Cody, Wyoming

Oops, looks like someone may have packed too many clothes

Buffalo Bill Dam

The Smith Mansion, the former home of builder and engineer Lee Smith rises 75 feet out of the landscape in a seemingly random collection of wooden terraces and staircases. Smith began building the home from locally harvested logs and wood, and in the beginning the house had a fairly mundane form. However, after completing the basic home, Smith continued to build, adding extra floors and seemingly tacked-on balconies, all from logs he would collect in his small pick-up. 

The Wapiti Valley is famous for two things: its abundant wildlife and the incredible rock formations that look down on the Shoshone River. The valley forms the main section of the Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway, the quite stunningly beautiful route from Cody into Yellowstone National Park. 

Lunch spot

East entrance

Yellowstone Lake, the largest mountain lake at such a high elevation of 7,733 feet. It stretches 20 miles long and 14 miles across and its shorelines are dotted with geothermal features. 

Can you see me now?

These young bucks came to the edge of our campground each evening and just hung out

Buffalo Bill Center of the West

We're are not big on museums but this one came highly recommended.  It's well worth your time.  The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is a complex of five museums and a research library featuring art and artifacts of the American West. The five museums are: the Buffalo Bill Museum, the Plains Indians Museum, the Whitney Western Art Museum, the Draper Natural History Museum, and the Cody Firearms Museum plus a rapture program. Founded in 1917 to preserve the legacy and vision of Col. William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West is the oldest and most comprehensive museum complex of the West.  The New York Times describes it as "among the nation's most remarkable museums."  Your admission is good for two days and if you want to see everything you should plan on using it.

Irma

Built by Buffalo Bill in 1902, this historic hotel is named after his daughter.  Stop by and check it out but don't waste you money on the food.

The Smith Mine disaster was the worst coal mining disaster in the State of Montana, and the 43rd worst in the United States.

The Beartooth Highway officially opened on June 14, 1936.  First referred to as “the most beautiful drive in America”, by Charles Kuralt, On the Road television correspondent, the Highway is a destination in its own right. It is the highest elevation paved highway in the Northern Rocky Mountains open to travelers seasonally from May to October.

A different kind of "Road Work"

Looks like we might have some weather headed our way

Cooke City

Sandhill cranes

Sunlight Bridge