Shell Falls, Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming (6-30-19)

Part 2 of Day 5 of Lupe’s 1st 2019 Dingo Vacation to the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming!

The pleasant scenic drive through Tensleep Canyon brought Lupe down to the high prairies W of the Bighorns.  At the village of Tensleep, SPHP turned NW on a paved secondary road.  In the Nowood River valley, the Carolina Dog watched expectantly for cows, horses or antelope to bark at, but the region was so deserty she didn’t have much luck.

The end of June late afternoon was warm, hitting 88ºF N of Manderson, but approaching Greybull, change was in the air.  Greybull looked just as parched as ever, but true to form whenever Lupe arrives, a storm was brewing off to the NW.  Shortly after reaching town, a minor cloudburst hit.  No hail this time, but the brief intense rain cooled things off to 66º F in nothing flat.

After picking up some fried chicken at the local grocery store, SPHP drove E out of town on Hwy 14.  Soon Lupe was in Shell Canyon heading back up into the Bighorn Mountains.  When Copman’s Tomb came into view, SPHP stopped at a pullout.

A plaque with a sketch of the terrain to the N showed Elephant Head Rock at the S end of Sunlight Mesa, Pyramid Peak, and explained how Copman’s Tomb got its name.  All of these features were easily identified from the pullout, although Elephant Head Rock bore no resemblance to an elephant’s head from this angle.

Copman’s Tomb was of special interest.  The S end of the mountain is a sheer cliff overlooking Shell Falls 2,600 feet below.  Last year Lupe had tried to get to Copman’s Tomb, which shouldn’t have been that hard, but Cedar Mountain (9,813 ft.) was as close as she’d gotten before sketchy weather turned her back.

The Shell Falls Interpretive Site was only a few miles farther up the canyon.  Since it was Sunday evening, Lupe arrived to find the visitor center closed.  In fact, no one at all was around.

The interpretive site had many colorful displays, but Shell Falls was the big attraction.  Naturally, Lupe went to see the falls first.  A stairway led down to a fenced boardwalk that went to a terrific viewpoint.  Shell Falls was roaring!  Lupe had never seen it with such tremendous flow before!

Below the falls, Shell Creek churned frothily through a narrow canyon with vertical walls of granite.

More viewpoints overlooking Shell Creek were along a nature trail that started next to the visitor center.  The falls weren’t visible along this short loop trail, but Copman’s Tomb was, and Elephant Head Rock at the lower S end of Sunlight Mesa looked worthy of its name from here.

Having seen the natural wonders, Lupe allowed SPHP a few minutes to take a look at the colorful displays.  Some were specifically about Shell Falls or Shell Canyon, while others were on more general topics.One display entitled “Climb Into Bighorn Country” was exactly what Lupe intended to do next.  Another showed the main roads of the N Bighorns, already mostly familiar territory to the American Dingo!At the Shell Falls Interpretive Site no access was available down to Shell Creek, but there was access only a little farther up Shell Canyon.  Lupe’s next stop was a large gravel parking area on the R (S) just past MP 27.

Loop had been here with Lanis on her very first Dingo Vacation ever way back in August, 2012.  However, Shell Creek had been much lower then.  The sunny rock shelves next to the creek which she had explored in 2012 were now inundated by the surging torrent.

Since Shell Creek was so dangerous now, SPHP wouldn’t let the Carolina Dog get too close.  The tremendous flow was enormously impressive, but it was best to move on.  It was getting late anyway.  After driving the rest of the way up Shell Canyon, what little was left of the evening was spent at the start of USFS Road No. 216 about 2 miles W of Hwy 14 along USFS Road No 10.

This was the exact same spot from which Lupe had started for Cedar Mountain and Copman’s Tomb last year.  The Dolomites were visible just up the hill from here.  Although the sun was down and light was fading, SPHP produced Lupe’s flying disc and threw it for her a number of times.  A game of chase around the G6 ensued, which SPHP repeatedly lost to the American Dingo’s delight.

The games ended as a chill dense fog swept in from over the pass to the W granting SPHP a reprieve from further humiliation.  Lupe and SPHP retreated to the G6 for chicken dinner and a good night’s snooze.  (8:44 PM, 49ºF)

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Next Adventure                        Prior Adventure

Shell Falls, Porcupine Falls & Bald Mountain in the Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming (8-9-12)

The Dolomites, Giant Mushroom & Cedar Mountain, Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming 6-10-18

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