Greybull – the suite life of travel

Traveling out west, I had finally reached Wyoming and decided to take the scenic route towards Devil’s Tower. My initial plan was to travel the Medicine Wheel Passage, but it had rained the night before and I was concerned that this would have an affect on the roads as US Highway 14A is not well paved. Instead, I decided to continue towards Devil’s Tower by way of the Bighorn Scenic Byway.

I refueled in Sheridan at the Holiday Stationstores for $25 and began my scenic drive through the Bighorn Mountains with a stop at Shell Canyon and Falls.

Climbing the mountain, I noticed a lookout and decided to pull over for a short break, taking in the scenic Blue Sky drive. Stretching my legs and walking towards the edge of the parking lot to take in the view, I happened to notice a small deer out of the corner of my eye. She was making her way down the hill so I slowly crept towards her direction for a closer look when I realized there was a young buck further down the slope. While keeping my distance, I stood still in the lot, taking in the beautiful moment before returning to my drive.

I was nearing the end of the byway when I noticed signs for the Shell Falls Interpretive Site. Thirty miles east of the town of Greybull, I was excited to make this stop to see the falls and explore the educational center.

Opening the car door, I immediately noticed the sound of the waterfall, Long before reaching the entrance, I was surprised to see a mist emanating from the cascade with a spray that was lightly covering my windshield. A donation box marked the start of the trailhead and within minutes, I was standing on the platform facing the falls. It was then that I realized I was too close to capture the falls it in its entirety as I had not brought the correct lens. I stood against the handrail with my eyes closed, feeling the spray on my face.

After a refreshing stop and a boost of energy, I continued along the interpretive trail. Rounding the corner and towards my left, a pathway opened up to a canyon Rock formations seemed to rise up from inside of the valley.

In the distance stood a limestone and dolomite rock feature known as Copman’s Tomb, the precipice was so named in memory of local settler, Jack Copman whose dream was to launch a glider over the side of the cliff. Unfortunately, he was unable to complete his dream, but locals have named this immense stone in Copman’s honor.

I had finally reached the end of the quarter a mile trail where I spent about twenty minutes. Not only was the trail a perfect break during my long journey towards Devil’s Tower, the mist from the falls provided me with a much needed car wash.

Have you had the opportunity to drive the Bighorn Scenic Byway or stop by Shell Falls? I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below! Many thanks for reading my post about the Bighorn Scenic Byway and Shell Falls! Wishing you many Happy Travels!

For more information about the Bighorn Scenic Byway, visit the Bighorn National Forest website at http://www.travelwyoming.com/article/big-horn-scenic-byway.

Are you a fan of road trips? I absolutely love the energy that comes from driving the open road. I’m also guilty of stopping by every Welcome Center for a few brochures and pulling over to check out the “Scenic View” for a few photos.

I was ready to tackle the 58 mile drive known as the Bighorn Scenic Byway. Met with waterfalls, canyons, forests and open fields, my heart began to race as I traveled west into unexplored territory. There is a freedom of taking to the highway and exploring the pure beauty of the Western United States.

The weather was perfect for taking the route along US 14, flanked by Powder River and Big Horn basins. I was heading towards Greybull and had mapped out a few stops along the way checking out some recommended points of interest.

Without any stops, my drive time would have taken about an hour, but the scenery was so spectacular, I couldn’t resist frequent stops to take photos. While the detours added an hour to my trip, I was certain I would reach my hotel before nightfall. Shortly into my drive I approached the Bighorn Basin looking west where I could see the Yellowstone Plateau in the distance. If I had more time, I would have loved to have spent more time to camp, fish or even pick up a hike or two.

The highway passed a wide range of geological formations and landscapes. As I drove through a small section of the scenic byway, I could see there had been a recent fire. From mountain tops to meadows, there were craggy rock outcroppings that added to the fascinating roadside scenery.

The red rocks seemed to increase the further I drove. Roadside signs along the way documented the elevation as I began to reach the crest of the Bighorn Mountains. Posted signs warned me of falling rocks and wildlife crossing the road.

The mountains in the distance took on a shade of royal blue against the subtle earth tones of the rocks. The drive brought me through a thick forest. Random openings through the trees allowed me a short glimpse of the afternoon landscape. The branches and leaves were a great protection from the sun, casting shadows on the road ahead of me.

The valleys began to open up ahead so I stopped at a scenic overpass to stretch out my legs. As soon as I exited the car, I quickly noticed a doe in the tall grass. She ignored me as she went about eating the grass at the edge of the roadway. Not at all aware that I was there, with her white tail flitting about to swat flies, she headed down the steep slope gently with each step. I slowly followed her for a few feet and in the short distance from where she was standing, there was a buck and a smaller deer at his side. I smiled to myself and was incredibly thankful for another unexpected surprise along my journey.

The road continued to climb and in the distance was a large rock-like structure known as Copman’s Tomb. Copman was an explorer who loved spending time in Shell Canyon and had wished for his ashes to be scattered over the mountain when he died. Having reached an elevation of 8,875 feet, I finally approached Shell Canyon Falls. Here I had planned to visit the interpretive trail and hike the falls.

I parked the car and left a small donation at the trailhead. It was a welcome sight to stretch my legs and enjoy a quiet hike. Shell Falls was a short walk from the parking lot and I could hear the sound of the water crashing against the rocks long before reaching the viewing platform. As I approached the 120-foot plunge, the mist refreshed my skin from the heat of the sun.

Although the Bighorn Scenic Byway had come to an end, there was an endless number of spectacular sights from this point until I reached my final destination. So as the day drew to a close, the sun’s reflection made the reds a bit redder and the oranges a radiant glow. It was a wonderful end to a perfect day of travel and I would be ready to start tomorrow morning, once again hitting the open road.

Were you ever surprised by nature while traveling a scenic drive? I would love to hear about your experience! Kindly provide a summary in the comments below so that I can hear about your adventure! Many thanks for reading about my adventurous drive out West! Wishing you many Happy Travels!

Shell Falls and Canyon is open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, mid-May through mid-September. For more information, visit the website at https://www.wyomingtourism.org/travel-resources/detail/Shell-Falls-Wayside-Bighorn-National-Forest/7957.

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