3 Flags - Day 3

Start Location: Browning, MT
Ending Location: Gardiner, MT
Miles Today: 352
Trip Miles: 1033
States Visited: 3
Low Temp: 42 degrees
High Temp: 69 degrees
Min Elevation: 3359'
Max Elevation: 7363'

Route Map:

We thought it was cool when we left yesterday. Today it was 47 degrees when we left Browning and we thought that it could only get warmer from there. We were wrong.

Not too much to say about this section of Montana. Much of the scenery looked like this, but we did get a few scenic shots. We also saw this dinosaur statue - no idea what it was doing there, but it was a good excuse to stop and warm up a little.

Although the temperature had climbed to the mid fifties by late morning, it suddenly started getting colder - we were climbing a mountain. We think is was called Kings Hill, but take it from us, it was a mountain. It got colder and colder and we knew we were in trouble when we started seeing snow on the side of the road. It was only a dusting - but definitely snow. The snow started at about 6900 feet and we finally topped out at 7363' and 42 degrees. By that time we had our rain gear back on again -- for warmth again! We may have to look into electric vests for our next trip. I guess we're just wimps.

It wouldn't be Montana without construction and they do construction in a big way just like everything else. We came upon a construction zone that literally stretched for miles. The good news is that there was no traffic. The bad news is that there was no road either. Here's a shot of the construction zone looking ahead and here's one looking backwards.

It finally started to warm up about 3:15 this afternoon when the temperature hit 60 degrees for the first time today. It gradually climbed to 69 about 30 minutes before we arrived at our destination for tonight - Gardiner, Montana. We walked around a little tonight before dinner and, while it's not much of a town, they do have some incredible views. Tomorrow we head into Yellowstone.