Driving between western South Dakota and western Wyoming, the transition from green range land to arid sagebrush country was occasionally interrupted by some impressive mountain ranges and canyons. We couldn’t resist interrupting a travel day for a detour to see Devils Tower. To appreciate how immense this formation is, see how tiny the climbers appear compared to the huge monolith (if you have trouble spotting them in the first photo, they are enlarged in the second one).
We camped along the way in the Bighorn National Forest, with a view of peaks decked with snow fields. We really roughed it that night—the campgrounds we tried were all filled up, so we found a spot at the edge of a large meadow where we could park Vagabond near a group of RVs and horse trailers.
Descending from Powder River Pass the next morning, the highway passed through spectacular Tensleep Canyon. The Powder River basin was a key area in the conflict between the native Indian tribes and the advancing wave of American miners, herders, and settlers in the 1800s.
Later in that day, our route took us through the majestic canyon carved by the Wind River through the Owl Creek Mountains. Highway signs along the way identified the exposed geologic formations of the canyon walls and their ages.
Love the Close Encounter pictures of climbers. You must realize that these posts are spreading wanderlust. Keep it up! Rob and Judith.
Makes me want to go back to Devil’s Tower! And see much more of the Black Hills. You are now in an area where I covet your trip! Thanks for sharing!