We said goodbye to the Shoshone National Forest- Rex Hale Campground around noon and headed back towards Cody.
We stopped at the Buffalo Bill Dam located 6 miles west of Cody. The Dam has ample parking for big rigs alongside the highway. Volunteers were standing by to shuttle visitors to the Dam Visitor Center in golf carts. The tour is free but the golf cart drivers appreciate tips.
According to wikipedia™: The 325 feet (99 m) high structure was built between 1905 and 1910. At the time of its completion it was the tallest dam in the world. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and named a National Civil Engineering Landmark in 1973. Known at the time of its construction as Shoshone Dam, it was renamed in 1946 to honor William “Buffalo Bill” Cody.
I read that these log jams are cleaned out on an annual basis.
View from the top of the dam looking down on the old power plant. A new power plant was built a little further downstream.
Looking back towards the visitor center from the other side of the dam.
Inside the visitors center, an informational video played every 15 minutes inside this mini-theater.
After our tour of the Buffalo Bill Dam, we headed on into Cody through the Shoshone Canyon Tunnels. Known as the longest tunnel in Wyoming.
We then dumped our tanks at the Cody Municipal Public RV Dump Station we passed just before heading south on WY-120. We traveled through the little town of Meeteetse and then into Thermopolis, the “Gateway to Yellowstone Country” and home of the world’s largest mineral springs. A 130 mile travel day.
We checked our iPhone apps and other resources to locate a campground and the Rand McNally RVND 7720 turned us on to the Eagle RV Park that offered discounts for Good Sam (10%), Escapees (15%) & Military (15%) but when we pulled in, they didn’t have a site large enough for the Urban Escape Vehicle.
Our next choice was Wyoming Gardens RV Park which we passed on the way through town. The sites didn’t look large enough initially but we pulled in and found a site we could fit into. We paid $58.86 for two nights after a 10% veterans discount. Only 30 Amp power but we’re right in the middle of town and our satellite dish cleared the trees.
We put a couple steaks on the grill for dinner and I worked on the blog to get caught up after being off the grid for the last several days. The campground wifi is excellent here.
Check back tomorrow for a recap of our Monday tour of the Wyoming Dinosaur Museum and our visit to the Hot Springs State Park here in Thermopolis.