Into the Big Sky Country

For my first full day in Montana, I took on the Beartooth Highway, one of America's great roads. It starts in Red Lodge, south of Billings, and climbs the mountains to Cook City and the northern entrance to Yellowstone National Park. At Bearfoot Pass - elevation nearly 11,000 feet - you get above the tree line where there's snow, silvan mountain lakes and beautiful alpine meadows.

It's hazy in the northwest, smoky from wildfires raging from here to British Columbia, about which I expect I'll have more to say, but beautiful nonetheless. Here are a few pictures.

While in Montana, I hope to visit the Crow Reservation (and the Little Bighorn battlefield), Glacier National Park and other sights along the way. Today I'm headed to the Montana State Fair. Any suggestions for things to do in Montana would be welcomed.