Wyoming, Beartooth Highway

Yellowstone Road Trip -- Day 3:  After overnighting in Laurel, MT, we headed to Cody, WY via the famous Beartooth Highway.  Considered one of the most scenic drives in North America, the Beartooth Highway zigzags a series of steep switchbacks along the Montana-Wyoming border to the 10,947 ft high Beartooth Pass. 

Rolling Montana hayfields

In Red Lodge, we filled up with gas and I asked Lauren if she would like to drive.  She smiled, took the keys out of my hand and said "Buckle up, Dad!"

Climbing to Beartooth Pass

Wow

On the ascent we passed several colorfully dressed bikers pedaling in very low gear to the pass.  The 60-mile ride from Red Lodge over the pass to Cooke City is considered an epic ride by both bicyclists and motorbikers.  I wanted to ride but Lauren's knee was bothering her after two days of biking and I needed to deliver her 100% healthy to her job in Yellowstone.  Yet here we were driving one of the premier biking routes and it was killing me.

After we climbed around the snow and rocks at the summit, I made a proposal.  "Let's take turns riding down.  First, I'll ride my bike down and you follow me in the car and then at the bottom, you pick me up and then we drive up and you can ride down."

Lauren was doubtful, but agreed.

Starting the decent

The first of many Grizzly Bear warnings

Epic!

As traffic is slowed by the twists and turns, bikers are rarely overtaken.

Coming!

Going!

Gone!

Zoom!  The twelve miles from the pass to Beartooth Lake whipped by with barely a turn of the crank.  Now purists may object saying we did not ride up Beartooth Pass and therefore we did not complete the epic ride as intended.  I cannot rebut this, but riding down sure was fun and I'm adding Beartooth Pass to the Frizbo Fifty without qualification!

Waterfall as viewed from the road.

We spied a waterfall from the car.  Hmmm, get the map out.  Can we hike to that waterfall for lunch? 

Yep, the perfect spot for lunch.

After lunch, we turned off Beartooth Highway onto Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and the scenery just got better and better.

After dinner in Cody, we arrived late to the nightly Cody Rodeo so we watched the festivities from the parking lot.  OMG! Talk about a corny tourist trap.  We were glad we didn't waste $20/person on tickets.

Best option to see the Cody Rodeo, free from the parking lot.

Tomorrow, Yellowstone!

State:	Wyoming
Date:	2014-08-10
Route:	Beartooth Highway, from ski area to Beartooth Lake
Distance:	12 miles