Crazy Woman Canyon
Image by VisitBuffaloWY.com
Image by VisitBuffaloWY.com
Wow Factor (4 out of 5 stars):
Geologist Factor (3 out of 5 stars):
Attraction
A narrow gravel road trip along a clear mountain stream, through a high walled canyon littered with boulders fallen from the ramparts above, and a locals’ picnic area.
History Crazy Woman Canyon
The first question usually asked about the canyon concerns the name. There are two main stories about “crazy women,” both about women who lost their minds from grief and lived in isolation in the canyon area. One story is about a Native American woman who survived an attack on her village, but thereafter lived by herself in the canyon. The second story refers to a trader killed by Native Americans, leaving his wife alive. A version of the latter is portrayed in the 1972 movie “Jeremiah Johnson.”
Crazy Woman information sign.
Image: http://americanindian.net/2003/352.JPG
Image: http://americanindian.net/2003/352.JPG
The canyon was created by the erosion of the North Fork of Crazy Woman Creek, a tributary of the Powder River. The headwaters of the stream begin at an elevation of 9,400 feet near Powder River Pass. The stream flows downstream through a conifer forest growing on Archean granite gneiss for 12.5 miles. After crossing a subsummit meadow that extends a mile and a half, it carved a steep canyon into the Precambrian and Paleozoic rocks. The stream exits the canyon at the Goose Egg - Tensleep contact and flows over more erosive Mesozoic rocks within the Powder River Basin.
West to east elevation Profile of the North Fork Crazy Woman Creek (blue line), Wyoming.
Image: After Google Earth.
Image: After Google Earth.
Road Log Crazy Woman Canyon
The log describes an eastward route through the canyon along a gravel road. It is constructed using data and maps from Google Earth, U.S. Geological Survey, and Wyoming State Geological Survey.
East to west elevation profile of Forest Road 33.
Image: After Google Earth
Image: After Google Earth
Aerial view of Crazy Woman Canyon road area.
Image: After Google Earth.
Image: After Google Earth.
Geologic Map of Crazy Woman Canyon road area.
Image: Ver Ploeg, A.J., and Boyd, C.S., 2002, Geologic map of the Buffalo 30' x 60' quadrangle, Johnson and Campbell counties, Wyoming: Wyoming State Geological Survey Map Series 59, scale 1:100,000; http://sales.wsgs.wyo.gov/geologic-map-of-the-buffalo-30-x-60-quadrangle-johnson-and-campbell-counties-wyoming-2002/.
Image: Ver Ploeg, A.J., and Boyd, C.S., 2002, Geologic map of the Buffalo 30' x 60' quadrangle, Johnson and Campbell counties, Wyoming: Wyoming State Geological Survey Map Series 59, scale 1:100,000; http://sales.wsgs.wyo.gov/geologic-map-of-the-buffalo-30-x-60-quadrangle-johnson-and-campbell-counties-wyoming-2002/.
Description of Crazy Woman Canyon geologic map units.
Image: After Ver Ploeg, A.J., and Boyd, C.S., 2002, Geologic map of the Buffalo 30' x 60' quadrangle, Johnson and Campbell counties, Wyoming: Wyoming State Geological Survey Map Series 59, scale 1:100,000; http://sales.wsgs.wyo.gov/geologic-map-of-the-buffalo-30-x-60-quadrangle-johnson-and-campbell-counties-wyoming-2002/.
Image: After Ver Ploeg, A.J., and Boyd, C.S., 2002, Geologic map of the Buffalo 30' x 60' quadrangle, Johnson and Campbell counties, Wyoming: Wyoming State Geological Survey Map Series 59, scale 1:100,000; http://sales.wsgs.wyo.gov/geologic-map-of-the-buffalo-30-x-60-quadrangle-johnson-and-campbell-counties-wyoming-2002/.
The Bighorn Mountains rose during the Laramide Orogeny (70-55 Ma). This structure, along with the adjacent basins, was part of a tectonic wave that traveled northeastward across Wyoming. Tertiary fill within the western Powder River Basin documents the “unroofing sequence” of the range. The Bighorns began uplift in the Early Paleocene (62-59 Ma) during deposition of the Lebo Member Fort Union Formation. The muddy lake deposits member indicates erosion of a Cretaceous fines source area. The Late Paleocene conglomerate clasts of the Tongue River Member Fort Union (59-56 Ma) indicate that Paleozoic units were exposed. The two Eocene Wasatch conglomerates (56-50 Ma) have an increasing volume of Precambrian clasts, indicating exposure during these tectonic pulses (Kingsbury Conglomerate: Kingsbury Ridge; Moncrief Conglomerate: North, Bald, and Moncrief Ridges).
Generalized Phanerozoic stratigraphy of Crazy Woman Canyon area.
Image: After Hose, R.K., 1955, Geology of the Crazy Woman Creek area, Johnson County, Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1027-B, Plate 8 Stratigraphic column; https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b1027B.
Image: After Hose, R.K., 1955, Geology of the Crazy Woman Creek area, Johnson County, Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1027-B, Plate 8 Stratigraphic column; https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b1027B.
Tertiary synorogenic stratigraphy of the Crazy Woman Canyon area.
Image: After Hoy, R.G. and Ridgway, K.D., 2010, Structural and sedimentological development of footwall growth synclines along an intraforeland uplift, east-central Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming: Geological Society of America Bulletin, Vol. 109, No. 8, Fig. 2, p. 917; http://terra.rice.edu/department/faculty/morganj/ESCI536/Readings/HoyRidgeway-GSABull1997.pdf.
Image: After Hoy, R.G. and Ridgway, K.D., 2010, Structural and sedimentological development of footwall growth synclines along an intraforeland uplift, east-central Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming: Geological Society of America Bulletin, Vol. 109, No. 8, Fig. 2, p. 917; http://terra.rice.edu/department/faculty/morganj/ESCI536/Readings/HoyRidgeway-GSABull1997.pdf.
The log describes an eastward route through the canyon along a gravel road. It is constructed using Google Earth and data and maps from the U.S. Geological Survey, Wyoming State Geological Survey, and geologic journals.
Forest Road 33 junction with southbound Highway 196.
Image: Google Earth Street View.
Image: Google Earth Street View.
West view of the triangular facets developed along the Bighorns.
Image: https://advrider.com/f/threads/heart-of-wyoming-tour.1080368/.
Image: https://advrider.com/f/threads/heart-of-wyoming-tour.1080368/.
Generalized geologic index map for cross section AA’ and block diagrams. PCu = undivided Precambrian gneiss and granite; PZu = undivided Paleozoic strata for the Flathead, Gallatin, Gros Ventre, Bighorn, Madison, Amsden, Tensleep, and Goose Egg formations Mzu=undivided Mesozoic strata of the Chugwater, Sundance, Morrison, Cloverly, Thermopolis, and Mowry formations; TfU= Fort Union Formation; Twk = Kingsbury Member of the Wasatch Formation, Twm = Moncrief Member of the Wasatch Formation.
Image: Left: After Anderson, I., Craddock, J., and Malone, D., 2019, Preliminary detrital zircon U-Pb Geochronology of the Wasatch Formation, Powder River Basin, Wyoming: Mountain Geologist, Vol. 56, No. 3, Fig. 2, p. 250.
file:///C:/Users/kkste/AppData/Local/Temp/MG2019-08v04p2.pdf. Right column: After Lynds, R.M., Campbell-Stone, E.A., and Toner, R.N., 2014, Preliminary geologic map of the North Ridge quadrangle, Johnson County, Wyoming: Wyoming State Geological Survey Open File Report 14-3, 32 p., 1 pl., scale 1:24,000, Fig. 9, p. 9, Fig. 6, p. 7, and Fig. 8, p. 8; https://www.wsgs.wyo.gov/products/wsgs-2014-ofr-03.pdf.
Image: Left: After Anderson, I., Craddock, J., and Malone, D., 2019, Preliminary detrital zircon U-Pb Geochronology of the Wasatch Formation, Powder River Basin, Wyoming: Mountain Geologist, Vol. 56, No. 3, Fig. 2, p. 250.
file:///C:/Users/kkste/AppData/Local/Temp/MG2019-08v04p2.pdf. Right column: After Lynds, R.M., Campbell-Stone, E.A., and Toner, R.N., 2014, Preliminary geologic map of the North Ridge quadrangle, Johnson County, Wyoming: Wyoming State Geological Survey Open File Report 14-3, 32 p., 1 pl., scale 1:24,000, Fig. 9, p. 9, Fig. 6, p. 7, and Fig. 8, p. 8; https://www.wsgs.wyo.gov/products/wsgs-2014-ofr-03.pdf.
Sequential restoration of cross section A–A′ at Kingsbury Ridge. Amount of uplift and shortening is shown for each stage of retro-deformation. (A) Initial displacement along the Sisters Hill thrust (SHT) and beginning of Lebo Shale deposition in the Powder River basin. (B) Transfer of displacement to the Buffalo Deep fault (BDF) and onset of Kingsbury Conglomerate deposition. Note the development of the footwall growth syncline by this stage. (C) Present structural configuration of Kingsbury Ridge. Note the progressive decrease in dip within the Kingsbury Conglomerate. Sequence of schematic block diagrams depicting the depositional and structural history of the east-central Bighorn Mountains. (A) Middle to late Paleocene: Initial uplift along the Bighorn thrust system caused unroofing of Mesozoic mudstones (Mz) and deposition of the Lebo Shale in the Powder River basin. The Fort Union conglomerate (Tfuc) of the Mowry basin was deposited in the late Paleocene when resistant mid-lower Paleozoic strata (Pz) were locally exposed in the hanging wall of the Bighorn thrust
pC—Precambrian rocks. (B) Early Eocene: Regional exposure of lower Paleozoic strata in the hanging wall leads to deposition of the Kingsbury Conglomerate (Twk) along the east-central range margin. Tw—Wasatch Formation. (C) Middle Eocene: Localized shortening resulted in additional displacement along the Clear Creek and Piney Creek thrust faults, exposure of Precambrian rocks (pC) in the hanging wall, and deposition of the Moncrief Conglomerate (red) in footwall growth syncline.
Image: After Hoy, R.G., and Ridgeway, K.D., 1997, Structural and sedimentological development of footwall growth synclines along an intraforeland uplift, east-central Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming: Geological Society of America Bulletin, Vol. 109, No. 8, Fig. 6, p. 922 (left), Fig. 16, p. 933 (right); http://terra.rice.edu/department/faculty/morganj/ESCI536/Readings/HoyRidgeway-GSABull1997.pdf.
pC—Precambrian rocks. (B) Early Eocene: Regional exposure of lower Paleozoic strata in the hanging wall leads to deposition of the Kingsbury Conglomerate (Twk) along the east-central range margin. Tw—Wasatch Formation. (C) Middle Eocene: Localized shortening resulted in additional displacement along the Clear Creek and Piney Creek thrust faults, exposure of Precambrian rocks (pC) in the hanging wall, and deposition of the Moncrief Conglomerate (red) in footwall growth syncline.
Image: After Hoy, R.G., and Ridgeway, K.D., 1997, Structural and sedimentological development of footwall growth synclines along an intraforeland uplift, east-central Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming: Geological Society of America Bulletin, Vol. 109, No. 8, Fig. 6, p. 922 (left), Fig. 16, p. 933 (right); http://terra.rice.edu/department/faculty/morganj/ESCI536/Readings/HoyRidgeway-GSABull1997.pdf.
Generalized diagram of evolution of triangular facets along the Bighorn Mountains front.
Image: After Topal, S., Keller, E., Bufe, A., Kocvigit, A., 2016, Tectonic geomorphology of a large normal fault: Aksehir fault, SW Turkey: Geomorphology, Vol. 259, Fig. 1:
https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0169555X16300149-fx1.jpg
Image: After Topal, S., Keller, E., Bufe, A., Kocvigit, A., 2016, Tectonic geomorphology of a large normal fault: Aksehir fault, SW Turkey: Geomorphology, Vol. 259, Fig. 1:
https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0169555X16300149-fx1.jpg
Close up of white Tensleep sandstone triangular facets (beneath treed slope of Amsden) along the east flank Bighorn Mountains and V-shaped stream courses. Abbreviations: Pt = Pennsylvanian Tensleep, Pa = Pennsylvanian Amsden, Mm = Mississippian Madison, Ob = Ordovician Bighorn.
Image: After http://klondikeranch.com/photo-gallery
Image: After http://klondikeranch.com/photo-gallery
Mesaverde north of Klondike Ranch. Closeup sandstone image.
Image: http://klondikeranch.com/photo-gallery/.
Image: http://klondikeranch.com/photo-gallery/.
East portal to Crazy woman Canyon.
Image: After Google Earth.
Image: After Google Earth.
Strike view of east canyon mouth. Tensleep Sandstone beds are dipping about 70 degrees east. TrPge = Triassic-Permian Goose Egg; Pt = Pennsylvanian Tensleep, Pa = Pennsylvanian Amsden, Mm = Mississippian Madison, Ob = Ordovician Bighorn, Cu = Cambrian undifferentiated, Pc = Precambrian basement.
Image: After Kieser, C., 2015, Big Horn Mountain Front at Crazy Woman Canyon: You Tube Video screen capture; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbvSaBrCNGw.
Image: After Kieser, C., 2015, Big Horn Mountain Front at Crazy Woman Canyon: You Tube Video screen capture; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbvSaBrCNGw.
Left: East-dipping Tensleep Formation along canyon road. Right: Tensleep outcrop west of Bridge 1. Dune cross-beds visible in both images.
Image: Left: After https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g28973-d209102-Reviews-Crazy_Woman_Canyon-Wyoming.html#photos;aggregationId=101&albumid=101&filter=7&ff=335983982; Right:
http://weatherflute.blogspot.com/2007/07/travelogue-crazy-woman-canyon-wyoming.html.
Image: Left: After https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g28973-d209102-Reviews-Crazy_Woman_Canyon-Wyoming.html#photos;aggregationId=101&albumid=101&filter=7&ff=335983982; Right:
http://weatherflute.blogspot.com/2007/07/travelogue-crazy-woman-canyon-wyoming.html.
Dolomite towers of massive Ordovician Bighorn Formation and boulders line road (left) and creek (right).
Image: Left: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g28973-d209102-Reviews-Crazy_Woman_Canyon-Wyoming.html#photos;aggregationId=101&albumid=101&filter=7&ff=354641654; Right:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/863283822294244696/.
Image: Left: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g28973-d209102-Reviews-Crazy_Woman_Canyon-Wyoming.html#photos;aggregationId=101&albumid=101&filter=7&ff=354641654; Right:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/863283822294244696/.
West aerial view of single lane bridges in Crazy Woman Canyon.
Image: After Google Earth.
Image: After Google Earth.
Northwest aerial view of faults near Bridge 2.
Image: After Google Earth.
Image: After Google Earth.
Left: Boulder field on canyon wall. Right: Close-up image of granite gneiss boulder.
Image: Left: http://travellogs.us/2014%20Logs/Wyoming/WY-2%20Crazy%20Woman%20Canyon/WY-2c%20Crazy%20Woman%20Canyon-3.htm; Right: http://travellogs.us/2014%20Logs/Wyoming/WY-2%20Crazy%20Woman%20Canyon/WY-2b%20Crazy%20Woman%20Canyon-2.htm.
Image: Left: http://travellogs.us/2014%20Logs/Wyoming/WY-2%20Crazy%20Woman%20Canyon/WY-2c%20Crazy%20Woman%20Canyon-3.htm; Right: http://travellogs.us/2014%20Logs/Wyoming/WY-2%20Crazy%20Woman%20Canyon/WY-2b%20Crazy%20Woman%20Canyon-2.htm.
View east of meadow from rolling hills of subsummit surface at intersection of FR-33 and US- 16.
Image: Google Earth Street View.
Image: Google Earth Street View.
Things To Do in Buffalo Area
Map number key:
- Bud Long Wildlife Habitat Management Area: winter grazing range for deer, elk, and game birds.
- Fort Phil Kearny: U.S. Army outpost along the Bozeman Trail, 1866-1868.
- Dry Creek Petrified: 60 million year old petrified Metasequoia trees (dawn redwood).
- Crazy Woman Canyon: Forest Road 33 through breath-taking canyon.
- Pole Creek: All season mountain forest and meadow region with a USFS rental cabin.
- Outlaw Cave: Caves used as hideouts and treasure hides in the Red Wall-Hole-in-the-Wall area.
Image: 1: https://www.bighornmountains.com/tours.htm; 2: https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g60553-d145856-i197322190-Fort_Phil_Kearny_State_Historic_Site-Sheridan_Wyoming.htm; 3: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Desmet_Segment,_Bozeman_Trail; 4: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/wyoming/hidden-wy-spot/; 5. https://www.bighornmountains.com/tours.htm; 6. https://www.blm.gov/visit/outlaw-cave-campground; Buffalo Regional: https://www.buffalowyoming.org/regional-map.htm.
Clockwise from top left:
5. https://cityofbuffalowy.com/default.aspx; 6. https://cityofbuffalowy.com/default.aspx; 7. https://travelazzi.com/best-attractions-and-things-to-do-in-buffalo-wyoming/; 8. https://travelwyoming.com/listing/buffalo/johnson-county-jim-gatchell-memorial-museum; Center: http://www.buffalowyoming.org/photogallery/events/dhb-pg-recreation17.jpg.
- Painted murals on buildings: Year round
- Saturday night music in the Square: Free summer concert series
- The Occidental Hotel & Museum: Year round
- Rodeo: Summers
- Outdoor Statues: Year round
- Basque Festival: Summers
- Occidental Saloon: Mon. thru Sat. 2-10 PM
- Jim Gatchall Memorial Museum: Weekdays 9 AM to 4 PM
5. https://cityofbuffalowy.com/default.aspx; 6. https://cityofbuffalowy.com/default.aspx; 7. https://travelazzi.com/best-attractions-and-things-to-do-in-buffalo-wyoming/; 8. https://travelwyoming.com/listing/buffalo/johnson-county-jim-gatchell-memorial-museum; Center: http://www.buffalowyoming.org/photogallery/events/dhb-pg-recreation17.jpg.
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