Fossil Butte National Monument is 15 miles west and Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge is 35 miles northeast
One week in Kemmerer, Wyoming…
Why we came…
To fish the Green River in the Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge and to check out Fossil Butte National Monument.
The campground…
We stayed at Hams Fork Grill and RV Park. It was a bit of a dive, but we had full hook-ups and ok wi-fi for just $13 a night! The sites were wide and long, basically in a field behind the restaurant. Thankfully it was dry during our stay because it would be a mud pit after a good rain. The sites were backed away from the main road and towards a golf course, so it was pretty quiet. Cell phone signal was reliable data and satellite reception would be good from all sites. The laundry facility had plenty of washers and dryers, but the washers were expensive at $2.75 per load. The restaurant gets good reviews. We ate dinner there one night and enjoyed our BBQ ribs and shrimp meals. We also enjoyed the paved trail, accessible from the campground, that goes through a nearby park and along the creek. Each day we heard lots of geese honking as they made their way south. Overall, Hams Fork RV Park was OK, especially for the price, but it’s not a place you want to spend more than a few nights. We spent most of each day away, out playing, and were comfortable each night.
Riverside RV Park looked like a nicer place to stay. It’s across from a railroad switch yard, but reviewers say the noise is minimal. It would certainly cost more than $13 a night, but it might be worth it.
We are the RV in the middle. There are three more sites behind the building to the right.
Kemmerer, Wyoming, population 2,700 and elevation 6,950 feet, was pretty quiet. The Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge and Green River are about 35 miles northeast and Fossil Butte National Monument is 15 miles to the west. Kemmerer’s claim to fame is the original JC Penney store. The iconic department store first opened here in 1902!
The original JC Penney store in Kemmerer, Wyoming
Some characters in Kemmerer
Adventures…
Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge…
From the brochure:
“Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge is located in the high desert of southwestern Wyoming. A ribbon of life-sustaining water, the Green River runs through this 27,230 acre refuge. Refuge habitats include wetlands, river, cottonwood-willow riparian areas, and sagebrush uplands. They support a rich diversity of wildlife species including 50 species of mammals, 11 species of reptiles and amphibians, and over 200 species of birds.”
The visitor center appears to be fairly new and the displays are excellent. There are even a couple of couches and spotting scopes behind a wide picture window. You can be comfortable while waiting to glimpse critters! It’s a nice setup and a nice facility.
We saw a few deer and a whole bunch of birds. The highlight was two bald eagles perched in a tree above the river with four trumpeter swans swimming by. It was a memorable site!
Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center / A couch and spotting scope to look for critters
Feeling various animal pelts / One of the three or four very nice displays at the visitor center
A bird-filled wetland in the Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge with Freemont Peak in the background
Two bald eagles and four trumpeter swans
Fishing the Green River…
We met John in Boulder, Wyoming (blog link) earlier this year. He owns and maintains Highline Trail RV Park. He took a rare break and met us for a day of fishing. He knows the Green River well and we were excited to have him as guide. He also has great stories and an infectious laugh…we really enjoy John’s company!
The Green River is fairly large. During typical low flows of fall and winter of around 1,000 cubic feet per second (CFS), it can be waded across carefully in some spots. The large trout seemed to prefer the faster water near drop-offs. The speed of the current and size of the river made it difficult to reach some of the fish.
John likes to dredge deep with a sink-tip line, a streamer, and a nymph or San Juan worm…and it works! He had steady action and caught some nice trout, including a couple of rainbows that were 19-20 inches long. Arleen and I also hooked some in John’s hole, but they were smaller.
Then we hiked about a mile downstream and tried another spot. Arleen noticed fish rising along a slow seam off the main current and switched tactics…it worked! She hooked at least 10 trout on her small dry fly, including an impressive 20 inch rainbow. I only fooled two small trout…it wasn’t my day!
John and Arleen fishing the Green River on 14 October
John fighting strong Green River trout
John with two colorful and very healthy rainbow trout
Having fun battling a trout / A hatch of tiny little mayflies
Making long casts by McCullen Bluffs on the Green River on 16 October
Kayak float route on the Green River from Hay Farm Launch to the Highway 28 Bridge on 17 October
We stashed Arleen’s bike near the Highway 28 bridge and then drove past the visitor center to the Hay Farm boat launch. The roughly 8.5 mile float is fairly easy “class one” water, except for a few tricky weirs. We didn’t want to fish from the kayaks, so our intent was to beach at fishy spots and work the area thoroughly.
We caught about 10 trout, none too big. The good ones eluded us. We saw some bald eagles and a bunch of other birds. Arleen had fun shooting the rapids through the weirs. And she enjoyed the seven mile bike ride to get the truck. The weather was perfect with zero wind and temps in the mid-60s…very unusual in the high plains of Wyoming in mid October! There aren’t too many better ways to spend a day!
Two bald eagles hoping to spot their lunch in the Green River
On 19 October we went back to “John’s Hole” and it treated us well! We each caught three or four rainbow trout, all on egg patterns. The two biggest trout were 19-22 inches long (pictured below). It was another perfect day with calm winds, the temperature in the mid-60s, and bright blue skies. Our last day of fishing in Wyoming was outstanding!
Arleen battling a big rainbow and then posing with it
Me battling a nearly 22 inch long, fat rainbow trout and then posing with it
Fossil Butte National Monument…
From the brochure:
“Three great lakes existed in the area of Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado 52 million years ago--Lake Gosiute, Lake Uinta, and Fossil Lake, the smallest. All are gone today, but they left behind a wealth of fossils in lake sediments that turned into rocks known as the Green River Formation, made up of laminated limestone, mudstone, and volcanic ash. The fossils are among the world’s most perfectly preserved remains of ancient plant and animal life. Some of these extraordinary fossils come from the Fossil Lake deposits like the flat-topped rock butte that stands near the center of the ancient lake.”
“The fossils of Fossil Lake are remarkable for their abundance and the broad spectrum of species found here--plants, snails, crustaceans, spiders, millipedes, insects, reptiles, birds, mammals, and over 20 kinds of fish. Paleontologists and private collectors have unearthed millions of specimens since the mid-1800s. Billions more lie buried in the butte and surrounding ridges, protected and preserved for future paleontologists to study.”
The visitor center seemed fairly new and had excellent displays with interesting information. The fossils are incredible! Specimens from here are displayed in museums all over the world.
We hiked the 1.5 mile nature trail. Winds were 20-40mph but the temperature was pleasant. There was nobody else around and other than the wind, it was very peaceful. The views across the valley were extensive. A few bright yellow leaves clung to islands of aspens trees…it was pretty. The trail guide said to look for deer, pronghorn, elk, bear, and mountain lions, but we didn’t see any.
Next we hiked the 2.5 mile long Historic Quarry Trail. The route climbs about 700 feet to the fossil-rich limestone layer near the top of Fossil Butte. Old timers like Lee Craig and David Haddenham mined here for fossils in the early 1900s. Haddenham spent his summers in a very small A-frame structure just below the quarry (see picture below). It was a good hike in a very interesting place. Unfortunately, we did not spot any fossils near the quarry.
This ancient crocodile tried to bite me! / A dragon fly fossil
A turtle and two snake fossils
See the 18 pronghorns?
Near the top of the 1.5 mile Nature Trail. Fall is nearly over. Note that our truck is the only one in the parking lot…we love “shoulder season”!
Hike route on the Historic Quarry Trail / A thick a layer of “volcanic tuff” embedded between layers of fossil-rich limestone
The Historic Quarry started in the early 1900s
The Haddenham shelter and the point of Fossil Butte / Slump or Landslide? We are always learning!
Phone story…
We have been very fortunate not to lose any valuable stuff since we hit the road over three and a half years ago. That changed recently when we kayaked the Green River.
Each time we kayak, we protect and secure our phones and camera. My phone goes in a waterproof case and I tuck it in a lifejacket pocket. Sometime during our float on the Green River, it slipped out of its supposedly secure spot.
Arleen had the bright idea to send a text to my phone asking any potential finder to call her. Just 24 hours later, we got a surprise phone call from Kyle…he found my phone! He spotted it during his float trip down the Green River. It had just enough battery left for him to see Arleen’s text.
We made plans for him to stash the phone near the boat ramp and we picked it up the next day. It was in good shape and worked just fine. Thanks a bunch Kyle!
Our luck continues!
Next…
We are in Heber City, Utah where we will spend the winter! We will ski Park City and Canyons resorts and will snowshoe the incredible Wasatch and Uintah Mountains. We plan to send a blog each month…stay tuned!
Parting shots…
Hunting season in Wyoming
Geese flying over Kemmerer at sunset
A sheepherder’s wagon and his flock of sheep. There were quite a few of these guys roaming this desolate region.
(66,800)
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