Wyoming's Longest Tunnel

Description

Wyoming's Longest Tunnel
Photo by Laura Dexter
pub by D & G Enterprises, Inc, Emblem, WY
#: C-644
Mirro-Krome Card by H. S. Crocker Co., Philadelphia, PA
unsent
Most People Are Not Aware That This Unique Tunnel In Wyoming Exists.
The Buffalo Bill dam project was one of Wyoming’s most impressive engineering wonders. At the time, it was almost thought of as an impossible task! This historic series of tunnels is located in the northwestern part of the state just west of Cody, and you’ll want to visit to drive through the longest tunnel in Wyoming.
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The road, Highway 16/20, leading to the Buffalo Bill Dam, Shoshone Canyon Tunnel and the dam itself, came to fruition because of "Buffalo Bill" Cody's vision of using this area for an irrigation project so that the Big Horn region could be irrigated and turned into productive agricultural land. This project became known as the Shoshone Project.
The tunnels are located in this area because the U.S. Reclamation Service, who was responsible for building the dam, chose this canyon along the Shoshone River because they felt like it would be the perfect spot with the Shoshone Canyon and river side-by-side. Crews had to carve a road through the canyon in order to access the dam site.
After the dam itself was completed, they continued to build the road west so it would connect to the road that leads to Yellowstone National Park. In the 1920s, the road and tunnel became part of the National Park Service's Park-to-Park Highway system.
Due to Buffalo Bill's vision and insight, not to mention this road and series of tunnels, a great deal of land was opened up in northwestern Wyoming for irrigated farming. The dam was also used to generate power to this region. People were now able to sustain and maintain a functional life in this part of the state.
Today, this scenic stretch provides residents and tourists spectacular views as they travel through the canyon tunnel and around the Buffalo Bill Reservoir as they head towards Yellowstone.
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Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway is in the U.S. state of Wyoming and spans most of the distance from Cody, Wyoming to Yellowstone National Park. The 27.5-mile (44.3 km) scenic highway follows the north fork of the Shoshone River through the Wapiti Valley to Sylvan Pass and the eastern entrance to Yellowstone. Most of the scenic byway is contained within Shoshone National Forest and is also known as US Highway 14 (US 14), US 16 and US 20.
The Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway starts in Cody and follows US 14/US 16/US 20 along the Shoshone River. The route is known for its abundant wildlife, astonishing rock formations, and recreational opportunities. Approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Cody the highway skirts the 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.
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