July 8, 2026 (Wed.) – A Day at Heart Mountain.

Today’s plan was to visit Heart Mountain near Powell, WY — the site where more than 10,000 Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II. Lynn’s immediate family wasn’t held here, but this chapter of U.S. history is significant, and being so close, it felt like a place that deserved our attention. We’ve been to Manzanar and visited Keetley, so Heart Mountain naturally became the next stop.

Lynn was up late at 07:30 — late by her standards, but yesterday was a marathon. Kirk, on the other hand, was up at 08:00, which counts as early for him. We had a light breakfast in the RV and hit the road around 10:00 for the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center. It’s about 97 miles north of Thermopolis, roughly an hour and a half drive — far, but not too far. Definitely a full‑day outing.

The drive was classic Wyoming: wide‑open roads, farmland, cows, and endless sky. We arrived just after 11:30 and spent time exploring the interpretive center, watching the short film, walking the trail, and wandering through the historic structures. It’s sobering and fascinating to see how Japanese Americans lived and built a community during their three years here.

While looking through the exhibits, Lynn remembered that her step‑father had lived at Heart Mountain. We asked the staff whether there was a resident list, and they brought out enormous binders filled with names and details. Sure enough — we found him. They helped us interpret the entries and pointed out exactly which barracks he lived in on the model map. Lynn suspects she has other extended family who were here as children, but without knowing their childhood names, it’s hard to trace.

After finishing at the center, we drove down the main road to see the Heart Mountain Root Cellar. Built in 1943 by incarcerated Japanese Americans, it’s one of the oldest and largest surviving WWII agricultural structures from any of the camps — and the oldest intact root cellar of its kind still standing. Workers were there restoring parts of the structure and the vent stacks, which look uncannily like birdhouses. We couldn’t walk to the back of the cellar because the roof is unstable and still under restoration, but the old vents and the long concrete curve of the building were incredible to see still standing after all these decades.

We spent more time at Heart Mountain than expected. By 2:00, hunger won out, so we headed to Cody for lunch. We ended up at the historic Irma Hotel and ate at Buffalo Bill’s inside. Lynn ordered the French dip (fine), and Kirk had the Reuben (mostly sauerkraut). Afterward, we wandered the shops downtown. As we walked back to the truck, we noticed a camel sitting on the lawn outside the Irma. At first we assumed it was a statue — we had just walked past that spot earlier and didn’t remember seeing a giant camel. Then it moved. A crowd of kids was gathered around petting it. A camel in Cody, WY — definitely not something you see every day.

By 5:00, we were back at the RV. We settled in for the evening and met a new neighbor who casually mentioned they were having a family reunion at the campground — about twenty more relatives arriving soon. Their picnic tables are practically touching our RV, so it’s safe to assume this weekend will be loud.

Weather – High 89*, Low 59*. Winds 1-12mph w/17 mph gusts. No rain. No humidity.

Traffic – None.

Food – Buffalo Bill’s inside The Irma Hotel (so-so).

Notable – Heart Mountain Interpretive Center. Camel in Cody.