Montana Representing

I saw this article last night as the headline for the MSN page and decided to take a look at what the top 10 scenic drives actually were. I kind of had a feeling that something in Glacier Park would be on there. And of course #5 was the Going to the Sun Highway. It is really so beautiful. It's a must see for everyone.

The drive is about an hour from where I grew up so it never seemed like such a big deal to me. It isn't until I moved away that I realized how gorgeous and breathtaking it actually is. I remember a summer when a group of my girlfriends and I drove from Utah up to Montana on a very short weekend. I took them over Going To The Sun and they didn't stop snapping pictures for one second.

My family owns a little caboose that is in Essex right outside the park. Well actually the park is on both sides of it, about 1 minute drive each way. It's the greatest little caboose turned into a little cabin. It sleeps 7-8 people and has a bathroom and kitchen with all the amenities. My girlfriends and I all stayed there and had a blast. Glen and I also hit the caboose on our way back from our honeymoon but I was too scared of the bugs/spiders to sleep over. I have taken Carter up a couple of times but we haven't actually stayed......I am not sure why? He would love it. Maybe later this summer or fall. My parents love to go up in the winter and snowshoe and crosscountry ski.

Anyway here is what some of the article said......

We've picked routes for their history (U Route 1 in New England and Million Dollar Highway in Colorado); for their natural scenery (Blue Ridge Parkway, Red Rock Scenic Byway, Highway 12); for their romantic appeal (routes through Sonoma and nape); and for their remote wild beauty (Han and Seward highways). Best of all, most of these routes make for splendid drives all year long, so you can get out and explore their bounty whenever the mood strikes. So rev your engines and hit the road.

#5. Going to the sun road. This spectacular 52-mile drive is the best way to see the dramatic remnants and rugged path left by gargantuan glaciers in Montana's striking Glacier National Park. Only open from early-June to mid-October (or until first snowfall), the Going-to-the-Sun Road, aptly named for its ever-escalating sky-high stretch with switch backs up and over the magnificent Continental Divide, traverses Glacier National Park from West Glacier to St. Mary and covers untapped wilderness, rugged mountains, glistening lakes, deep river gorges, glacial canyons, and the long Garden Wall. This sharp ridge forms the Continental Divide, the only place in the country where water flows to the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico and Hudson Bay. The road offers multiple lookout points, among them the 6646-foot-high Logan Pass, which ranks as one of the divides most impressive vantage points, and Jackson Glacier Overlook, 2 miles beyond Bend, where remnants of the mammoth ice formations that carved the parks harsh terrain and contoured its valleys can still be seen. Indeed, the many jaw-dropping views and hiking opportunities along the way will have you making frequent stops to get out and explore; a few backcountry lodges, and campgrounds are available too, should you decide to prolong your trip by spending the night.

Maybe I should contact the state of Montana and write brochures for their recreation and leisure magazines? What do you think? Sorry for my rambling!
Have a good night.