2020-15
Exploring Wyoming
Campground:
Stateline Cove Campground. Border of Wyoming and Utah, Flaming Gorge
Rec area. $7 senior rate. No hookups. Dump station available at
full service State park next door, $7.00. Great location, close to
waters edge. Boondocking sites available further along the lake
shore.
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| Stateline Cove Campground |
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| Stateline Cove Campground, walks on the beach what could be better |
Campground: Wild
Horse Loop, Green River Wyoming. High up on a mountain overlooking
Green River. Dispersed camping. Cold nights, 40’s. Wild horse in
the morning. Spectacular vistas.
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| my campsite on top of the Wild Horse Loop Rd. |
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| leading up to the Wild Horse Road Loop |
Campground:
Fontenelle Wyoming. Slate Creek Campground. BLM. Picnic tables, pit
toilets, trash bin. Many sites among cottonwood trees and grass,
next to Green River.
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| Slate Creek Campground. |
Slate Creek Campground.
free camping at its best
Rv Tip: if you use
a swiffer wet or dry sweeper, did you know you can use both sides of
the pad? After cleaning the floor with the front of the pad, turn it
over (yes it will be dirty) and use the back side to go over the
floor one more time. You’ll be surprised at how much more dirt you
can pick up, before disposing of the pad.
RV status: Class C,
Forest River, Sprinter, Mercedes diesel. Currently getting 15 to 17
mpg.
Really lovin the
additional possibilities this type of camper provides. Especially
being able to boon-dock. Being completely self contained with all
the power requirements onboard has extended my camping options
enormously. Being able to pull over more often for those all
important photo opportunities is amazing. Having the camper with me
where ever I go, whether touring a small town or those awesome scenic
destinations. Unlike using the truck to tour, I literally have
everything at my disposal. From restroom, food, snacks, drinks. Or
just taking a break from touring to relax for a bit.
Distance traveled: 46 miles
I enjoyed a few days
on top of the mountain range in Ashley NF, next to the Flaming Gorge
area. Loved all the trees and meadows at that high elevation. But
even though there were many camper trailers in the forest, there were
hardly any people. You see, many locals bring their campers up onto
Forest land and just leave them here for the summer. Coming up only
on weekends. So at first, I thought I’d try to distance myself
from all the Rv’s, then realized, most of them weren’t even
occupied. Making for a peaceful setting a bit too isolating for me.
And no internet service or Tv signals was a bummer.
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| descending 8 grade |
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| Flaming Gorge, green lake, green river |
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| get ready, 8% grade, down, down, down |
With that thought, I
headed on down to the Green River, lake level, descending about 5+
miles of 8% grade. I’m not overly happy with the Sprinter/Mercedes
manual setting as it only lets me downshift into either 4th
or 3rd gear. Necessitating the need to tap the brakes
more often than I would care too. Later, I would find out that it
could shift into 2nd gear, apparently I didn’t tap the
shift lever as firm as I should. Hmmm.
I arrived just
outside of the very small town of Manila Utah at the Stateline Cove
campground. My GPS kept welcoming me to Wyoming, then a mile or so
further welcoming me to Utah and back to Wyoming…. Obviously, I’m
right on the border of these two fine states.
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| Mermaids on the lake shore |
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| Forts |
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| toys left behind |
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| loved being able to walk along the shoreline |
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| evening with dramatic skies |
I could have driven
along the rugged shore a bit further and gotten a free dispersed
campsite, but of the two parks here, one having electric hookups and
the other one I chose, with semi-established sites with picnic
tables, no hookups and most along the shoreline with sandy beach. I
was smitten. Signed up for a couple of days and haven’t left the
site once.
What makes a place
special? To me it often changes. But here some things just came
together. I could enjoy seeing others enjoying themselves, at a safe
distance of course. Providing a sense of not being completely
isolated. People watching is a great sport. I get to go for
wonderful walks along the beach. The scenery of course is wonderful.
Just sitting outside looking out on the lake reading a good book.
Temperatures have been awesome. And on a few afternoons when it’s
gotten a bit to hot or windy, I just turn on the generator and a/c
and enjoy the cool air inside for a couple of hours. haven’t felt
the urge to go into the little town at all. Even though one or two
restaurants are open, I don’t feel comfortable going in them,
except for possible takeout. And I’d already stopped into their
hardware/grocery store, yes the town is that small. Another factor
is that I have fairly good internet/cell phone service, lots of
over-the-air TV stations for entertainment. Even a couple radio
stations.
What a great way to
spend a couple of lazy summer days.
Distance Traveled.
50 miles
Green River, Rock
Springs Wyoming
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| Road leading to the top of Wild Horse Loop Road |
First off, I’m in
this area to pick up meds at Walgreens. I have to pick them up
monthly for two of the 4 eye drops as they cost over $250 for a
months supply. Then of course getting some supplies for more
dispersed camping. While in the area, I drove up to the top of the
mountain/ridge overlooking Green River. There I’d only spend one
night as the weather has turned quite chilly for a couple of days.
And up on the mountain, it would get down to around 41 degrees. You
can imagine me fully clothed, with 6 blankets on top of me so I’d
be toasty warm overnight. Getting up in the middle of the night to
Pee of course is quite the challenge, but necessity requires it.
In the morning, as I
hoped would happen, I was able to witness a small herd of wild horses
grazing along the Wild Horse loop road. A mare was with baby, as she
laid down by the side of the roads for a while. Beautiful horses.
They say there are around 1,200 wild horses in this area and last
time I came through this area, I saw where Wildlife management had
herded some together for sale to the public. Both horses and mules.
Needless to say, witnessing wild horses in their natural setting
really made my day, or should I say early morning. Oh and how the
light turned a golden yellow at sunrise. Lighting up the hills
surrounding my camper, on the edge of the steep cliff.
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| Wild Horses, oh yeh, |
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| beautiful |
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| really made my day |
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| okay, enough already yes it sure was great to see wild horses in their natural habitat. |
Distance Traveled:
56 miles
Fontenelle Wyoming
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| view from my front window at campsite |
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| views across the Green River |
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| a couple horses got out of their pen.... |
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| evening view.... |
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| Dory boats very popular with the many fishermen |
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| pronghorn |
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| only downside, moths about flying bugs none biting, just get in the camper, ekkk |
Then after a few
days quick visit in the area, it was time to locate a campsite for
the 4th of July weekend. I Chose the Fontenelle Wyoming,
Slate Creek Campground. Actually there are a number of campgrounds in
this area, some above the dam, all along the Green River. It was no
problem securing a campsite right along the river. Where I get to
watch dory boats float swiftly by. Usually with 3 boaters in each.
The middle one handling the oars while the other two get to fish.
This is a remote
location, and Fontenelle has no services, and no actual town. Though
there are ranches in the area, all along the river. Haven’t heard
any fireworks so far, maybe tonight, July 3rd. Pronghorn
come down to the rivers edge for a drink of water every evening, and
I often see then on the low plateau just above the river. Ground
squirrels and a few chipmunks along with all kinds of birds surround
the campground.
My next destination
will be Pinedale Wyoming. Where I plan to stay for about a weeks
time. Small town, trying to stay away from larger towns. Before
deciding whether to continue my journey in Wyoming or cross over into
Idaho. Still doing my best to be proactive regarding Covid 19.
There are just too many folks who aren’t following the proper
protocols, so I’m having to either walk out of a place, often scope
out a place before attempting to enter, or adjust my time for
shopping, etc.
Hoping to meet up
with good friends Susan and Michele once I get to Pinedale.
More Photos:
bonus pics:
Doug, you really have seen some beautiful country. We enjoy your pictures.
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