Driving the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway

by Bob | Aug 24, 2015 | Travel, Wyoming | 31 comments

Looking down from the Dead Indian Overlook on Chief Joseph Scenic ytway.

Looking down from the Dead Indian Overlook on Chief Joseph Scenic Byway. As you can see from the many switchbacks, they’ve managed to keep the grade low so it is an easy drive up it.

In my last post I left West Yellowstone and drove to Cody, Wyoming and drove the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, but the weather was so bad I didn’t get any good photos. If you remember, this is exactly what happened when I drove the Beartooth Highway; I had bad weather on the drive over so I camped at the bottom and drove it back the next day. This was just as pretty a drive so I was willing to do the same thing. After a few more days of bad whether I finally got a pretty day so I headed back down to Cody via the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway.
I left Gardiner, passed through Mammoth Springs and the Lamarr Valley in Yellowstone and then Cooke City in Montana. Roughly 30 miles later you turn to the right and drive Southeast on the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway. For the most part it’s a beautiful, broad valley with very pretty mountains on both sides that follows the Clarks Fork River. As you wind through the valley there are numerous pullovers where you can stop and get some pictures. I stopped often and I think you will too!

If you're driving east out of Yellowstone, the first part of the drive is in a broad, beautiful valley with many photo opportunities.

If you’re driving east out of Yellowstone, the first part of the drive is in a big, broad, beautiful valley with many photo opportunities.

I didn’t need to camp but there were numerous Forest Roads I could have gone down to find a dispersed campsite so I’m certain there was an abundance of campsites available along the entire drive.
Eventually you come to Dead Indian Hill where you start doing some serious climbing up numerous switchbacks. It’s gorgeous the whole way and the road is never steep enough to be a big problem. RVs will have to put it in a low gear and just muscle their way up it slowly but they shouldn’t have any problem. There are numerous pull-outs all along the way and you are going to want to use them. The view down into the valley below and the mountains across the way is amazing!

The long road to Pilot Mountain from the Chief Joseph Byway.

At the top of the pass is Dead Indian Overlook that gives you the best view of the valley below and mountains across the way. It got its name from the Nez Perce Indians led by Chief Joseph who were fleeing from the US Calvary desperately trying to make it to Canada to avoid slaughter and imprisonment at the hands of the monsters who chased them. They had out-fought and out-maneuvered the Army every step of the way but by now they were exhausted and hungry and their numerous women, children, elderly, sick and wounded were nearly at the end of their ropes–they couldn’t keep going much further. At the overlook they left behind one wounded warrior who was going to die anyway to slow down the approaching cavalry. Standing there it’s easy to imagine how one well-armed man could hold off many enemies for a long time. Eventually he was killed and the spot was named after him. Of course an Indian wouldn’t be honored for his bravery by using his name, just “Dead Indian” as in “The only good Indian is a dead Indian.”

After the Dead Indian Overlook you start a long gradual decline down the east side that’s very pretty and has many nice campsites. This is where we stopped for lunch. You can see the High Plain in the far distance.

After the overlook you stay on a high ridgeline and start slowly descending toward the east. Eventually you start to see the vast plains laid out below you and start into the switchbacks the lead down the east side. It remains a very pretty drive all the way down and not all that steep. From the pass down to the east there are several Forest Roads heading off into the National Forest and we pulled off a little ways down one road and stopped for lunch while Cody ran around. It was a very pleasant spot with a nice view down on the plains.
On the drive down on the east side there are several pull-outs where you can stop and take pictures and I stopped at one that was especially pretty with a bright red mountain across from us. As I was taking pictures I noticed a beautiful purple bush a ways down the hill and I thought it would make a nice picture so I walked over and got a bunch of pictures of it.

The Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River gouged out this deep gorge at the bottom of the climb up to Dead Indian Overlook.

The rest of the way down was uneventful so I headed on to Cody, drove into town and found the BLM Ranger office and asked about a dispersed campsite on BLM land nearby. They were very helpful and directed me to a great spot about 15 miles out of town either on or above the Buffalo Bill Reservoir. I headed out and found a fantastic campsite with very good 4g Verizon signal. I’ll tell you about it in my next post.

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On the final descent down to the High Plains and to Cody, WY, I stumbled on these bautiful flowers and got some shots of it.

On the final descent down to the High Plains and to Cody, WY, I stumbled on these beautiful flowers and got some shots of it.

Cody hunting in the sagebrush around our Cody camp.

31 Comments

Lucy on August 24, 2015 at 10:01 pm

Bob, those pictures U posted are beautiful. I noticed Cody has grown @ lot, he has big body now & a soft, healthy & shinning coat !
Glad U two are having a good time.
My regards, Lucy.
PS: I wish I were where U are.
- Bob on August 25, 2015 at 12:31 pm
  
  Thank you Lucy! Cody has filled out a lot! He was 2 years old when I got him and now he’s three. He was as tall as he would get but he was very skinny when I got him. He has filled out a lot and is a perfect weight and size now. I give him canned dog food as my experience has been that really helps their skin. I also give him fish oil every day and I think that helps also.
  Bob
  - Lucy on August 25, 2015 at 1:59 pm
    
    Hi Bob, yes, fish oil is good for his health & OUR health as well, olive oil is also beneficial for us and our furry friends. He really looks well, happy and STRONG.
    Keep on having fun. Lucy.
Shawna on August 25, 2015 at 7:06 am

Wow, gorgeous country! Your photos are stunning. Putting this on my list for sure.
- Bob on August 25, 2015 at 12:27 pm
  
  Thank you Shawna! You’ll be glad you did if you make it out there!
  Bob
Marie Watts on August 25, 2015 at 8:29 am

Oh, Bob! The pictures and descriptions are wonderful and amazing! What a wonderful time you must be having! You have made me miss my years in Cooke City, and frequent trips down “the Sunlight Basin road” as the Chief Joseph Byway is sometimes called. There used to be a rodeo in Cody every night of the year except July 4th. Made a LOT of trips down that road!!! Hope you continue to have a wonderful trip!!! You’re sure bringing back memories for me! Thank you.
- Bob on August 25, 2015 at 12:25 pm
  
  Marie, thank you for your very kind remarks! You are very very lucky to have such wonderful memories! As I get older I realize that the main purpose of life is to accumulate the most, best memories you can. Sounds like you are doing that very, very well!!
  Bob
Rob on August 25, 2015 at 9:05 am

You are a talented guy Bob, you write well & your photos are great! Again, thanks for sharing.
- Bob on August 25, 2015 at 12:22 pm
  
  Thanks so much Rob, that’s very kind of you!
  Bob
Linda D. on August 25, 2015 at 10:51 am

Bob, such beautiful pictures! You make my wanderlust so bad! Unfortunately I cannot go anywhere at the moment; but hopefully soon!!
- Bob on August 25, 2015 at 12:19 pm
  
  Thank you Linda! Your time will come!
  Bob
joe on August 25, 2015 at 11:23 am

if you can do this you should take more time to head over to Idaho go to Missoula take hway 93 take it all the way down butte city and if you can go to sun valley that’s a awesome drive you are already in the area so give it a thought , also do you ever have any one hang out with you on your road trips or do you like to go at it alone , I ask because of being safe from strangers any way bob thanks again for sharing your travels you are a great help for info in regards to what you do some day I hope to be in your shoes well sorta if you know what I mean happy trails to ya
- Bob on August 25, 2015 at 12:18 pm
  
  Joe, I’ve already left Wyoming and I’m in Colorado now. I had planned to travel Idaho and Montana this summer but Wyoming took me much longer than I thought. So my tentative plan is to to spend net summer in Idaho and Montana.
  My problem with them is they are so hot all summer. Even their mountains aren’t very high so it is hard to stay cool. It also looks like they have poor internet which is a major problem with me.
  People are welcome to join me but I’ve been moving so much it’s hard for people to catch up with me. My friend Suanne was with me through May but since then only two people have camped with me.
  Anyone is welcome to join me and to tag along!
  Bob
  - hotrod on August 26, 2015 at 10:10 am
    
    I am following your evey step bob to learn the best places to camp that will provide nice cool dry temps. I look forward to learning your colorado selection. your our Sensei.
    - Bob on August 27, 2015 at 2:35 pm
      
      Thanks hotrod! I don’t think I’m going to travel much in Colorado so I won’t have many camps. I was just in Steamboat Springs in a great camp for 10 days and now I’m in Leadville and been here for a week and may stay longer. From here I think I’m going to northern New Mexico.
      After a summer of being constantly on the move I’m enjoying just sitting!!
      Bob
      - Wendy Wunderlich on August 27, 2015 at 4:33 pm
        
        Hi Bob love the pictures. If you guys are ever in Deming NM give us a holler would love to see you guys.
      - Bob on August 28, 2015 at 8:06 am
        
        Hi Wendy, it’s possible we will be there later in the fall, but I don’t know for sure. We’ll just have to wait and see.
        Bob
Ming on August 25, 2015 at 12:36 pm

wow Bob, you have such a hard job, driving those roads and taking the beautiful pictures for us. Hang in there. 🙂
- Lucy on August 26, 2015 at 2:11 pm
  
  True Ming, is a very hard job, but somebody has to do it & evidently Bob volunteered to do it, poor man what a sacrifice he’s going thru !!! LOL.
  My regards, Lucy.
  - Ming on August 27, 2015 at 1:15 pm
    
    LOL!
  - Bob on August 27, 2015 at 2:22 pm
    
    Lucy, I’m suffering for my art!!! 🙂
    Bob
Greg on August 26, 2015 at 10:14 am

Hi Bob, I contacted you months ago, introduced myself. I’m still in Newport Beach,Ca teaching tennis, living in my RV attached to a house. When I get on the road, I’ll decide to get a van or short class c. Haven’t decided which. I hope you’re in good health and enjoying your life. I will stay in touch, will hopefully join you in upcoming gatherings.
- Bob on August 27, 2015 at 2:28 pm
  
  Hi Greg, it’s still too hot in the AZ desert for me, but I’ll be back there soon. I’d love to have you join us! There are generally numerous people there so you can meet many people and see many different rigs in action! Best of all, its not that far from you.
  Hope to see you then!
  Bob
Marie Watts on August 26, 2015 at 8:46 pm

Well, Bob, someday when you DO go through Missoula, and south on Hwy. 93, (as Joe suggested) stop by my restaurant in Stevensville and I’ll spring for lunch!!!
- Bob on August 27, 2015 at 2:21 pm
  
  Thanks Marie, I’ll take you up on that!
  Bob
Bill on August 27, 2015 at 9:44 am

Hey Bob that a great trip u r on! Hate to bring this up but that little black box that pops up advertising is annoying. Not because a ad pops up but on a android phone the X to take it off is so small and close to the edge of the screen that’s it’s very hard to touch the X. I know you support the blog with advertising and more power to you because I love the blog and forums! Please X the X. Thanks
Bill n Sadie plus Mic
- Bob on August 27, 2015 at 2:20 pm
  
  Bill, I’m really sorry to say this but I have no idea what that is. Did it just start?
  Bob
  - Bill on September 1, 2015 at 5:32 am
    
    Yes it just started.
Omar Storm on August 27, 2015 at 10:00 pm

Bob,
Great pics and information, as usual. Sorry we missed this summer. I was in Leadville, CO around two weeks ago. I enjoyed the small museum in town. I then spent a week in Silverton, CO. I’ll be heading to the Grand Circle in November, so I look forward to catching up then.
Omar
- Bob on August 28, 2015 at 8:07 am
  
  I’m sorry to Omar, hopefully I’ll see you later in the year.
  Bob
Omar Storm on August 28, 2015 at 8:33 am

Bob,
I’ll look forward to it. Enjoy the remainder of your travels.
Omar