Your ride starts out in Shell Valley, a tiny hamlet nestled in the foothills of the spectacular Bighorn Mountains encompasses 90 square miles and features a greater variety of terrain than anywhere else in Wyoming. Sprigs of Larkspur and Wild Mustard accent the arid, Painted Hills desert beckoning visitors to stop and explore. Your journey starts out in the vallEy at 4200 ft riding through desert and grassland prairies, through narrow rock canyons, opening wide onto vistas of Ponderosa Pine forests dotted with sparkling lakes gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight. A sharp eye often reveals Moose and Elk grazing alongside the road in their high alpine meadows.
This valley’s true history begins two and half billion years ago when the area was made up of a string of volcanic islands. For millions of years, the raging sea invaded and subsided, resulting in the formation of Shell Valley and the indescribable rock formations, conspicuous cliffs and pinnacles that make this area such a visual phenomenon: Chimney Rock, Needle Rock, Devil’s Leap and Shell Falls are picture perfect examples.
Beyond the spectacular views, this valley is a paradise found for Trail Riders. Here, nature remains unspoiled and images of days long gone when cowboys roamed free over the open plains, high into the mountains, is recreated within the imagination of every intrepid adventurer.
The dramatic view of the Bighorn Mountains, the jewel in the crown that is Shell Valley, creates the perfect backdrop to your own private sanctuary. It is a place to marvel at spectacular unspoiled landscapes while enjoying the company of fine friends and good horses. It is desert. It is forest. It is canyons and mountains. It is valleys and streams. It is the land before time and the time before men. It is spiritual. It is forever. It is yours to explore…
