DOG TALES FROM THE TRAILS IN Downtown BUFFALO
By Ashley Waldorf
Owner and Creator of Traveldogs.org
Ashley Waldorf and her dogs Ursa and Maggie explored the Clear Creek Trail and Washington Memorial Park in Buffalo, Wyoming, on chilly days in May of 2019, which she wrote about for her website, Traveldogs.org. She published the website to inspire others to have adventures with their dogs. Her reviews and photographs are republished with permission. Both of her dogs were adopted from the Humane Society.
Table of Contents
Clear Creek Trail System
Green Belt Trail
The well-organized Clear Creek Trail System stretches through the town of Buffalo, Wyoming, and continues west into the Big Horn Mountains. This extensive trail is divided into sections. On the southwest side of Buffalo is a section of path known as the Greenbelt Trail.
The Greenbelt Trail is about 2 miles long in total and runs through a wilderness area in the shape of an “X”. There are 4 starting (or ending) points, or trailheads. We started at the Klondike Entrance, which is located on Klondike Road (just across the street from fabulous Washington Memorial Park). The trailhead had a small parking lot and we were greeted by a collection of signs that laid out the rules of the trail, as well as a map of the area.
The wide dirt and gravel path followed Clear Creek for the most part. Informational signs about the area were spread out along the way. This stretch of trail also had various workout stations that popped up every few minutes. Monkey bars, pull-up stations, and more were located just off the trail as we walked. This was a great place to get in some exercise, whether it be a lot or a little.
Every tenth of a mile a small red wooden marker would track our progress along the trail. We stuck to the main path, but passed by two right hand turns along the way. This was an easy trail to walk, even though there were no signs directing traffic at the intersections.
At first we stayed on the main trail. From our starting point to the end at the Upper Clear Creek Entrance (off of Upper Clear Creek Road) was just over a mile. There was a lot to stop and sniff along the way, and small rodents darting in and out of the brush surrounding the trail.
During our walk we had passed by two spur trails. The second one (which we were now approaching on the way back) led to the Shiloh Trail, which heads west. We continued past this exit.
But, the girls were having a good time so we decided to take the second spur (which was actually the first one we had passed on the start of our walk). This short path connects to (and ends at) Cedar Street. Here we found another map of the trail as well as parking, and a sign indicating that this was indeed one of the Clear Creek Trail System trail heads. From here it was only 0.6 miles back to our original starting point at the Klondike Entrance.
The Greenbelt Trail is a dog-friendly section of the Clear Creek Trail System (dogs are not permitted on some parts due to animal grazing). There were doggy waste stations, garbage cans, and benches along the way.
The dogs enjoyed looking out over the rushing water of Clear Creek below the path as they walked.
This was a nice easy trek along a well-groomed nature trail. Hidden in Buffalo, this trail is easy to access from Interstate 25 and Highway 16. It has great views of Clear Creek as well as the Big Horn foothills. The dogs enjoyed the many birds and other small animals that flourished in this area.
This was a good place to stretch our legs. Dogs of all ages and sizes could enjoy this undemanding path through the rural Wyoming landscape, and then quickly head back into town or hop on the highway to continue exploring.
George Washington Memorial Park
Washington Memorial Park in Buffalo, Wyoming, is a great place for a picnic and some exercise. Also known as Buffalo City Park, this lovely spot is only a short drive from Interstate 25. It’s also near downtown and within walking distance of Buffalo’s many interesting sights.
The Clear Creek Trail System runs right through the park. The extensive trail system is divided into sections, and this part is known as the Washington Park Trail. It loops around through the park, following and crossing Clear Creek. The entire Washington Park Trail loop is only about a mile long walk.
On the western edge of the park (across Klondike Road) the trail system continues to the west via the Greenbelt Trail section.
Washington Memorial Park is large and contains a big swimming pool, tennis courts, multiple playgrounds, and picnic areas. There are several covered picnic tables, making this a good place to stop and eat when the weather is questionable.
A train locomotive sits on display in the far corner of the park. Beyond that is a small ice skating rink, as well as public restrooms.
There was plenty of room for the dogs to sniff around and explore. We came across at least three playgrounds with well-maintained and new looking equipment. The girls watched in complete awe as I demonstrated what the giant spiraling slide was for. Upon reaching the bottom I was congratulated as if I’d just returned from outer space.
The girls liked walking along the creek and looking out over the water, watching it rush by. Unfortunately it was too chilly during our visit (in May) for anyone to enjoy playing in the creek. On a warmer day they would’ve been searching for a suitable place to get in the water, but instead they were happy just gazing out over it from dry land.
In addition to the covered picnic areas, there were also tables with grills along the creek on the western side of the park. Nearby, a large metal bridge spanned the rushing creek, making a wide and sturdy place to cross.
The girls seemed to really enjoy this lovely park. There was a lot to sniff and inspect, and plenty of birds and squirrels to bark at. They liked watching the creek and exploring all that the park had to offer. This delightful place was peaceful and quiet, despite being near the heart of historic (and bustling) Buffalo, Wyoming.
