US Forest: Bighorn National Forest
Length: 47.0 miles / 75.6 km
Time to Allow: 1 hour to drive the byway.
The 64-mile paved drive, known as the Cloud Peak Skyway, travels through the southern section of the Big Horn National Forest on US Route 16 from Buffalo over Powder River Pass, down the awe-inspiring Ten Sleep Canyon and on to the communities of Ten Sleep and Worland. An ideal route for travelers heading west to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks or on their way east to Mount Rushmore, the Black Hills, and the Badlands of South Dakota, the Skyway offers travelers the least grade across the Big Horns and an opportunity to enjoy the unique beauty of these mountains, as well as breathtaking views of rangeland, open parks, and alpine forests.
The Skyway provides great views of the Cloud Peak Wilderness, Big Horn National Forest , the Big Horn Mountains and the only view of Cloud Peak, the highest peak in the Big Horn Mountains. Numerous turnouts provide travelers with the opportunity to stop and appreciate the views. The drive in the canyon is spectacular, featuring limestone and dolomite cliffs. A parking area at the top of the 9,666-ft. pass allows you to stretch your legs and enjoy the view of the Big Horn Mountains. However, the true identity of the byway can be seen in its multiple-use ethic of the landscape, with sheep grazing, fire management, wildlife, recreation, and wilderness.
For those who tread the less-traveled ways, this Skyway connects to alternative routes on picturesque gravel roads such as Elgin Park (3 miles) and Pole Creek Road (11 miles) which do not require four-wheel drive capability and allow one to exit the main road and re-enter Route 16 further up or down the route.
Overview:
Cloud Peak Skyway travels through Bighorn National Forest, following U.S. 16 for 64 miles. This section of road that crosses the Big Horn Mountains offers the smallest grade, but still provides an opportunity to enjoy the history and recreation of this mountainous region.
Tensleep Canyon (WY) [2]
Fort McKinney, one of two historic sites along the route, was founded as a supply depot in 1876. Just one year later, this post was redesignated and renamed Fort McKinney. Today, it serves as the site for the Wyoming Soldiers and Sailors Home. Wander a few miles off the route and several thousand years back in time to see ancient history at Medicine Lodge State Archaeological Site. Situated along the Big Horn Mountains' western slope, this site is known as one of the country's most prominent archaeological sites. See prehistoric petroglyphs and pictographs that remain etched on red sandstone cliffs, giving you a canvas of archaic cultures.
Hikers at Cloud Peak (WY) [3]
Spanning over 1.1 million acres, Bighorn National Forest will keep you cool in its mild climate. Explore pine, spruce, aspen, and fir forests where all motorized or mechanical vehicles are prohibited to keep the land naturally marked. Go fishing at one of the forest's several lakes, where trout and many other fish flourish in crisp waters. For other animal encounters, wildlife watch to see deer, elk, moose, and black bears. Be sure to go hiking and camping here; over thirty campgrounds and more than 1,500 miles of trails await you. Cloud Peak Wilderness Area, part of the Bighorn National Forest, covers 189,000 acres. Ice Age glaciers carved and cut bedrock thousands of years ago, leaving behind this boulder-filled, shapely region that follows the backbone of the Big Horn Mountains. The route provides you with the only view of Cloud Peak, the highest peak in the Big Horn Mountains, standing at 13,167 feet. As you explore this expanse, you'll see deer, elk, mountain lions, and black bears.
Drive the Cloud Peak Skyway through northcentral Wyoming's Bighorn National Forest for close-up views of the Big Horn Mountains, including Cloud Peak. With a bundle of history and nature along the way, take the time to stop and stretch your legs as you explore the area around the byway.
Take the RV and hit the open road in Wyoming knowing you can stop for the night and need not worry about a place to sleep. The shortest of Wyoming's Interstate Highways, I-90 cutting across the northeast corner of the state from Sundance to Sheridan, is also one of the most scenic routes. This highway rolls over the western edge of the Black Hills, passes near Sundance Mountain and then traverse the northern edge of the Powder River Basin before flanking the east face of the Bighorn Mountains. read more
US Highway 14-16-20, the Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway, follows the North Fork of the Shoshone River through the scenic Wapiti Valley to the East Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. The route is known for its abundant wildlife, astonishing rock formations, and recreational read more
