Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
as if from the hand of a stone glazier. They are piled up like billiard balls, to such a depth that
the stream flows entirely out of sight beneath them.”
The large outcrops along the road
[GEO.1]
in this canyon consist of rocks that are among
the oldest in the park, about 2.7 billion years old. In fact, there are few areas in the world
where older rocks are exposed. These rocks are granites and gneisses, formed deep within the
earth at a time when a mountain range was being made above them. Those mountains have
long since eroded away.
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West end of Lamar Canyon.
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Side road to
Slough Creek Campground
and Buffalo Plateau and
Slough Creek Trailheads, with several bird-watching spots from turnouts. At this unimproved
campground are 29 nonreservable campsites located about 2 miles (3 km) up the Slough
Creek road.
To take one of the two trails, stop at the parking area before the campground.
he
Buffalo Plateau Trail
goes north to join several other trails in the Absaroka-Beartooth
Wilderness. A 21-mile (34 km) loop goes from the Slough Creek Campground out of the park
and back in, joining the Hellroaring Creek Trail west of Tower Junction.
he
Slough Creek Trail
is popular with fishermen. A hike of about 4 miles (6.5 km)
round trip (steep in the beginning) takes you through thriving wildflowers to tranquil First
Meadow (as fishermen call it), where a patrol cabin for rangers' use is located.
The Slough (pronounced SLOO) Creek Trail has an unusual reason for being. Just north
of the park boundary is the private Silver Tip Ranch, home-steaded in 1913, which is now ac-
cessible by air but was previously only reached by this trail or wagon road. At a point called the
Slough Creek Transfer, supplies for the ranch are still transferred from trucks to horsedrawn
vehicles kept just for traversing a particularly bad section of road through the meadows. Even
now, you may see stagecoaches or wagons as you hike this trail.
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Lamar River bridge and mouth of Crystal Creek, which enters the Lamar River from
the south.
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On an unmaintained trail, you can ascend the ridge to your south, following Crys-
tal Creek to see some petrified trees on
Specimen Ridge.
Because it's a strenuous hike and the
trees are not easy to find, get a map and instructions from the Tower Ranger Station before
you go. Better yet, go with a ranger or other knowledgeable person.
