Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Twin Lakes
Descending through more switchbacks, you'll see many alpine lakes, including
Frozen,
Long,
and
Little Bear Lakes
near the road. These lakes are free of ice for only a few weeks of
the year.
You'll pass trailheads for several backcountry hikes on the south side of Beartooth High-
way's summit. The trailhead for the Beartooth High Lake Trail is at
Island Lake,
which also
has a campground and a boat ramp. Be prepared for cold nights if you camp here—the eleva-
tion is about 9,500 feet (2,900 m).
Island Lake and dozens of others in this part of the plateau are connected by small streams
and fall into patterns of straight lines. Geologists call such small, usually circular lakes in a
glacial valley paternosters, because they resemble a rosary or string of beads.
Crystal-clear
Beartooth Lake
has a campground, picnic area, and boat ramp, and lies at
the foot of a monumental beige and red cliff, Beartooth Butte. Not far below the summit of
this butte, fossil fish have been discovered.
Why Are There Fish Fossils on Top of the Mountain?
The Beartooth Plateau is part of the large block of mountains making up the Beartooth up-
lift. The uplifted area is about 75 miles long and 40 miles (120 by 65 km) across (see map,
page 159
), rising to its present elevation along nearly vertical faults. It is composed of very
