An alpine lake on the Beartooth Highway
Wildflowers on the Chief Joseph Highway
BEARTOOTH HIGHWAY - SNOWCAPPED MOUNTAINS
We ventured out onto the snow in one area and as I watched my husband, Mark, walk into the bewitching landscape with our puppy ahead of me, it seemed as though they were walking into a painting. What a backdrop. What a place. Back in our truck, we drove through this picture postcard landscape to Beartooth Lake. There wasn't a breath of wind and the surface of the water looked like a mirror as the early morning light reflected the mountains in the water. When we passed this same spot later in the day on our return trip, the water was ruffled by a steady breeze and the reflections were gone. The last stop on the Beartooth Highway before the road enters Yellowstone National Park were the twin villages of Cooke City and Silver Gate. We'd arrived early enough in the morning that the villages were just waking up and only a handful of shops were open. After meandering about on foot for a while, we headed out in our truck again to immerse ourselves in another dose of sensational scenic views as we drove the Beartooth Highway back to Red Lodge. If there is a motorcycle heaven, the Beartooth Highway has to be it. As the sun rose higher in the sky, bikers and bikes of all shapes and sizes carved the hairpin switchback turns with sheer delight. Unlike the rest of us who were hanging out the windows of our vehicles as we drove,
Fueled up and ready to go, we hit the Beartooth Highway at 6:00 the next morning. We had been advised that if we started any later than that we'd likely encounter tourist traffic along the roadway. Despite visiting this 5,500-foot elevation town in mid-June, a blizzard had blanketed the highway and mountains with snow just a few days before our arrival. As we climbed toward the heavens on the steep grade leaving town, the views of the mountains and valleys grew ever more dramatic. Many of the peaks are over 12,000 feet high and seeing them capped with snow was icing on the cake for us in more ways than one! In no time we were at the Red Creek Vista Overlook where we could stop and walk around a bit, taking our time to admire the majestic beauty of the mountains and valleys around us. This was just a warmup, however, and the views became even more stunning as we continued the drive. Perhaps the most eye-popping vistas came after we crossed into Wyoming. Small lakes and ponds began to dot the landscape. Vivid royal blue water was surrounded by pure white snow and green trees in breathtaking panoramas. The patchwork of snow on the craggy mountains made beautiful shapes and patterns.
PRECIOUS JEWELS OUTSIDE YELLOWSTONE
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SUMMER 2022 | 15
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