US Highway 14-16-20, the Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway, follows
the North Fork of the Shoshone River through the scenic Wapiti
Valley to the East Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. The route
is known for its abundant wildlife, astonishing rock formations,
and recreational opportunities.
Six miles west of Cody the highway skirts Buffalo Bill
Reservoir, a source of excellent trout fishing, and location of
Buffalo Bill State Park. The Park has facilities for camping,
picnicking, boating, and windsurfing.
Beyond the reservoir, the highway enters the Shoshone National
Forest. The Shoshone was set aside in 1891 as part of the
Yellowstone Timberland Reserve. One of the oldest Forest Service
ranger stations is situated in the Wapiti Valley. A stop at the
visitor center near the station will provide you with a brief
history of the area, as well as locations of campgrounds and
trails. As the Indian name implies, The Wapiti Valley is home for
the wapiti, or elk as well as the grizzly bear, bighorn sheep,
moose, deer, and other wildlife. A sharp eye might spot these
animals feeding along the banks of streams, on grassy benchlands,
and on brushy slopes. Buffalo Bill Cody built his hunting lodge,
Pahaska Teepee, here beneath a sheltering cliff. This building is
now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Wapiti
Valley is home to fourteen beautiful, historic lodges offering
full-service accommodations, nightly, weekly, or monthly. Any of
these lodges may be used as home-base while touring all of Cody
Country and enjoying Cody's many fine attractions.
At the head of the Wapiti Valley the highway enters Yellowstone
National Park. and here the Byway ends, giving travelers an
excellent route to the wonders of Yellowstone National Park.
Camp Observer