Saturday, July 21, 2018

Wyoming, Buffalo - Friday, July 13, 2018 - Hwy. 14 and 14A Scenic Drive


On Friday we decided to check out the advertised scenic drives on Hwy 14 and 14A.  This could also be another choice for getting through the mountains to Cody.  This drive was nice but not nearly up to the amazing drive we did on Thursday through Crazy Woman Canyon.




At an elevation of 9430 ft. snow and wildflowers seem to mix pretty well.



We decided to see if there was a road up Medicine Mountain, the site of the Medicine Wheel, a stone circle that lies at the top of a ridge just below the top of the mountain.  The builder(s) and the original purpose still remain unknown.  Modern Indians use the Medicine Wheel for religious ceremonies.  Flags or offerings are left around the wheel, signifying that a ceremony has taken place.  The Medicine Wheel is at least 250 years old.

There is a steep gravel road up to a parking lot where you can meet the ranger in charge to find out a little about the site.  You can then hike up the even steeper 1.5 miles to the Medicine Wheel.  A few people a day are allowed to drive the last 1.5 miles – we were one of them today, thank goodness.  The rangers keep track of your coming and going by radio.




Scenery in the area.




Small delicate wildflowers everywhere.  They caution to stay on the trails to keep from destroying the wildflowers.  We’ve noticed that the wildflowers don’t bloom at the lower elevations.



On the way up some more snow.  Most of those who were hiking couldn’t resist getting a handful.



It was 93 degrees out today, granted it was cooler here at 10,000 ft.  But, I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t have made the walk.  Sorry these pictures aren’t clearer, the road is pretty bumpy.



I think in order to get a really good picture of the full stone wheel you have to take it from above.  Obviously, at 5’2” this isn’t happening for me so I just did the best I could.  In the upper right corner is the center of the circle (wheel).  You can see antlers in the small circle in the foreground, one of the many small offerings left after ceremonies.  It’s hard to distinguish the stones from the many white wildflowers that are blooming around them.



Another picture of the Medicine Wheel, our Jeep is in the background.



Purple flowers on the mountain side as we leave the site.



Scenery on Hwy. 14A




Greg doesn’t share my enthusiasm for finding “figures in the clouds” so I usually keep my findings to myself.  But this unicorn was just too good to not share with him!  He just shook his head and looked like he was thinking he needed to take me back to Crazy Woman Canyon and leave me.


Scenery on Hwy. 14







We had decided even before this that Hwy. 16 is our best choice to go over the mountains, but this just clinched it.


Our wildlife photo of the day.  An RV and two cars in front of us came to a sudden stop on a downgrade to view this little critter so I desperately tried to get a good shot also.




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