Distinctly Montana Magazine

w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m 123 conditions here dictate slow driving speeds. At higher elevations, this highway follows a ser- pentine course, pave- ment is desperately in need of repair, and guard rails are virtually nonexistent. So, exer- cise caution, especially in inclement weather, and enjoy the drive. As previously noted, Glacier's largest concentrations of fall color are typically found east of the Continental Di- vide. However, travelers on the Going to the Sun Road will discover that views from the alpine segment west of Logan Pass superbly illustrate an exception to that rule. Eastbound motorists, as they gain altitude, encounter increasingly ex- pansive vistas that extend up the length of McDonald Valley and reveal large swaths of aspens that cascade down moun- tain slopes for hundreds of yards on either side of McDon- ald Creek. Seventeen pullouts, located between The Loop and Logan Pass, pro- vide ample opportuni- ties for contemplation and photography. The grandeur of fall foliage encompassed by these sweeping lines of sight becomes even more evident when one looks back to the west and sees the Going to the Sun Road and Mc- Donald Creek, at some places, 2,500 feet below! During our visit, an overnight dusting of snow on the Garden Wall add- ed the final touch to Mother Nature's masterpiece. The remote North Fork area is best known for its dense population of western larch, a deciduous conifer that usu- ally reaches peak color in late October. Nevertheless, as- pens are more common in this region than is generally recognized, and they attain significantly greater stature than those found in groves east of the Continental Divide. Mixed stands of cottonwoods and aspens frame the ripar- B E S T O F M O N TA N A B M D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A ' S 2 0 2 2 F I N A L I S T ! F I N A L I S T ! Best RV Campground RELAX & REJUVENATE HOT SPRINGS. GYM. LIVE MUSIC #bozemanhotsprings B E S T O F M O N TA N A B M D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A ' S 2 0 2 2 F I N A L I S T ! F I N A L I S T !

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