Settlers working their way along the Bozeman Trail in the mid-1800’s knew that the trip was a dangerous one. Indian attacks were common. To hear that they would soon be crossing Crazy woman Creek and nearing Crazy Woman Canyon might have made them feel a bit more on edge.

As you will see with this video, Crazy Woman Canyon is an actual place. It can be found along the Powder River in Bighorn Mountain country.

Today's travelers will also find a Crazy Woman Diner, Crazy Woman Dry Cleaner, Crazy Woman you name it a business have been named after it.

Crazy Woman Canyon has high cliffs on both sides with boulders that have tumbled from above. The canyon with the crazy name is located between Kaycee and Buffalo, east of today’s major route, I-25. The road that leads into Crazy Woman Canyon.

There are many legends about the 'Crazy Woman.' One says it was named for an Indian woman, left to live alone in her teepee here, who went insane. The more common story told is the violent and tragic tale of the settler who witnessed the capture and scalping of her husband by Indians, which drove her to insanity.

Crazy Woman Canyon served as a passageway Native Indians. It was a pass up into the Big Horn Mountains. It was a perfect staging area for war parties during the Plains Indian Wars. It was even used and a hideout and getaway by Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid as well as other outlaws in the late 1800’s.

You can drive Crazy Woman Canyon today. You can even camp in the canyon, near the many waterfalls. It is a hard road to drive but worth the effort.

 

More From KGAB