Images from Crook County

New picture for the top of the blog--a rainbow, actually double but you can't see it so well, in Colony WY. Colony is only accessible from one highway, Wyo 212 which cuts across the northeast corner of Wyoming from Belle Fouche, SD to Alzeda MT. There's nothing there, really, except a bentonite factory. Apparently Colony produces more bentonite than anyone else. It is on the wide open plain, rather like what one thinks Montana will be like.

I spent some time--not enough, it never is--in Crook County this week. Aside from being home to the first national monument, Devil's Tower, and the western side of the Black Hills, it is, in my opinion, one of the most gorgeous sections of a beautiful state. It is raining like crazy up there and all the water is causing some problems because the ground and the creek beds can't handle it all. When ground is as dry as it gets in Wyo the water just doesn't soak in that easily. Anyway, the rain was coming down, a lot of it, and all the water ended up blowing out some culverts and bridges, resulting in people not being able to get home. It is starting to receed, but since it is still raining, it may take awhile.

I didn't get any pictures of this, but when it rains a lot, the grass gets to be a very bright green, nearly neon, and the red earth shows through in startling contrast. It was raining too much to get a lot of pictures, but here's one of a flooding area.

Crook County is a place of small towns. The biggest are Sundance, Moorcroft and Pine Haven, all on the western end. I prefer the eastern side of the county, where Hulett, Aladdin, Beulah and Alva are. Hulett is the only town of any size in this group and it is up near the northern area. It is the closest town to Devil's Tower, and possesses a new Best Western that is just fabulous. Super comfortable beds, large rooms, very quiet location, convenient to town, a nice breakfast, nice swimming area, and friendly people. I recommend it highly. This image is from Alva, WY, a settlement of about 30 people. This was sitting on the side of the road near the post office. There are no other businesses (obvious businesses, I should say) in Alva, unless you count this lemonade stand. Aladdin, population 15, has a 110 year old store, a cafe with good food, and a small motel. Aladdin is also home to the Woolly Llama, the studio/gallery of Ila Miller, fiber artist extraordinaire. If you go by, it is a must see stop. She makes clothing, bags and hats from felted llama, and sometimes includes fur in her creations. She and her husband run an outfitting business from their ranch nearby. Aladdin was once a bustling mining town of 450 with a train spur from Belle Fouche, SD. There's also a nice B&B called The Bunkhouse a few miles down the road towards the freeway. Aladdin will be hosting its first art & craft fair in the town park on June 21, 2008.

Beulah is the easternmost exit on I90 in Wyo. It is home to the Buffalo Jump Saloon and Steakhouse, which serves excellent food in a comfortable atmostphere. South of Beulah, if you come off the freeway and turn the other way, is the Sand Creek Canyon area. This section of Wyo really should be protected. Sand Creek is lovely. There's a lot of informal camping and fishing access (don't forget to buy a license if you plan to fish). You will also probably see flocks of wild turkeys and groups of deer. Back a ways there is a little housing area, and past that, you come to Ranch A. A historic site owned by the State of Wyoming, it is now run by a foundation which allows use of the lodge and property for educational purposes for very reasonable prices. It was built by some Finnish men for Moses Annenberg in the early 1930s. It is perhaps a tad rustic, with bunk beds and shared bathrooms, but the location cannot be beat for privacy and retreat type experiences. If you keep driving down that road, you eventually come to Moskee, which doesn't exist anymore. It is currently fenced off, but rumor has it that this is a delicate and beautiful area that is very unusual and should also be protected. I recommend you turn back and exit the way you came, although you can get to South Dakota or turn north and come out near Sundance if you know what you are doing or are adventurous.