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The campgrounds have flush toilets and running water but no showers. There is also no electricity hook ups which is common in the national parks. Norris Geyser Basin Trail is right down the road about 1/4 mile and is well worth the visit.

The Cafe's claim to fame is its beer selection. They must have at least 150 beers from all over the world so when the locals are feeling the cabin fever creeping in on them they can travel the world via a nice tall glass of beer at the cafe.

The food is mostly grilled burgers and sandwiches and they were very good. The deserts looked great but we were full from our burgers (mine was a buffalo burger). Another interesting thing is the rest rooms. They are wallpapered with cardboard six pack containers.

The day we went the weather was great and people were sitting out on the front deck. What could be better than sipping an import beer in the mountains and watching the world dribble by?

You start the walk along the lush valley and you can't really see the summit until you turn the corner of the first ridge. I read that there was a pair of Grizzly Bears that used this area as there grazing grounds but we were not able to see them.

Pay close attention to the beautiful trees along the lower part of the hike. There are also wonderful wildflowers here and there. We went in the early morning and were two of about six hikers on the trail at that time. As with most of my Yellowstone experiences, if you go early you can enjoy the park in a bit of peace.

The summit affords terrific views but at a little over 10,000 feet, the air is much cooler and the wind blows harder than the rest of the hike so bring a light jacket in the summer.

From Yellowstone Park you travel through a very large open valley where buffalo and elk graze and if you are lucky you can view the wolf pack that hunts these herds. The scenery is bucolic and wonderful. As you approach the park's exit, the road starts to follow a large canyon full of big pine trees and a roaring river at the bottom. We stopped and took some pictures of the water and some wildflowers before saying good-bye to Yellowstone. At this point in the drive I thought that while beautiful, the highway was a bit over rated.

Next stop was the adorable little town of Bear Tooth. We stopped here for lunch and had a nice time walking along the small shops. The town looks a little like a set with flat facade western style buildings bunched together on the highway with little or nothing anywhere else. I read that once 212 closes for the winter in October they have to get supplies through Yellowstone which itself is closed on and off during the winter. Talk about being shut off from the world!

Next we followed the highway up the side of a mountain which afforded great views of Yellowstone behind us we then came upon Bear Tooth Lake which was a pristine lake full of trout and in the shadow of snow capped mountains. The views from the shoreline rivaled any lake I have ever seen and reminded me of Avalanche Lake at Glacier National Park which I had visited a week before.

Next we continued to climb up and up along the mountain and to my amazement saw switchbacks that literally went to the peak of the mountain. As the tree line dropped away, pockets of snow started to become evident and by the time we were at the top, the temperature was in the mid-thirties and there was snow all around us. This was one week ago on June 21st. The views of the surrounding mountain range were fabulous and we stopped at the rest area right over the top of the peak to soak them up.

The rest of the highway is basically down hill with more great views until you reach Red Rock. I highly recommend you try to fit in this amazing road into your itinerary. It was one of the highlights of our trip.

Go at the crack of dawn and enjoy this special place by yourself and you will have a magical experience and you might get some great pictures as well. There are many places along the north rim to view the canyon but the best place is Artist Point. We went up and down both sides of the canyon and stopped at about 6 spots along the way and they were all worth it.

Most of the pink and yellow colored rocks on the canyon walls are the result of hydrothermal activity reacting with the rhyolites. The upper and lower falls were also the result of volcanic activity and they combine for some spectacular views.

There were three of these stone trees back when they were discovered about 125 years ago but stupid souvenir hunters chipped away and completely destroyed the other two before the largest one was fenced in and protected.

This is a quick stop along the upper loop road of the park and is very much worth it. The turnoff takes you right to the tree so there is no walking involved.