Roamin’ in Wyoming Motorcycle Ride

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Roamin' in Wyoming Motorcycle Ride

Glassy conditions on Jackson Lake in Grand Teton National Park. (Photos by the author)

Fort Laramie is the oldest town in Wyoming, having first been settled as Fort Williams in the 1830s and "bought" by the U.S. government in 1849. It was the perfect place to start my 1,500-mile Wyoming motorcycle ride around the Cowboy State. Just 3 miles away is the Fort Laramie National Historic Site, which in the 1800s was the fort that anchored all the small outposts along the Oregon Trail and was a stop for the wagon trains headed west. Abandoned in 1890, it became part of the National Park Service in 1938 and has been restored and preserved. It's a great place to explore and learn about the Old West.

Atlantic City is one of several ghost towns in Wyoming that had their heyday during mining booms in the 1800s.

From Fort Laramie, my roughly clockwise route around Wyoming took me on U.S. Route 26 west to I-25 and then south on State Route 34 to Laramie. SR-34 is a remote and relaxing ride through rolling country with just enough curves to keep it interesting. After visiting the Laramie Historic Railroad Depot Museum, I headed southwest on Snowy Range Road (SR-130) to the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site. Built in 1872, the prison housed some notorious outlaws, the most famous of which was Robert LeRoy Parker, better known as Butch Cassidy. Butch spent two years at the prison and was never jailed again. Remember in the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid when Butch and Sundance tried to blow the safe on the railroad car and accidentally blew up the whole car? That safe is housed at the prison, which is well worth a stop.

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Continuing west on SR-130, I rode over the Snowy Range Mountains, topping out at Snowy Range Pass (10,847 feet). This part of eastern Carbon County is one of the most scenic rides in Wyoming, with snow-covered granite peaks, alpine forests, and deep-blue clear lakes. The road has steep grades and curves, but its surface is well-maintained and there are plenty of pull-offs where you can stop and enjoy the scenery. The road is closed in winter and had only been open for two weeks prior to my ride, so there was plenty of snow at the pass.

The Wyoming Territorial Prison is in Laramie.

SR-130 took me deeper into Carbon County to State Route 230 south to Encampment and then west again on State Route 70, which goes through Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest and over Battle Pass (9,995 feet). This is a very remote road that's open only in summer. After descending Battle Pass and encountering a herd of elk on the highway, I arrived in Savery, population 25, where I visited the Little Snake River Museum. Some of the buildings in town date back to 1873, and the museum has many artifacts from Wyoming's early days.

The Jim Baker Cabin at the Little Snake River Museum.

Farther west I passed through the small towns of Dixon and Baggs, and then I rode north to I-80 and headed east to U.S. Route 287, which took me north to Lander for my first overnight. The next morning, I rode 12 miles on Sinks Canyon Road with the river cascading beside the road to Popo Agie Falls. Since the road past the parking area is gravel, I turned around and rode back to Lander.

The Carissa Mine near South Pass City was once the largest and most productive gold mine in central Wyoming.

From Lander, I took State Route 28 through the Red Canyon scenic area. Just a few miles down the road is the turnoff for South Pass City and Atlantic City, both of which are ghost towns from the mining days. The road is hard-pack gravel, but it's well maintained. I stopped in Atlantic City to have a coffee at the Miner's Grubstake & Dredge Saloon (which also has a general store) and discovered the owners also ride motorcycles. The restaurant is the only business in town, and there were a few campers there when I stopped.

An American bison in Yellowstone National Park.

A few miles up the road is South Pass City, which has been preserved by the state of Wyoming and is exactly the way it was 100 years ago. Most of the buildings are open for visitors to explore. Overlooking the town is the Carissa Mine. Like many old mining towns, South Pass City went from boom to bust to boom to bust as mines were discovered and eventually played out.

An eruption of the Old Faithful geyser.

After touring these ghost towns, I continued west on State Route 28 to Farson, and Farson Highway (U.S. Route 191) south took me to Dutch John, Utah, for a ride around Flaming Gorge Reservoir. U.S. 191 intersects with Utah Route 44 south to Wyoming Route 530 at the state line. The ride north offers beautiful views of the reservoir and the Green River Valley along with some nice sweepers and switchbacks. Then I headed north to Pinedale, Wyoming, to visit an old friend.

Snow at the Continental Divide.

Pinedale is one of those drive-through towns on the way to Yellowstone on U.S. 191, but I consider it and the surrounding area a hidden gem. At the north end of town is Fremont Lake Road, which is 15 miles long and ends at the Wind River Range trailhead. The ride offers great views of the lake and the upper Green River Valley, and there is a pull-off at the trailhead that offers one of the most scenic views of the mountains.

Located just outside of Yellowstone National Park, the Beartooth Cafe in Cooke City, Montana, is a great place to grab a bite before taking on the Beartooth Highway.

Early mountain men held their rendezvous at Fremont Lake, named after famed explorer John Fremont. While in Pinedale, I recommend visiting the Museum of the Mountain Man. And if you're looking for something to eat, try the Wind River Brewing Company, which offers great food and tasty microbrews.

I spent two nights in Pinedale before heading north. After a relaxing, scenic ride through Grand Teton National Park, it was on to Yellowstone National Park, which had the usual traffic jams, or should I say buffalo/elk/bear jams, but then who cares when you are in such beautiful country? I recommend taking the Fire Hole River turnoff between Madison Junction and Old Faithful. The one-way road is only a 2-mile detour, but it's well worth your time.

The Beartooth Highway, a highlight of this Wyoming motorcycle ride, winds through northern Wyoming and southern Montana, topping out at 10,947-foot Beartooth Pass. Charles Kuralt described it as the "most beautiful roadway in America."

I spent the night in Cooke City, Montana, just outside Yellowstone's northeast park gate. Most businesses here cater to riders. I left Cooke City with a plan to ride the Beartooth Highway (U.S. Route 212) across the pass to Red Lodge and then turn around, ride back over the top, and turn east toward Cody. On this day, the weather gods smiled on me with clear and sunny skies. Riding the Beartooth is a must any time you are in this part of Wyoming.

See all of Rider's West U.S. Motorcycle Rides here.

I have been asked which direction is best to ride the Beartooth Highway, and my answer is always the same: both directions. The Beartooth is designated as an All-American Road and for good reason. I had only ridden a few miles when I spotted two grizzlies alongside the road. These were young cubs, if you can call 250-lb bears cubs. They had been turned loose by mama this spring and would soon separate and go their own ways.

A group of riders enjoying the snow-lined curves near Beartooth Pass soon after the road opened for the season.

After enjoying the ride in both directions, I turned onto Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (SR-296), which took me from mountains to canyons and back to mountains. The scenery is epic, and the road has everything from open expanses to switchbacks and steep grades. After that, I passed through Cody, where I recommend you spend at least one day to visit the Buffalo Bill Center of the West and take in the rodeo in the evening.

These metal sculptures honoring Native Americans are located on Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (Wyoming Route 296).

After spending the night in Powell, I headed east on U.S. Route 14A to ride over the Bighorn Mountains, where you can easily spend a day exploring the great roads. On the way out of the town of Lovell, there is a large sign along the highway cautioning riders about steep grades and sharp turns 20 miles ahead, and the fun begins after crossing Bighorn Lake. U.S. 14A is a rider's road for sure. After the climb to the summit, the road sweeps across the top of the Bighorns with a vista of green forests and mountain peaks.

U.S. 14A ends at Burgess Junction where it intersects with U.S. Route 14. If you turn left, the road will descend out of the mountains and take you to Sheridan, but I chose to turn right for more twists and turns in the Bighorns, taking me over Granite Pass and through Shell Canyon to Greybull.

Shell Falls is located on U.S. 14 near Burgess Junction in the Bighorn Mountains.

I rode south on U.S. Route 20 to Manderson and then cruised along SR-31 to Ten Sleep, a popular stop for riders, then continued east into Johnson County. The ride goes through the southern part of Bighorn National Forest, and I topped out at Powder River Pass, the highest point on U.S. 16 at 9,666 feet, which includes plenty of curves and views of high cliffs, pine trees, and rivers.

U.S. 16 took me to Buffalo, the seat of Johnson County. I recommend stopping at the historic Occidental Hotel – known as "The Ox" – to take in the history. Originally built of logs in 1880, it was a stop on the Bozeman Trail. A few years later, it was built into a grand hotel. The Occidental has had many famous guests, including President Teddy Roosevelt, President Herbert Hoover, Calamity Jane, and outlaws such as Butch Cassidy and Killer Tom Horn. If you go into the saloon and belly up to the bar, you will be standing in the footprints of these famous figures. While at the bar, look up at the bullet holes in the ceiling. Go ahead and have a cold one.

Riding through the aptly named Snowy Range Mountains on SR-130 in Carbon County, Wyoming, one of the most scenic rides in the state.

To close the loop of my grand tour of Wyoming, I rode south on State Route 196 to Kaycee, famous for the Hole in the Wall hideout where Butch Cassidy and other notorious outlaws hid from the law under red sandstone cliffs. From Kaycee, I continued south on I-25 to Casper for more Wild West history.

Casper is home to 12 museums, including the Tate Geological Museum, which houses a woolly mammoth, and the Fort Caspar Museum and Historic Site, complete with reconstructed buildings and artifacts from Casper's first 100 years. After exploring the museums, there are many restaurants, craft breweries, bakeries, and lodging options for a meal or an overnight stay.

The author catches his breath at Snowy Range Pass (10,847 feet).

From scenic views and excellent motorcycle roads to historic sites and great food, this Wyoming motorcycle ride in the Cowboy State offers plenty to explore for a multi-day moto tour.

See all of Rider's touring stories here

Wyoming Motorcycle Ride Resources

• Wyoming Tourism
• Fort Laramie National Historic Site
• Laramie, WY Tourism
• Carbon County, WY Tourism
• Wyoming Territorial Prison
• Little Snake River Museum
• Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
• Museum of the Mountain Man
• Grand Teton National Park
• Yellowstone National Park
• Red Lodge, MT Tourism
• Cody, WY Tourism
• Buffalo/Johnson County, WY Tourism
• Casper, WY Tourism

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