shoshone national forest

We went in winter. The pass was closed, but we drove as far as we could. Really glad we did - great chance to see sheep and bison along the way. If you go, take it slow and be prepared for animals on the road. Show them a little love and give them their space. They will get close enough to make it worth your time.

Your drive through the forest is beautiful. There was a fire years ago and the new growth shows how the forest rebuilds without outside help...naturally! We like it!

Starting in Cody, you will see the landscape change into dam/reservoir, ranching areas, small school and church, and then will enter the unbelievable views of the Shoshoni National Forest. Have your camera at hand! Stop and take a breath. The beautiful river and greenery are host to some diverse wildlife, including bears (take your bear spray if you venture too far into the woods), Big Horn sheep, deer, moose, elk, bald eagles, and occasionally a wolf. The fishing is unbelievable on the Shoshoni River, but watch for spawning season. Stop at Pahaska Teepee, just outside Yellowstone Park east gate. Have lunch or a beer, and be sure to walk around the back to Buffalo Bill's original hunting lodge. A donation will get you in the door and a great personalized tour. There are plenty of camping areas, which may be full during the summer, but there will always be another down the road. We personally like the Big Game Campground. Not crowded. You will be able to see forest fire scars left in the ravines and sides of mountains. There are many lodges along the road, all of which have great atmosphere. Most have public dining through the summer.For winter sports, the snowshoeing and cross country skiing are great. There are groomed trails. Sleeping Giant Ski Hill is short but fun. They've done a great job reopening this and are planning on Zip Line this summer.Enjoy this beautiful area. We certainly do. Close enough to Cody to spend the night, or take the entire day through Yellowstone.

The great views, big horn sheep, bison, river views, great company. THE EAGLES were awesome. The quiet beauty of nature is just a few miles east of Cody, Wyoming in any direction.

Nice place to visit and hike around. It is very scenic. Even in July Windy Mountain had snow as did Island Lake but, it was not that cold (sweat shirt and jean weather) . Breathtaking views along the highway to the Top of the World. We also got to see a moose and her calf.

Lucky enough to get off road on trails on a quad bike. Amazing views, few people. Well worth a visit.

Truly breathtaking from Cody past the Buffalo Bill Reservoir, through Wapiti Valley towards Yellowstone you need to make sure you are the passenger and just keeping looking out the window. WOW!

The aspens were golden and the sun was bright on the river we followed much of the way into Yellowstone. A very picturesque drive, there were dozens of photo ops. Loved every minute!

We came into the Forest from Yellowstone and were heading for Cody. What a surprise. There were rocks, streams, bluffs, heards of little goats trying to cross the road, dude ranches off into the brush. I would like to come back and just stay awhile at one of the ranches. The scenery was just beautiful!

The trees and leaves are changing colors. The animals are gathering and feeding for the winter. Kind of hard not to go through at least part of this first while driving in this area.

Hiked 22 miles up to Bliss Creek. While not a lot of elevation gain, you will be deep into real wilderness. Not the most rugged area I have hiked, the river crossings are deep, fast wide and cold (most are fords to mid-thigh). Bears? Yup, lots of them. Mountain lion? Saw a few tracks on the trail. Wolf? Them too along with Elk & Big Horn Sheep. Hikers? Not many.

The scenery is awesome. It is something I recommend if you are going to Yellowstone. We were lucky enough to see it in warm sunny weather one day and the next covered with four inches of snow on the buttes and mtn tops. Gorgeous. Add a bison wandering down the side of the road. Be careful driving this road and all roads in Yellowstone, those mammouth bison turn up everywhere and you do jot want to hit one. Also do not get out of the car, the bison are very fast and have killed more tourists than any other animal. Always due to foolishness on the part of tourists. Stop by Mystic Lady to see original antler art that is hand made not commercial and check out the weird Smith Mansion up on the hill heading into Cody. Cody is the real deal.

Leaving from Eagle Creek Trailhead, we rode into Shoshone National Forest to spend four days, riding, camping and fishing. In spite of a steady drizzle, we loved it. The trails are well maintained and the scenery is pretty spectacular. We crisscrossed a creek several times, rode along some pretty steep single track mountain trails, and finally arrived at our campsite in a lush meadow where two creeks converged. There we stayed for 3 days fishing (successfully catch/release) and trying to stay warm and dry by the campfire. We spotted several moose and deer and saw plenty of evedence of bears although much to my relief we never encountered one.

We just drove through this beautiful area on our scenic vacation. It is really a great area to drive through and see all the forestry. A really nice drive.

Better than Yellowstone for it is less crowded, and more beautiful than the Tetons, again less crowded, the wind river range has more wildlife to view and many different landscapes with less of the hype. There are pullouts, day hikes, and backcountry trails which are well maintained (thank you Forrest Service!). I will most definitely be coming back.