Sept 13 - Yellowstone - Sheridan

Day 11 Sept 13 Yellowstone – Sheridan

Up at 6 this morning and set off by 6:50. Drove towards the East Entrance. Temperature was 19 degrees F again. When we arrived at Hayden Valley, there were cars stopped so out we got. The bears were there again but at a distance. The river and the lake were covered in mist and when I got out to see what was happening I realized that the banks were covered in ice!!!

Stopped at the Lake View Lodge for breakfast and again we could sit in the dining room and look out across Yellowstone Lake. The drive south continued along Yellowstone Lake. It is so huge and such a beautiful sight.  Then drove north alongside Sylvan River. Stopped to take photos of great reflections then stopped at top of Sylvan Pass 8500 feet before descending down steep winding pass road.

We left Yellowstone via the East Gate then entered the Shonshone National Forest . We were on Highway 14 which followed the Shonshone River that wound its way through a rugged landscape of eroded mts, hills and many buttes with names like Holy City (looked like Jerusalem), Elephant Head, Copman’s Tomb. This area is the home of the bighorn sheep hence the name Bighorn Mts, Battle of Bighorn This road was called Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Bypass.

Next stop was the Buffalo Bill Dam which was built over 100years ago and dammed the Shonshone River.

Passing though a long tunnel under the mts, we were once more on the scenic Highway 14. Our next stop was Cody where we visited the Buffalo Bill Historical Centre. Spent a couple of hours in there but could have spent much longer as we only saw 2 sections – Buffalo Bill and the Plains Indians.

From Cody to Sheridan was  a 156 mile drive as we took the scenic route through the faming lands in the valleys and then wound our way along the Big Horn River and through the Big Horn Mountains which led into the Big Horn National Forest. What a road!!! We were doing 180 degree switchbacks it was a very winding, steep  ascending climb up the mts, then down the other side. Passed through the western style towns of Grey Bull and then Shell. At Shell (Pop. 84) we stopped at Dirty Annie’s Country Store where we had icecreams. More hills, mesas and switchbacks before we finally arrived at Sheridan. Booked into Budget Inn and we have a double bed each and a continental breakfast. Bargain