Highways of Happiness ! [Yellowstone]

Introduction.

Having not long returned from our latest adventure I thought I would start a trip report to help me recollect the trip and unravel the days that have past and of course, to share our journey with others. [Thank goodness I kept a diary !] The trip took us on a journey of over 3800 miles in 15 days on the road [19 in total] and saw us drive from Vegas through the Great Basin into Idaho and on to Glacier NP. This was more or less the turn around point where we started to head south via Yellowstone NP and into Southern Utah before returning to Vegas. Six States, 7 National Parks plus plenty of other places were visited along the way. Of the 3800 plus miles only, 240 of them were spent on Interstate and half of those Interstate miles were spent on I15 travelling back from Utah to Vegas.

In the past we have travelled by RV, [see below] our preferred choice, but as it was just the two of us travelling this time, finances decided that it would be by car and a mix of Hotels, Motels and cabins. I felt when planning this trip we were close to the limit of what we would find comfortable for us and I wasn't wrong. Although 'only' averaging slightly above 250 miles per day [road trip days] most days were 10 to 12 hours plus from door to door with stops and sight seeing. The days remained fun and fairly relaxed though and we had a blast !!

The beginning.

Our journey started with a trip to Heathrow airport. I much prefer to fly from Gatwick just because of location. Heathrow is on the notorious M25, the London Orbital which is often referred to as the 'Biggest car park in Europe' thanks to it's congestion. It didn't help that our flight departure time meant 'check in' was around 9am, which would have put us in the heart of the morning rush and could have doubled our journey time from home on the south coast. I decided to check airport hotel prices but was not very hopeful of finding something sensibly priced. I was quite surprised to find some good value hotels near the airport and booked into 'Jurys Inn' near Terminal 4 for just £49.50. Our son dropped us off there the night before and we had a nice relaxing meal and a good nights sleep followed by a 10 minute cab journey the following morning to the airport. A lot less stress and it helped in coping with the long flight ahead.

The flight was delayed 30 mins but they made up half of that time in the air and we arrived in Atlanta in good time for our connecting flight. A smooth transition and we were on our way to Vegas. We cleared customs and made our way to the nearby airport hotel, the Best Western McCarran Inn. They offer a free shuttle bus service, but rather than trying to find it's location and wait, we jumped in a cab. We were just too tired after 20 hours or so of door to door travel, but so pleased to be back !!

Tip for anyone flying out from England who might consider an airport hotel. If you are booking transport to the airport from a hotel use a local taxi firm. Firms advertising as 'Airport cars/services' were charging £25 to £35 for the same ride that cost £12 in a local cab. [You also have the option of the 'Hopper bus' that stops at many hotels and goes to the airport terminals at a fixed price of £4 per person. We thought it was worth the small extra amount to go direct and in comfort.]

Previous trips. San Francisco loop [RV] and Denver loop [RV]

More to follow.....

Just as I was getting into this, it says 'more to follow'.

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Originally Posted by Southwest Dave

... but so pleased to be back !!

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Know the feeling..... Love the title.

Lifey

Friends we had yet to meet.

After a slightly unsettled night, [nothing to do with the comfy room, it was the body clock playing up,] we started the day with a wonderful Continental breakfast they provide at the McCarran Inn. I had arranged to pick the rental car up at 11:30am, but I gave them a call to see if I could pick it up earlier. Fifteen minutes later we were on the free hotel shuttle bus back to the airport and then on the 'Rent a car' shuttle bus to the car rental office. All airport car rental firms are under the same roof, it's a huge place [like a shopping Mall] where you just find the appropriate office to collect your car. I had read reviews of huge queues and long delays from people collecting cars, but we didn't experience any of that. Maybe that's an advantage I hadn't thought of when deciding not to pick up the car when we landed, as it was late and we would be tired. Most people probably collect when they first arrive, causing a surge of customers to head for the rental counters when they first land.

It was a quick and simple process and we were told to walk into this huge car park and take our pick from the appropriate class of car. The keys were in the car and all you had to do was drive it to the barrier and check out. Us and another couple arrived at the same time to find 2 cars remaining, a Mitsibushi Galant and a Mazda 3. We ended up with the Galant and was pretty happy with it, although I started to wish we had taken the Mazda after having to write the make and model of the car at every hotel we stayed at for parking security. lol Hmm, that was the last 2 cars in that class, maybe I missed out on a free upgrade by collecting earlier.

We took the car back to the hotel and decided to walk to the Strip. We could see the Mandaly, Luxor and MGM from our Hotel and they didn't look that far, we forgot how big they are ! Getting across the busy intersection was not a lot of fun and then the walk was open land [for now] and by the time we had made it to the MGM building in 100F heat we were roasted, despite the Locals reminding us that it's a cool day in Vegas.

We then walked from New York to Paris [only in Vegas !] via lots of Hotel Lobbys that we looked around and used to cool off. We the went to the Fashion Mall, where Lezli had to go with the shopping list she had been given by the family, we then had lunch before getting a cab back to the hotel.

A day on the Strip.

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We freshened up back at the Hotel and were really looking forward to our meeting with Mark and Megan, [co-founders of RTA] friends we had yet to meet. After a number of years communicating in the 'Virtual' world it was great to finally be meeting them in the flesh, and it was a real pleasure to do so. We met in the hotel lobby and we were on our way for a tour of Vegas as the Locals know it, they are both so knowledgeable about their hometown. We was shown the 'Boat sculpture' in the City centre, [yes, apparently Vegas has one ! ] which only a local or a lost tourist could find ! Next up we were drinking Cocktails and chatting away in the Mandarin bar on the 23rd floor with great views of Vegas as the sun dropped and the City lit up.

Cheers.

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(Left to right: Lezli, Dave, Mark & Megan)

We finished our Cocktails and Mark and Megan took us back to their pad for a BBQ and some 'Whuffing' fun with Manny and Michael. [Hi guys] That's exactly what I thought, what is 'Whuffing' ? The answer is here. It was close to midnight and Mark and Megan kindly offered to drive us back to our Hotel, on the way we got to see other parts of Vegas that we would not otherwise have got to see. It was a great night with wonderful sights, great food and good fun, but what made it really special was the company. Thanks for putting up with us crazy Brits Mark and Megan !

Tomorrow we hit the road...........

The Great Basin.

I woke about 5:30am despite going to bed fairly late [darn body clock] and started to plan the day ahead while Lezli slept. After a shower and another really nice breakfast it was time to pack up the car and get on our way. Despite Ethel's best efforts [Lezli's name for the female Tomtom voice] to get us straight on I15 we ignored her and drove the Strip up to the Stratosphere tower before cutting across. It was 10am by now and the plan was to follow US93 all the way to Kalispell over the next 4 days.

It wasn't long before we exited I15 onto the Great Basin Highway [93] and into Lincoln county, where our first stop was Caliente. We admired the 'Mission revival' style Rail Depot [as it's described] before having lunch in the Knotty Pine bar - come - Diner. It was good enough for the local Sheriff[s] so it was good enough for us. The chicken and cheese Quesadillas were delicious and by American standards, offered a reasonable cup of tea !

Caliente Rail Depot.

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We had hoped to of had more time to visit the Boxcar museum, but time was marching on.

We continued a little further North and soon arrive to Cathedral Gorge State Park. We loved it here as we made our way in and out of the various paths through the rock cuts
and admired the rock formations. We were the only people here at this time and it made it extra special, a wonderful place.

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After exiting the park and heading north, there is an overlook just a couple of miles or so up the road which could easily be missed. We stopped again and had a little walk down the steps for a look from a different angle. I almost stepped on a small snake on the way down and as I startled him, it startled me !

Cathedral Gorge overlook.

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Back on the road again and we were soon in the charming old Mining town of Pioche. It was not always described as charming, in fact it was known to be the baddest town in the west where the gun ruled it's lawless streets. History states that it was so bad, 72 people died there before the first death by natural causes ! The cemetery has it's very own 'Murderers row', an area that contains the graves of 100 murderers. It was all quiet the day we rode into town, Thank goodness !!

One of the stores has a pair of seating benches outside, on one side of the door one is marked 'Republicans' and on the other side, one marked 'Democratics'. A sense of humour, I hope.

Pioche.

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We left town and headed for a drive through Echo canyon State park and had planned to loop through Spring Valley State park, but Ethel [GPS] had a bit of a 'wobbly'. It was a nice drive through the canyon and past Echo canyon Res. but it was a pretty remote area and the roads weren't signed. Ethel would not even navigate a route back to Pioche without insisting we need to go on unmade roads and she kept asking us to turn right into a random field or ditch. The time was getting on so we just turned around and headed back the way we came and skipped Spring Valley. It was around 5pm when we got back on US93 and made our way to the Border Inn near Baker for the night, a couple of hours or so away. It was a nice drive alongside the Wilson Creek Range and Shoshone valley to where 93 joins US6/50 and over Sacramento Pass, boy it's good to be on the road again !!



We arrived at the Border Inn, so named because it is located right on the Nevada/Utah border and can claim the bedrooms are in Utah and the dining room/bar is in Nevada. We had a nice evening meal and turned in for the night. The building looked nice and promising from the outside, but the room was not so welcoming on the inside, a bit dull, dark and a little musty. We renamed it the 'Borderline Inn' as it would be borderline whether we would stay here again given the chance.

Arriving to Border Inn at sunset

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Todays mileage = 355. Av speed = 54 mph. Returned 31mpg

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Originally Posted by Southwest Dave

City Centre, yes, apparently Vegas has one !

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Just wanted to clarify, so no one thinks this is an actual city center of Las Vegas. City Centre is the name of a themed casino property -- namely a fake downtown city -- not to be confused with a real place. Also, City Centre is not located within the city of Las Vegas. In fact, none of the famous Las Vegas Strip is located in the city of Las Vegas. The famous Las Vegas Strip is located in unincorporated Clark County.

Nice to see you using the maps to plot your progress! You could add the RTA attractions to your map if you wanted to...

By the way, the most interesting part of Pioche to me is the ski lift-style ore tram line, to see a photo of that -- look at this article I penned a few years ago....

Hey! love that sunset photo -- Nice other photos too!

Mark

Mark.

Thanks for the clarification and the added photo with Lezli included.

I enjoyed reading your article.

Dave.

Wheeler Peak and Bonneville Slat Flats

We started the day with a great breakfast at the Border Inn and were soon on our way to Great Basin NP, first stop the visitor centre. We had a look around and purchased our NPS annual pass for $80 as it would work out better value than paying individual fees throughout our trip. We didn't have the time for the Lehman caves tour and the Wheeler scenic drive and chose Wheeler Peak, I had actually decided this long before we arrived. It was a great drive and as we went up the road got twistier and steeper with great views of the peak above and valleys below. We stopped at a viewpoint on the way up [Mather I think] before reaching the end of the road.

It was a beautiful morning

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The journey up Wheeler Peak scenic drive was fantastic !

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We parked up at the end of the road and started our walk to Stella Lake. We had both walked at these elevations before on previous trips with little to no effect, but this time we were both panting a little and were a little light headed. Perhaps it was the heat, which we hadn't experienced at 10,000ft, maybe we're just getting older !

We took our time through the forest and alongside the creek and soaked up the views along the way to the lake.

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Stella Lake with Wheeler Peak.

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Heading back down to the car was a much easier experience and our heads seemed to clear with every step. We got glimpses of wildlife along the way including Chipmunks and a Gaggle of Geese [mum and 7 or 8 young] as well as deer among the woods and drinking by the creek.

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It was on the way down Wheeler peak that I discovered the Mitsibushi Lancers weak spot. The auto box only had a low gear selection and not a choice of gears. This meant having to come down the 12 mile hill at 20mph with the engine and box screaming [I presume it was first gear] or work the brakes a good part of the way. The brakes done their job but I prefer to have the engine assist.

It was then back on the 93 heading over Connors pass at 7700ft towards Ely and running north near the Humboltd- Toyabe Nat. forest. At Lages Station we took US93A over White horse Pass towards Wendover and the Bonneville Salt Flats Speedway. I had read it described as just a massive expanse of flat land and not much else, but I just had to go. I was surprised to find a lake there when we arrived !!

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It made for quite a sight and although I thought unusual, it wasn't until we went into the Salt Flats Cafe that I found out how rare this was. There was a Speed meeting due to take place at the weekend that had to be cancelled, I was told it was only the second time this had happened in 30 years ! Apparently a number of afternoon storms had developed over the last few days and caused the flooding. After a really nice lunch, during which I studied the photo covered walls of past world beaters and club meetings alike, we were on our way once again. We drove through the casino town of Jackpot [ a popular spot with southern Idaho gamblers who can cross the State line to get their 'fix'.] at sunset and arrived in Twin Falls at our Super 8 motel at around 9pm. As it was late we rounded the day off with a 'Papa Johns' Pizza sat on a bench with a soft rain starting to fall.

Twas a good day !

Todays Mileage = 427. Av speed = 56mph. Returned 34mpg

Total mileage = 782.

Next...... We continue through Idaho to Darby.

Nice to see the RTA RoadTrip Attractions on your map.

And really interesting to see water at Bonneville! And the average speed ticker you are maintaining.

Mark

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And the average speed ticker you are maintaining.

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For anyone wondering, the average mph is from the cars computer and calculated for every moment the engine is running only. Most of the 56mph average over 427 miles was carried out at around 70mph, so you can see how a relatively short drive into Great Basin NP and through towns can eat into your average speed.

By comparision, with stops, lunch and sightseeing etc, that particular day we were on the road for approx 11 hours to cover the 427 miles, an average of under 40mph by the clock, if that makes sense. In other words, leave time and don't try and cover to many miles if you want to sight see folks !

Another picture of the expanse of water covering the Salt Flats.

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Dave.

That is the most amazing photo of Bonneville, I've ever seen!

Wow.

Mark

After a good nights sleep in our comfy room we were soon up and out again for another busy day on the road. First though we wanted to take in some of Twin Falls local sights and started out with a short drive to Centennial park next to the Snake river. It was very quiet with just the odd morning jogger along the road, we got nice views of the park and river and our first glimpse of Perrine Bridge from the top of the hill.

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It was another wonderful bright and sunny morning and we enjoyed our stroll around the park and by the river.

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Our next stop was at Perrine Bridge. We parked in Bridgeview Boulevard and started our short walk to the bridge. We noticed a small crowd of people gathering on the bridge, near a man on the railings....... and then he jumped !

Look carefully at the picture and you can see the jumper on the way down.

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Fortunately he was part of a group who were 'Base jumping' from the bridge and had a parachute attached. It turned out Perrine Bridge was a hotspot for this and a common site. Although as a local reminded us, it's not without danger and only 4 days prior to this a young man's chute failed to open and he was still in a bad way in an intensive care unit.

The Perrine Bridge was most impressive as were the surrounding views.

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After spending more time than we had planned to, it was time to take the short drive to Shoshone Falls, aka the 'Niagara Falls of the West'. Although dry at this time of year they still made an impressive site, I would love to see them at full flow one day though.

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The clock was ticking and we still had 330 miles and Craters of the Moon to cover before arriving in Darby MT.

Loved that photo of Shoshone Falls -- even though it is the dry season -- Makes it seem all the more unusual.

Mark

North into Montana.

We left Shoshone Falls well behind schedule and started our journey to our next port of call, Craters of the Moon National Monument. We arrived in the town of Shoshone to discover that road crews had dug the road up in the middle of town and after a delay and driving around a neighbourhood or two we soon discovered we could not continue on US93. There wasn't much in the way of information from diversion signs and 'Ethel' [GPS] was giving us instructions that I thought was going to put us back on US93, but queueing on the wrong side of the roadworks again without any hope of continuing where we wanted to go. We spotted a local man who confirmed we couldn't get on US93 north from town and suggested we took ID75 to US20 and back onto US93. Although it delayed us some more it was a great drive to the 'Peaks to Craters Highway'. As we neared Craters of the Moon there were miles and miles of Lava rock in the surrounding fields close to the Highway.

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As we stood by the information board a woman asked if I would mind taking her photo next to it. She was a small senior lady, all geared up in full leathers with a huge Harley D as her 'steed'. We had a nice chat and after telling us she had ridden all the way from Seattle and was on her way to Glacier NP we said we would keep an eye out for her on the road. Our paths did not cross again, but full respect to the Lady !

The Craters of the Moon was quite fascinating and once again we spent longer there than we had intended to, but you can't rush a good thing !

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We continued on our way and stopped in Arco and had a very nice lunch in the local Deli- Sandwich- Pizza shop. The drive north on 93 was pleasant as we passed through Mackay to Challis and started to track the Salmon River north surrounded by mountains.

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Unfortunately we didn't have enough time to consider some of the great suggestions we were offered in the planning thread, but there is always another day !

We did want to stop for a quick break from the car though and I had just the spot, 'Dug out Dick's Place', aka the 'Salmon River caveman'. He seemed to be quite a character and when he passed away at the age of 94 in 2010 the BLM blocked up the caves he had dug for 'safety's sake'. He would often let his caves out to other travellers for $2 a night or long term.One story here.

We crossed the old bridge and headed a short way up the gravel road. I had heard there wasn't much left to see as the caves had been covered, but we took a little walk and were surprised to find some info boards and his old building tucked around the corner.

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By the door is a small wooden cross with stones holding 2 feathers at it's base.

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It was a quiet, idylic spot, no wonder he fled the nursing home to come back here !

As we got back on the road we passed a sign informing us that we were half way between the Equator and the North Pole, we were heading to niether. We arrived in Salmon as the sun was setting and we needed fuel and food, we found both side by side and took the easy option, 'fine dining' in Burger king next to the gas station. We then continued our journey to Darby in MT, driving over the steep and twisty Chief Joseph Pass in the dark and into Montana. We arrived in Darby at 9pm and found our Motel. The owner/attendant lived in the room out the back of the office and after ringing the bell he came out in a T- shirt and bed shorts looking ready for sleep. He was very pleasant though, even though I don't think he was expecting us and our booking hadn't been registered. He said he had a room that used to be smoked in but he could tell I wasn't overley impressed, so for an extra $5 he gave us a newly decorated room with a huge tub/Jacuzzi in it, bargain !

We rounded the day off with a stroll over to Dotsons Bar in town and had a beer. Well Lezli discovered 'Twisted Tea', an alcohol tea drink, her 2 favourites mixed together ! Just kidding, but it did put a smile on her face.

Mileage 365. Average speed = 48mph. Returned 34mpg

Total Mileage = 1147.


Next we continue North to Kalispell.

Dave.

Good read and feel the enthusiasm of your trip. You bring back some happy memories. Looking forward to your reports to come. Eris.

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Good read and feel the enthusiasm of your trip. You bring back some happy memories.

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Thanks Eris.

It was a bit of a whirlwind trip and while looking back over my notes and working through my photos as I write this report, it is already bringing back some memories that were 'stored away'. [Rather than forgotten.)

Dave.

Darby to Kalispell.

We had less miles to cover today, but a lot of options to explore along the way. However we liked Darby and after a long soak in the huge Jacuzzi/bath tub we had a wander down the main street through town, the place just had a good vibe and we were relaxed. It was another glorious morning ! After having a look in the old Antique store and Candy shop we had a peak at the Marshalls office and then had a great breakfast in Deb's restuarant. They were a real friendly bunch and the service and food was top notch. They asked where we were from and then asked if we would mind writing our name and location on a piece of paper and pin it to the map they had at the counter. We duly obliged as many others clearly already had. The walls were covered in witty signs which kept us amused the whole time we were there. One sign had a replica gun underneath it which read; 'Be nice or leave, we don't dial 911'.

Darby MT.

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It was time to drag ourselves away from this peaceful town, but it was only a short way out of town that we took a detour to Lake Como. I had read that it can be a mecca for Jet Skies in the summer [not sure how true that is] but today it was so peaceful you could hear a pin drop. Apart from ourselves there was just a father and son fishing on the opposite shore. The lake level was low and had left a beach for us to stroll along. The clear waters reflecting the mountains plus the absolute silence made it tough for us to drag ourselves away, we could have walked, or just sat here for hours.

Lake Como.

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An hour or so up the road we stopped in Missoula for an hour. We went to a local supermarket and topped up on our water and Trail mix supplies plus a couple of other bits before taking a short stroll over the river by way of the pedestrian bridge near Jacobs Island Park. 'A river runs through it' was a film directed by Robert Redford and starred Brad Pitt and was filmed in and around Missoula and helped put it on the map. To be honest I had not heard of it myself.

I'm not sure if this statue is of Redford or Pitt, but he's a good looking devil ! [not. LOL]

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After a quick stroll along the river we hit the road again, heading north on US93 once more, the next stop is the National Bison Range. We spotted a large herd of Bison close to the road before we entered the range.

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We entered the park and went to the visitor centre where there was plenty of useful info, friendly staff and a large Bison that had visited the Taxidermist ! After enquiring at the desk we were told that to see the park fully you needed to drive the 19 mile one way gravel road with steep hills and tight curves which would take at least an hour and a half. We were once again checking the clock and thinking it's one way so no turning back, but we decided we're here, it sounds fun, so lets do it.

Ooops, gotta go, more later..............

Loved the peaceful view of Lake Como!

Our first Bear !

The National Bison range is a wildlife refuge formed in 1908 and covers 18500 acres in the southern portion of the Flathead Valley. The rolling prarie land with hills and small mountains offer great views and the streams that create small wetland areas attract other species to the area, such as Elk and Antelope herds. There is very little opportunity to do any walking apart from a couple of short walks near to the top of the mountain, the sight seeing is done from within the car along the gravel road. I guess this is to maintain the Prarie in it's natural state and to keep people safe from the 300 odd Bison that roam here.

Outside the visitor centre is a stack of Antlers that have been collected from natural deaths.

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As we start the drive it's not long before we are on the 'twisties' as the road winds it's way through the Range. Here you can see a section of the road that does so back along the hillside, although it's a lot steeper than it looks.

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We saw a few lone Bison on the way up but no sign of a big herd like that before we entered.

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On the way we spotted a herd of Antelope a long way off in the distance. I stopped to take a photo and through my telephote lense they suddenly started to look nervous and twitchy. There was no one else around and I thought surely they can't be that camera shy when Lezli said "Look, look" quite excitedly.

It was our first Bear sighting and although some distance away he made quite a site running across the prarie. It wasn't easy tracking him using 30x zoom from the confines of the car, but I managed to capture one very [below] average shot of him.

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We started to make our way down from the top where the road was steeper and a bit rougher, probably the result of a long season of traffic wear. We saw more Bison, including a big herd of Bison that were way off in the distance, and either Deer or Antelope.

At the base of the hill their were some 'locals' down at the watering hole.

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We really enjoyed the drive and we could have easily spent longer than the 2.5 hours we did here, but with a 19 mile drive on a road that demands you don't go much over 15/20mph you need at least 2 hours, remember there is no turning back.

We exited the park on MT212 and took a brief stop at Ninepipe Nat wildlife refuge before rejoining US93 north before turning off again and driving past Pablo Reservoir/wildlife refuge to Kerr Dam. We passed some open farm land on these small rural roads where the harvesters were hard at work before arriving at the dam.

Kerr dam is an Hydroelectric plant located on the Flathead river and raises the depth of Flathead lake by 10 feet. The concrete arch dam is 205ft tall [higher than Niagara Falls] and is loctated within Flathead Indian Reservation territory, it provides them with an annual income of over $9 million. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have a right to take ownership of the dam in 2015 and the transfer is expected to go ahead.

Ninepipe Refuge.

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Flathead river.

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Kerr Dam from scenic viewpoint.

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We then went to the lakeshore town of Polsen at the southern end of Flathead lake where we strolled in the riverside park eating our snack purchased from a local Deli. It was then north on the west side of the lake and up to Kalispell, our stop for the night. We stopped a couple of times along the way to enjoy the lake, including Big arm State park for views of Wild horse Island. Wild horse Island is still home to a handful of wild horses and other wildlife including bighorn sheep, mule deer, songbirds, waterfowl, bald eagles, and falcons. The horses are reported to have got there when the Salish-Kootenai Indians used it to pasture horses and prevent them from being stolen by other tribes. The Island is only reachable by boat and unfortunately we did not have the time.

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We arrived in Kalispell and checked into our Motel 6 for the night before walking up the road and enjoying a nice Steak and Shrimp at Scotty's bar on the recommendation of the check in clerk.

Todays mileage 245. Averaging 38mph. Return of 31mpg

Total miles 1392.

Route.

Glacier NP.

As far as budget hotels go, we were very pleased with our room at Motel 6 in Kalispell. We walked across the road to the Montana club for breakfast, where I had a very nice traditional Benedict and Lezli had pancake with egg and sausage patte. The food and atmosphere was good and the waitress was amazing, she was so energetic, smiley and bubbly [without being OTT] so I said I would have what ever it was she had had for breakfast and hope it worked on me !

It was a slow start today and by the time we had wandered back to the Motel, loaded the car and filled up the tank, it was already 11am before we left town. It wasn't much further up the road that the grey skies turned black and the heavens opened, the wipers were on full speed and could barely clear the screen and there was a lot of standing water on the road. It was then that our trip very nearly took a turn for the worse. We were in the centre lane with a truck to our right when an old SUV shot out of a gas station across the 3 lanes of traffic coming towards us. [He must have got impatient waiting as he had no right to go when he did with the oncoming traffic] The lane on my left was vacant so I thought he would filter into that, although I was now alert to him. I don't know what he was thinking but he drove straight into our lane right in front of us , which caused me to have to brake heavily and swerve to the outside lane as smoothly as I possibly could, missing him by fractions. I knew it was close when Lezli's silence was broken as she cursed [rare event] and removed her foot from the imaginary passenger brake peddle !

My original plan was to take North Fork road [486] up to small community of Polebridge MT and then into Glacier to McDonald Lake on Camas road. The weather was really heavy now, it was grey and everything was cloud covered so there was not much to see, plus it was later than planned, so we went straight to Apgar village next to Lake McDonald via West Glacier on US2.

Just when we thought it couldn't get much worse it rained even heavier, so we went into the gift shops in the village and spent longer than we normally would have done. My thoughts were turning to our drive over the Going to the Sun road today and looking at the mountains I didn't hold out much hope for the spectacular views I was hoping for. Right up until this point we had been spoilt with the weather with every moment we had ever spent in the States and I knew it, so it was a case of shaking off the dissapointment and hoping for the best.

The weather started to lighten a little and I managed a couple of shots of Lake McDonald before the weather moved in again and we moved on.

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We started on our way up the GTTSR and stopped at Lake McDonald Lodge where we bought a snack from the qauint little store located nearby. The clouds continued to cover the mountains but as the heavy rain had turned to a drizzle it seemed a good idea to walk in the woods and took to the Trail of the Cedars and Avalanche creek with a stop at McDonald Creek. One advantage of the rain is that the Creeks and rivers were flowing nicely. [Always look on the bright side of life !]

McDonald Creek.

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Trail of the Cedars.

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Avalanche Creek.

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All the time the cloud was hugging to the mountain tops, it would clear at times to show us some of the beauty along the GTTSR, the cloud made it quite spectacular at times and at others blanked our views completely. We stopped at 'The Loop' and it was clear enough for a while to see Heavens Peak and surrounding mountains.

Some shots along the GTTSR.

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We got a glimpse of Jackson Glacier on the way, but for 2 or 3 miles high up on the road we could barely see 20 yards in front of us.

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We were staying in a cabin at the Rising Sun motor Inn by St Marys Lake, and as we approached the lake in good time, we decided to walk to St Marys Falls before checking in for the night. It was early evening and the light was fading under the cloud cover as we made our way to the Falls. We passed a few people on the way but by the time we got to the Falls everyone had left and we had the place to ourselves.

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We spent close to an hour at the Falls and river. There was complete silence, other than the noise of flowing water, and as the mountains began to reveal themselves from the cloud cover, we 'breathed in' the moment. Back at our cabin we sat on the porch and reflected on what had turned out to be a great day. We went over to the 'Two Dogs Flat' dining room had a great meal, followed by a drink sitting on our cabins porch under the [now] clear starry night sky.

Todays mileage 88. Average speed =24mph. Return= 28mpg

Total mileage = 1480

Route

Many Glacier to Great Falls MT.

Although a little overcast this morning it was a much better start to the day, the sun trying to break through and light up the mountain tops.. As we sat on the porch with our morning coffee I was debating whether or not to drive back to Logan Pass to see the views that were clouded out yesterday. The higher mountains still had cloud hanging onto them and the Many Glacier section of the park was on our agenda today, so we decided to leave going back to the pass for another day, an excuse to come back. Not that we need one !

Just chillin'

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We walked cross the road to St Marys Lake before heading to the 'Two Dog Flats' diner that provided an excellent breakfast that consisted of a wonderful Huckleberry syrup over Waffles with sausage and strawberries. Wierd Huh ? But somehow it worked.

St Marys Lake.

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It was tough leaving our lovely little cabin and wished we could spend another night here, but it was time to hit the road. We drove the rest of the Going to the Sun road alongside St Mary Lake to St Mary and then headed north on 89 alongside Lower St Mary Lake until we reached Many Glacier Road and then headed past Lake Sherburne to Many Glacier. The skys were clearing leaving some cloud clinging to the peaks, the scenery was quite spectacular.

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We stopped at Many Glacier by Swiftcurrent Lake and had a short walk across the bridge at Swiftcurrent Creek, but as it was busy here we didn't stay long and continued to Swiftcurrent Inn for a walk along the Continental Divide Trail to Fishercap and Redrock Lakes. It was an easy hike that was not to busy and the views were fantastic once again. We found a small secluded path to detour down to the shore of Redrock Lake and sat down and had a drink. As we were taking in the peaceful surroundings another visitor had found a quiet spot to have a paddle and a drink.

Mr Moose.

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I'm not sure what is in the water up here but he looked a little unsteady on his feet. We watched him for 15 mins or so and at about the time we decided to make a move, so did he and he wandered off around the corner and out of sight. We got back to the Swiftcurrent Inn around 2pm, it was a lot quieter than when we had arrived, so we had our lunch here and very nice it was too ! We try and make a point of eating at slightly odd hours, when most other people have finished eating. We find it more relaxing as it is quieter and the staff are not under so much pressure.

It was getting near 3pm when we started to head towards the park exit and to Great Falls MT for the night, but we didn't get far before we were stopping again, thanks to this little fella.

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We arrived in Great Falls just after 6pm and checked into our Hotel, La Quinta Inn by the Missouri River. This was a wonderful Hotel ! After checking in and having a coffee we decided to walk up to Riverside Park and check out Sacajawea Island, named so in honour of the Shoshone Indian girl who became famous in helping the Lewis and Clark expedition. We passed the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Passenger Depot on the way where stood a statue of what I think was, half Bison and half fish. We enjoyed a sunset by the Missouri river before heading back to the MacKenzie river Pizza Co. for an evening meal. It was located next door to the hotel. Great Pizza washed down with 'Mikeys Hard Lemonade along with friendly service made the perfect end to a perfect day !

Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Passenger Depot,

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Sunset over the Missouri River.

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Todays mileage 210. Average speed 49mph. Returned 33mpg

Total Mileage 1690

Route.

Dave, you gotta do some CPs for us! I love that shot of Avalanche Creek. And it's so cool you got to do the Going to the Sun Road...

Mark

Loving this Dave!

Glad the weather turned out fine in Glacier - we're considering returning there next year - and very impressed that you made up to to Stella Lake at Great Basin (we started the trail to the Bristlecone Pines but had to admit defeat after about a mile - the altitude hit Carole hard). Amazing shots of Bonneville Salt Flats too.

Peter

Thanks Mark.

Yep I already have a few CP's in mind from this trip, one day [soon I hope] I'll get the time to put some together.

Peter.

Thanks for the Kudos and glad you are enjoying the report.

It was looking a bit bleak for a while at Glacier, but it worked out fine for us in the end. We too hope to return in the future and spend more time there to explore deeper.

Yes, Stella Lake was quite a challenge. Lezli struggled and she goes to the gymn regularly and is pretty fit. At 6 or 7000ft it would probably have been a relatively easy walk, but it was tough going up there in the heat.

Dave.

To Yellowstone !

As lovely as the La Quinta was we had an interupted nights sleep caused by loud horns going off through the night, that we can only presume was caused by freight trains. [I forgot to enquire at the desk] We had a nice Continental breakfast before packing up and moving on. The breakfast attendant was a very nice lady and most helpful. I enquired as to which side of the Missouri River would offer the best view of some of the dams. She duly obliged by getting a local map and a yellow marker pen to outline possible routes and enthusiastically told us about the area. She recommended we go north of town and then head to Ryan Dam, her favourite spot and a great drive for good measure. Unfortunately this would take longer than the time we had to spare so she told us to stay on the south side to view the 2 dams I had previously planned to, Black Eagle and Rainbow Dam.

Black Eagle.

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Rainbow.

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There was a foot/cycle path known as 'South Shore Trails' that continued beyond Rainbow Dam. We walked a short way up the hill and looked at the lovely views of the river and contemplated the challenge that faced the Lewis and Clarke expedition on their journey west.

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Giant Springs Heritage State Park is located between these two Falls and has a Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive centre there.

Our stop for the night was West Yellowstone and I had contemplated driving from Great Falls to Red Lodge and then into Yellowstone on the Beartooth Highway. I knew it would be pushing things by the time we had seen the Falls even before we had set out from the hotel, but on leaving the Falls area it was 'plan B'.

We headed south on US89 through Montana's pretty rolling prarie land that had herds of cattle grazing upon it. We drove across the winding Belt Creek a couple of times before pulling off the road where there was a scenic overlook of Belt Creek making it's way into Sluice Boxes Primative State Park, which is in the Little Belt mountains of Montana.

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Next we drove through the Lewis and Clark National Forest and the small towns of Monarch and Neirhart, following Belt Creek a lot of the way before going over Kings Hill Pass. We then stopped at White Sulpher Springs for fuel for both us and the car. There was an inviting looking place on the edge of town called the Branding Iron Cafe which provided us with a great lunch and we were on our way again towards Yellowstone. We stopped at an information board and statue named 'Thunder Jack' in the Shields river valley near the small town of Wilsall. The river was named by Clark, in honor of John Shields a member of the Clark and Lewis expedition and flows into Yellowstone River further south. 'Thunder Jack' is a tribute to all the hardened mountain men who came, endured and lived in the mountain valley.

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We then drove east with a brief stint on I90/89 before heading south on 89 with views of the Yellowstone river before arriving at Roosevelt Arch and Yellowstone NP.

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More to follow.......

To West Yellowstone

As we entered the park the plan was to do a little sight seeing, before exiting again to West Yellowstone where we had a room at the Moose Creek Inn waiting. The views in the park were wonderful and we were excited to be here, our first stop was Mammoth Hot Springs. The time was getting on and we were pleased that the roads and Mammoth Hot Springs were fairly quiet.

Mammoth Hot Springs.

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We walked around the lower terraces, with boardwalks going off in all directions. Quite an incredible place !

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We spent a lot longer here than we had expected to, mesmerised by the landscape. There were some Elk with their young grazing on the green and as usual we watched them from a respectable distance, unlike some others who were getting far to close. Luckily a nearby Ranger came over and warned them off with a telling off, good for him !

Back on the road, we already knew it was too late to try and include Norris Geyser Basin in this evenings plan, but we did stop at other sites along the road. One of these stops was not scheduled, but there was nothing we could do about it. There was only one person in charge here !

A big boy !

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Section of roadway.

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Nymph Lake.

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We rolled into West Yellowstone and arrived at our Motel at 8pm and checked in. We had booked the Moose Creek Inn, which seemed to offer good value by comparision in this Yellowstone gateway town, but wasn't sure what to expect. We were very pleased with what we got, the room was small by comparision, but very clean and well furnished. We were also pleasantly surprised when we walked to town for an evening meal. I was expecting West Yellowstone to be an overpriced tourist town living off the close vicinity to Yellowstone NP. I was right, but what I didn't expect was how much I enjoyed this vibrant, clean and friendly town and we had a great night out. After checking out some shops, they all stay open late for the tourists returning from their day at Yellowstone, we finally ate in the Beartooth BBQ diner-come-bar. We had a chicken dish with sides washed down with a Yellowstone Golden Ale. It was all very nice, but as expected a little overpriced.

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It was back to Moose Creek and a very good nights sleep soon followed, probably helped by being out and about for 14 hours today.

Todays Mileage 290. Average speed = 45mph. Return =33mpg.

Total mileage = 1980

What were those people thinking? Out of their cars with a full-grown bull bison cruising about.

Great photos -- I so much wish I could go there now!

Mark

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Southwest Dave

I enquired as to which side of the Missouri River would offer the best view of some of the dams. She duly obliged by getting a local map and a yellow marker pen to outline possible routes and enthusiastically told us about the area. She recommended we go north of town and then head to Ryan Dam, her favourite spot and a great drive for good measure. Unfortunately this would take longer than the time we had to spare so she told us to stay on the south side to view the 2 dams I had previously planned to, Black Eagle and Rainbow Dam.

---

Hey, a shout-out for the great photos of the three of the falls that gave Great Falls, Montana its name. Fantastic.

Mark

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist

What were those people thinking? Out of their cars with a full-grown bull bison cruising about.

Great photos -- I so much wish I could go there now!

Mark

---

Mark.

The behaviour of some people in Yellowstone left us astonished, the wildlife had more sense then some of them !! There was a minority that showed little regard for others as they caused road jams and put themselves and others in harms way. Not to mention the blatant disregard for the rules and regs.

Dave.

Really enjoy following your trip Dave. You have me planning another trip to Yellowstone and Jackson.
John

Thanks John. Yellowstone is quite something !

Quote:

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You have me planning another trip to Yellowstone and Jackson.

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I don't think you need much persuading ! ;-)

Dave.

Your comments regarding Yellowstone and people's behavior are right on! We have been very frustrated touring Yellowstone because of the road jams and disregard of rules. We hope to avoid Yellowstone in July and August, as much as possible in the future.
Great pictures and report.
-Pat

Bison and the Beartooth.

We headed back into Yellowstone this morning, where we had managed to book 3 nights accommodations, thanks in part to Yellowstone's free cancellation policy. If at first you find everything to be booked up as we had, it's worth it to keep checking back on the parks lodging pages for availability. It would seem that it's quite common for people to book a room, even if they are not sure they will make it, and then cancel nearer the time if they can't.

We entered the park about 9am and things were already getting busy. We knew areas we wanted to see, but had no plan in particular. It wasn't long before we were held up in a traffic jam again. I think 2 or 3 cars with excitable people must have pulled up to photograph wildlife which kick started everyone elses curiosity. We finally made our way through the dozen or so cars on either side of the road, to discover that it was a couple of Deer by the side of the road causing all the fuss. A similar thing happened further down the road when someone blocked the road and got out with his camera, fortunately there was a park Ranger on hand to point out the error of his ways.

Our first stop was Norris Geyser Basin, but the car park was full and there were many cars circling around waiting for a space to become available. We quickly decided to move on and try our luck one evening as we had done at Mammoth, it turned out to be a good idea but more on that later. It was a lovely clear morning and I still had an 'itch' that needed scratching, the famous Beartooth Highway, so we headed up towards Mammoth, across to Tower and through the Lamar Valley to Silver Gate. There was major construction at Tower which delayed us another 20 min or so. It looked as though some recent rock fall had occured and where they were working underneath looked a little precarious.

There were large herds of Bison on the move with their young through the Lamar Valley and it made for some spectacular sights as well as more traffic jams as they crossed the roadway.

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We stopped at the Log Cabin Cafe in Silver Gate where we both had the Beartooth Burger. The meat was said to be locally raised, grass fed and free range and a burger you would never forget. Well I haven't forgotten it yet, delicious !

We then continued our drive up the Beartooth to the switchbacks where we got out of the car and had a walk across the rugged terrain and took in the views of the mountains, lakes and the switchbacks we had just driven up.

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It was time to turn around and head back to Canyon Lodge for the night. We decided to stop for a coffee back in Silver Gate and look around the General store we had noted earlier. We had planned to stop in Cook City on the way back, but Silver Gate was quieter and appealed to us more. After shopping in the store and having a chat with some Locals, they asked if we had had a look around the barn, a huge timber building that I had taken a picture of on the way up. They recommended we did, informing us that no one was inside, but the doors were open and we should wander around. They told us it was thought to be the oldest building in town and is still used for functions, parties and group lodgings. I am so glad we stopped here, the building had a real WOW factor, the whole building and furnishings were made of timber. As we looked up into the eaves we hadn't even realised that there were landings with bedrooms and bathrooms all the way around an upper floor. A huge dining room, lounge areas and wonderful old fashion kitchen and servery were also discovered as we made our way around.

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Silver Gate General Store and cabins.

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Once again the clock was turning and we were back on the road. We drove back through the Lamar Valley with a stop at Soda Butte creek and many more stops for Bison Herds and views and then to Tower, where the traffic and congestion due to the works had eased considerably, so we took the time to walk to Tower Falls.

Soda Butte Creek.

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Lamar Valley.

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Tower Falls.

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As the light faded we drove to Canyon and got checked in by 8:30pm and then headed to the dining rooms. The restaurant had a 45min waiting time so we opted for the cafe, which was basically a self service canteen at restaurant prices. Not a great dining experience but it done the job of filling us up before turning in for the night.

Another long, yet wonderful day was had.

Todays mileage = 210 miles. Average speed = 30mph. Returning 34.5mpg.

Total mileage = 2190

Route.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pmount

Your comments regarding Yellowstone and people's behavior are right on! We have been very frustrated touring Yellowstone because of the road jams and disregard of rules. We hope to avoid Yellowstone in July and August, as much as possible in the future.
Great pictures and report.
-Pat

---

Thanks Pat.

I can only imagine what it must have been like during the height of the summer season. I certainly understand peoples excitement, but the lack of common sense and consideration shown by some is certainly frustrating.

Dave.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Southwest Dave

I can only imagine what it must have been like during the height of the summer season.

---

It was no different in May either. In fact, my three visits have been in three different seasons, and it's always the same.... the inconsiderate few making it difficult for the rest.

Guess it was ever thus.

Lifey

My dad always called those jams, "Bear jams". On our two separate trips to Yellowstone, both during summertime, it always seemed to be a bear or two causing the jam.

If the animal is in the middle of the road (such as the caribou that decided to stop in the middle of the Alaska Highway), the traffic HAS to stop. But at the side of the road in Yellowstone, or stupidly getting out and/or feeding the bear, that's just not right!

One time we were on the highway heading up to the Athabasca Glacier (Jasper), going to take the trip out onto the glacier. There were mountain goats on the road, *sticking their heads in people's cars because the idjits were trying to feed them!" My brother did the right thing: he quickly rolled up the windows! (1976)


Donna

A walk in the park.

Following a good nights sleep in our cosy cabin we wandered back to the Canyon diner for breakfast and then decided to leave the car where it was and walk to Grandview point on the rim of the Grand canyon of the Yellowstone. It was a bright chilly start to the day, ideal for walking. We made our way along a quiet wooded path that led from the cabins to the rim, there were a couple of squirrels that kept us company for part of the way. It wasn't long before we arrived at Grandview point and Wow ! The views were quite amazing, nature has done a fine job ! The canyon is up to 1200ft in depth and 4000ft in width and is an array of colour. We read that this was due to Hot Spring activity continually altering the Lava rock to create the colours which are largely due to varied iron compounds.

We continued our walk along the rim to the Falls, walking down various paths to different viewpoints. Some of the trail was away from the road and very quiet but as the morning moved on the viewpoints near the road were busier, but not packed with people by any means. It was nice to leave the car behind for the morning and take a long walk, by the time we got back to the car that we had left outside the cabin, 5 hours had past us by.

Along the Trail.

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As we were walking cloud came in, followed by drizzle and then rain that was heavy at times. Luckily it was quite warm as 'Mr organised' here forgot to take his rain gear from the boot of the car. We had checked out of our cabin so on our return it was quick change of clothes from the suitcase around the back of the car for me, before going back to the lodge for lunch. Time was getting on and we decided to grab a snack from the Deli to keep us going, especially as the Canyon dining room had not done anything for us last night, or at breakfast this morning. We ended up with 2 very average cheese rolls and 2 small bottles of juice for a little under $18 which was very dissapointing. The food so far here had not been great but it had been expensive and it was the first conversation we had had about missing the RV all trip.

The time was 2pm and the rain was still coming down heavy so we decided that now might be a good time to visit Norris Geyser Basin with a good possibility of fewer crowds. It worked out well, the weather didn't hamper the views and the car park was under half full. Up to now we had enjoyed our time in Yellowstone but this took things up to a different level, Wow ! It was an 'out of this world' place like no other and we were awe struck by the sites and sounds of vents releasing steam and water and the landscape that they had created.

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To be cont........

Hi Dave
Really enjoying Yellowstone National Park. So much that I have gone back editing photos of the falls from 2011.We were ther in early May and Fishing bridge had just opened. Love the snow.

John

Hi John.

Thanks, but I didn't mean to distract you, I'm looking forward to updates on your trip report. ;-)

Dave.

A few more from Norris Geyser Basin.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3786/1...3276bb6f_z.jpg

A shame about the evidence of mindless people throwing sticks and stones which they are warned not to do.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7395/1...22a7e27b_z.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5512/1...7c85c63a_z.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Southwest Dave

Hi John.

Thanks, but I didn't mean to distract you, I'm looking forward to updates on your trip report. ;-)

Dave.

]

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Im easily distracted Dave. Cant get the USA out of my mind at the moment.
John

Loving these photos -- great shots!

Mark