Branding season Now that May has arrived, branding season is upon us. Ranchers brand their cattle before turning them out onto public lands for summer grazing. With this year's late green-up, the Bureau of Land Management has delayed turnout until May 15. On Sunday, local rodeo hands helped out at the Urbigkit's branding near Big Piney. John and Ryan Kennamon and Austin Doyle helped Cass Urbigkit wrestle calves. Pictured here, Ryan and Cass try to hang onto a squirming calf. Click here for more photos: Branding Season (10 pictures) Photo by Cat Urbigkit.

Waller's Catfish Fry (posted 5/2/08)
Cat Urbigkit
It's an annual ritual, but no one is really sure how many years it's been going on. Guesses range from 11 to 15 years. Anyway, it's still wonderful!

The event was Waller's Catfish Fry in Marbleton, held in Waller's Trucking's shop. The crew served up great catfish, beans, beans and more beans, salads and various desserts. All donations from the event go to help someone in need.

This great annual event is just one of the ways the Waller's crew helps members of the community. They take on other projects throughout the year as well.

Click here for more photos from the event: Waller’s Catfish Fry (4 photos by Cat Urbigkit)

Fight Against Multiple Sclerosis Quilt Show May 16-17 (posted 5/4/08)
Proceeds go to the Wyoming Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
The Fight Against Multiple Sclerosis Quilt Show will be held on Friday and Saturday, May 16-17 in Big Piney. There will be more than 50 quilts for display, several of these will be for sale. The show will include quilts of all sizes ranging from crib to king, wall hangings, table runners, placemats, baby layettes, purses and bags and more.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, unpredictable, and often disabling disease that affects the central nervous system. This disease affects approximately one out of every 700 people. Currently there are approximately 400,000 people nationwide that have been diagnosed with this devastating disease. There are currently 1100 afflicted in Wyoming.

Several special items are included this year: machine quilting raffle by Irene Steele and Terry Quinn; an auction quilt for the A Woman’s Work project. There will also be a silent auction with a variety of items available to bid on. Free will donations will be accepted at the door. In addition, there will be some MS items including wristbands and stuffed animals for sale.

The money collected will be donated to the Wyoming Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society with 60% going to research and 40% for home health care needs.

The Quilt Show will be in the Big Piney High School Annex, 650 Piney Drive, on Friday from 1:00 -6:00 pm and Saturday from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.

An English Paper Piecing class will be offered Friday afternoon. Spots are still available. Cost of the class will be $25.00.

On Friday evening there will be a presentation of the “Fire Storm” quilts at the Senior Center in Marbleton, beginning at 7:00 pm. There will also be a dessert bar. This is the first time for this collection to be displayed in Wyoming. There will be a charge for this evening’s festivities.

An addition this year will be a book sale. The proceeds will be used to establish a scholarship for someone from Wyoming that is afflicted with MS to attend the week-long Can DO program hosted by the Jimmie Heuga Life Enrichment Center in Edwards, Colorado. The Heuga Center was established by Jimmie Heuga, an Olympic medal winning downhill skier who has been disabled by MS. The center is dedicated to life enrichment skills and programs for people who have been devastated by this disease.

For more information, or to help with any of the activities, please contact Lynda Leeper at 307-276-5318.

Local Contact Numbers
Big Piney Town Hall
PO Box 70
Big Piney, WY 83113
307-276-3554
E-mail: tbpiney@yahoo.com
Mayor: Phillip Smith
www.townofbigpiney.com

Marbleton Town Hall
PO Box 4160
Marbleton, WY 83113
307-276-3815
E-mail: marbletontown@hotmail.com
Mayor: Jim Robinson

Big Piney Ranger District
Bridger-Teton National Forest
315 South Front Street
P.O. Box 218
Big Piney, WY, 83113
307-276-3375 or 276-5800/5200
Fax: 307-739-5235/276-5835
www.fs.fed.us/btnf/

Sublette County Courthouse
21 S Tyler, Pinedale, WY 82941
Big Piney Direct Line 307-276-3827
Marbleton Annex 307-276-3735
Pinedale Information: 307-367-7722

Sublette County Sheriff's Department
PO Box 701
Pinedale, WY 82941
Marbleton: 307-276-5448
Pinedale: 307-367-4378

Big Piney Post Office
401 Budd Avenue
307-276-3772
1-800-275-8777

Sublette County School District #9
Superintendent's Office: 307-276-3322
Big Piney High School: 307-276-3324
Big Piney Middle School: 307-276-3315
Big Piney Elementary School: 307-276-3313
Big Piney Pool: 307-276-9966

More Area Information:
Sublette County Chamber of Commerce (Pinedale)
307-367-2242 or 1-888-285-7282

BigPiney.com (Pinedale Online!)
307-276-5699 or 307-360-7689 (days, evenings, weekends ok)

Sublette County Fair
July - August
The Sublette County Fair is packed with entertainment and fun. There is something for everyone to enjoy.

One of the many highlights is the Lil' Buckaroo Rodeo. The audience holds their breath as these young cowboys and cowgirls try their hand at bronc riding. The evening ends with the youngest contestants competing in the stick horse barrel race. The greased pig contest is another favorite, the crowd roars with laughter watching the wave a kids overtaking the slimy critters.

Spend some time viewing the livestock shows and watch the participants as they receive their awards for a job well done. Enjoy the wonderful food which some how tastes more delicious in the atmosphere of the fair festivities. Finish the night off at the rodeos with many local cowboys and cowgirls participating in the fast paced events. Visit the Sublette County Fair web page to enjoy pictures from previous years fairs.

For more information visit - www.sublette.com/countyfair.

Related Links:
Sublette County Fair 2005
Little Buckaroo Rodeo 2005
Pig Wrestling 2005
2005 C4-A Rodeo

Green River Valley Museum
Open June 15 through October 15
The Green River Valley Museum is located on the main street in Big Piney. Artifacts from prehistoric Indians, pioneers, homesteaders and other various groups that have settled this area are on display at the museum. Many of the items displayed at the museum were donated by local families. 'Hard Hats and Stetsons' is the annual fundraiser for the museum. The name of the fundraiser itself reflects how important the cattle and oil industry have been for this valley.

For more information visit www.grvm.com

Chuckwagon Days
July 4th Weekend
Chuckwagon Days takes place each year over the 4th of July weekend in Big Piney. There is a Lil' Buckaroo Rodeo, a parade down Big Piney's main street followed by a free BBQ at the Sublette County Fairgrounds, an afternoon rodeo, street dance and late evening fireworks (on the 4th).

The "Chuckwagon Chug" a 5k and 10k Walk/Run, will be held on July 4th, before the Big Piney Parade. Start/Finish is at the Big Piney High School parking lot. There will be prizes for top finishers and gift bags for all contestants.

More information about Chuckwagon Days can be found here: Chuckwagon Days

Local Lodging
If you are looking for local lodging and places to stay in the Big Piney-Marbleton areas, be sure to check the Sublette County Chamber of Commerce website under lodging. Big Piney and Marbleton are located about 35 miles south of Pinedale, so look under motels, RV parks and campgrounds specific to our towns. www.sublettechamber.com

Camping near Big Piney & Marbleton
The closest campgrounds are located on the Big Piney Ranger District of the Bridger-Teton National Forest. They offer two developed campgrounds and many opportunities for dispersed camping in the Wyoming Range west of Big Piney and Marbleton. The forest boundary is approximately 20 miles from local businesses and town services. For detailed information, contact the district office at 307-276-3375.

Sacajewea Campground Located 25 miles west of Big Piney. This campground has 26 sites, basic amenities, and is open June 15th through September 30th. The camping fee is $7.00 per site, per night. This campground has running water, an on-site host, and is well maintained. No electricity, showers or phone.

Middle Piney Lake Campground This is a primitive campground located further down the road from the Sacajewea Campground. This camp area is next to Middle Piney Lake and has 5 tent sites, tables and pit toilets. NO running water, electricity, showers or phone service. NO fees. Because of the narrow winding road to this campground, it is not recommended to take trailers to the lake site.

Forest Service Cabins Big Piney Ranger District offers two Forest Service work centers for rent for overnight stays. One is located at Snider Basin and the other in the Hoback. Contact the Big Piney office for more information on availability and fees.

NOTICE ABOUT BEARS: These campgrounds are in bear country. Both black bears and grizzly bears inhabit the Wyoming mountain range. Visitors are strongly encouraged to practice clean camping techniques and store attractants in a manner that makes them unavailable to bears. Bear-proof canisters are available for rent from the Big Piney Ranger District office. Bear-proof dumpsters are located at various locations at campgrounds and recreation areas on National Forest land.

Dispersed Camping:
There are practically unlimited opportunities for dispersed camping on the Bridger-Teton National Forest near Big Piney/Marbleton. The forest boundary is approximately 20 miles from town. Stay limit is 16 days in any one location. Campers should either bring their own water or boil water obtained from sources in the outdoors to avoid getting sick from organisms that live in lakes and streams. Do not drink untreated surface water. Dispersed camping is available along the Piney, Cottonwood and LaBarge Creek drainages.

Camping on BLM land
There are no developed campgrounds on BLM land near Big Piney or Marbleton, however there are many places for dispersed camping for those who are prepared to bring their own drinking water and camp without developed facilities. For more information, contact the Pinedale Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management in Pinedale.

Private RV Campgrounds
There are several private businesses that offer RV campsites for overnight and extended stays. Most have power, water and sewer hookups. Click here to our sister website, Pinedale Online, for info about private RV campgrounds and services.

Related Links:
Bridger-Teton National Forest/Big Piney Ranger District
Sublette County Chamber of Commerce

Big Piney, Wyoming, "Ice Box of the Nation"

Big Piney & Marbleton
Ice Box of the Nation
Big Piney is the oldest settlement in Sublette County, Wyoming and was named by Dan B. Budd for the Piney Creeks. In 1879, Daniel B. Budd and his partner Hugh McKay brought a thousand head of cattle from Nevada hoping to ship them at Point of Rocks, but winter caught up to them here in the Green River Valley. The following year Dan Budd moved his family here and that is how the settlement of this town began. Big Piney was called "Ice Box of the Nation" when it was officially made a weather station in 1930. Big Piney had the coldest year round average temperature of any place nationally.

It's a curiosity, considering most Wyoming towns are few and far between, that Big Piney and Marbleton would only be a mile apart. They have separate post offices and town governments. Big Piney was incorporated on July 5, 1913. In the early days there was a lot of drainage problems with the site on which Big Piney was built. So Charles Budd, eldest son to Dan B Budd had hope to build the town up on the bench to alleviate this problem. Charles did establish Marbleton on the bench, in late 1913, but it never replaced Big Piney. Any attempts to combine the two towns has been unsuccessful. The truth is people here kinda' like it that way. Both towns cooperate with each other, they have a common school. The citizens of these two towns take a lot of pride in the growth of their little metropolis over the past years and think the founders would be proud too. Both communities have thrived in the last several decades because of the oil and gas industry. In the 1980's Marbleton recieved it's own post office, because of the number of people moving to the area.

Sublette County Ag Center
The Sublette County Ag Center is an indoor arena used by county residents for 4-H programs, ropings, youth rodeo, barrel racing, horse shows and much more. It is located at the Fairgrounds, north of Big Piney and Marbleton on Hwy 189.

For more information visit www.sublette.com/agcenter.

History of Big Piney 1885-1920
This is a Pictoral History of Big Piney of the Town of Big Piney from 1885 - 1920. This project was sponsored by the Green River Valley Museum. There are photos and histories of some of the first settlers in Big Piney. There are photos of Dan and Josephine Budd's original homestead.

Other Area History - http://www.sublette.com/history

To contribute information to this community website,
please e-mail: info@bigpiney.com or info@marbleton.com.
Phone: 307-276-5699 • Fax: 307-276-5414