Our guidebook warned us in red letters to be aware of wood bison on the road for the next 170 km. All along the sides of the Alaskan Highway, trees and brush are cut back wherever they have room, for about 100-150 feet. The idea is that you can more easily spot animals coming onto the road. The thing is with this policy, is that it also allows grass to grow along the side of the road and the animals love to graze on it. We saw 15 wood bison along the road between Muncho Lake and Watson Lake where we planned to spend the night. They were scattered all along the way in small groups of two or three. In one place, a cow and her calf were grazing and Valerie was able to get a picture of the bull and Sharon of the cow and calf. We also noted sandy circles on the sides of the road where the bison had worn down the soil to make a dust
wallow.After a bit of driving, we stopped to look at the Laird Hot Springs. The campground at this provincial park was full due to a 3 day Canadian holiday weekend, but, you could get in for $5. per person as a day pass to enjoy the hot springs. When we told the lady at the entrance booth, that we didn’t want to get in the pools, but just look at them, she said we could go in free. When we pulled into the parking lot, there were the Roadtreks of the lead guard of our group.
We walked on a boardwalk over boggy ground to the springs. There were about 6 of our group in the water. There were three sections of the pools; warm, hot, and so hot that no one felt they could stand to get into that pool. The area was supposed to have many orchids and unusual plants because of the springs and warmth, but we think it was just too early in the season for things to have grown out yet. No birds, nor animals around, except some sea gulls and a pair of Canadian geese. We visited with folks for a
bit and then headed on up the road toward Watson Lake.We had lunch at Allen’s lookout which offered a great view of the river valley below. We continued on down the road through more woods [more ugly trees] and across more very fast moving creeks. The road was wide and good here so Valerie could make good time.
At Contact Creek, we stopped and got gas. It was a bit cheaper as we had crossed into the Yukon Territory. The road goes back and forth along the border, in and out of British Columbia for 6 crossings before staying north into the Yukon. Contact Creek was where a group building the road from a point north met the troops building the road up from the south to complete the southern section of this road. Gas was $1.359 a liter and we took 73 liters. Mileage 7990.
Saw a small bear walking along the road, no place to stop and get a picture---why can’t the bears plan their walks closer to a wide pull-out??? Pulled into Watson Lake and found the RV place we had planned to stay at mainly because it was right across the street
from Wye Lake. Not at all as we had pictured it from the brochure we got in the mail---more a flat, tree-less, bush-less, gravel parking lot with red posts sticking up that mark the place you connect to. Will eat dinner and go for a walk around Wye Lake this evening, and hope to see some of the birds they said were living here.Copyright Notice: All Rights ReservedThe text and photos of this article remain the copyright of the Author (RamblingRosies). Under no circumstances should the photos or text be used without the express written permission of the Author (RamblingRosies). If you wish to use or publish photos or text from this article - please
Contact Sharon Mock Whitaker and Valerie Mock at Shoshone Falls, Idaho (RamblingRosies) - a lack of a response does not mean that you have permission to use material from this page.
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