As we left Thermopolis, we drove through the Buffalo range in the Hot Springs State Park. Lots of trails around too, but it was way too hot to go hiking right now.
As we drove, the rocks began to change. Less red and more jagged. We drove on the Cloud Peak Scenic Byway on state highway 16 to get to our campsite at Sitting Bull Campground in the Bighorn National Forest. The views were breathtaking! As we climbed higher and higher, it went from semi arid sagebrush, to lodge pole pine tree forests.
Our campsite was huge! At least triple the normal size site at most campgrounds. There is a view of a meadow with the mountains in the distance that was right down the path. And lots of wildflowers including purple lupine everywhere!
Jeff made steaks and then we relaxed with no cell signal to be found. The hammock was set up and a small squirrel came to investigate. A deer walked up to us too, a second after I got up and walked away from my phone of course, so I couldn’t get a picture before it took off.
Overnight there was an incredible thunderstorm. No wind or hail, but lots of lightning and thunder that was incredibly loud and sounded different than any other thunder I’ve ever heard. It must have been echoing off the mountains all around us.
The next day we went in to Ten Sleep to get lunch and to check in with the world. As we turned onto the highway, a moose crossed the road. I did manage to get a photo of that!
After we got back to the campsite, Jeff went on a hike to the lake across the highway while the rest of us relaxed. The temp was only 75 degrees up here, even though it was 98 down in Ten Sleep.
Unfortunately we had to leave this peaceful paradise and move on with our vacation, but this area is definitely one we want to come back to again. As we drove to our hotel in Glendive, Montana, the temperature hovered around 100 degrees.
Kline Road Trips 