[EDIT/UPDATE: Scroll to bottom for post-trip details and pictures]


Hey fellas-

I'm planning a trip with a buddy of mine for May 19th to May 26th. We are flying into Jackson, renting a SUV, and seeing where the road takes us. My wife likes everything expertly planned in advance, so I haven't done a good ol' fashion road trip in a while, so this should be fun. Besides, I gotta do this again before I get to "grown up". We are sleeping in a tent every night. Shower when and where we can. You get the idea...

We are taking our varmint rifles and shipping a shit load of ammunition ahead of us to the nice folks at the Jackson UPS store who agreed to hold onto it 'til we got there. We will also be bringing our trout fishing rods.

I've been through all of the western loop of the map below, but he has not. He has mainly been around the Casper area antelope hunting. Even with that, there are many things I'm sure I have not seen.

There is a ton of experience here at AR, so I would be really appreciative if you guys would give us your input. No, I don't expect you to give away your favorite dogtowns, your honey hole fishing spot, or anything like that. I just want to hear of some "must-sees".

I'm looking forward to your responses. Thanks in advance!

Look into going through the park(yellowstone) to Silver gate/Cooke City, maybe stay at CC, take the Beartooth highway to Red Lodge over the Beartooth Pass, maybe end up in Billings for a night,then back south to either Cody or maybe Lovell, if Lovell then down south to Greybull, some BLM in that area, over Shell Canyon to the Big Horns, Dayton, Ranchester, down to Buffalo back over the Big Horns to Worland, between Worland and Tensleep lots of BLM oilfields, and some prairie dogs (pretty scarce any more) but that time of year might find some picket pins (gophers) then Worland to Thermopolis(Hot Springs State Park, swinging bridge( I helped build) through the Wind River Canyon, to Shoshone, then run east 19 miles to Monita, go 28 miles south to Castle Gardens petroglyphs, more BLM, then take gas hills road to Riverton, more BLM, then over to Dubois and back to Jackson. You might consider North Fork road highway to Cody out of the parks east gate to, you are picking one of the best times to go and see wildlife. Especially down the North Fork, areas of Sunlight Basin/Cooke City elk and deer are scarce these days to, (wolves).

Have a great trip.

Thanks Kudu! Sounds like you might have been through there before.

Seriously though, I really appreciate the info. I recognize many of the names, but I'll have to pull out a map and look in more detail about all those spots.

I can't wait to head out.

Thanks, buddy.

(edit) I updated the map to reflect your suggested route. I like it! It has us backtracking a little less too.



I have a question though, after leaving Billings and heading south, should we go through Badger Basin or Frannie?

Also, is the Medicine Wheel located up 14A? Maybe it would be best to take 120 south to Cody, then back north up to Deaver and Lovell. What do you think? I guess I'd miss out on the BLM land around Greybull/Shell though.

Kenati, Kudu56 gave some good suggestions.

I'd plan on spending a night in Thermopolis. Have dinner or just a few drinks in the bar at the Safari Inn (it's just inside the Hot Springs State Park.) He's got at least one of just about every critter that walks on the walls. There's a good RV park that allows tent camping about a mile north of town on US 20 (US 16 on your map). The RV park has a couple of uncrowded mineral hot pools and live music every night. My girlfriend and I stay there once or twice a year.

It's about a hour and a half drive from Thermopolis to Cody, and Cody would also be worth spending a night in. They have a wildlife museum and a firearms museum that are worth walking through.

Your map shows you driving I 90 from Livingston to Buffalo. I drive this road about 10 times a year (to Denver), and from Billings east (and south) it is pretty boring. The Crow Reservation from Hardin to the Wyoming line is a wildlife desert. I see more wildlife crossing my little chunk of ground near Bozeman in one day than I've seen in 35 years of crossing the Res.

There is a new Cabela's store in Billings (with no sales tax).

There is also the Custer Battlefield near Garryowen, if you're into that kind of thing.

Like Kudu wrote, the Beartooth highway from Red Lodge to Cooke City is worth the drive (if it's open -- it's closed for the winter). Drive south from Columbus (or Laurel) to Red Lodge. The Chief Joseph Scenic Hwy (Wyo 296) from Cooke City to Cody is also a pretty drive.

And finally, although I've never been on it, US 16 connects Buffalo to Worland if you don't want to backtrack from Buffalo to Ranchester.

Hope you have a great trip.

don't miss the winchester collection at cody, there are hot springs at thermopolis, good pd towns along your route up by the crow wings there used to be some big towns a while back, the machinery working the coal mines is really amazing. have fun

Buffybr-

Thanks for the tips! I really appreciate you taking the time to share them with me. I added Safari Inn, Cody museums, and Custer's Battlefield to my hit list. Might have to check out the uncrowded hot pools too...

Butchloc-

It must be the little Tonka-truck-lovin' boy left inside me, but I do enjoy looking at machinery! My family has always had big equipment, but my favorite to run were the dozer and track loaders... every chance I got. I've had a lot of jobs, but outside of performing surgery, that is probably the most gratifying work I've ever done. It's great to take a step back and SEE what you've accomplished. Anyway, I'll have to check out the mines. Oh, and I'll keep my eye out for the PD towns.

Thanks again to you both!

I forgot the Days Inn Safari Club, Used to be Holiday Inn Safari Club, most of the mounts are the owners, some are his daughters and friends. Some are replicas. I used to live a few houses down from his house. The camp ground north of town is called Fountain of Youth campground. Has it's own mineral hot pools. THere is also a free hotpool in the state park. You need two weeks! I lived there for 14 years.

quote:

should we go through Badger Basin or Frannie?

It is sixes! I like the drive through Badger Basin, more scenic, but the other way through Lovell is a little better highway. I would go Badger Basin! We travel to Billings almost monthly through Lovell. Nearest Wally World is Cody, 90 miles and Billings is only 160, and no sales tax. And no tourists like in Cody! You are going early enough that it shouldn't be to crowded. Crap I am excited and I ain't going on your trip. You are going through where I hunt, camp 30 days a year, fish, and just go for day drives. You get closer to going and want my cell#, in case of an emergency PM me.

From Montaqua (?) on your map, approximately near Fort Rockvale, hwy 212 to I90, drive cautously, can be very high traffic flow on a two lane highway. Just take your time. Count the white crosses!

Be prepared for cold, coats and good sleeping bags.

i think the 3rd week of may will be too early for the medicine wheel,sits on top of the bighorns above lovell and gets plenty of snow.
all the other sugestions are solid.
you will find alittle shooting for dogs on thr highway leading to lovell from greybull
just a few miles north from the junction at greybull there are some dogs on both sides of the road,mostly on the right.
the boy scout horn auction is the 3rd sat in may in jackson, be worth seeing several tons of elk horns.
thermop has a dino museum and old trail town in cody is another museum.
some good fishing going up or coming down the
bighorns,runoff maybe a factor.
the road from cooke city to red lodge opens around may 25th and is great for views and should see some mt goats,the skiers will be on the first switchback past "top of the world"
do "something" in ten sleep and if
jalan crossland (hometown boy) is playing in town stay for the show.
ten sleep got its name because it was 10 sleeps from the medicine wheel,and are some large piles of stone (arrow shaped)that point directly at the medicine wheel.
sounds like a great time,safe travels and
have fun.

Kenati,
The fellas have already given you some good ideas and I will just elaborate on some observations. First, the Beartooth Highway from Cooke City to Red Lodge is always targeted to open on Memorial Day weekend. Snowpack in the Beartooths this year is considerably below normal (again dammit) so I imagine that the road will be open. DRIVE IT! From Red Lodge on the east drive over the hump to Bear Creek and Belfry then cruise on down to Cody across Two Dot flats. Lots of history in there, and the great American West atands out in stark grandeur as you drive.

If for some reason it isn't open, head east anyway and take the alternate road through Sunlight Basin. It's a right turn just at the base of the climb up to the Beartooth Pass. Some of us well remember when it was called Dead Indian Hill, a left over from the Nez Perce war of 1877. Some of us still call it Dead Indian Hill, and without prejudice either. However the sign at the turn off now says it is the Chief Joseph Memorial Highway. DRIVE IT! The view on this pass is also incredible. The geology is very unique and incredible as well, so you might get a roadside geology book.

At the base of the pass on the east side you will turn right again. Heart Mountain is directly in front of you. It is all that's left of a very large thrust fault that has slid much older rock of younger. Drive on in to Cody. Cassies used to be a good steak house for dinner, the Buffalo Bill Historical Museum will take up an entire day if you do it correctly. The museum is actually 4 in 1, the Whitney Art Gallery with Russell, Remington, Rungius, Catlin, Miller......etc. The Winchester Gun Museum is in a class by itself with way too many significant American firearms to list here. But, how 'bout TR's Model 95, or Bill Cody's Lucretia Borgia trapdoor, or serial #1 of Colt Model 1911. You get the idea. Then there's the Plains Indian Museum with very unique indian (excuse the hell out of me, Native American) antiquities, artwork, crafts, clothes. The museum is also politically correct these days. Ask one of the attendants what happened to the finger bone necklace made from the Custer troopers that used to be on display. Hmmmmmm
Lastly, is the Draper northern ecosystem museum, a family conglomeration of "stuff". However, in the same room with Teddy's Model 95 is the famous Chadwick ram. All good stuff.

In them morning, have breakfast at the Irma Hotel downtown. Breakfast is just breakfast, can't hardly ruin it, but the dining room and back bar are purely Buffalo Bill vintage all the way.

I recommend driving over to Lovell and then driving on excellent paved road to the view points in Big Horn Canyon National Recreation Area. At Devil's Overlook, the canyon is about 1700 ft deep and barely 1/4 mile wide. You can drive on up to Barry's Landing and hike into the old ghost town of Hillsboro. It is a Kodak moment. A couple of miles further north and just past the pavement is the restored Carolyn Lockheart Ranch. Now that's a real Kodak moment. Off to the west are the brooding and mysterious Pryor Mountains.

Headed east on 14A will get you up to the Medicine Wheel. It may or may not be free of snow.

Custer Battlefield, now politcally corrected to Little Big Horn National Battlefied is worth your time. Perhaps little know about the place, is the interesting people buried in the national cemetary, and the private museum down in the valley at Garryowen. I recommend a stop there, and don't waste your time at the trinket shop on the highway directly across from the battlefield entrance.

Headed back to Jackson, once you're on top of Togwotee Pass, which will also take your breath away, you have a couple of options. Gravel road to the north takes you to Brooks Lake. It was first mapped by John Coulter in his little winter wilderness trek. South headed toward Pinedale will take you to Union Pass, a triple divide of the Green, the Snake, and the Missouri (via the Wind/Big Horn/Yellowstone).

If you want some exercise, Teton Park now has a paved bicycle path from the visitor center at Moose Junction all the way up to Jenny Lake. Easy ride and very spcectacular. A whitewater float on the snake below Hoback Junction with somebody like Barker-Ewing will be one hell of a ride on the spring runoff.

Well, it's late, I'm going to bed. If you're interested in the NW loop through my beloved Yellowstone NP or down the Madison, Gallatin, or Yellowstone let me know. It's all good, and those of us who live amongst this crown of the Rockies thank God everyday that we get to enjoy it as time permits.

Goodnight

Crap, I just re-read this rambling.
1. Buffalo Bill has his own museum at the Cody complex too.
2. Five Pockets north of Dubois is rimmed with the Wiggins volcanics and lousy with big horn sheep.
3. Ditto on the see-um dead zoo and hot springs in Thermopolis
4. I know where there's some dog towns, and on public land, but it's too hard to try and tell you where. Just shoot all them sumbiches.

Kudu, Ravenr, & Yellowstone-

Man, what can I say? Thank you very much for sharing all of your suggestions. It is all a tremendous help while I try to somewhat plan this. I certainly want to avoid staying on a rigid schedule, but you're right... I need at least TWO weeks! Ha

Kudu,

Thanks for offering the emergency contact. Can I call if I run out of ammo or beer?

quote:

hanks for offering the emergency contact. Can I call if I run out of ammo or beer?

Hell ya!

Don't forget to see Idaho if you can spare the time. Go throught the west entrance of YNP to West Yellowstone down to Henry's Lake and Fork of the Snake. You can then go to Driggs and over the pass back to Jackson.
Enjoy the trip and see as much as you can.

That looks like a trip made in Heaven!

Stepchild

First, let me thank all of you for your tips and suggestions for our road trip. You all made a good trip turn out to be a great one.

I thought after a certain age, road trips would begin to lose their luster and just wouldn't be quite as much fun as they used to be... WRONG!! We had a blast, literally and figuratively. We stayed in a tent 8 nights; rain, snow, and clear skies all with temps ranging from 26 to 80+ degrees. We got a little bit of everything when it came to weather.

Hertz made the mistake of renting us a 2011 all blacked out 4X4 Surburban LT with leather seats, satellite radio, and Bose stereo with a whopping 181 miles on the odometer. Needless to say, when we got through with it, that delicious new cars smell was loooooong gone! Haha In a little over 1,100 miles of driving, we saw some gorgeous country. We definitely spent a little more time taking it all in without the preoccupation of filling a big game tag or chasing down birds or any of the typical, but also worthy, endeavors. We worked on filling up the memory cards in our cameras instead. Rather than go into a long diatribe about the trip and what we did, here is a load of pictures. I'll have to upload the prairie dog shooting video to the varmint forum... it's LEGENDARY! My buddy is a top-notch videographer and editor. I've never seen any varmint video done quite like it.

Ask questions, comment, or just have a look. But most of all, enjoy some beautiful scenery and creatures.


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My camera.
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Jenny Lake, Grand Tetons





















































You gotta love the name "Beaver Dick"


























I like it when there is no gun counter or pushy salesman to get in the way:


Reloading section at WALMART! Cody, Wy.


The famous Chadwick Ram. As mentioned above, it was next to my favorite piece in the whole museum... Teddy Roosevelt's 1895!






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My buddy's camera:
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Asking the prairie dog gods for forgiveness.




















To whomever owns this ranch... I AM A POOR JEALOUS BASTARD AND YOU SHOULD ADOPT ME!




Despite the muddy runoff, we wer still able to catch fish even on the big waters. Best part... we were the only ones in sight the whole damn time!





450 Bushmaster "Bear Spray"

Fantastic photos. I am also a great fan of B&W photos. They are classic. That waterfall photo is begging to be done in B&W also. What camera & lens did you use? That is a trip you will certainly cherish for the rest of your life.

P. S. Never grow up. It sucks.

GREAT SHOTS! Camera settings would also be nice along with any software corrections you made.

quote:

Originally posted by larrys:
Camera settings would also be nice along with any software corrections you made.

quote:

Originally posted by D Humbarger:
What camera & lens did you use?

Thanks for the compliments on the photos. I'm kinda "techy" too, so here are all the details on equipment:

Mine:
iPhone (you should be able tell which ones)
Canon 20D camera body
16-35mm f/2.8L II
24-105mm f/4.0L IS
70-200mm f/2.8L IS
Extender EF 2x II



My buddy's:
Canon 7D body
16-35mm f/2.8
50mm f1.4
28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

The video quality from the 7D is PHENOMENAL! I've never seen anything like it. I'll post the prairie dog video as soon as I figure out how to shrink it down. You'd be blown away (pun intended) if you could see the Blue Ray version.

===============
Post-Processing
===============

-Minor tweaks to color or contrast were done in Photoshop CS3 for a few

-B&W were shot either on the camera or converted using the "Silver Efex Pro" plug-in in Photoshop CS3

-The HDR photos were done using Photomatix Pro3


As for specific camera settings, you'd have to go here and look at the EXIF data to see what they are for individual pictures. There are several photos that I did not post as well. The pictures are nicer quality on Flikr than on here. (I posted these with Photobucket).

Mine:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/4...s/72157624168989906/

Buddy's:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/b...s/72157624033658241/

Varmint Video Teaser:

Favorite Shot (Slow Motion) - Prairie Dogs Wyoming 2010

Great photos and video. Thanks for sharing.

THANK YOU! I really appreciate the settings.

Looks like you had a great trip and I appreciate the photos. Excellent work.

Beautiful pics !!!

Oh, my. Thank you very much.

Here's the summarized clip of kills (GRAPHIC):

(30 seconds)
http://vimeo.com/12659655


Extended versions of the videos are being uploaded as well in 2 other separate parts. They have a lot of slow-motion replays and good music, but are much longer.

You guys should see this on a 72" HD TV with a Blue Ray player. WOW!! It's amazing.