Going to the Sun Road and Yellowstone

The beauty continues when we cross  from Canada to Montana USA and visit Glacier National Park. The main road through is the Going to the Sun Road. It’s only open during summer and we get there just two weeks before it closes for the season.

Jackson Glacier

 

 

There aren’t many glaciers in the park these days but that doesn’t detract from its magnificence. The road is a terrific ride and there are plenty of places to pull over and enjoy the view. It’s not a race to the end but a chance to savour the scenery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lake McDonald

 

 

Lake McDonald is breathtaking from every angle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

McDonald Falls

 

 

And the McDonald Falls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overlooking Glacier National Park

 

 

High up the road you get spectacular views down in to the valleys below. There are road works in the park but being stuck waiting for the pilot car isn’t an inconvenience – it’s just an opportunity to enjoy the view.

 

 

 

 

 

It's a great ride

Logan Pass

 

 

The peak of the park – Logan Pass is more than 4000 feet.  With scenery like this no wonder we love this part of the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nicole and Christian - our landy buddies!

 

 

We don’t expect it to get better but it does when we arrive at Yellowstone National Park. We are delighted that Nicole and Christian, two of our travelling companions to Prudhoe Bay in Alaska are heading this way and we’ll be able to see them again.

 

 

 

 

Old Faithful - you can't quite set your watch by it but it's close

 

 

 

 

 

Yellowstone is famous for its geysers – especially Old Faithful but there is so much more.

 

 

 

 

 

Roaring mountain geyser field

 

 

Like the roaring mountain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yellowstone Canyon

 

 

 

 

We spend a day touring the area with Nicole and Christian. The Yellowstone Canyon isn’t quite the Grand Canyon but it is incredibly impressive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Osprey and its catch

 

 

But for us it is the wildlife that we love. We’d only been in Yellowstone a few minutes when we saw this osprey with its catch of fish.

 

 

 

 

 

Bison and a baby too

 

 

 

And then we saw bison feeding on the side of the road.

 

 

 

 

Elk doe

 

 

We don’t have to travel to see the wildlife. The elk graze in our campground.

 

 

 

 

 

A living traffic hazard

 

 

 

In the centre of the park we saw herds of bison. One giant one was just strolling along the road, holding up the traffic, without a care in the world.

 

 

 

 

The bison is a massive creature

When you are as big as a bison you get right of way

 

 

 

And this one took a turn across in front of us. Lucky there were in a good mood. One shove from these beasts and we’d be history. There are warnings everywhere to keep your distance but that is a bit hard to do when they make a beeline for you!

 

 

 

Midway Geyser Basin

 

 

 

The geyser fields and the turquoise lakes created by the volcanic activity in the area are breathtaking. It is a place of great beauty.

 

 

 

 

Midway Geyser Basin's turquoise lake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grand Teton National Park

 

 

South of Yellowstone is the Grand Teton National Park. We rode the loop trail through the park. On one side are the Grand Teton’s and their ever diminishing glaciers.

 

 

 

 

 

Lake Jenny

 

 

And Lake Jenny with its crystal clear water offering up reflections of the surrounding mountains.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bison everywhere - but no bears

 

 

The broad plains are home to even more bison…literally hundreds of them. There are plenty of bears in Yellowstone and Grand Teton but the rangers had closed off areas to allow the bears to eat in peace. They were preparing for winter and needed all the time to eat their fill.

 

 

 

 

It’s a sad day when we say goodbye to Nicole and Christian. They are staying in the west and we must move east. We know our paths will cross again. They are magnificent travelling companions and now they are good friends.