Spirit Mountain Road – Cody WY

Description

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) and Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) constructed the first three miles of Spirit Mountain Road, west of Cody, Wyoming.

Casper Star-Tribune: “Completion cf a three-mile road up the mountain that turns off the main highway about as many miles west of Cody will make this natural cavern easily accessible, and assurance is given that the work will be finished this year. Started and carried on first as a CWA project, it was continued last year under the ERA with good results, and when completed will stand an engineering achievement. Many difficulties were experienced on account of heavy rock work and the steep grade that had to be negotiated. Fifteen switchbacks with comparatively short radius curves were necessary in the first two and one-half miles. Much of the rock taken out in blasting has been used in the construction of masonry walls. The survey was run to a parking space about 230 feet from the mouth of the cavern and a 14-foot road will be finished to this point. On a few short stretches, despite the many switchbacks, the gradient runs up to 14 per cent, but the average grade on the steeper portions is rot over 11[?] per cent. Later as funds become available it is planned to extend the project a distance cf 1.7 miles to the summit of the mountain and to Buffalo Bill’s monument. Eventually it will extend on down the opposite slope of the mountain past the meteor crater and will connect with the south fork highway to form a circle drive cut of Cody. Because of scenic, historical and scientific interest involved the project is regarded as one of the achievements of the CWA and the ERA in Wyoming recreational activities.”