Wind River & Tetons, WY

From Lander WY we head northwest on Hwy 287 towards the Wind River Range and the Grand Tetons. Our first stop is at the Wind River Trading Company in Fort Washakie WY. This part of the Wind River Reservation is home to both the Eastern Shoshone and Arapaho tribes. The Trading Post is well worth seeing. Beyond the usual knickknacks and tee shirts for sale is a back room with beautiful examples of Shoshone beadwork. As I drool over expensive beaded purses, the saleslady tells me about an upcoming festival and parade where many locals would be wearing beaded clothing which has been passed down within families for generations.  Unfortunately, we don't have the time to stay for the festival. Maybe next time?

Ahhh - the open road again

through red sandstone foothills towards the

Wind River Range ahead

and lovely ranches

In Dubois WY, we drop in the National Bighorn Sheep Center - an interesting and informative stop. We had no idea that Bighorn sheep are found on  all the continents (except Antarctica).

Entrance to Bighorn Sheep Center

Beautiful ram

Back on the road we are treated to intriguing glimpses of the Bridger-Teton Wilderness up ahead. It's so close to both the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks, that not many visitors area make here - just our kind of place. We turn off on a Forest Service dirt/gravel road that leads us to Turpin Meadow Campground. About a mile before the campground, Peter spots a large grizzly bear and stops so we can get a picture of her.  I'm skeptical of getting a clear shot as she runs off... but much to my amazement, she turns around at the edge of the woods to get a better look at us and I'm able to snap a decent photo of her.

Bridger Wilderness

Forest Service road to camp

Female Grizzly stops to check us out

Turpin Meadow Campground is uncrowded and covered in Spring wildflowers (along with some mosquitoes). After getting set up, we dig out our mosquito suits and grab cameras to explore our new surroundings.

Turpin Meadow

Our campsite in a field of wildflowers

Douglas Irises

The campground is next to Turpin Meadow Ranch, which turns out to be a fancy dude ranch catering to well off clients. With it's sweeping views of both the Bridger wilderness and the Grand Teton Range, it's easy to see why people would come here.

Turpin Meadow Ranch gate

Main lodge

Buffalo Fork of the Snake River

While we are taking pictures of the Buffalo Fork of the Snake River and the Tetons, two employees at the Dude Ranch come by. They are very friendly and say they are busy getting ready to open soon for their summer season.  We tell them about the large grizzly bear we saw on the way in.  They laugh and say she is called "Brownie" and while she looks quite fierce, she is well behaved and keeps her distance from humans.  They also say their horses are currently being unloaded and will soon be moving to open meadows. If we'd like some good photos we should hang out a few minutes.  Sure enough, soon a herd of horses comes galloping over the bridge towards the open meadows.  They are being herded by a wrangler on his horse and two dogs.  The wrangler stops to talk to us and we ask him about his dogs.  He looks like he just stepped out of a Hollywood western, but his guy is no actor, he's the real deal.

Horses galloping over bridge

into the open meadow

Herding dog loves his job

Horses in afternoon light

Sugar? Apple? Carrots?

The donkey and mule always hang out together

This sweet big mare loves scratching her belly on a bush

Ahh - feels so good!

Idyllic western scene

Life doesn't get much better for horses than high open meadows in the Spring

Morning on the Buffalo Fork

All too soon, it's time to saddle up and head for the hills - the Grand Tetons, that is.  No matter how many times we've seen this mountain range or how many tourists are crowded into the view points, they never cease to captivate us.
We stop in Jackson WY for lunch.  Even though it's still early in the summer season, the town is chock full of visitors.  We pick a nice sandwich shop with some outdoor tables.  While we are enjoying our lunches, we can't avoid overhearing a conversation at a table next to us.  Apparently a former NYC woman is looking to buy a multi-million-dollar home to relocate here and start a new life (it's not clear if she's a recent widow or divorcee).  We wonder what is becoming of the American West where big city folks are willing to pay millions to move out here.  We guess something's gained, but something's lost as well. Yes - everything changes, just not always for the better.

Leaving Jackson Hole

and back to the wide open spaces

Bighorn Mountains, WY

From Devil's Tower we drop down to I-90 and then switch to Hwy 16 through Buffalo WY towards the Bighorn Mountains. The first campground we try is closed and we are wondering where to try next when UC Public CG finds us Hunter Trailhead, a horse camp close-by. Following GPS, we turn onto a winding dirt/gravel not knowing where it will lead.  Much to our surprise we end up at one of the more beautiful campgrounds we've ever seen. Who would have ever thought a horse camp could be so heavenly?

The Bighorn Mountains are ahead

Now that's a CAMPSITE!

View of Bighorn Mountains from our campsite

After setting up, we take off on foot following a well worn horse/ATV trail. Very soon we come to a rushing stream swollen with snow melt. It looks too dangerous to cross on foot and the log bridge is too rickety for my comfort. So we follow the stream for awhile and then turn back to camp for dinner.
As we are getting dinner together, a truck pulling a very long horse trailer comes up the road and  stops a few campsites over. We start wondering who they are.  We speculate they are horse trail outfitters getting ready to lead a group up into the mountains.  But then only two people unload two horses. Finally, my curiosity gets the better of me so I walk over and ask the man and woman if I can take some pictures of their horses.  Turns out they are a mother and son from Indiana, Connie and Matt. They also have never been here before and we are all in amazement at the beauty surrounding us.

I strike up a conversation with Connie. Her husband, Matt's dad, is having symptoms of Alzheimer's  Disease. She is exhausted from caretaking and Matt arranged this trail ride to give her a much needed break. They ask us if we know anything about the local trails and we tell them about short hike we just took. These trails through the Big Horn Mountains are well known by riders. I tell Connie that I've seen notices about other trail riding associations that arrange trips on other famous trails, like the Old Spanish Trail and the Oregon Trail. Her eyes light up with this possibility.

We discover we had both been horse crazy 12 year old girls bugging our parents to buy us a horse.  Connie's parents did and she has owned them ever since.  I never got a horse, but I still like them.  Connie's horse Candy is very sweet and mild mannered. Reflector, Matt's horse, is young high spirited. In fact, Reflector's original owners weren't sure he would ever be suitable for riding and were considering selling him as future dog food. Matt saw the potential in this young stallion and bought him for a bargain price. With much patience, Matt trained Reflector into to being a nice riding horse. As Matt and Connie attend to their chores, I give the last of our fresh carrots to the horses and immediately, we are best buddies.

The sky lights up with red clouds as the sun goes down and we enjoy a wonderful evening around a campfire.

The next morning dawns to lovely day.  Matt and Connie are up early getting ready for their first trail ride through the Bighorn Mountains. We go over to wish them a wonderful trip as they head out on Reflector and Candy.

Bighorns in the morning

Rear of trailer with tack

Matt on Reflector and Connie on Candy

After seeing them off, we saddle up our Ford truck and continue westward down Hwy 16 through Ten Sleep Canyon, then at the town of Ten Sleep we turn northward on a gravel road towards Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site. Yes, you can get there on a paved road, but it's always fun to take the road less traveled. Along the way we see lots of local wildlife and hardly any other vehicles.

Ten Sleep Canyon

Backside of Bighorn Mountains

Gravel road to Medicine Lodge

Pronghorn

Not so wild life

Entrance to Medicine Lodge

The Medicine Lodge site has been continuously occupied for over 10,000 years and is home to some of the oldest petroglyphs in North America. The rock art is distinctly different than any others we've ever seen before. Archaeologists are still trying to figure out all the peoples who have lived here.

Rock Art site

100+ year old graffiti

Some sort of gathering?

Some are shallowly carved

Others look almost like paintings

and others are very deeply carved.

We next stop at the hot springs in Thermopolis WY for the baths and to camp, but things don't always work out.  The Big Spring is open to the public as part of an 1896 treaty signed with the Shoshone and the Arapaho tribes. The first learn the campground at Hot Spring State Park has been closed since the publication of our guidebook. Secondly, the visibly bored lady at the information desk makes us wait several minutes until she has enough people so she doesn't have to repeat herself. Finally, she announces we can only use the facilities for 20 minutes. Yes - the spring is open to the public but only on a very limited basis.  Thermopolis does have many nearby commercial hot springs and water parks all for a price. Another treaty goes up in smoke in the face of greed.

Instead, we decide to have lunch at the Black Bear Cafe before planning our next move. Again we are treated poorly by the apathetic waitresses who can barely tear herself away from gossiping with her fellow workers. Furthermore, she acts like she is doing us a big favor by serving mediocre food.  Once again our old travel staying proves itself - "You never know what a place is like until you get there." We decide it's time to get out of Thermopolis.

We end up spending the night at Sinks Canyon State Park outside of the college town of Lander WY where we find a nice site along the Middle Popo Agie River. After setting up camp, we try out the the local trails for an evening hike.

Thermopolis hot spring

Campsite at Sinks Canyon

Trail along Popo Agie River

Popo Agie River

Meadow with wildflowers

Mule's Ears in bloom

The next day we stop in nearby Lander WY to pick up some biodegradable soap and other supplies at the Wild Iris sporting goods  store. The sales lady helping us is super nice.  When we ask about the closest laundry, she points it out and mentions we need a special debit card to use the machines.  When we look confused, she offers to let us use hers as it still has some money on it. Turns out she has enough money for us to wash and dry all of our dirty clothes. As a thank you we add enough money to her card to cover our charges plus some extra as a thank you for being so helpful.  Our experience with Lander is completely different than Themopolis. You never know what a place is like until you get there.