Beartooth Country - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 322

The Rockies are famous for their unusual topography, such as this narrow strip of land between two lakes, the result of a
melted glacier.
4. Twin Lakes Headwall
Named for a pair of icy blue lakes, Twin Lakes Headwall, a long, sloping incline, is per-
manently covered with snow. A roadside turn-off looks out on the area, where young ski
racers, some perhaps destined for the Olympics, gather each summer to schuss down the
hill—its steep slopes pitched at a challenging 58-degree angle.
5. Gardner Lake
The10-mile-long Beartooth LoopNational Recreation TrailbeginsatGardnerLake.Skirt-
ing creeks and lakes, the path traverses a stretch of austere alpine tundra, a landscape sim-
ilar to that found near the Arctic Circle. Dainty but hardy wildflowers such as bluebells,
gentians, and forget-me-nots flourish on the shores of the lake as well as on the trail; their
45-day growing season usually peaks in mid-July.