This Scenic 46 Mile Drive Just May Be The Most Underrated Adventure In Wyoming
Wyoming’s highways are all gorgeous, but a few truly stand out from the rest. If you’ve driven the Beartooth Highway, you know exactly what I mean by that! There’s a lesser known road, though, that cuts down from the Beartooth and winds up and down some of Wyoming’s most majestic mountain roads.
The Chief Joseph Scenic Byway runs for 43 miles, along WY-296. The road is the link between the Beartooth Highway coming out of Yellowstone National Park and the town of Cody.
When you get to the top of Dead Indian Pass, be sure to stop and take a look at the winding highway you just drove! At 8,061 feet, you'll feel like you're on top of the world.
Cheif Joseph Scenic Byway and Dead Indian Pass are named after the Nez Perce Native Americans. They bravely fought against white settlers who were trying to remove them from their home, and at this pass, Chief Joseph staged a risky escape.
As you wind your way back down to Cody, be sure to take your time and enjoy the scenery, because there's no place on earth like the mountains of Wyoming.
The Chief Joseph Scenic Byway is typically plowed and kept open all year long. For road status and more information about traveling the byway, visit the Shoshone National Forest website, here.
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Kim Magaraci graduated Rutgers University with a degree in Geography and has spent the last seven years as a freelance travel writer. Contact: kmagaraci@onlyinyourstate.com
