Before leaving Wyoming, I wanted to check out the Seedskadie National Wildlife Refuge located about 50 miles from Rock Springs. The web site for the refuge described such a variety of wildlife there it was very appealing to me. Besides, I had nothing better to do and I hoped the drive would provide some good scenery. Unfortunately, reality did not live up to my expectations, as the trip was mostly in desert that looked the same mile after mile. The NWR itself is situated on the Green River behind a dam that creates a true desert oasis.
With unpaved roads circling the refuge, one can see the entire place over a period of hours. Too bad the roads designated for public use are so far from the water, much of the wildlife is beyond range for photography. While I saw eagles, osprey and large numbers of waterfowl, I have no photos of them to show for it. The best way to enjoy the place would be on one of the many boats that had been launched via the boat ramp.
There were quite a few songbirds that came near the public roads, so I can at least share some of those with you. Even those birds were very shy and made it difficult to get good photos. The best part for me was spotting the two Bullock's Orioles, which I had not seen before.
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| Tree Swallow |
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| American Robin |
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| Bullock's Oriole (Female) |
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| Yellow-rumped Warbler |
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| Red-winged Blackbird (Male) |
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| Red-winged Blackbird (Female) |
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| Bullock's Oriole (Male) |
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| Eastern Kingbird |
Driving south from Wyoming, the terrain is such that there are few options for highways.The most direct route for me was through Flaming Gorge, which I knew from experience is a difficult drive in a large rig due to steep grades and numerous tight switchbacks. In the southerly direction, most of the grades are downhill, so it's important to avoid overheating the brakes. There are "runaway truck ramps" for emergency use, but proper use of lower gears prevents the need for them.
Early on, there are two miles of 9% grade, then nine miles of 8%, followed immediately by several miles of 5%. Throughout these down grades, there are switchbacks with speed limits of 30 MPH or less. I don't mean to exaggerate the risk here, it simply requires truck drivers and RV drivers to pay attention and use good judgment.
Flaming Gorge was named by John Wesley Powell, a Union Major in the Civil War who lost an arm at the battle of Shiloh. Powell led two expeditions down the Green and Colorado Rivers to explore and chart the rivers, as well as study the geology of the largely unknown territory. The story of those expeditions is fascinating and recommended reading for anyone with an interest in the history of the West. Of course, the rivers have been dammed in several places and are therefore much less dangerous than they were back then.
The scenery through Flaming Gorge is still spectacular, although much of it is hidden from the highway. The ideal way to view it would still be to float through in a boat or raft.
I pushed on through Utah and Arizona to make it home in just a couple more days, passing through Moab and other favorite places in Utah. It seems I was ready to end the trip, so that's what I did. I'm once again settled in Sierra Vista for the Summer, thinking my next trip may be in the Fall. I'll keep you posted on plans as they develop.
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