Crazy Woman Canyon Road

I have just moved my number 1 mountain range to the Cloud Peak Wilderness area of the Big Horn Mountains.  Today we road back up into the mountains via the Cloud Peak Scenic Byway (Route 16 right out of Buffalo) and steadily climbed until we found the road called Crazy Woman Canyon Road.  The other day while at Fort Phil Kearny the staff member asked if we had traveled this road yet, 'It's absolutely beautiful, breathtaking - you have to do it!"  And so we did.  But had to turn around after we traveled on a very bumpy, gravelly road, one lane where we had to hug the side and hope that the other car could get by.  We had to turn around when an area ahead of us did not look like our little car should have been on it - so - carefully, Dave turned it around and we headed back.  But what we did see was very pretty.

No smoke in the mountains! Yay!!

Gloria beauty

Narrow single road through canyon

Crazy Woman Creek along side of road

Point where we turned around - got too steep and very rocky

What's with the name of the canyon?  Couple of different legends - the one I like is:  A woman witnessed her family being killed and scalped in front of her, went insane and wandered in the canyon for the rest of her life.  They say that you can hear her wailing if you listen close enough.  The other legend is an Indian woman was left alone in her tipi while the rest of the band left, she went insane from the loneliness.  Regardless - it is a beautiful area.  The canyon was a favorite hiding place for Native Americans who often hid in the canyon to elude their enemy.

We think either elk scat or moose scat

Had to wait for this guy to move - too narrow to pass

Horse trailers parked, did not see them

Camp sights every now and then

We saw signs of scratching on trees and assuming it is from bears.  Did see scat - not sure if it was elk or moose poop.  Stopped at a bridge and marveled at the weight restrictions.  I read a blog of someone who brought their motor home down this road - wondered if they went very, very fast over this bridge!  And how did they do it?  Even though it was not said, a 4 wheel drive, off-road vehicle was needed to do this road, not our dinky little car.  Dave had trouble getting traction to get the car going once he turned around and we headed back up the canyon.

Did not look like it could support a big truck

Marveled at this bridge - the weight restrictions

We think this RV was from Sweden or Norway