildings. Well-maintained paths connect the structures, making it easy to navigate without requiring a guided tour.

The army judged fortifying the site useless and costly: timber was scarce, and Plains warriors fought on horseback in the open. A linear depression still marks the rifle trench dug in 1865, when 172 soldiers left for the Battle of Mud Springs, 169 km east, leaving the post dangerously undermanned.