Cloud Peak Skyway

Sky Road Across the Bighorns

Every spring, wildflowers cover the hillsides turning the meadows red, white, purple and blue. Deer, elk and moose frolic on the rugged alpine landscapes where views extend for more than 40 miles. Two canyons loom overhead as you pass through. In winter, the landscape turns white with a blanket of snow, waiting for another colorful spring. You’ll discover all this and more on the Cloud Peak Skyway, a 45-mile Scenic Byway in north central Wyoming, that crests at the 9,666 foot Powder River Pass. Cloud Peak, the “granddaddy” of the Bighorn Mountains, can only been seen from this route. The parkway was considered quite modern when it opened in 1920, yet the “white knuckle” twists and turns along with the steep grades, spoke to the gumption of early motorists enjoying new scenic roads. The route was also the scene of history, when a range war between wealthy ranchers and small farmers broke out. It took the Sixth Cavalry and the sheriff with a posse of 200 men to route out 50 hired killers who were holed up at a local ranch. Take your time as you travel this beautiful road, savor the time at the top of the world, and enjoy the unique nature that makes this route a Scenic Byway. It’s one of a kind.