Bighorn National Forest
Wyoming’s Great Outdoors
Written By: Laurel Thompson
Located between the Bighorn and Powder River Basins in northern Wyoming lies one of the most diverse regions of the Cowboy State. Comprised of expansive grasslands, steep vertical cliffs, lush alpine meadows, glacier fed lakes and streams, and nearly 190,000 acres of wilderness, the Bighorn Mountains and Bighorn National Forest offer a paradise of year-round outdoor recreation to include hiking, fishing, horseback riding, hunting, camping, and downhill and cross-country skiing to name a few (FS.USDA.GOV). As one of the nation’s oldest National Forests, living near this incredible landscape is a life many only ever dream of.
Outdoor enthusiasts in the basecamp of the Bighorns
Nestled just twenty miles west of the Bighorns sits the town of Greybull, WY, also known as the basecamp to the Bighorns, where our friends Sam S. and Laurel T. call home. Sam, a Wyoming native and biologist for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, is an avid outdoorsman having spent much of his youth exploring the distinct country across the Bighorn Basin and its surrounding National Forests. It is Sam’s keen knowledge and passion for the surrounding areas that inspires the young couple to spend countless hours playing in the majesty of their backyard.
Despite having grown up in a family that spent much of their spare time camping in the Appalachian Mountains, fishing off the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts, and hunting the dense pine forests of central Georgia, Laurel’s love of all things outdoors did not truly begin until she moved to Wyoming with Sam in 2019. Born and raised in the heart of Georgia, and later spending several years in the chaos of north-west Colorado, the Bighorn Mountains have offered this budding outdoorsman countless adventures, and more importantly, solace in nature.
Medicine Wheel - Bighorn National Forest
Much like Laurel and Sam, for centuries, past and present residents and travelers have used the treasured landscapes of Bighorn National Forest, established February 22, 1897, as a source for restoration and tranquility (FS.USDA.GOV). While not easily accessible in the winter months, just a few miles shy of the Montana border lies the Medicine Wheel/Medicine Mountain National Landmark. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970, the Medicine Wheel “is an important prehistoric archeological landscape as well as an ancient Native American spiritual site where tribal ceremonial activity continues to this day” (WyoHistory.org). While it is currently buried under several feet of snow, this historic landmark is a must-see attraction during the summer season in addition to exploring the vastness of Cloud Peak Wilderness several miles to the south.
Winter sports in Bighorn National Forest
While you can find these two nature lovers outside twelve months out of the year, regardless of the temperature, they both agree the winter months offer a uniquely intimate experience for those who are willing to go the extra mile and change the day’s itinerary based on the weather forecast. During the milder winter months, Sam and Laurel spend most of their weekends wading through low elevation creeks, such as Medicine Lodge, Paint Rock, Tensleep, and Shell, casting into deep pools in search of hungry brown and rainbow trout or scaling the foothills and western slopes of the Bighorns tracking upland game birds such as grouse, pheasants, chukars and Hungarian partridges. In December of 2020, you could also find them out combing the landscape above Tensleep, WY on the National Forest during a late cow elk hunting season.
The terrain in Bighorn National Forest
As the snowfall increases, the two adventurers head up U.S. Route 14, an east-west route which remains open throughout the year and is deemed part of the Bighorn Scenic Byway between Shell and Dayton, WY. The route climbs a steep and winding path through picturesque Shell Canyon where they often fish, hike, and glass for elk, deer, moose, and bighorn sheep, the creature after which the mountains were named first by the Native Americans and later by Lewis and Clark.
Winter cross trekking in Bighorn National Forest
After exploring the untrailed banks of Shell Creek, only to find most of the water frozen over, the couple will head further up the canyon in search of untapped country to lay their skis. The two recently shared a weekend adventure backcountry and cross-country skiing near Shell Creek Campground with us. With one of their many faithful sidekicks, Pepper the red heeler, by their side, the two blazed a new trail through the snow-covered timber just north of the highway. Once they reached an open meadow, Pepper and Laurel got cozy by fireside to soak up the faint beams of sunshine and embrace the stillness of the National Forest while Sam climbed further up the mountain on his backcountry skis.
While the cold winter months often have us reminiscing of hot summer days, Sam and Laurel choose to embrace their Wyoming lifestyle in the Bighorns, no matter the season, as each season brings with it new and exciting adventures. After all, that’s WY.
Hit the road
Be sure to share you winter adventures in Bighorn National Forest with us on social media. Be sure to tag us @LiveWYldMag and use #LiveWYld in your posts.
