Crest the Bighorn Mountains

Touring the Byway
3 Days / 2 Nights | Gateway City: Sheridan, Wyoming

We recommend starting your journey in Sheridan, where you can tour the Museum at the Bighorns, Trail End State Historic Site and the Don King Museum, before spending the night at a fully restored flour mill.

On Day Two, you’ll be heading out to the Byway, starting at the Connor Battlefield State Historic Site, before traveling to Dayton, with a stop at the Hans Kleiber Studio Museum. Once on the Byway, you’ll pass the Sand Turn Interpretive Site and Antelope Bear Mountain Recreation Area. From there, it’s a short drive to Shell Falls. You’ll pass through Shell Canyon, before reaching the town of Shell. From there, take a short side trip off the Byway to see the Red Gulch Dinosaur Track Site. And then, it’s on to Greybull for a stay at the Historic Greybull Hotel.

On Day Three, explore the Greybull Museum, the Bighorn Basin Geoscience Center and the Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting. From there, we wish you safe passage if you’re traveling another Wyoming Scenic Byway, or a safe and pleasant journey home.

View the Detailed Itinerary below to see the full route, which is complete with dining, shopping, and lodging recommendations!

Highlighted Attractions

Shell Creek Canyon

This remote canyon is named for the shell fossils found in the sedimentary canyon walls. It offers amazing views of Shell Creek and the surrounding mountains and cliffs. Roadside markers help showcase the unique geological formations in this area, with places dating back over 2 billion years.

Red Gulch Dinosaur Track Site

Featuring hundreds of dinosaur tracks, this assemblage of fossil dinosaur footprints was discovered in 1997. It is the largest site in Wyoming and one of only a few worldwide from the Middle Jurassic Period (160 million to 180 million years old). The site features a boardwalk, interpretive signs, picnic tables, benches, and trails.

Trail End State Historic Site

This 1908 Flemish Revival style historic home was built by Wyoming cattleman, banker, governor, and U.S. Senator, John B. Kendrick. Trail End elegantly displays different aspects of Wyoming’s rich and colorful history in authentically furnished rooms surrounded by finely manicured lawns.

Museum at the Bighorns

The Museum at the Bighorns makes a priority of promoting a greater understanding of the American West and exploring history through the ears and eyes of the men and women who settled Sheridan County. Exhibits feature the hearty ranchers, railroaders, miners, and soldiers, all of whom arrived from around the world to settle in the shadow of the Bighorn Mountains.

Amsden Creek Wildlife Habitat Management Area

Part of the Bighorn National Cloud Peak Wilderness Area which US Highway 14 passes through, the 4,100 acre Amsden Creek Wildlife Habitat Management Area provides a protected range for elk and mule deer, especially in winter where food can be provided for the herds that come down from the hills.

To experience all that Crest the Bighorn Mountains has to offer, download the complete itinerary!

The detailed itinerary includes:

A complete trip experience organized in geographic order, to print down and go.
A full description of the Byway tour.
Each trip experience begins in a gateway city with commercial flight availability (and often ending in another) to enhance the Byway experience.
Attractions and activities along the full length of the Byway selected to truly tell the story of the places you visit.
Detailed description of each attraction and activity, including the address, telephone number, hours of operation, admission fees and suggested time to allow for a visit.
Accommodations (related to the theme of the Byway or unique to the destination wherever possible) positioned in the correct locations and including breakfast wherever possible.
Dining suggestions positioned in the correct locations for lunch and dinner.
All attractions, accommodations and dining locations arranged into Days that allow time for relaxation, savoring meals and enjoying the experience.
A road trip to create memories and intrigue your mind.