Adventure Travel Photography Blog
US Highway 14A, also known as Medicine Wheel Passage Scenic Byway, travels 98 miles from Cody, Wyoming to Burgess Junction. It features five waterfalls on the 53 mile stretch between Lovell and Burgess Junction along with a few other interesting stops. Below are the five waterfalls off Scenic Highway 14A.
CHASE WATERFALLS!
The Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark, located in the Bighorn National Forest, is absolutely fascinating to me and extremely sacred to Native Americans. In fact, the Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark was so interesting to me, that I returned twelve years later to see it again. Given I rarely go the same place twice, that’s saying a lot!
I can’t really explain why I find the Medicine Wheel so interesting, except that I was completely surprised by the limestone rocks that form a circle 80 feet in diameter during my first visit. I can’t imagine being the first settler to discover the Medicine Wheel, with 28 rock spokes radiating from a center cairn, spread across the northwest ridge of a mountain at nearly 9,700 feet!
EXPLORE!
After my week in Buffalo hiking and visiting historic areas, I sort of bounced around a few days, spending a little time in Ten Sleep, Greybull, and Lovell. Ten Sleep had a great brewery that offered $3 hot showers. Greybull has a pretty good grocery store called Lynn’s Superfoods and the KOA let me fill up my water tank for $2. And finally, I got some laundry done in Lovell. In the process of looking for shade on this 90 degree day, I ended up at the offices for Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.
I hadn’t planned to visit Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area beyond making a drive by to see if I could spot any of the wild mustangs on the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range. But after stopping inside the ranger station to ask a few questions, I spent almost a full day at the recreation area.
EXPLORE MORE!
Mirror Lake and Lost Twin Lakes are located in the Cloud Peak Wilderness portion of the Big Horn National Forest near Buffalo, Wyoming. The lakes are accessed via Trail #65 from the West Tensleep Trailhead.
There is a large dirt parking lot, pit toilets, and a few picnic tables at the trailhead located at the end of West Tensleep Road. West Tensleep Road is a very popular camping area. Free, designated sites line the road and are available on a first come first served basis. There are also a few basic campgrounds.
So far, the hike to Mirror Lake and Lost Twin Lakes has been my favorite of the season. It definitely earns FIVE STARS on AllTrails. Somehow, I doubt it will be topped, but I have many more hikes in Wyoming to complete.
HAPPY HIKING!
Sherd Lake Trailhead is located off Circle Park Road in the Cloud Peak Wilderness of Big Horn National Forest near Buffalo, Wyoming. Normally the moderate, 3.5 mile roundtrip hike leaves from a small dirt parking area with a pit toilet.
Currently, due to all the precipitation in Wyoming, Circle Park Road is closed at the entrance gate off Highway 16. The closure adds 4.5 miles to the hike, though much of the additional distance may be covered via a connector trail after walking a mile down the road.
HAPPY HIKING!
The small town of Buffalo, Wyoming is located nine miles east of the Big Horn National Forest in Johnson County, Wyoming. It is just large enough to provide all the amenities when exploring the area. Buffalo features a historic downtown as well as a slew necessary travel businesses on Hart St which intersects with I-90.
Buffalo’s colorful history includes Indian Wars, Cattle Baron Wars, and outlaw activity. Though it might be best known as Durant in Absaroka County in the Longmire Series written by Craig Johnson, who lives on a ranch in nearby Ucross. A&E and later Netflix aired a combined six seasons of the Longmire mystery series based in Buffalo and Johnson County.
There are many things to do in Buffalo, from visiting outlaw hangouts, to fishing, camping, climbing, horseback riding, and strolling through the quaint Buffalo Historic District. Below are a few things you will find when visiting Buffalo.
EXPLORE!
My first 24 hours in Wyoming were a little rough. I drove through two hailstorms. While looking for a camp spot, I got stuck in the mud and had to get a tow from some nice cowboys. And finally, Annie cut her paw and lost her brand-new bear bell on our first hike to Grouse Mountain and Ice Caves. But, after waking up to a magnificent sunrise, breathing in the fresh mountain air, and spotting deer, pronghorn, and grouse during the first two hours of my hike, I’m quickly reminded why I venture into the wilderness. #thatsWY
HAPPY HIKING!
Anytime I come through Raton, New Mexico, I simply just think of it is the place to get gas between Colorado and Texas as there is a long stretch of road without facilities. Raton, in fact, has more to offer than just gas, particularly its surrounding hiking trails.
The last time I stopped near Raton for more than just gas was twelve years ago on my first road trip across the USA. I explored Sugarite Canyon State Park to the Northeast of Raton. This time, I took Annie to stretch her legs in Climax Canyon Park on the west edge of town.
HAPPY HIKING!
It was a blizzard in Denver today. My plane got out before 500 flights were cancelled…Whew! We were delayed for de-icing but made up all the time in the air! I sat next to a father son pair that had gotten stranded in Denver overnight while trying to make it home from the east coast to the west coast. The older gentleman, who required a wheel chair and hearing aids, saw my Denver library book, Gone Girl, which I recommend, and asked if I skied…HA! I’m all about warm weather, and I’m glad I’m leaving it up to Sean to shovel my sidewalk, while I head to the Pacific (Hawaii, Palau, Japan, and Thailand).
TAKE A TASTE!
Today I drove up toward Guanella Pass to join a Meetup Hiking Group at Abyss Lake Trail, also known as Scott Gomer Trail, to enjoy the Colorado fall colors which are peaking early this year due to the dry weather. I was already up in the area, and the group was coming from Denver, so I planned on meeting them at the trailhead at 8:45.
I ended up being fifteen minutes late, so with two cars in the parking area, I thought I missed them and jumped on the trail quickly. Starting up the path on this brisk morning, I met Karen, a lady from Boulder, who also planned on meeting the group from Denver. It turns out, we must have been ahead of them, so we hiked together.
HAPPY HIKING!