Beartooth Highway

Crysal clear water spills out of the high country from hundreds of lakes in the Beartooths. This cascade flows into the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone just a short distance away and eventually into the Yellowstone River near Billings, Montana.

Wildflowers thrive in unexpected places by the roadside in this view of mountains and the road from Clarks Fork Overlook. From this overlook you can see the Clarks Fork River Valley and the aftermath of the Clover Mist Fire (1988). Salvage logging beneath Pilot and Index Peaks after the fire were designed to mimic natural openings to blend in with the surrounding landscapes.

The old CCC bridge across Lake Creek is a favorite spot to view Lake Creek Falls.

Lake Creek has cut down through this granite over time and made a very narrow, spectacular noisy sight.

The modern Lake Creek Bridge on the Beartooth Highway crosses over Lake Creek. Pilot and Index peaks are in the background.

This view looks south from West Summit on the Beartooth Highway. The highway winds down toward Long Lake.

Although seldom seen by the travelling public, bears are very common along the corridor.

Visitors to the Beartooth All-American Road will experience the vastness of the Beartooth-Absaroka Wilderness before proceeding to the "top of the world" at Beartooth Pass.

There are hundreds of kettle lakes on the Beartooth Plateau.

Heat-loving bacteria create amazing colors in these heated pools at Yellowstone National Park.

These twin peaks reach staggering heights of over 11,000 feet.

Bacteria thrives in the heated water overflowing from the spring, creating the rich rust colors seen here.

A young bear wanders through a field of wildflowers near the road in Yellowstone National Park.

Although sometimes difficult to see, close observers will spot buffalo out in the valley. Can you see the buffalo here?

A distant buffalo grazes on the grasses alongside the road in Yellowstone National Park.

Renowned for its architecture, the Old Faithful Inn makes visitors feel right at home.

These three elk graze right by the road as many onlookers take pictures.

Though not as famous as Old Faithful, this nearby geyser erupts only once a day, making sightings rare.

This small geyser emits steam and fountains almost constantly.

Four stories of balconies rise to create a sense of openness and bring the outdoors in.

Surprising discoveries like this lake covered in lily pads greet visitors traveling in Yellowstone.

A visitor enjoys the wide expanse of Yellowstone Lake.

Terraces formed by hot springs continue to charm and delight visitors to Yellowstone today.

Terraces formed by hot springs continue to charm and delight visitors to Yellowstone today.

Boiling mudpots may not seem like the most inviting sight, but you'll find yourself fascinated by this natural phenomenon.

Waiting for Old Faithrul to erupt is worth the stay. Not only is this geyser a natural wonder, but it is also a cultural icon.

Spouting heated water up to 184 feet, Old Faithful continually amazes visitors to Yellowstone National Park.

An overlook allows visitors to Mammoth Hot Springs a closer look at Minerva Terrace.

Yellowstone is famous for its hot water pools characterized by deep blues.

You won't see anything like this anywhere other than Yellowstone.

A ranger tells all about the scum that has provided so much good to science during this ranger led tour by West Thumb.

Entering Yellowstone from the west, you will pass by riparian valleys.

This river runs through a white basin in Yellowstone.

A visitor to Yellowstone kneels on the boardwalk to get a closer look at the amazing formations created by thermal activity.

Boardwalks allow visitors to view the depth of thermal pools from a safe vantage point.

The warm turquoise of thermal pools contrasts against the cool blue of Yellowstone Lake.

The rust-colored bacteria surrounding this thermal pool near West Thumb makes for a beautiful contrast of colors.

Visitors can see Tower Falls from an overlook or they can hike to the bottom and view it from below.

You'll tour the Upper Geyser Basin via a system of boardwalks installed for safety.

This visitor information center is located just inside the west entrance of Yellowstone Park. Here, you can find books, maps, and even view wildlife from a telescope.

A crowd gathers to wait for the eruption of Old Faithful.

You might want to relax at the end of the day at the shores of Yellowstone Lake.

These landmarks of the Beartooth Highway are immediately recognizable and dominate the scenery.

Cooke City provides plenty of places to eat, lodge, or buy some souvenirs.

The Clarks Fork, a perfect venue for fly-fishing, runs along the Beartooth Highway.

The Clarks Fork, a perfect venue for fly-fishing, runs along the Beartooth Highway.

Campers at Soda Butte on the Beartooth Highway are surrounded by trees and wildflowers.

This picnic table is surrounded by wildflowers and peacefully removed from the road.

This picnic table is surrounded by wildflowers and peacefully removed from the road.

Although not often seen from the highway, grizzlies live and roam the areas adjacent to the highway. They are part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem population and are Threatened Species.

Pilot and Index Peaks were used many years ago by the Crow Indians, trappers and other travelers to keep their bearings, hence their names.

Pilot Peak rises in the distance above Cooke City, Montana.

Beartooth Butte is reflected in a mirror-still lake on a bright summer's day.

This view shows the glaciated valley that drains some of the Beartooth Plateau to the north. Further to the north there are a number of campgrounds closer to Red Lodge in this scenic drainage.

Great gray rocks were deposited by glaciers long ago near Long Lake.

A group of men cluster behind their vehicles at the Top of the World Store.

The stunning beauty of the Rockies is apparent in the majestic Pilot and Index Peaks, which dominate the horizon.

People gather just outside the Top of the World Store on the Beartooth Highway.

Emptied of passengers, a van parks before a sign for the Top of the World Store.

The Beartooth Highway winds through the snow-draped West Summit of Beartooth Pass.

Lush green grass lines the byway, while snow covers Pilot and Index peaks.

A few lonely stones lie on a barren stretch of land along the Beartooth Highway, while the snow-covered Rockies project their presence even from a distance.

The Beartooth Highway rides the rim of a steep loose-rock slope as a truck rolls past the stop sign at the Rock Creek Vista Point Rest Area.

A construction vehicle and a van park in a railing-enclosed turnout along the Beartooth Highway as it stretches into Montana.

Looking down into Clark's Fork Valley from the Clark's Fork Overlook, one can see distant snow-peaked mountains and miles of evergreen tree tops.

Steep tree-covered mountain slopes hugged by the Beartooth Highway drop into Rock Creek Canyon visible from the Rock Creek Vista Point rest Area and Interpretive Site.

Snow drapes the mountain slopes along the Beartooth Highway, which loops into a hairpin curve.

From the Rock Creek Vista Point, a sweeping mountain landscape fills the horizon.

Montana's Beartooth All-American Road receives their designation plaque at the Designation 2002 event at Union Station in Washington DC.

A fisherman casts in the river near Pilot Creek.

Travelers visiting early in the summer season will find snow at the highest elevations of the Beartooth All-American Road.

Cliff Lake is a pristine alpine lake just a short hike upstream from the inlet of Fantan Lake, Beartooth Mountains.

The yellow-bellied marmot lives its life within the alpine tundra at the highest elevations of Beartooth Highway.

Old Faithful just begins to spout as an audience waits in anticipation.

Fluffy white clouds cap all three peaks in this photo of the Bears Tooth Spire.

From this old fire lookout tower you can see in all directions for miles. This view is downward toward Beartooth Lake which lies at the base of Beartooth Butte and directly adjacent to the highway.

A rush of water pours out of the Beartooth Lake.

Alpine wildflowers add a touch of color.

The Highway passes through geologically diverse environments. Shown here, Pilot and Index Peaks in the Absaroka Range are examples of mountains formed by volcanic processes, while the Beartooth Range is of granitic origin and represents some of the oldest rocks in the world.

Beartooth Highway snakes through Rock Creek Canyon on a perfect summer day as it begins the ascent to Beartooth Plateau.

RV enthusiasts travel close to the Beartooth Plateau at an elevation of 10,450 ft.

A fly fisherman enjoys a relaxing day on Island Lake in Shoshone National Forest.