Special Places To Visit: Scenic Overlook Dayton Wyoming

   I know what you are saying, "What's so special about a scenic overlook?". Well the answer lies in the travel to get there.  You see traveling from Indiana to Wyoming is pretty nice but the real prize is when you get to finally see the mountains, especially if there is still snow on them. Traveling I-90 through South Dakota and into Wyoming a person will see a few signs that indicate "Fastest way to Yellowstone". My Dad taught me that the fastest way sometimes is not the best and most scenic way.  Sure if you are in a hurry, but traveling across the US is not about being in a hurry but enjoying what is between point A and point B.
   If you leave I-90 at the Ranchester Wyoming exit and pick up US-14 toward Dayton Wyoming, then you will be heading toward the climb into the Big Horn Mountain range. It is on this climb that you can experience a great scenic overlook.  You will have to take a few switchbacks, which you might as well get used to as switchbacks are how you will climb and descend the elevations you will encounter.  Once you have climbed a few thousand feet you will come to a scenic overlook that will give you a spectacular view of all the way back to I-90. I always liked this spot because I knew that the flat land part of my travels are over and behind me was a climb into the Bighorn range and other fabulous mountains that I would encounter heading to Cody and then to Yellowstone.  On the flip side this spot always made me sad when I headed home knowing that the scenic beauty of the mountains will be gone shortly as I descend back into the relatively flat plains of Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois and then home to Indiana.

   If you will look close you will see a path on the other side of the rail.  This path leads to the edge of the cliff and is used by those who wish to hang-glide from here.  Cathy and I were lucky enough to see a person preparing to jump from the edge on a trip we took out west.   The guy was going to make the jump and his goal was to land somewhere in Dayton around the school football field.  His wife brought him up and will just head down the mountain to pick him up when he decides it is time to land.  He indicated that the updrafts from the farm fields around were great to be able to just glide around and around.  I walked to the edge and looked down and I can tell you it takes a lot of confidence in the updrafts to make a person want to jump from the cliff when the rocks and tree tops were pretty close.