After a quick stop at the Dairy Queen in Eager, I drove south on Hwy 261 back to Big Lake where I turned on FR 24. This is a wide gravel road that connects to Hwy 191.
I didn't see any exotic wildlife as it was too early in the day, but I drove passed beautiful wide meadows that I know at dawn would be full of grazing antelope, sheep or elk. This is what Kevin would enjoy.
Further south the forest road intersects with FR25 and FR276 where the Black River meanders in a wide lush meadow. This was Buffalo Crossing. Several campers were at one campsite that provided a view of the meadow. Here I turned west on FR25 and for the next 30 miles, driving no faster than 15mph, I looked to my left and right hoping to catch a glimpse of elk, sheep, bobcats or birds.
This stretch of road should be designated a scenic forest road. I could have stopped anywhre along the road and pitched my tent for the night, but the van was too cramped and the dogs looked quite comfortable snoozing.
Five miles west of Buffalo Crossing was another wide meadow and an old cabin called Brentwood. The wooden cabin and the old corral could have been from a picture postcard, with the meadow turning gold in the setting sun. It was ony 5:30pm, too early to stop and wait for animals, but I have marked this spot as "the place" for future camp-outs. Several primitive campsites were close to the meadow.
I spotted an osprey flying overhead, and further down the road a flock of turkey.
This stretch of the FR, from the meadow to Hwy 191 two hours later was full of alpine cienegas. Wildcat crossing, which was a creek in a gorge of the Black River, came 12 miles later, and then the FR followed a high ridgeline that provided a breathtaking view of the canyon. By now the sun was too low for dramativ pictures, but FR25 is definitely where views and animals can be seen. The next time I go to the Whites I want to camp out along FR25, as there are plenty of offroad trails I know Kevin would want to pull over and explore.
I made it back to Hwy191 by 8pm. A fox ran across the road. Cows gathered in the middle of the road closer to Clifton, unwilling to get out of the way. A speeding driver could have hit them, and there were at least five cows and calves standing there, startled. The calf mooed in distress, clearly scared.
I made it as far as Clifton and pulled over at the Rode Inn Motel. The parking lot was full of semis and moving trucks and a few RVs. I slept in my front seat as the dogs claimed the back; they looked too comfortable to be disturbed.
The temperature in Clifton was 80F at 10pm, over 20 degrees warmer than it was when I got on Hwy 191. I slept with just my fleece jacket covering my bare arms.
I didn't see any exotic wildlife as it was too early in the day, but I drove passed beautiful wide meadows that I know at dawn would be full of grazing antelope, sheep or elk. This is what Kevin would enjoy.
Further south the forest road intersects with FR25 and FR276 where the Black River meanders in a wide lush meadow. This was Buffalo Crossing. Several campers were at one campsite that provided a view of the meadow. Here I turned west on FR25 and for the next 30 miles, driving no faster than 15mph, I looked to my left and right hoping to catch a glimpse of elk, sheep, bobcats or birds.
This stretch of road should be designated a scenic forest road. I could have stopped anywhre along the road and pitched my tent for the night, but the van was too cramped and the dogs looked quite comfortable snoozing.
Five miles west of Buffalo Crossing was another wide meadow and an old cabin called Brentwood. The wooden cabin and the old corral could have been from a picture postcard, with the meadow turning gold in the setting sun. It was ony 5:30pm, too early to stop and wait for animals, but I have marked this spot as "the place" for future camp-outs. Several primitive campsites were close to the meadow.
I spotted an osprey flying overhead, and further down the road a flock of turkey.
This stretch of the FR, from the meadow to Hwy 191 two hours later was full of alpine cienegas. Wildcat crossing, which was a creek in a gorge of the Black River, came 12 miles later, and then the FR followed a high ridgeline that provided a breathtaking view of the canyon. By now the sun was too low for dramativ pictures, but FR25 is definitely where views and animals can be seen. The next time I go to the Whites I want to camp out along FR25, as there are plenty of offroad trails I know Kevin would want to pull over and explore.
I made it back to Hwy191 by 8pm. A fox ran across the road. Cows gathered in the middle of the road closer to Clifton, unwilling to get out of the way. A speeding driver could have hit them, and there were at least five cows and calves standing there, startled. The calf mooed in distress, clearly scared.
I made it as far as Clifton and pulled over at the Rode Inn Motel. The parking lot was full of semis and moving trucks and a few RVs. I slept in my front seat as the dogs claimed the back; they looked too comfortable to be disturbed.
The temperature in Clifton was 80F at 10pm, over 20 degrees warmer than it was when I got on Hwy 191. I slept with just my fleece jacket covering my bare arms.
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