Entries about wildflowers

As I write this, we are traveling through the grasslands of Alberta on our way to Calgary where we will stay for a week. Looking forward to being in a city for awhile and doing some "city stuff" before heading out to Banff and Yoho with Morgan and Courtney.

Glacier to Waterton

We are moving on from Waterton Lakes National Park. If this place isn't on your bucket list, it should be. We had a disappointing trip up from Whitefish to Waterton. The Going to the Sun Road is still closed due to the heavy snows this past winter. So that was a bummer. And the day we drove up was rainy, cold, and dense with fog. As a result, we didn't see any of the East side of Glacier, including Many Glacier, which was definitely something we wanted to see. Instead we drove a curvaceous, switch-backy road through dense fog. It didn't help that cattle and horses roamed freely, sometimes just hanging out in the middle of the road, or that there was construction on the road that resulted in places with no pavement and deep ditches filled with water. We were SO glad we were in Ruby. I felt really sorry for people in their rental cars. At times, you knew there was a tremendous drop off out to amazing views but all we saw was white fog as thick as pea soup. In a way it was pretty fascinating, exciting, and beautiful but definitely not what we had planned. There were a few breaks where we could make out a few of the mountains.

But momma said there would be days like this...

Waterton

Our first day in Waterton continued to be overcast and rainy with the fog settled low over the mountains. It was amazing because you just knew these awesome mountains surrounded the lakes since you could see their bases; it was just a waiting game to see the full view. But the lake was calm, which made for some spectacular reflections, and we saw the historic tour boat coming up when we were on the hill by the Prince of Wales Hotel for a stunning shot (IMO).

Waterton Townsite
Within the National Park is the Waterton Townsite. It has an interesting history starting as a Canadian Railways Town prior to the National Park, a mining town, and finally a recreation destination. There are historic buildings and cabins throughout the town as well as a campground. Herds of deer roam the streets, and can apparently be very aggressive!

In the off season, bears and cougar do as well. Kinda glad we missed that!

It's a great place to walk around and the lake trail takes you to where Cameron Creek empties into the lake.

Cameron Falls are just a few blocks from downtown and quite magnificent. This short clip has a view from the top and the bottom.

Yesterday the sun returned and it was a gorgeous day with light winds.

Touring About
First we went down to Lower Cameronn Lake and the Maskinonge Wetlands. There are beautiful views back up the valley, over the marsh, and out into the grasslands.

Check out this short clip for a 360 view.

Next we went out to some viewpoints we missed on the way in. This one of the entire range was spectacular.

Scenic Boat Ride
We took the historic M.V. International, the 91 year-old boat that tours Upper Waterton Lake (the same boat from yesterday's picture). It takes you across the U.S. border to the bottom of the lake. We took TONS of photos. The light wasn't great but here are a few of the best.


The Prince of Wales Hotel. It sits on a small bluff out in the lake. It's huge but looks so tiny in context like in the pic below.

The international border.

Like I said, this is a bucket list place for sure! Right up there with the Tetons!

Up next, fun times in the Cowtown! Be sure to subscribe for updates to the blog and follow us on Instagram @arrradventures.

Today we took a trip to the lake at East Rosebud.

Opting for the back road through Luther, it took us through some amazing open pasture land with views of the mountains getting closer at every turn. The road was pretty bad after awhile from winter damage but that's why we have Ruby. Unlike the other rivers we've seen, the East Rosebud Creek was crystal clear. Kind of funny they call these "creeks" though when you see them in Spring.

Hope you enjoy!

Fin+Pin Lodge

We got into Red Lodge on Wednesday so we're three nights into our 10 night stay and we're already feeling like locals. Our house here is super comfortable, quiet, and cool.

The best part is the kitchen! I went a little crazy at the grocery store but it was worth it to be able to cook!

We're just a block off the main street, Broadway, so we walk to the bars and restaurants, to the store, and to sightsee.

It's nice to be able to walk Cadeau around a neighborhood, too. And we get plenty of time to enjoy it - the sun rises at 5:30 and doesn't get fully dark until 10:30! This is the view off our back porch that faces West. They are the longest sunsets I've ever seen

Beartooth Range

We are right at the base of the Beartooth Mountains. Coming into town from the North was really beautiful. It was almost as majestic as the approach to the Tetons.

May and June are Bloomin'!

We did a nice hike our first day that followed a ridge out and then cut down through a beautiful meadow full of wildflowers to follow the West Fork of Rock Creek back.

These Pasqueflowers are beautiful and then they develop the totally cool seed heads below.

King of the Mountain!

Mountain Forget-me-nots! So special and just everywhere in one particular open area.

The next day we did a scenic drive over to the site of the Smith Mine Disaster. They have "preserved" the site as a memorial to the miners who died. It was interesting but I would have liked to be able to get closer.

And of course there were more wildflowers. It's fascinating to see how the flowers change with the ecosystem.

There were huge stands of this Fuzzy-tongued Penstemon that were a totally new one for me.

And the Indian paintbrush was really orange here where other places it's been red. It was just covering the tops of the hills along with the Western Blue Flax. What a great combination.

We plan to travel over the Beartooth Pass later this week so more to come on that. In the meantime, follow us on Instagram @arrradventures for (almost out) daily pictures and random silliness.

It's definitely Spring here, early Spring. Most trees are just in bud but the wildflowers are in full force. There are two flowers that we've been seeing throughout South Dakota but are really abundant in Wyoming that coat the hills in yellow. In the lower elevations in moist areas are the Sweet Peas. They make blankets of yellow.

And at higher, rockier elevations there is the Arrowleaf Balsamroot. It's such a lovely daisy.

And it's fun to go chase them down off the main roads.

There are miniatures of other flowers I know like Bluebells, Phlox, and Columbine.

And then here are all the rest I am yet to identify.

I need a rock garden guide I think. as they mainly grow on rocky outcroppings where the soil is shallow. One place we stopped to see them there was a historical marker for two men that had died as a part of Custer's Western Campaign. One was from Massachusetts - he died a long way from home.

And on our drive yesterday, we happened upon this Aspen Grove and it was just magical. More of this in my next video.

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