The Hoodoos and Beyond

What started out as a short hike escalated into about 7 miles and we weren't even lost.

Bob and I decided to return to the Hoodoos since it offers a nice moderately strenuous hike of about 2 miles total. If you look at this picture closely, you can see the split between the trees. That is the start from one end and it goes thru forest and ends up in the Hoodoos. It is also part of a loop that we've done before and we were both feeling good and thought, why not add a few more miles, right? Note to self, check these hikes out on the map first from now on before setting off, ha!

The loop starts out as the Howard Eaton Trail and uses 3 other trails to come to completion.



We did enjoy super views, forested areas, open meadows, grassy bogs, steep uphill climbs, pretty much a different view with each turn on the hike. It is an interesting place to be.

the formation of The Hoodoos took place thousands of years ago, the travertine boulders created by the hot springs of a melting glacier, and toppled from the east face of Terrace Mountain.

Read More: The Hoodoos | Wonders of Wyoming | http://wondersofwyoming.com/the-hoodoos/?trackback=tsmclip

 The Hoodoos were named as such by Adam Miller in 1880. The name means "goblin lands" and as you stand and gaze over the various formations, you understand. The rocks form images much as clouds can, only these stay in place and erode and change over the years slowly.








The formation of the Hoodoos took place thousands of years ago. The travertine boulders created by the hot springs of a melting glacier eventually toppled from the east face of Terrace Mountain creating the huge rock outcroppings and formations we see today.

the formation of The Hoodoos took place thousands of years ago, the travertine boulders created by the hot springs of a melting glacier, and toppled from the east face of Terrace Mountain.

Read More: The Hoodoos | Wonders of Wyoming | http://wondersofwyoming.com/the-hoodoos/?trackback=tsmclip

the formation of The Hoodoos took place thousands of years ago, the travertine boulders created by the hot springs of a melting glacier, and toppled from the east face of Terrace Mountain.

Read More: The Hoodoos | Wonders of Wyoming | http://wondersofwyoming.com/the-hoodoos/?trackback=tsmclip

Here's a Bob on the Rocks :) Lunch in style!

Upon leaving the Hoodoos you start to run into forested areas. This is one of the benefits from wolves having been re-introduced into YS. The Aspen groves have sprung up around the park and are flourishing, bringing with them the song birds. An interesting note about the Aspen is they reproduce not from seed, but by spreading the root system and from there the new trees spring up. So basically, all Aspen are part of one network.

This area offers the ability to go underground on both sides of the path. I shudder to think how many people have actually tried to find the bottom.

We kept walking.






 By now we are well into the hike and have passed from Howard Eaton to Snow Pass. This area is almost straight up for about 300'. I had to stop several times but we made it thinking we're almost done and not much hike left. Ahh, we were only about half way around. 

Here's one of the views along the path. It was a pleasantly sunny, warm day so this picture is lighter than most.









Oh look, strange and mysterious wildlife lurking along the downside of the mountain...oooo!












By the time we got to this meadow, we were sure we were very close to done. This is where I ran out of water and started helping Bob drink his!




Are we there yet? Nope, we had another 2 miles to make it back to the road and the truck. The road is somewhere below that mountain.

And this is the end (or beginning). This is the trail we walked to make it back. See the mountain in the background? We were about even with it when we rounded the bend to head back on the flat, meadow land.

Beautiful walk, beautiful day. We were tired but loved it!