On US 287

After Rocky Mountain National Park (NP), our next major stop was Glacier NP. For the 950 mi drive (1.540 km), Google Maps suggested a route using as many interstates as possible, and this is what I wanted to take initially. Silke however found another route through much more interesting countryside and with lots of historical background:  US Highway 287. This road was built in the 1930's as a major artery for trucks, crossing the country diagonally all the way from Fort Worth, Texas to Montana. We followed that road from Ft. Collins, Colorado, over Laramie, Wyoming, Grand Teton and Yellowstone NP's, continuing over Helena, Montana, until route 287 finally ends in the little town of Choteau, Montana. We took our time - four days total, with a two-night stopover at the beautiful Colter Bay campground in Grand Teton NP. We did not stop in Yellowstone NP at this time because we had been here a few years ago, and we will be coming back in January to participate in a guided snowmobile tour across the whole park. Here are a few pics from the Colorado and Wyoming parts of the 287:

 Through a thunderstorm in Wyoming...

The following two pictures are from the small Wyoming town of Dubois, a historical mining place.

Getting closer to the Teton range, we noticed an increasing haze in the air and wondered what this was all about. Later we learned that the reason were widespread wildfires in Idaho, sending their smoke and fumes with the prevailing west wind eastwards.

One of the best places to admire the majesty of the Rocky Mountains is Grand Teton NP:

 Both photos show lake Jenny with the Teton range in the background, veiled by the wildfire smoke...

This is what you may see in a national park campground when opening the door in the morning:

The last few 100 miles of Hwy. 287 in Montana:

And the end in Choteau, Mt.