Regretably we had to leave Big Sky Lodge and the Culbertson's hospitality. Onward we must go. Today was mostly a travel day - with a few scenic detours.
Our first destination was Roughlock Falls. Getting to the falls was an easy walk from the trailhead. The falls were quite beautiful and the surroundings very peaceful. I'll post pics tomorrow. We continued on along the Spearfish Canyon scenic byway. The views were breathtaking. (Alicia - thanks for recommending we take this route. It was well worth the extra time.) We stopped for lunch in Spearfish before continuing our trek.
The second stop for the day was Devil's Tower. After Needles, I think this is my favorite (so far). I was hoping to do the hike around the base, but my side was giving me issues today so we had to pass. All this time, too we were trying to get our hands on a map of the state with no luck.
Once we left Devil's Tower, it was the loooong push to get to Powell, WY. Once we got past the Black Hills in Wyoming, the drive became quite boring - plains as far as the eye could see. Finally, we were able to get our much sought after map at the rest area outside Buffalo. Not from the Wyoming DOT, but from an old feller who had plenty of maps in his van.
As we left Buffalo - The Bighorn Mountains became a more prominent feature on the horizon. The drive through the mountains was something else. We reached an elevation of over 9000 feet! Along the way, we saw moose, lots of deer and plenty of free-range cattle (a bunch of them in the middle of the road!) and snow. There was also a nasty construction zone which stretched for 10-12 miles. The trek down the mountain was equally "entertaining" with lots of steep grades, sharp turns and low-gear driving. At one point we came across a group of 3 vehicles on the side of the road. Apparently, the motorhome in the group lost its brakes and ran off the side. Fortunately, the road had leveled off and the driver was able to bring the vehicle to a safe stop. I'm sure those were some harrowing moments for the family in that motorhome!
We finally pulled in to Powell around 11pm, exhausted and just wanting sleep.
Our first destination was Roughlock Falls. Getting to the falls was an easy walk from the trailhead. The falls were quite beautiful and the surroundings very peaceful. I'll post pics tomorrow. We continued on along the Spearfish Canyon scenic byway. The views were breathtaking. (Alicia - thanks for recommending we take this route. It was well worth the extra time.) We stopped for lunch in Spearfish before continuing our trek.
The second stop for the day was Devil's Tower. After Needles, I think this is my favorite (so far). I was hoping to do the hike around the base, but my side was giving me issues today so we had to pass. All this time, too we were trying to get our hands on a map of the state with no luck.
Once we left Devil's Tower, it was the loooong push to get to Powell, WY. Once we got past the Black Hills in Wyoming, the drive became quite boring - plains as far as the eye could see. Finally, we were able to get our much sought after map at the rest area outside Buffalo. Not from the Wyoming DOT, but from an old feller who had plenty of maps in his van.
As we left Buffalo - The Bighorn Mountains became a more prominent feature on the horizon. The drive through the mountains was something else. We reached an elevation of over 9000 feet! Along the way, we saw moose, lots of deer and plenty of free-range cattle (a bunch of them in the middle of the road!) and snow. There was also a nasty construction zone which stretched for 10-12 miles. The trek down the mountain was equally "entertaining" with lots of steep grades, sharp turns and low-gear driving. At one point we came across a group of 3 vehicles on the side of the road. Apparently, the motorhome in the group lost its brakes and ran off the side. Fortunately, the road had leveled off and the driver was able to bring the vehicle to a safe stop. I'm sure those were some harrowing moments for the family in that motorhome!
We finally pulled in to Powell around 11pm, exhausted and just wanting sleep.
No comments:
Post a Comment