Monday, July 21 Into Montana, Two Medicine Lake in Glacier

Monday, July 21

After a quick breakfast and coffee, we say goodbye to Sandy and hit the road, headed towards Glacier National Park.  It will be the 4th time we've been there but we've never been able to complete the Going to the Sun road, so that's our goal!  Last time the road was still closed mid-July because of a late snow!  A long drive with a few photo stops.

We begin on the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway, heading north, through mountains and valleys, ranches and lots of strategically placed snow fences.  Google says Wyoming has over 460 miles of snow fences which cut down on drifting snow and reduce need for plowing and sanding and help minimize Winter accidents.

Each ranch house is alone and usually surrounded by a shield of trees, hayfields or pastures.

The Montana border comes in sight around 8:00. It is cloudy and a cool 60 degrees.  Beautiful country as we enter Sweet Grass County, where we come across this herd of buffalo, part of a different kind of ranch!

We pass several wind farms - this one amid the sheep!  I vaguely remember a western about the sheep vs cattle wars in Montana and other states in the late 1900's before everything got fenced. (Google says "Big Jake" starring John Wayne). 

Lots of bee boxes dot the countryside here. 

We are able to reserve a site at Two Medicine Campground which is part of Glacier but in the Southeast part.  Still, we are happy to find a site in the Park!  We check out the site - 32A .-

 then backtrack a little to the trail to Running Eagle Falls.  A nice hike!

Back at Two Medicine we visit the Camp Store and wonder around the edge of the lake a bit.  Light rain on and off.  The low clouds make some of the pictures of the lake look like black and white photos - till I added the canoes.

Soup and salad for dinner and it is Greg's night to triumph in Cribbage.  At 6PM it is a chilly 49 degrees but we're comfortable in the Trek and sleep well with an extra blanket.