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| This is Beartooth Mountain (taken from the other side --after crossing that huge mountain) |
Hello Friends, WOW---did George and I have a fantastic 12 day (5000 mile) trip to South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming (Sept. 6-17, 2018)!!!! This is the fifth trip we have taken out west (2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2018)... All of them have been so different, one from the other. To pick a favorite trip is an impossibility because there are highlights from each of them.
One of the highlights of this year's journey was a trip over the highly-acclaimed Beartooth Mountain National Scenic Highways All-American Road... I encourage you to check out this link (click
HERE) for lots of information and a great video of the highway--along with more pictures, etc.
We stayed 3 nights in Red Lodge, Montana. That is a really neat little town --and if you ever get there, try the Bison Meatball PIZZA at the Red Lodge Pizza Company... DELICIOUS!!!!
BUT--my advice (take it or leave it) is this: "If you are interested in getting to Yellowstone easily, do NOT stay in Red Lodge...." We tried 3 different routes ---and there is not a short way to get to Yellowstone from there. SO--we didn't have nearly as much time in Yellowstone as we had hoped to have.. BUT we did see some gorgeous places in areas between Red Lodge and Yellowstone, so we were glad we did it.... The next time we go to that area, we will stay either in Cooke City or in West Yellowstone... BOTH are easy accesses to Yellowstone. Cody is another entrance --but we wouldn't choose it. (Just my opinion, folks!!!!)
Today I'll share with you our wonderful but CRAZY drive UP UP UP Beartooth Mountain to the summit at almost 11,000 feet in elevation --and then DOWN DOWN DOWN the mountain on the other side... We spent FOUR hours doing this (mainly because we stopped a lot and took many, many pictures).... IF you are afraid of heights --don't do this. We personally LOVED every single second of it!!!! Hope you enjoy some of our photos.... BUT--as I told my son, the pictures don't really do it justice. This is one experience YOU must have personally!!!!
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| The major OVERLOOK on this mountain; As you can see, we are at 9,190 feet UP!!!! |
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| A very nice lady took our picture together as we walked up to the top overlook at the Rock Creek area; |
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| A beautiful view from the Rock Creek Overlook; You can see ice/glaciers on the tops of the moutains. The temperature while we were there was in the 40's --but the wind chill made it feel much colder. |
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| I just had to take a picture of the 'point' --as we walked from the parking lot to this area. |
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| I took this picture of George at the 'point' --at the Rock Creek Vista Point. |
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| After we left, we stopped ABOVE the Rock Creek Vista Point ---and I took this picture so that you can see the parking area --plus the paved walkway to the top of the point.... Such an awesome place! |
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| As I said, we stopped all along the way --as we kept getting higher and higher!!! |
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| And when we reached this area, we thought we must be at the summit---but we WEREN'T.... We were high enough to be above the TREE LINE ---but we still were going UP. |
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| We finally made up... This is the SUMMIT---almost 11,000 feet up!!! WOW |
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| A very happy lady at the Beartooth Pass SUMMIT! |
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| What an amazing experience this was!!!! |
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| There were several Glacial Lakes around the area --so I used my long lens to get this picture for you. |
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| Heading down ----can you see our road down there on the left??????? Woooooo! |
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| As we get a little lower on the 'other' side ---I enjoyed seeing the road below us!!!! |
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| Here's another one of the lakes we saw as we gradually went DOWN... The views from this side are so pretty. The road between Red Lodge and the Summit is much steeper than the road going down the mountain toward Cooke City. |
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| Like I said, we stopped a lot and took in all of this amazing place, both coming and going!!!!! George is getting up close and personal to get a good photo of the lake!!! |
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| Now that you've seen what the summit looked like, here's one more picture we took near the Rock Creek Vista Point---as we looked up TOWARD the summit.... Amazing, isn't it? |
I was looking for some aerial views of our experience ----and found this google photo marking the road UP that mountain.... Like I said, amazing!!!
WELL---are you still with me????? I'll now show you the first picture I put on here ---so you will see again the huge mountain we crossed on 9/10/18..... Wow WOW WOWWWWWW....
Thanks for letting me share this amazing experience with you!!!
Hugs,
25 comments:
goodness gracious Betsy.........that is amazing, and what great pictures y'all got! What gorgeous scenery up there, and wow!---y'all went SO HIGH!! Not sure I could do it, so real GLAD YOU GOT THE PICTURES FOR US, ha ha LOL It sure is pretty country and wow, y'all sure DID LOOK CHILLY up there. Bet that was real refreshing after this long hot summer. I liked that aerial view too, to see how your drive up and down was. I'm real glad y'all got to go on this trip, and also real glad you share all these pretty views with us! Happy Fall, my friend!
What a wonderful trip. You two sure see some amazing places. That's some view from up there.
Gasp!
Hello, Betsy! Gorgeous photos from your scenic drive and trip! I have been to Yellowstone twice and would love to go back again. Lovely series of photos. Happy Monday, enjoy your day and new week!
Wow, what an adventure. Well worth the journey just to see all that gorgeous scenery. Thanks for sharing and for you opinions on places to stay.
All I can do is say 'WOW!'' all over again. Taking this highway was one of my favorite parts of the whole trip. Your photos are fantastic.
Glad you had a great trip and that is truely an amazing drive and you got some good shots of it. While staying in Cody in 2015, we made a loop via Chief Joseph & Beartooth to Red Lodge then back to Cody via the lowlands and loved the drive. I think West Yellowstone provides the shortest access to the park's major attractions.
Wow! We hope to make it out that way someday... Thanks for the beautiful photos!!
Betsy, Laurie and I agree with ya'll! We've driven the Beartooth Highway up through the pass and its easily one of the top 2 - 3 drives we've made in the USA. Spectacular vistas! We've been to Cook City, Red Lodge and West Yellowstone as well as Jackson Hole...all have their advantages. Yellowstone itself is an amazing place if one stays away from the crowds. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
Gorgeous photos, Betsy. Doug and I drove that road in 1988, just a year into our marriage. He was so quiet in the midst of all that beauty that I thought he was mad about something. Turns out, he was afraid of heights. He'd never seen country like that, let alone driven in it. He was white-knuckling it all the way.
In our opinion, the two places to stay that allow you the most time in the park are West Yellowstone and Gardiner. Both of those entrance roads are relatively short. We've used the East Entrance only a few times, but we find it to be a beautiful drive. Let's face it, it's all beautiful in that area!
Wow - amazing views!
what an amazing trip!! All of the photos are just gorgeous and full of God's beauty. I am afraid of heights, but I'm pretty sure that I would love this route. glad y'all were able to do this trip this year.... out of all our travels, we have never been to Yellowstone. I can see, that this is a must do.... Thanks for posting pictures........
Absolutely amazing scenery. I Would love to go back there, since it has been so very many years since I was there.
I love this picture of the mountain where you can see the big point on top! And you both CROSSED it!!!!! Amazing! I also like the picture you snapped from above even the Vista point, looking down on the parking lot. George's little lake is wonderful, surrounded and protected. Wonder if any birds ever come to it? The trip of a lifetime!
Wow, now that is what I'd call a mountain. Makes the Ozarks look like rolling hills. I am afraid of heights so I am glad you took pictures so I could safely enjoy. You two always take the best trips.
Beautiful pics. I thought it looked familiar. Checked my journals, and sure enough we were there in 2007. Great views. Enjoyed reading about it and seeing the pics.
Your photos are amazing. As you recall where you went your memories of a wonderful trip must be vivid in your mind.
Dear Betsy, I've never heard of this mountain and so all your photographs and information were new to me. I visit a family almost every year in Pocatello, Idaho. When I was there this past August, we drove to Yellowstone, which was about 2 1/2 hours away. Now I"m wondering how far Beartooth Mountain is from their home. I've got to get out the Atlas and also do some googling! Maybe that's a trip we could take next year when I'm there. Peace.
My first reaction is: you look so happy and completely in your element in these photos! That makes me smile. George also looks fantastic. How did you handle the altitude.
That is a magnificent mountain for sure. I have never been there. I do love Montana, but I have to admit that it is not easy to get to Yellowstone from Montana. We have stayed in West Yellowstone and find it the most convenient. Two of my grands are living in Montana and going to college up there. We need to go up there and do some touring.
Loved the photos! Loved that you were able to be out there taking them.
I enjoyed yet another trip with you but this one is special - I am thrilled to see you well enough to do a big one like this. I have always wanted to go there - but haven't made it there yet. Love, sandie
Oh wow! Your photos are beautiful, Betsy! I'm glad you shared them so I could enjoy them from the safety of my living room. I don't like heights, so I doubt this is a trip I will ever make. I wouldn't want to drive on that road up the mountain, that much I know for sure!
Oh Betsy, what a beautiful post. Your photographs are amazing … and you were so high up. I haven't a good head for heights so it wouldn't have suited me, but I so enjoyed seeing your photographs, what a wonderful trip.
Enjoy these last few days of September, I can't believe October is just around the corner.
My good wishes.
All the best Jan
My goodness! You were really up high!
Betsy - what a great trip. I guess your new Prius did fine climbing those mountains. You had wonderful weather too. Looking forward to the rest of your photos from this trip.
Glad you use pop up comment so I can comment. Sorry to hear you have that comment problem now too. I've considered starting a new blog to see if I have the same problem. Too busy to deal with it right now.
Oh wow! That is so impressive and what a lot of driving you did! Thank you for sharing all those photos. We've traveled west ourselves to go to Yellowstone and Glacier. There's so much beautiful country out that way.
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