Beartooth Pass and Yellowstone
Since the road to the Medicine Wheel in the Big Horn Mountains was still closed with snow, it was I-90 all the way to Billings. Next day I headed for Red Lodge, and on to Bearthooth Pass.
27th May
Beartooth Highway
Here is what to my way of thinking is the perfect reason for winging it in blissful ignorance. If anyone had told me that it was going to take three hours (four hours with photo stops) from Red Lodge WY to Cooke City WY, I may have taken an alternative route into south west Montana... and in the process I would have missed driving a great highway. When I arrived at the first hairpin bend (switchback) and saw the road up ahead / above,
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum...pictureid=1110
Switchbacks ahead!
I realised this was going to be a road to remember. And I was not disappointed.
Beartooth Pass had only recently been opened, and for me there is something magical about seeing snow on the side of the road. The snow covered hills and roadside brought back memories of six years ago when I spent a couple of months driving taxis in the snow and ski fields of the Australian Alps. Only this time I did not have to fit chains.
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum...pictureid=1111
Stopped at the top of the World Store where the serve-yourself hot chocolate was most welcome. Since the road had only just been opened, there was very little passing traffic, but I was assured by the owner that soon it would be so busy the queue would be way out the door.
Yellowstone
My planned trip was to take me through south west Montana, however time now no longer allowed that. Instead I was just going to drive through Yellowstone via Mammoth Springs to West Yellowstone, and on to Rigby, but alas! Yellowstone in the spring is a wonder to behold.
i entered the park by the north east entrance. On previous ocassions I had entered via the northern, western and eastern entrances. Only a short distance into the park there were some lovely deer on the road. Then I came to a small parking area which was overflowing onto the road. With so many cars, I figured there had to be something special.
The clicking of cameras - many on tripods - was evident long before I knew what it was that they were focused on.
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum...pictureid=1115
Here was a mother moose with a calf, just hours old. The calf was nursing, and the mother, badly scarred from a recent wolf attack, would ocassionally turn to admire her latest off-spring. It was an amazing site. Even with my tiny cigarette-pack-size camera I got some great photos.
It took me 4 hours to travel from the northeast entrance to West Yellowstone.
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum...pictureid=1117
The hundreds of photos, many taken out of a slowly moving vehicle, attest to the many sights I visited along the way, and the number of bison, deer, elk and other wildlife around, many with their young. Spring must be the best time to visit Yellowstone!
Stunning, amazing, wonderf..........
Wow Lifey !
What a journey, a great report with superb pictures and text, thanks !
Dave
[keep it coming]