The Yellowstone Expedition: Day 5 - Bighorn National Forest

Today has ended up being something of a short day. Woke up early, but got a late start. Of course, we were not sure what our plan was to begin with. We did not have a relatively far drive to Yellowstone, but we would be arriving late enough that we would be hard pressed to get a campsite. Dad was not terribly eager to go camping yet anyway. After a little net search, we settled on a hotel in Cody.

Mountains, near yet far

The drive was not terribly special starting out. There were rolling hills and rock formations, but it was all across the broad expanse. In the distance were mountains. They served as kind of focal point to drive towards. The bigger they grew, the closer we were to our destination.

Everything changed as we entered Bighorn National Forest. Up we rose along the green path. Eruptions of rock broke up the terrain until they gave way to massive stone walls. The air grew colder and the wind whipped around us till it chilled to the bone. Soon we had ascended to Powder River Pass's 9,666 ft., the highest point in the forest. Despite the frigid wind I found myself in awe of the multitude of wildflowers growing at the top of the mountain. I captured photos of as many kinds as I could.

Vegetation growing sparse as we go up

Ready to warm up, we descended down the mountain. It was a good five degree change by the time we had reached a roaring creek. It was flowing fast with white water rapids. Sparse grasses gave way to trees and taller herbs.

Alpine flowers on the mountainside 

The best part was stopping along the roadway to see if we could spot some bighorn sheep. While we did not have any luck on sheep, there was plenty to observe. I watched mountain bluebirds dart about and hover in the air as they looked for prey. There were more wild flowers to look at. The air was rich with their sweet smell. I found some kind of cicadas chirping away in a bush. Oh, if only I had the time to sit and catalog every detail and key out every species I can find. So many things that are unfamiliar to my native lands draw me into a world of fascination. Even the elk scats on the ground were a sign to observe as part of the environment.

This boulder was covered in flowers

All good things must come to an end and soon we were out of the forest and back in the scrub land. Despite its own subtle beauty, it has an endless quality that makes you wonder if it will ever end. We did get a break from it though in the form of an airplane museum. While the museum itself was closed, we could still look at some of the planes just sitting out there.

Said Canadian Airforce

Mid afternoon we reached Cody. It took a while, but we found our hotel. While I hate to feel like I am not getting anything done, it was good to finally get a good rest. I have been running ragged for a while now. Even if it is not burning energy, there is an exhausting quality to riding in a car for hours on end. So tonight we shall rest and wake up refreshed. Tomorrow is the big adventure, the goal within sight. I imagine the next post will cover a few days.