Dino country

Tonight we’re in Bozeman, Montana, about 2.5 hours north of Yellowstone. Garry and I spent our final morning in Yellowstone Park exploring the Upper Geyser Basin. Unfortunately none of its most impressive formations were scheduled to erupt.  Instead we had to content ourselves with a selection of steaming mounds. However, some of the sinter cones we saw were several metres high and the actual geyser's throat frighteningly large.  They must present some awesome geothermal displays when they're active.

As we completed our morning stroll we were lucky enough to see Old Faithful erupt one final time. That's a total of seven eruptions for me. Here’s my final photo of this remarkable geothermal attraction.

Our route towards Bozeman took us through the spectacular Gallatin River valley.  The road wound its way through some stunning gorges and wonderfully unspoilt landscape. We eventually reached Bozeman mid-afternoon where we made a very satisfying stop at the Museum of the Rockies.

The museum houses some of the world's rarer dinosaur fossils. It also sits on a state university campus where many of these discoveries are researched and catalogued.  As a result, the museum includes bleeding edge insights on the life and nature of dinosaurs.  It's ideally located as the surrounding region is considerable a scientific lodestone of fossils.

Perhaps one of the university's most extraordinary discoveries was a fossil that actually included preserved tissues and blood vessels.  This one discovery has turned established theories about fossilization completely on its head.  Normally, no natural tissue remains once fossilization occurs.  After millions of years of burial we didn't it was possible for these biological artifacts to survive.

The museum also has a fascinating display of skulls from the same dinosaur species at different stages of development. A row of fossils from juvenile to mature adult show how the skull grows over time before its cranial plates fuse (much as the human skull does).  The line up is very cool.  As is the largest T-Rx skull ever found.

The wild kingdom

More than anything else Garry wanted to see plenty of wildfire at Yellowstone. He wasn’t disappointed. We drove into the national park shortly after lunch today. Within half an hour we’d seen a fox and pair of deer cross the road, followed by the most extraordinary bison sighting in the Lamar Valley.

Initially we saw herds of bison, also known as buffalo (that’s right, they’re one and the same creature), grazing in the distance. They were tiny brown blobs at best. However, as we crested a small rise we suddenly came upon lone bison less than ten metres from the road’s edge. We parked the car and stood in awe as this majestic beast wandered by. We then returned to our car and slowly followed it along the road for another 50 metres before it finally veered away. Awesome!

The stunning scenery became our next Yellowstone experience. Our first awe inspiring moment came when we stopped at the Calcite Springs Overlook. For some bizarre reason it’s not even marked on official park maps. The vertigo inducing outlook offers a breath-taking view of the Yellowstone River winding its way through the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. If this view isn’t worth noting, then we’re in for some spectacular scenic moments.

Our next stop was Tower Falls, one of the park’s most iconic locations. The falls get their name from volcanic breccias pinnacles that line the ridge from which Tower Creek cascades. They’re the oddest formations you’ll ever see. It was a beautiful scene but not quite the postcard moment we’d expected. We’re hoping that tomorrow’s tour of the Upper and Lower Falls, another iconic landmark, will do a better job of meeting expectations.

These falls are just a mile from Canyon Lodge, our base for the next two nights. The lodge sits right in the heart of Yellowstone. From here we’re planning to do more wildfire spotting in the nearby Hayden Valley and soak in dramatic views of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The complex here also includes an excellent visitor’s centre filled with displays on the region’s geology, history, flora and fauna. I loved its room-sized relief model of the entire park.

America's most beautiful roadway

Wow! It’s the first word that comes to mind when describing the Beartooth Highway. This stunning route into the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park has been called “the most beautiful roadway in America.” Garry and I think the accolade is well deserved. I must admit I was rather skeptical before we set out from the town of Red Lodge. We’ve driven many scenic routes in our time, descriptions of which were sometimes a little prone to hype.

However, the Beartooth Highway didn’t disappoint. The road begins by entering the impressive Rock Creek Canyon. Imagine if you can, a broad canyon, framed by granite peaks with a floor shaped into a graceful arc by long vanished glaciers. The road then steadily ascends through seven miles of breath-taking switchbacks, offering ever more stunning views of the valley below. At 9,190 feet the road reaches an outcrop aptly named Vista Point.

 Garry and I stopped here to soak in the view and watch friendly chipmunks beg for food. From here we rose up onto Hellroaring Plateau, an awesome wind-swept expanse of alpine tundra. The route was dotted with snow drifts, ragged canyons and meltwater lakes. Our drive was also blessed with blue skies and sunshine the entire way.

The road continued climbing until we reached a staggering 10,947 feet above sea level. Soon after cresting Beartooth Pass we found ourselves winding through more picture perfect meltwater lakes. One lake in particular was magic. I begged Garry to stop long enough for us to pause and soak in the view. We later learnt that the road is closed for seven months every year as snow drifts up to 20 metres deep make it impassable.

The largest lake in the area is Beartooth Lake. This alpine lake sits at 8,901 feet, its waters reflecting Beartooth Butte, a towering red-banded sandstone mesa. Incredibly, at 10,541 feet, the Butte’s summit lies below that of Beartooth Pass. The route then took us past two eroded volcanic peaks before finally reaching the entrance to Yellowstone.