Thermopolis, Wyoming And It's Hot

Short drive from Lander to Thermopolis, but a very pretty drive to here.  Passed through Riverton again, said goodbye to the Popo Agie River, could glimpse the next mountains way in the distance.
We were driving within the Wind River Indian Reservation, Shoshone and Northern Arapaho, for most of the drive until we got to Owl Creek Mountains, a range within the Rocky Mountains.  Did not look too daunting, knew we had to go up and over them, but we went through them instead.

Good bye Lander and the Wind River Mountains

Could see the Owl Creek Mountains way out there (90 miles!)

Wind River Reservation has 5 casinos

Goodbye Popo Agie River

Wind River Canyon is beautiful, cutting through the Mountains for 10 miles, a level (no climbing) drive.  But first.  24 years ago when we drove this route in a rental RV, we remembered driving out of some mountain range and VOA-al-la - a huge lake in front of us.  We talked about hoping to find the lake and we did.  Called Boysen Reservoir, a man-made lake created from the Wind River Canyon dam, holding back the Wind River, and the dam is 4 miles into the canyon.

Boysen Reservoir 

As the water is spilled through the dam, huge white, foaming, rapid waters moving downstream.   At some point the Wind River merges with the Big Horn River, called "Wedding of the Waters".
We saw rafters traveling down the river - bumping up and down.

Moving into the Owl Creek Mountains

Of course - had 3 tunnels to go through

Train tunnel

And construction equipment clearing the road of debris.  Looked like landslides all over.  One side of the canyon is the scenic byway we were on, right against the tall rocks.  Then the river to our left with railroad tracks along the other side of the canyon.  Saw new tracks that were laid and with that, remnants of a huge landslide.  After we checked into the campground we found out that 4 weeks ago a major landslide closed the roadway as well as took out a huge area of the tracks, pushed them right into the river.  Cost of a million dollars a day to have the railroad shut down.  Took 1 week to repair the tracks.  But 4 weeks later, they are still clearing and rebuilding the roadway.

Narrow Canyon

Rafters!

We are suffering through mid 90's temperatures now and through the next 4 days.  About 8 degrees warmer than normal.  We will sit tight here in Thermopolis (they have the world's largest hot springs and can enjoy them free), do some sightseeing, then by the 5th of July head to Cody, Wyoming.