Our first national park, Yellowstone remains unrivaled for its diversity of scenic splendor, accessibility to wildlife, and its unique geothermal system. One can probably see a wider range of nature's offerings in one day at this park than anywhere else on the planet. No matter how many times I visit, there is always reason to return.
Charles Kuralt produced many "On The Road" segments for the Sunday Morning TV program, so he should be an expert on roads. He considered Beartooth Highway to be "the most beautiful drive in America". I would only go so far as to say it is ONE of the most beautiful. Several other highways give it stiff competition for the title. In the end, who cares? I like to enjoy them all.
I've driven the Beartooth several times, but this particular trip was my favorite. It was perfect timing for the wildflowers, and most of the snow had melted to give us the maximum number of lakes to enjoy.
Here is Beartooth Mountain, for which so many features are named.
The highway runs between the Northeast entrance to Yellowstone N P in Wyoming and the town of Red Lodge, Montana, weaving in and out of the two states. In the process, it climbs from 5200 feet to roughly 11,000 feet in elevation, using steep climbs and sharp switchbacks to make the transition. Overlooks into deep valleys can be breathtaking.
At one of the overlooks, we were pleasantly surprised to see a rally of vintage Rolls Royce and Bentley automobiles, a total of twenty-one by the time we left.
The cute little town of Red Lodge is home to one of Peter "Wolf" Toth's Whispering Giants, statues carved from trees to honor Native Americans.
