Ken Keffer - Hiking Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains: A Guide to the Area’s Greatest Hiking Adventures

HIKING
WYOMINGS
BIGHORN
MOUNTAINS

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HIKING WYOMINGS
BIGHORN MOUNTAINS

A GUIDE TO THE AREAS GREATEST HIKING ADVENTURES

Ken Keffer

To the members of the Outdoor Writers Association of America. You are truly the voice of the outdoors. Ive learned much from you all.

An imprint of Globe Pequot

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Copyright 2017 Rowman & Littlefield

TOPO! Maps copyright 2017 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Maps by Melissa Baker Rowman & Littlefield

All images by Ken Keffer unless otherwise credited

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available

ISBN 978-1-4930-2227-4 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-4930-2228-1 (e-book)

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The author and Rowman & Littlefield assume no liability for accidents happening to, or injuries sustained by, readers who engage in the activities described in this book.

Bighorns in the fall

LINDA LULIAS

THE HIKES

Acknowledgments

Id like to give a special acknowledgment to the staff of the United States Forest Service. With a mandate for multiple uses, the Forest Service is held to the impossible standard of making everyone happy all of the time. Thank you all for doing your thankless jobs and for doing them well. The employees of the Bighorn National Forest deserve the utmost respect. Ive been a user of the forest for nearly four decades, and every staff member Ive ever encountered has been pleasant and helpful. Id like to give Sara Evans Kirol and Donna Wilson extra props, as they were heavily involved as I gathered information for the writing of this guidebook.

Many other folks also provided nuggets of information that ultimately were helpful for this book. Thanks to all of the hikers, guides, travelers, and shopkeepers that offered up a suggestion or two. Your anonymous contributions were appreciated. I am also grateful to the staff at the Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Parks, and the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area for providing assistance. The Backcountry Horsemen of Americas Cloud Peak Chapter is a volunteer group that is responsible for miles of trail work each season. Everyone who hikes the Bighorns should recognize their dedication and efforts.

The FalconGuides team at Rowman & Littlefield also deserves kudos. My personal collection of FalconGuides has always been extensive and well worn. Im honored to now have my own title under this umbrella of guidebooks.

Dr. Uwe Stender of Triada US Literary Agency has become more than my agent. I rely heavily on him for guidance and mentorship in the publishing realm.

I have a special connection with the Bighorn Mountains, and I owe much of this to my extended family. Both the Keffer and the Ritchie clans are from the Buffalo area, and my kinfolk take up a large section of the Johnson County phonebook. Ive got endless memories of Bighorn adventures with my relatives. My entire family helped shape my childhood, and I hope I can pass on a few of the lessons I learned in nature from them. Pa put in lots of miles specifically for this book, and Grandma Keffer basically ran a bed and breakfast for me as I researched the trails.

Heather Ray has been my unwavering support for a number of years. She always has the words of encouragement to pick me up when Im down. She is always the first to congratulate me when I am up. She gives the best hugs always. Shes also an excellent writer and editor, and this publication is far superior because of her talents.

Scott Schaefer, Dusty Evenson, and Justin Kahle all deserve a mention, if for no other reason than the summer of 1998. We trekked lot of miles in the Bighorns that year. Im glad we still get to make new memories on occasion. More recently, Jarren, Tara, and Bray Kuipers were all very helpful in their own ways. Also thanks to Jodie Atherton for sharing Kirk VanDyke with me for a memorable weekend of fishing and hiking the Bighorns.

Thanks to everyone who contributed photos, including Charles Hubbell, Tim Feathers, Molly McKay, and Aunt Linda Lulias. Rohy Keffer took some photos, hiked some trails, reported on some roads, and ran many shuttles for me. Thanks, Pa.

Erik Molvars Hiking Cloud Peak Wilderness was a helpful resource. Bill Hungers Hiking Wyoming and Kenneth Grahams Fishing Wyoming were also references I consulted often. I relied heavily on Brett Prettymans expertise for this project as well.

I have been blessed with some amazing mentors. Special thanks go to Paul and Mary Lussow for always welcoming me with an open cabin. Your backyard trees provide an ideal hammock-pitching spot, and your wireless internet saved me a few trips down the mountain.

I dedicate Hike #48, Salt Lick Trail, to Mark Winland and Gwyn McKee. I thought about you both often as I wandered the mountains, but never more than when I was hiking up the side of Tensleep Canyon. I miss the hell out of you, Mark. I admire the hell out of you, Gwyn.

meet your guide

Ken Keffer was born at the base of the Bighorn Mountains in Buffalo, Wyoming, and he already has his burial plot paid for at the local cemetery (Block 15, Lot 14, Space 3). He received a wildlife biology degree from the University of Wyoming.