CR3 Hazelton Road northern summit s(u)
The name Hazelton Road strings across the Bighorn Range
south of Buffalo and then continues down its western side.
This profile below combines part of this long Hazelton
Road with the Rome Hills Road, to form a route across the
Bighorn Mountains, crossing south of Powder
River Pass at a lower elevation.
The most interesting part of Powder Pass it the canyon on
its west side. What is true for Powder River Pass is also
true for this route. The most scenic section on also on on
the lower west side, when the road comes in contact with
the cliff forming formations, that also make up Tensleep
Canyon on the Powder River Pass road. But this road stays
closer to the erosional surface and does not follow a
canyon.
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1.(mile00.0,5000ft)START-END
EAST: Buffalo, near downtown
2.(mile21.5,8370ft)Powder River Pass Rd, eastern
summit s(u)
3.(mile27.6,8070ft)route turns right onto CR3
4.(mile37.0,8490ft)TOP: CR3 Hazelton Road northern
summit s(u)
5.(mile42.4,8080ft)profile turns left onto Rome Hill
Rd
6.(mile63.0,4740ft)route joins US16, east of
Tensleep
7.(mile66.6,4500ft)START-END WEST: Tensleep,
"downtown"
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Approaches
From West. Hazelton Road actually
starts south of Buffalo in the valley. But the lower part of
this profile follows US16 direction Powder
River Pass. At 8070ft, a sign reading only CR3 and nothing
else signals the turnoff of Hazelton Rd to the south. The
first part is paved, and all of the road is hard medalled to
Dullknife Reservoir. The road rolls along below Hazelton Peak
and Hazelton Pyramid, both reaching roughly 10500ft.
Periodically it enters dense forest, alternating with wide
open spaces and fence lines. The nondescript highest point
comes just before a small descent to Dullknife Reservoir
From East. (described downwards).
A group of homeowners have made themselves at home on the
north side of the lake. Public access to the lake is limited
to walk-in, with a staircase over a fence. Continuing on the
road, the first right on "Gold Mine Road" is a good
connection to the east side of Powder River Pass. But this
profile takes the following right onto Rome Hills Road.
Hazelton Road itself continues south and further downhill over
other summit points.
Many parts of Rome Hill Road are heavily gravelled - little
problem riding a mountain bike downhill - that saves on
breakpad wear. But it is a lot of extra work climbing. A fast
straight line leads downhill on rangeland. In the distance the
high peaks around Cloud Peak make a fascinating background
behind gigantic waves of prarie land.
Finally the strike slopes of the Tensleep badlands appear,
wave after wave of red and creme colored lips of rock, in a
way pounding the shores of the Bighorns from below. The road
becomes more easily ridable here. For a short time the road
follows the edge of a canyon, that from the view could easily
be located in southern Utah, except that here it is fenced off
as private land. The last part of the road is paved and
connects to the Powder River Pass road a few miles east of
Tensleep
Pictures: the two bottom pictures on right are taken
near the summit point and Dullknife reservoir. Top picture is
the last paved part on US16 descending into Tensleep. The
three pictures in the slideshow were all taken on Rome Hills
Road.
A Dayride with this point as intermediate summit is
located on the page: Powder
River Pass
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