Best "Dam" Hike in Cody
Rated easy to moderate. Enter off Highway 14-16-20 just west of Cody. Turn right at the Hayden Arch Bridge as you enter the
Shoshone River Canyon. Park your car just west of the bridge or if the gate is open (8-4pm on business days for the power company) you
can continue driving until just east of the next bridge and park. This hike follows the original old road to
Yellowstone National Park and takes you almost to the base of the Buffalo Bill Dam. You'll travel through a spectacular, narrow canyon
right next to the Shoshone River. You'll also get to walk through an old roadway tunnel. This hike is about three
miles total if
you park at the first bridge and about 1.5 miles total if you park at the second bridge. Because you are on pavement, it also makes an
excellent bike ride. Please note that the temperatures in the canyon are about 10 degrees cooler than the surrounding area.
Rattlesnake Mountain
Rated moderate. Park at the first bridge described above. On the west side of the bridge you will find a trail that
leads up the north hill. This trail is a bit steep but within a quarter mile leads you to the old dirt road used
to deliver building supplies to the dam construction site from 1905 - 1910. Once you reach the road, turn right (east) and you can walk
several miles enjoying a high overlook above the Shoshone River and as you come around the front of Rattlesnake
Mountain, the city of Cody. You'll pass two visible hot springs in the river below.
Beck Lake Park
Rated easy to moderate. Take 14th Street south off Stampede Avenue and travel straight up the hill into the park. There is a two-mile paved pathway around the upper two lakes
and and another paved path of under a mile on the lower (Beck) lake. The upper lakes provide good vista views of the lakes, surrounding mountains and
the city of Cody. Watch for antelope and deer. The lower lake path provides good, but tighter views and takes
you through some wooded areas. Watch for water fowl, deer, rabbits and fox. There are also picnic tables and restrooms at
the lower lake area. Both pathways are paved so they both make good bike rides.
Stock Trail
Rated easy to moderate. Access by turning west onto Riverside Drive from Highway 120 North across from the new jail.
Travel down Riverside Drive west for quarter mile and turn right. This entrance takes you to the bottom of the canyon
along the river and through several wooded areas. Or, continue traveling west on Riverside Drive another half mile and park
in the lot provided on the right for the western half of the trail. This trail stays higher on the canyon wall and
provides more scenic views. The total pathway runs 3-4 miles. The eastern half of the path runs right next to the
Shoshone River. Because you are at the bottom of the river canyon, you feel like you've left civilization even
though you're close to the middle of town. This half of the trail provides opportunities to see deer, moose, black bear,
hawks & eagles.
SHOSHONE NATIONAL FOREST
The Shoshone National Forest is the very first National Forest in America, established in 1891. Over 900 miles of trails are available to hikers. For maps, contact:
Clark's Fork Ranger District
203A Yellowstone Highway, Cody WY 82414
Tel: 307.527.6921
Wapiti Ranger District
203A Yellowstone Highway, Cody WY 82414
Tel: 307.527.6921
Greybull Ranger District
203A Yellowstone Highway, Cody WY 82414
Tel: 307.527.6921