Day 27,Monday July 4, 2022 “Fourth of July” Independence Day 1776 Last day in Billings MT

 Day 27,Monday July 4, 2022  “Fourth of July” Independence Day  1776 Last day in Billings  MT

After the rain and heavy wind , which lasted 15 minutes, yesterday evening turned pleasant. The rain did come but not heavy, nor long.

In the morning all was dry and the sun was shining with little wind. We had two objectives in mind.  The first was a State Park that surrounded the Cooney  Reservoir south of here about 45 miles, The second was the Pictograph Caves just 15 minutes from the trailer.

We set out for the former taking US 218 to to the little “town” of Boyd (not as small as Molt, MT.) There seemed to be few birds out ,but perhaps as we got off the highway that might change. It did not, although as is the case  many times those “quiet” places yield a bird or two we had not seen. This was true here as we saw two,  an Eastern Phoebe and a Wood Peewee.

On the road to Cooney Reservoir

A beautiful hay field ready for baling

Ruth can't resist photgraphing those horses.

 

The Cooney Reservoir is football shape and has  4 camping sites at the corners of the lake so to speak.  It has been created by Red Lodge Creek which runs into Rock Creek and eventually the Yellowstone River and then the Missouri River. We drove around slowly to see what two of  the campsite might offer. There were a few birds, but not much activity. The fact there were speedboats and “Seadoos”on the lake did not encourage bird activity, even though they might have been around. On the way driving in there was a large valley that was a center of farming activity. The new mown hay was spectacular in its design (see). It is one of those canyons that had been turned onto a profitable industry with raising crops. Tall cliffs on either side and sloping down to the Red Lodge Creek.

We did not find many birds so decided  to return to the SE side of Billings and view the Pictograph caves. The road in was a very winding  one and filled with curves and beautiful rock formations. There were many warning signs not only for the rattlesnakes, but also for the bumps in the road. (It reminded me of the drive into the Chiricahua Mountains in AZ where the “pillars”of stone greet you.) When we arrived the parking lot was quite full, and there were picnickers , which we joined, as it was pushing one o’clock and time for lunch. It actually was the first time we had used an outdoor (table) for lunch on this trip as we always eat by the side of the road in the truck, or, when traveling to another campsite, stop at a Subway or eat our meal in the trailer.

There were two pictograph caves. One had no remaining paintings, and the other (Ghost Cave) did . Some of the inhabitants in those caves  had been very ancient, going back some 14,000 years.  There were few paintings left, and only 6 were visible and you had to look close to see them. They told of dances, hunting, weapons, and some animals. The cave has been found  to be the first in western USA  , east of the Rockies that has been preserved and worked with. )ver 100,000 artifacts were found on the cave floor and site. Interestingly the WPA work crews were instrumental in beginning the work that preserved the caves. A man by the name of Muller was the director at the beginning. Weathering moisture, and heat changes, gradually remove the paintings as the wall flakes off periodically.

The Ghost Cave entrance

The concrete walkway that saved a bunch of gravel walking

 

 

The walk up the long, switchback, gravel path would have not been possible for us, but the State had constructed an uphill, concrete walkway (wheelchair accessible) up to the second cave which had the pictographs.. There were benches every 100 feet or so  that helped  us “catch our breath”. The caves were magnificent (see). It males one really think about standing on the same ground that people did some 14,000 years ago, or even a mere 3,000 years ago.  The walk downhill was a “breeze”. We did see some birds there including  a new one to the trip…The Spotted Towhee. What a loud and forceful voice it has.

)ne of the few (6) draw9ngs that are still visible

The interior of the cave (120 X 80X 60')

I wonder if the cliff swallows have been doing this for eons?

 

I took time to stop at the Visitor Center ,where Noah took care of our needs. I did buy a book entitled “Montana Before History” (Hunters and Gatherers for 11,000- years.). That should help understand the life that ancient people here so lived so long ago.

We did take the time to “eat out” at the “Texas Roadhouse” complete with the “Bloomin Onion”.

Ruth had a great ribeye (no bone) that was the best. I settled for 1/2 rib slab and took 2/3 of it home. We both had their marshmallow/maple syrup sweet potato. Who needs all that marshmallow and syrup?   I took that home intact. It was great way to end our time in Billings  as we leave tomorrow for Wyoming and a town called Buffalo. Of course the campground is “Indian Campground”!