We found a very nice place to stay at the Swiftcurrent Creek a little outside the park in the „Blackfoot Indian Reserve“. We drove to „Many Glacier Hotel“ and hiked along the „Swift Current Lake“ and around the „Lake Josephine“. Phantastic views to the lake and the mountains and on the way we saw a Grizzly bear - but luckely we are too thin for him.

Than we stood one night in „Rising Sun Campground“ and made a tour on the world famous „Going-to-the-Sun-Road“. You can only drive it with vehicles smaller than 21 ft long and 8 ft wide. From the „Logan Pass“ - 2025 m high it is (also „Continental Watershed“) we hiked to „Hidden Lake“. We saw „Bighorn Sheeps“ and „White Mountain Goats“ and beautifully shaped mountain peaks (all between 2.800 and 3.000 m high).

We took Hwy 89 via Browning to Great Falls. Browing is the main town of the „Blackfeet Indians“ - this name comes from their wearing black mocassins in former times.

Browning has a very good museum about the „Plains Indians“ and their way of living and their culture.

Great Falls:

In Great Falls (55.000 people) we met the first time mighty river Missouri. In earlier times Great Falls had 5 waterfalls - all of them are now used for hydro-power. Worth visiting is also „C.M. Russell Museum“ - the most famous painter of former „Western Live“. Also worth visiting is the „Giant Spring“ park. This spring is one of the most powerful in USA and  sit´s right next to the banks of the Missouri. Cristall clear blue water and wonderful green plants.

Gates of the Mountains:

From Great Falls we took partly the I-15 and partly the wonderful small road along the Missouri. In „Gates of the Mountains“ we stopped and took a boat tour on the Missouri which cuts here through the „Big Belt Range“ and has formed a narrow steep canyon (360 m high vertical walls) - we can only recommend this tour.

Helena:

And than we arrived at the capital of Montana => Helena. Founded in 1864 at the „Last Chance Gulch“ from four tired and unsuccessful goldminers who tried here their last chance and found a very very rich mine. And started the gold rush in Helena.

The „Last Chance Gulch“ with its old houses exists till today and is worth visiting. We ate at the „Windbag Saloon & Eatery“ - an former brothel - and we can recommend this kitchen.

Also worth seeing is the „Reeder´s Alley“ with its houses from the 1870ties.

Dear Lodge and Fairmont Hot Springs:

From Helena we drove to „Dear Lodge“. Here the „Old Prison Museum“ and the „Vintage Car Museum“ is worth visiting. We especially liked the tour to the „Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site“. This ranch from the German emigrant „Conrad Kohrs“ was once the largest cattle ranch in the West (11.000 ha). We enjoyed the displays and the good  informations. 

From here we visited the „Fairmont Hot Springs“ near Anaconda. We soaked for 2 days our tired bones in hot mineral water.

The oldest NP (from 1872) and also the largest in USA - is located in 3 States: Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. More than 10.000 hot springs and geysers, dense forest, deep canyons and a unique wild life are the speciality of this unique landscape.

We entered the park from the North Entrance. First attraction on our way were the „Mammoth Hot Springs“ with their terrasses. Unfortunately many are already dry and because of this rainy day the beautiful colors were a little dull.

But next day sunshine again and the „Norris Geyser Basin“ showed all this fantastic colors. The (sometimes) active „Steamboat Geyser“ has - especially for us - shown his force and blown steamwater into the sky. We saw many bubbling mud and hot water pools in all colors (and so bright you can hardly believe they are real).

And than to the „Old Faithful“ which is active every 90 minutes. Many, many people patiently wating until the „Old Master“ blows the hot water up to 55 m into the air. And at the end clapping spectators - is the old guy perhaps hearing this?

Next station was the 32 km long „Grand Canyon of Yellowstone“. At the „Lower Falls“ the water of the Yellowstone River thunders 94 m vertical down - double the hight than the Niagara Falls - of course with less water. But the canyon is very impressive and the views from various outlooks just fantastic. And we have seen eagles.

At the third day we drove to „Yellowstone Lake“. This is the largest lake in North America above 2.000 m. Also many hot springs and fumarols along the coast and colorful hot springs sent their water into this cristal clear lake.

Besides the many wild animals we didn´t see any except Bisons. All the grizzly´s, the black bears, the moose and elks had now interest for a foto shooting - perhaps too many tourists.

And here we had to say good by to our friends Phyl and Terry. After 4 weeks of travelling together we are now heading eastwards to South Dakota and Phyl and Terry are driving slowly back to Bend. Many thousand thanks Phyl and Terry for this lovely time and for the the nice places you showed us. We are looking forward meeting you again somewhere.

Red Lodge was recommended by friends. This 3.000 people town has a beautiful main street with old houses, good restaurants and shops and many art galleries. It is worth visiting. And a highlight is the drive via the „Beartooth Pass“ (10.947 ft high) with spectacular views to the Rocky Mountain panorama and the Yellowstone Park.

Cody is world famous - already since approx. the 1870 because of Buffalo Bill. Today the town lives entirely from his mythos. The town didn´t impress us - mainly touristic and no flair from people living there.

But worth visiting is the huge museum. It has 4 large sections: „Buffalo Bill part“, „Plain Indians part“, „Whitney Gallery of Western Art“ and „Cody Firearms Museum“.

We were impressed - especially the section of the „Plain Indians“ is extremely well done.

From Cody we took Hwy 14A via Powell to the „Big Horn Lake Canyon“. We saw the „Devil Canyon Overlook“ and this canyon is 300 m deep and quite narrow. The Big Horn River has milled this enormous gorge into the rocks which glow in all yellow and brown colors.

We drove through the „Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range“ and luckely we saw a wild mustang.

From here we drove through the Big Horn Range. A very steep and high mountian road - up to the pass at 2.950 m. And the highest mountain of this range is the „Cloud Peak“ with 4.019 m. 

Here is also the religious place ot the Plains Indians - called the „Medicine Wheel“. It has a diameter of 75 m and 18 spokes. Nobody knows for what it was used - either religious or astronomical purpose.

We stood overnight near „Burgess Jct. at a small creek.

From Buffalo we took I-90 eastwards - through endless prairie to the Devils Tower. This prominente rock can be seen from far distance. This 264 m high tower looks so impressive. Like a huge tree stump with grooves all round and full length. There is also a nice Indian story about this momument: 7 Indian girls were playing here when a huge grizzly attacked them. They run away and tried to hide on a tree stump and started praying for help. The tree stump rose and rose to the sky and the bear tried to pull it down - leaving this huge grooves on all sites. The seven girls were borne into sky and formed the constellation „Big Dipper“.

There is also a trail around the rock which is worth hiking.

And you can see quite a lot of clmbers - more than 5.000 per year are trying to reach the top.

Please continue reading the travel report under:

„USA - part 3“  /  „South Dakota“