Cloud Peak Skyway

Bighorn National Forest West Boundary to Hospital Hill

North-Central Wyoming · Wyoming · United States

Key measurements

Distance

45.8 miles

Elevation gain

5,995 ft

Elevation loss

4,150 ft

High point

9,653 ft

Low point

5,197 ft

Net change

1,845 ft (5,197 ft to 7,042 ft)

Surface

Paved

Route type

point-to-point

Route Overview

Carving across the southern core of Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains, this 45.9-mile stretch of US-16—designated as the Cloud Peak Skyway—connects the arid Bighorn Basin at Ten Sleep to the high-plains grasslands of Buffalo. The route provides the gentlest grade of the three paved passes crossing the Bighorns, yet it ascends nearly 4,500 vertical feet from the base of Ten Sleep Canyon to its crest at Powder River Pass before winding down the eastern slope.

The journey begins at an elevation of 5,196.7 feet at the western boundary of Bighorn National Forest east of Ten Sleep, and enters Ten Sleep Canyon almost immediately. As the road gains altitude, the arid canyon walls give way to dense lodgepole pine forests, alpine meadows, and granite outcrops. Reaching its high point of 9,653.3 feet near mile 21.2, the skyway crests the range with panoramic views of the alpine backcountry before descending along Clear Creek and ending at Hospital Hill.

Key Segments & Geographic Transitions

Cloud Peak Skyway Across the Bighorns — Miles 0.0–45.9

Leaving the Bighorn National Forest west boundary, the route follows US-16 and enters Ten Sleep Canyon, following Tensleep Creek as it cuts through towering sheer rock walls. The initial 15 miles present a continuous, sweeping climb through tight canyon twists, gradually transitioning from desert scrub and red rock into ponderosa pine and dense timber.

Past Mile 15.0, the terrain opens into high-altitude subalpine forest and rolling parkland within the Bighorn National Forest. The ascent continues steadily up to Powder River Pass at Mile 21.2, where the road tops out at 9,653.3 feet. Here, timberline vegetation and exposed granite domes dominate the landscape.

The eastern descent from the pass covers the remaining 24.6 miles down to Buffalo. The roadway tracks alongside Clear Creek through long, sweeping mountain curves and deep pine valleys. The dense forest thins past Mile 38.0 as the canyon opens up, delivering riders out of the mountain barrier onto the open grasslands of the Powder River Basin at Hospital Hill, west of Buffalo.

Seasonal & Environmental Context

Elevation dominates the environmental conditions on this route. While valley temperatures in Ten Sleep or Buffalo may be warm and dry, temperatures at Powder River Pass are typically 20°F to 30°F cooler. Afternoon mountain thunderstorms develop quickly throughout July and August, bringing sudden rain, localized hail, sharp temperature drops, and strong crosswinds along exposed ridges.

Snow can fall at the summit during any month of the year, and snowpack often lingers along the road shoulders well into June. Late spring and early autumn rides require vigilance regarding early morning ice in shaded mountain corners.

Logistics & Services

Fuel, food, and lodging are concentrated strictly at the endpoints in Ten Sleep and Buffalo. There are no reliable commercial fuel stops along the 45-mile traverse over the pass within the Bighorn National Forest.

Cellular service drops off quickly after leaving Ten Sleep and is largely absent across the central mountain segment, returning only as you near Buffalo on the eastern descent. US-16 is maintained year-round, but severe winter weather can trigger temporary closures or chain requirements at lower gate checkpoints.

Important Considerations

Open-range livestock grazing is active throughout the Bighorn National Forest. Cattle frequently gather near the roadway, particularly in unfenced meadow sections and near creek crossings. Wildlife—including mule deer, elk, and moose—is abundant along the timberline and canyon bottoms, creating elevated collision risks around dawn and dusk.

The transition from warm valley air to cold alpine crests demands flexible cold-weather gear layering, even during peak summer months.