Bighorn mtns

by CJM , Thursday, September 01, 2016, 20:24 (3007 days ago) @ Ken ONeill

probably depend on the weather. Even in September it's possible to get an early snow. I would definitely avoid crossing the Big Horns in a snow storm and head north on I-90 and take it up to Billings then come back south to Lovell. Otherwise it's a very pretty drive taking Highway 16 from Buffalo across the mountain and down the canyon to Tensleep, then into Worland and north to Greybull then west to Cody. It's also very pretty drive taking 14 just north of Sheridan up to Bergess Junction, then either to Lovell or to Shell and Greybull. Going to Lovell does take an extra hour or so across the mountains; and then you spend more time heading south to Greybull and Highway 14 to get to Cody. Highway 14 on the east side of the mountains climbs a fairly steep slope in a bunch of switchbacks (no, it's not a cliff, just seems that way when you are going the other way and coming DOWN those switchbacks) to get up the first ridge, once over it you know you are in the mountains.
According to google it's roughly 6 hours from Rapid City to Cody taking the southern crossing, about 6 1/4 hours taking the northern crossing. Either would leave enough time for a side trip to see Devils Tower along the way. But if you want to see the Custer battefield then it's on up I90 to see the Battlefield, across to Billings and back south to Cody for a full days travel.

I would probably take the northern crossing as you spend a little more time in the mountains. The southern crossing may work out better for you as you could take the southern route to Cody from Worland going through Meeteetse and not double back on your tracks going from Greybull to Cody, then Cody to back to Greybull. I definitely would plan on spending a couple hours at Medicine Lodge north of Hyattville and spend a night in Thermopolis soaking in the hot pools.
It was on a ranch just outside of Meeteetse that they found the black-footed ferrets that were thought extinct, now they are getting fairly common up there with all animals from the captive release breeding program; but it's doubtful if you would see one as they spend most of their time underground hunting prairie dogs in their burrows. Lots of pronghorn antelope, some deer, lots of cows and sheep and close to Cody the possibility of wolves.