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Tag: Cody Wyoming

Campground Review: Monster Lake Ranch, Cody, Wyoming

Monster Lake Ranch Cody, Wyoming

Dates of Stay: Monday May 29-Wednesday May 31, 2017

Six miles south of Cody, Wyoming on Highway 120 with the Absaroka Mountain Range to the west and the still visable Big Horn Mountains to the west sits a relatively small 10,000 acre Wyoming ranch called Monster Lake Ranch. The name of the ranch comes from it’s namesake a nearly 200 acre lake on the property that is stocked with it’s namesake monster sized trout fish of all breeds. Monster Lake is a world class flat water fly-fishing destination to avid fishermen and even hunters.

While the word may be out about the fishing at Monster Lake, their little unknown secret is the plethora of lodging options from traditional teepee’s to cowboy camps, from glamping tents to brick and morter lodging cabins, to four full service RV hookup sites. We looked at our other RV options for our stay in Cody. They included a KOA and two local campgrounds. We selected to stay at Monster Lake Ranch because this location offered us a quiet alternative at a cheaper rate than any of the other options. Based on our experience during our visit here, we would book this campground again and again.

Check In and The RV Sites:

Mid Afternoon the caravan of travelers pulled into Monster Lake. The office manager was on her first week of employment and still figuring things out. She told us we were the only guest on the ranch, welcomed us to explore the ranch as much as we were interested (she only requested that we shut the gates after we went through them), directed us to the RV sites and sent us on our way.

The sites are a short walk to Quick Lake, the second lake on the property and near the homes the ranch staff live in. We found 30 and 50 amp service as well as sewer and fresh water. The sites are graveled. In the interest of full disclosure, the sites themselves were nothing fancy. In fact, they resembled a gravel parking lot. We lined up three in a row and set up our camp.

The Rest of the Ranch

Of course there is the namesake lake, Monster Lake on property. It actually sits to the east of the main office and needs to be driven to. In addition to that lake there is also a second smaller lake, Quick Lake, closer to the entrance of the ranch. The men were advised to use sinking line on their rods and they were able to get some practice casting in at Quick Lake before their big day of fishing.

We know there is a restaurant and a bar on the ranch, which I believe are called the Bliss Restaurant and The Cutthroat Saloon but I am not totally positive of that. They provide guest the opportunity for a meal or a cocktail without having to go into Cody. Unfortunately, both were closed during our stay. Sadly, there is no outside signage to indicate its existence nor were we handed any type of information on Ranch amenities upon our check in. We did camp next to two staff who work in the restaurant who did confirm there was a restaurant and we did see an outdoor cooking area so I am assuming some of the food served is cooked over a large open flame. It seems as if we started our vacation about four days too early of that magical June 1 summer start.

Very much like fishing, hunting experiences are also available on Monster Lake Ranch. Bird Hunting as well as a pistol shooting range and a rifle shooting range are available on property. The pistol range is by the office and near the restaurant. The rifle shooting range is some distance away but you can actually see some of the targets from the main area of the ranch. No one was on property shooting while we were there. I do imagine there would be a chance you could hear the short range shooting from the RV sites but the wind does carry sound differently so I am not sure.

Several of the ranches different types of lodging are located near Quick Lake. Five total traditional teepee’s, two one bedroom cabins, two three bedrooms, as well as a cowboy camps. The cowboy camp is a remote rustic wooden cabin. They also have canvas wall tents on platforms around the property. As many of the lodging is rustic there is a shower house close to the main office. Members of our group did visit the shower house and reported that it was clean and nice.

What would a ranch be without animals? Well, thankfully we really don’t have to find out because this ranch has animals; both wild and domestic. Quick Lake had geese on it; even babies. The ranch has llama’s and horses. The male horses were separated from the mare’s and colts. The kids loved watching the horses. We also saw plenty of wild animals: antelope, mule deer, pheasants, prairie dogs, meadowlarks, rabbits, and magpies. The ranch also has two, three or four hour trail riding adventures available.

As we roamed the ranch, it became very clear to us. We had come to this place to fish but each of us were having a great moment on a ranch in Wyoming. Speaking for myself it was nice to feel small. The ranch maybe small for Wyoming standards, it felt huge to me. The wide open range allows you to see forever in almost every direction you turn. Even though it is a working ranch we hardly saw any people. Knowing that our next stop on this vacation is Yellowstone National Park and the crowds that attracts, we enjoyed the seclusion Monster Lake Ranch afforded us.

The Local Area:

On our second day at Monster Lake Ranch, we said good luck to Wayne as he went to fly fish on Monster Lake. The rest of us headed into Cody to catch up on laundry at the local laundromat and lunch at a local restaurant: Millstone Pizza Company. We enjoyed pizza and sandwiches, cold drinks, and the kids enjoyed playing in the arcade. That afternoon, each family selected a different activity and we went their separate ways with the plan to meet back together for our first community meal that evening. We had planned for three community meals during our two week vacation and the first of those was happening at Monster Lake Ranch.

Our Ranch Experiences:

As the day began to settle and we started finding our way back to the ranch from our afternoon of sightseeing, we noticed the clouds were building and the sky was darkening. We were able to enjoy a quick Wyoming rain shower. The clouds were impressive and so was the rainbow. Wayne’s fishing guide for the afternoon, Mike, offered to take us to see a site he said would knock our socks off. As he escorted us to parts of the ranch we would not have visited by ourselves, he did warn us that we had to be cautious of rattle snakes Mike escorted us to Cowboy Camp and carefully walked us to the edge of a rocky bluff carefully avoiding all snakes as we went. During our trip, Mike told us that the some of rock on the ranch has petroglyphs from Native Americans but we would surely encounter snakes so he would not recommend us exploring alone.

After our ranch tour, we were able to enjoy a campfire as the ranch hands had come by and made us a fire ring and supplied us with firewood. We enjoyed a community meal of hot dogs, chili, all the fixin’s, and ended it with s’mores and board games.

After dinner, Wayne decided to organize and put away his fishing gear. He also thought it was a good time to flush our black tank. So with water running into our black tank, he wondered away from the water to his fishing gear. The rest of us were completely pre-occupied with the campfire until two things started happening simultaneously. Wayne started yelling at The Boy to pull the black tank lever and we noticed water coming off the awning. Wayne had literally left the water running, which filled up the black tank, filled up the toilet, and with no other place for the water to go was coming out the vent on the roof of the camper! The Boy pulled the black tank valve and water poured out of the hose. Everyone was quick to assist us but no one wanted to open either door to the camper. I think each of us feared the camper was full of water.

Thankfully we had minimal water in the camper. Just a small area around the bathroom. Weeks after the vacation is over, we are still teasing Wayne about his method for flushing the black tank. I do hope he has learned to not walk away or try and multi-task during this chore.

Disaster adverted, mess soaked up, we spent the rest of our last night at Monster Ranch around the campfire and enjoying the stars. There is very little ambient light to interfere with stargazing out on the ranch.

Recommendations:

We left Monster Ranch with only a few recommendations. We loved the seclusion and the ample space available at Monster Lake Ranch, and I am not sure referring to the RV sites but to the feel of the entire ranch. The RV sites are located right next to staff housing, which was not problematic but it did feel as if the RV sites were an after thought. Like, we have this extra staff housing that we are not using so we can rent it out to the public. Monster Lake Ranch has taken a lot of care to make other parts of the ranch a meaningful experience and it would be nice if they put that same thought into the RV sites.

Throughout our planning and visit with Monster Lake Ranch, we could not help but notice that the staff in the office at Monster Lake Ranch changed frequently. The person who confirmed our reservations was not the same person who checked us in. The office manager who checked us in told us she was brand new and had no idea we were coming until we were in her office. Thankfully she was able to find our reservations and was able to seamlessly provide us with service. Sadly, when we called back a few weeks ago, there is another brand new office manager. Obviously we consumers don’t necessarily need to know the inner workings as long as the workings keep working but in the mean time, make sure you make reservations, keep the documentation, and confirm your appointments.

Monster Lake Ranch has made one massive change since we made our visit in May 2018 and that is their web presence. We have noticed they have updated their website. The new website is easy to navigate, is appealing, extensively offers information on all of the services available at the ranch.

Conclusion:

We spent two nights and a few days on the ranch. Sadly Wayne had little lunch in the fishing department but we found a place of solitude. We found a place where the animals still roam. We found a place where the wild pheasants woke us in the morning and the meadowlarks sang to us every evening. We found a place with beautiful views both during the day and the night.

If you are interested in fly fishing or bird hunting then this is the place for you. While Wayne did not have much luck he still hopes for a chance to return and catch one of those monster trout that swim in monster lake.

If you are like us, passing through Cody on your way to or from Yellowstone National Park, Monster Lake Ranch offers you a haven from the hustle and bustle and the crowds. A peaceful place to stay before or after a visit to the national park offers that balance we often seek during our vacations. At $35 a night, Monster Lake offers you something no other campground in Cody offers; wide open space.

August 4, 2017
The Adventures of Betty, Roxie, and The Rockwood: That’s WY!

Do you ever hear a song that speaks to your soul? The one you turn up a little louder every time you hear it. You catch yourself humming along to it even when it is not playing. This summer that song for me is Highway Vagabond by Miranda Lambert. I can’t get it out of my ears…

I wanna go somewhere where nobody knows
I wanna know somewhere where nobody goes
Following gold lines on the ground, northbound, southbound
There’s something ’bout the way I feel when the wheels go round and round and round

Highway vagabonds, living like hippies
Moving right along to the next big city
Okay, jump off the exit
Truck stop, rest stop, next stop Texas
Caravan like a wild west show
I don’t care, man, as long as we go
My way
Get off one and get on the other
Highway, vagabonds

For us, the next stop is not Texas. It is Cody, Wyoming and I did feel like we were caravaning like a wild west show. Partially because we were caravaning. Three big trucks pulling three big travel trailers down Highway 16, also knows as Cloud Peak Skyway Scenic Byway, that goes up and over Bighorn National Forest. Partially because we were heading west to a town made famous by a man who made wild west shows famous. Partially because we were on no time table and we found ourselves leisurely wandering from one destination to the next; just like a vagabond.

We took one highway to the next winding our way to Monster Lake Ranch just outside of Cody, Wyoming. Pulling into Monster Lake, I did feel like we were somewhere where nobody knows and we had found a place that nobody goes. But, that really isn’t true. People do go to Monster Lake. It is known for its world-class fly fishing and bird hunting, which is exactly how we ended up landing there. But, in the moment of being there (the only guest on property) it did feel like we were in a secret location. A place just like Miranda sings about.

Fishing at Monster Lake has been on my husband’s bucket list for a couple of decades. His father and uncle have raved about the monster trout they caught on their trips out there and he wanted his own shot. We offered to let the group go ahead of us and we would meet up but they all decided that Cody had enough things to keep everyone entertained and when we found out they had RV sites we quickly made plans to stay three days/two nights at Monster Lake, 8 miles south of Cody, Wyoming.

On our only full day at Monster Lake Ranch, we each went a different direction and experienced different things. So, go find that Miranda Lambert song, turn up the radio, and follow along as we walk you through our time in Cody, Wyoming.

Monster Lake Ranch (Wayne’s Cody Experience):

Visiting the wild west sounds fun, but for some of us, visiting it is simply not enough. If you want an activity a little more hands on for a chance to call victory of the wild in the west then Monster Lake Ranch is where you should go. If your bucket list includes bird hunting, fishing, trail riding, pistol or rifle shooting on a beautiful, scenic ranch surrounded by mountains, then this is the place to visit.

Monster Lake Ranch is a 10,000 acre working ranch with a nearly 200 acre lake stocked with monster sized cutthroat, rainbow, and brown trout. When I say monster size, I mean easily 6 pounds, often over ten pounds, 15 inches or more girth, and shy of two feet long. These are the type of fish you dream of catching. Monster Lake is a private lake. The price to fish here is steep: a half day rod fee is $150 and a full day is $200. Guided trips are available starting off around $450 for a half day. You can bring your own personal water craft, rent one from Monster Lake, or the guide will take you out on a drift boat.

Before I even went, I got some advice from my uncle and my dad who had fished Monster Lake before me. They recommended a five or six weight rod, full sinking line, and 2X leader and tippet. My Uncle Dave even gave me a large box of flies that I have never fished with before. I was also able to purchase an “old” fishing raft hat he had previously used at Monster Lake.

The night we arrived, three of us spent a few hours casting into Quick Lake, which is significantly smaller and at the entrance to the property. We found ourselves casting the full sinking line into the wind, which proved to be a game changer for my fishing buddies and I soon found myself the solo fisherman the next day.

I started off deciding to do the full day unguided trip. I took my all made over for monster sized trout rods and my “new to me” inflatable fishing raft with foot flippers to maneuver the lake. The guide, Mike, met me early that morning and actually repeated all the advice my uncle had given me. Mike then gave me a few top water flies, a quick Monster Lake entomology lesson (that is life cycle of bugs in case you wondered), a quick layout of the lake, a few specific casting techniques for this area, he even told me what birds to look for, and sent me on my way.

I started casting. I started to notice a few of the signs Mike had told me to look for. I saw a few insects and I mean a few. I saw a few of the birds he mentioned. But the birds could not find the few insects that showed up. Which also meant there were no fish showing up. I kept casting.

Around lunch time, my wife called to check in. I was feeling pretty discouraged. I was not sure if I was missing the signs or they were not there to see or if my technique was off. My wife could not give me any advice on the fishing but she did one of the most important things ever; she told me to call Mike and hire him as a guide.

By early afternoon, Mike was back. I was out of the inflatable raft and in his drift boat. He took me all over Monster Lake. He had confirmed that my technique was right on. Man, that was a relief! A few hours later I threw a dry fly (afternoon fishing the insects come back and lay eggs) close to one of the few rising fish we had seen that day. I saw him take the fly so I set the hook. This was my moment. After nearly a full day of discouragement I was so ready for this!. As soon as he took the fly, it felt like I snagged a log. He took the fly straight down, shook his head twice, and I felt the line go slack. I stripped the line to check my fly and I was surprised to see it was still there. But then on closer inspection I could see that my hook was nearly straight. Total defeat. Fisherman 0 Trout 1.

Shortly after this near miss, Mike and I called it quits. Mike was super discouraged that the insects had failed to show up that he volunteered to take me back out the next morning. I went back to the RV to ice my now sore arm. Mike felt pretty badly I had a crappy day of fishing so he graciously offered to show my family around Monster Lake. He took us back to Cowboy Camp. We walked up to a huge cliff and watched a storm move in. A giant rainbow appeared over Monster Lake Ranch that evening. I had hoped that would mean a better day of fishing in the morning.

The next morning, Mike and I hit the lake fairly early. We only had a half day to fish because we were packing up and heading to Yellowstone. I wish I could say that our second morning was more successful than our first. The weather was perfect; sunny, hot, not a cloud in the sky, with little to no wind. The rest of the group called it perfect, the first nice day of our vacation. But those perfect days make the worst days for trout fishing. I am pretty sure I am the only person who has ever come to Monster Lake with the hopes of catching a monster trout and who walked away with nothing but a sore arm from all that casting.

Buffalo Bill Center of the West (The Master’s Cody Experience)

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We decided to tour The Buffalo Bill Center of the West while in Cody. The cost of admission was pricey ($19 for adults and $12 for children ages 6-17) but the admission covers two consecutive days to the museum. This museum is huge and you could definitely use two days to explore the entire thing. The Buffalo Bill Center of the West houses six different museums in one building: Buffalo Bill Museum, Draper Natural History Museum, Whitney Western Art Museum, Plains Indian Museum, Cody Firearms Museum, and McCracken Research Library, as well as special time limited exhibits. We explored all of the museums but not the library. The exhibit was closed for set-up during our visit. I’m embarrassed to admit, but as we entered the center it dawned on me that this was the first real museum the kids had ever ever really been in. Our biggest worry was what the kids would think and how they would behave. We were pleasantly surprised – they were both well behaved and they both LOVED it. When I asked the kids what their favorite part was they simply said “all of it!”

We started our exploration in the Whitney Western Art Museum. Each painting was tied to a number and you had access to headphones and recorder that provided a recorded information on the artist and the painting. The kids loved this – they walked around the entire art area typing in the numbers and listening. We loved looking at the paintings of Yellowstone knowing that was the next stop on our road trip.

After the art museum we explored the Cody Firearms Museum. This was amazing; truly a sight to see. Sadly I didn’t take any pictures of the guns because there was just so many it was almost overwhelming. There were guns of all shapes and kinds. Guns from years and years ago to present. My husband and I really enjoyed this area. During our time here, we kept thinking about our loved ones not on this trip with us. I know my father-in-law would have also been fascinated.

Next we journeyed through the Plains Indian Museum, which was probably my second favorite area. Looking at the items the Indian people made and the details in these items were fascinating. My girl loved the baby carriers the Indian people made and transported their babies in. My boy enjoyed learning about the Bison and all the things the Indian people used from the Bison. Bison have become his new favorite animals.

Next we explored the Buffalo Bill Museum. We traveled through this section very quickly because the kids were anxious to get to the Draper Natural History Museum. There were many interesting things I never know about Buffalo Bill and his life; he was really quite accomplished. The Natural History Museum was probably where we spent the most of our time. There was an area you could see the animal habitat and see what they eat, touch their horn or antlers, and touch their hides. There were all sorts of animals in this area from chipmunks to elks, to bears. The kids really like this.

Overall we really like Buffalo Bill Center of the West. There was a great deal to see and I’m sure we missed plenty in our short visit. If I had the opportunity to go again I would and I would want want to explore my two favorite areas more thoroughly – the Plains Indian Museum and the Cody Firearms Museum.

Old Trail Town (The Taylor’s Minus Wayne’s Cody Experience)

During our visit we got to help Old Trail Town celebrate it’s 50th anniversary of being in business. They gave us a gold sticker to wear around for the day. We even left our anniversary sticker on after we left. Old Trail Town is more than a collection of historic buildings. Although it is exactly that; a collection of old buildings. You will also find relics throughout the restored buildings that give you a glimpse of what life was like for early western settlers. My ancestors were not western settlers but I recognized several antiques that my great grandparents had in their homes.

Old Trail Town collection has 27 buildings, which date from 1879-1901, one hundred horse drawn vehicles, as well as extensive memorabilia from the Wyoming frontier and Indian artifacts. Some of the homes can be entered and others you can’t. Several homes had beds in them. We can’t help but wonder, were people really that small? My husband and I have a king sized bed and when I am looking at the beds in these homes, I am shocked at how small they look! Have we supersized our entire lives?

Three of the buildings located at Old Trail Town are buildings used by “The Hole in the Wall Gang” which Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid were apart of. You will still find bullet holes in the door of the saloon. I think I need to do more research on my wild west villains. I kinda need to admit I thought Butch Cassidy was a good guy, maybe because Robert Redford was in the movie and he can’t possibly be a bad guy, right?

In addition to the buildings and relics, several historical figures are buried at Old Trail Town including Jeremiah “Liver Eating” Johnston. Maybe you have seen a movie also starring Robert Redford? Jeremiah Johnson? It is one of my favorite western movies. I think I just realized how infatuated I am with Robert Redford. Anyway, after the release of the movie, Jeremiah Johnston was relocated from his pauper’s grave in California to Old Trail Town. Robert Redford even served as a pallbearer in the largest burial service in the history of Wyoming.

Ticket prices to visit this attraction are $8.00 for adults and $5.00 for kids 6-12 years of age. My parents took me to Old Trail Town on my first visit to Cody. I would not say much has changed. It remains a place where the wild west lives. Even if it is contained to two acres.

Buffalo Bill Dam (The Todd’s Cody Experience)

The Shoshone River runs right through Cody, Wyoming. Six miles west of town, on the way to Yellowstone, you will drive through a series of tunnels and then pass the Buffalo Bill Dam. It was built in 1910 and was the highest dam in the world, at that time. We also found it interesting that the dam was originally built with no reinforcing rebar.

We found ample large space parking in the parking area just west of the dam and visitor center. We were greeted by a man driving a golf cart who offered us a ride up to the visitor center. He told us after the 9/11 bombings they put up barricades and no longer allow parking close to the dam. We would not have minded the walk, but the gentleman driving us was a treat to spend time with.

On the way into the visitor center we learned that the water level was as low as it has been in the past 20 years. At the visitor center, we wandered around outside. The sound of the water rushing through the spillway is loud. The sun bounces off the falling water and created rainbows. The water on the other side of dam is calm and quiet. We lingered outside to enjoy the views.

Inside the visitor center we watched a movie about the making of the dam. Our daughter was fascinated by the number of people injured or even killed during the building. I think the movie made a huge impact on her. We got our national passports stamped and walked back to our truck. There are a few artifacts on the way to/from the parking lot to the visitor center; namely a ball plug and a hydraulic valve.

Sadly, we were in Cody just days before the start of their summer season which meant that the nightly rodeo’s Cody is known for had yet to start. I do wish we had been able to attend a rodeo but we picked our dates to beat the large summer tourist season at Yellowstone National Park. Life is certainty about balancing choices.

We spent two nights and a few days in and around Cody. We enjoyed the “down” time before our next stop. Thanks so much to the staff at Monster Lake for helping make our time in Cody what we had hoped it would be.

July 30, 2017