While restrictions on businesses begin to lift and the country reopens, health and government officials urge us to remember to follow social distancing guidelines as life slowly returns to normal. Fortunately for those of us here in Sheridan, WY, outdoor social distancing is fairly easy to manage, thanks to our low population density and plethora of outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities.
Amazing Ways to Practice Outdoor Social Distancing in Sheridan
Outdoor social distancing around Sheridan really just means outdoor adventure. There’s so much open space, breathtaking natural beauty, and untouched landscape, it’s hard not to put a little distance between yourself and your neighbors. If you’re looking for an active outdoor social distancing adventure in Sheridan, here are a few we recommend.
Bike the Bighorns
With thousands of miles of maintained trails, the Bighorn National Forest offers nearly endless adventure—the sort on which you might never see another soul. Soldier Ridge Trail is a 4-mile out-and-back trail in the foot of the Bighorn Mountains, just a mile from Sheridan. Black Mountain offers two options, a 10-mile out-and-back or a 16.4-mile loop trail. Both are rated moderate-to-difficult and feature steep ascents and breathtaking views of Wolf and Quartz creeks.
Want to take a plunge? Tongue River Shuttle offers a heart-pounding downhill trail that drops over 4,000 feet over its 11-mile point-to-point course.
Grab a rod, land a catch
The Bighorn National Forest is lush with wildlife, particularly in its sparkling mountain lakes and rivers. Common catches include rainbow, brown, brook, and cutthroat fish, and both troll and fly anglers will find plenty of options for fruitful fishing.
Fly fishing is especially popular in the Bighorn Mountain alpine lakes and Tongue River Canyon. Traditional anglers might prefer the larger, calmer waters of Lake Desmet or Bighorn Lake—where you can also enjoy boating, swimming, camping, and hiking.
Lace up your hiking boots
The Bighorn National Forest spans 1.1 million acres and offers nearly 1,200 miles of hiking trails. So whether you’re looking for a short morning hike or a multi-day backpacking adventure, you’ll find more than a few options near Sheridan.
Cloud Peak Wilderness stretches over 189,000 acres along the spine of the Big Horn Mountain Range, including Cloud Peak, the tallest point in the range. Considered to have some of the most majestic mountain scenery in the country, Cloud Peak Wilderness is a must for any true hiking enthusiast.
Rev up the ATV
For those seeking more of a high-speed, high-octane adventure, the Bighorn National Forest features a number of ATV trails, some of which offer access to campgrounds or hiking trails.
Connect with nature
Adventure doesn’t have to be big or bold, grand or impressive. Sometimes, the greatest adventure of all is just leaving the modern world behind and immersing yourself in the unrivaled majesty of nature in the raw. And around Sheridan, there are countless ways to appreciate nature untouched and untarnished.
Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range, for example, is still home to home to a free-roaming herd of Spanish Mustangs. Tongue River Canyon sees over 300 migrating elk a season.
And Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area features a sweeping range of broad valleys, plunging canyons, jagged mountain peaks, rushing rivers, and upland prairies, all rife with wildlife like elk, pronghorn, and even the occasional grizzly bear or lone wolf.
One this you won’t find in Sheridan is a crowd.
Outdoor Social Distancing Is Simple in Sheridan
While the rest of the country struggles with staying inside and staying entertained, we in Sheridan know that the true magic of life awaits in the beauty of nature. If you’re looking for a place where adventure awaits just out your back door and around every bend in the road, then Sheridan might be that place. Contact Century 21 BHJ Realty today… we’d love to help you find home in the Bighorns.