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- Our journey, which follows the border

between Wyoming and Montana,

begins in amongst the mountains

of Yellowstone Park's Soda Butte Valley

and the landmark summit of Pilot Peak.

From the dramatic glaciers of the Absaroka Range,

we turn to make our way to Beartooth Pass

and the road that's been described as

the most beautiful drive in America.

Further south is one of the most picturesque stretches

of the Clarks Fork River with white water

coursing through its canyon walls.

We turn once more at the Wapiti Valley,

famous for its guest ranches and horseback riding.

The only city we'll be visiting on this route is Cody,

named after the legendary pioneer

best known as Buffalo Bill.

Once across the arid wilderness of Bighorn Basin,

we complete our journey at the canyon of the same name

with gorges as unique as they are spectacular.

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Named after a dormant geyser,

Soda Butte Creek is one of the first sights

for visitors of Yellowstone Park

entering from Wyoming's northeast corner.

In addition to a popular grazing spot for buffalo,

Soda Butte Creek offers anglers an excellent spot

to fly fish for cutthroat trout.

The creek travels 32 kilometers

toward its confluence with the Lamar River,

sweeping through lush meadows and woods

all set against the backdrop of the mountains.

Close to the border with Montana is Pilot Peak,

one of the most famous landmarks of Yellowstone.

Hidden from the valley among a complex of ridges,

we rise three-and-a-half thousand meters above sea level

for a rare glimpse of the pointy summit.

It's a sight normally reserved

for adventurous mountain climbers

who can view the Pilot

from nearly every major surrounding peak.

Rounding the mountain at Beartooth Range,

we enter the state of Montana.

It's here we find the most remote

of all Yellowstone Park's entry points,

Cooke City-Silver Gate.

Considered quite daring for its time,

this 1935 station is now a classic of its kind

as well as a National Historic Landmark.

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The Beartooth Mountains

serve as our way into Treasure State,

part of the National Forest

known as the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness.

Formed by the movement of glaciers over thousands of years,

its rugged mountains reach up

as high as three-and-a-half thousand meters,

a terrain comparable to parts of Alaska.

The craggy peaks tower over

around 300 small pristine lakes and high ponds.

At these altitudes, many of them are frozen over

almost all year round.

With some 25 glaciers across the range,

the Beartooths have the largest unbroken land mass

higher than 3,000 meters in mainland United States.

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Beyond these jagged rocks lies the highest point

of the Beartooths and Montana, Granite Peak.

At nearly 4,000 meters,

the summit is noted by climbers

as one of the hardest descents in the United States,

not least for its difficult access points

and poor weather conditions.

Thunderstorms, crumbling rocks,

steep cliffs with deadly drop-offs,

all make for a treacherous adventure

that can sometimes take three days.

Amazingly, a nine-year-old boy

made Montana headlines when he joined his father

in scaling Granite Peak in 2012.

Tucked away amongst the ridges of the Beartooth Range

are these remote and serene lakes.

It's said that the names they bear

stem from those given to them by the Native American tribes

that once dwelt in this region.

No doubt the evocative titles

such as Lake Mystic and Froze-to-Death

somehow reflected their experiences

of this beautiful yet unforgiving place.

The Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness

is only one part of the vast Custer National Forest.

And as we head southwest,

there's a distinct change in the landscape.

The jagged peaks and canyons give way

to more rounded hills topped with ponderosa pine.

Being just 100 kilometers

from Montana's biggest city, Billings,

makes this eastern district of the park

a popular recreational hunting ground

for deer, elk, and bighorn sheep.

The forest was once a steady food supply

for the Plains Indians of Montana

whose burial grounds and rock engravings

abound in the area.

It was also crossed by the first ever

American expedition to the west coast,

famously led by Lewis and Clark

in the early 19th century.

Today, much of the Beartooth Ranger District

is a strict conservation area

with forest authorities working closely

to regulate logging and ranching.

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Turning south back towards Wyoming,

our journey now follows Beartooth Pass,

a road a CBS news correspondent referred to

as the most beautiful drive in America.

Opened in 1937, the Beartooth Scenic Byway

is an 111 kilometer stretch of road

from Cooke City to Red Lodge, Montana,

dipping into Wyoming along the way.

Passengers wind through a wonderful series

of steep zigzags and hairpin turns

known locally as switchbacks.

It takes an average of three hours to drive across

what is the highest elevation highway

in the Northern Rockies.

The gusty bends and challenging gradients

are a draw for experienced cyclists

and local companies operate guided tours

through some of the most dramatic sections of the pass.

But whatever the mode of travel,

stopping off at the many viewing platforms

is simply irresistible.

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Following the pass takes us through

marked changes in the ecosystem,

from the forested pine valleys

to alpine tundra within just a few kilometers.

At this small lay-by, we cross into the state of Wyoming.

Here, the brutally cold climate

makes trees and shrubs fairly scarce.

But the vegetation that does grow

has adapted in remarkable ways

to be able to survive these harsh conditions.

Similarly, only the hardiest of creatures

can be found at this altitude,

like the small pika, a distant relation to the rabbit.

During the snow season from October to May,

the byway is officially closed.

Travelers take to snowmobiles

to enjoy Beartooth's transformation

into a winter wonderland.

But near the summit, the mountaintops

are capped with snow all year round.

With the choice of 13 national campgrounds,

visitors are able to enjoy the ample recreation activities

from downhill skiing to hiking.

Heading south takes us over this lush plateau

with its alpine lakes and pools.

And it's from here we catch our first glimpse

of the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River.

The distinctive shape of Sugarloaf Mountain

towers above the Box, the sheer walled canyon

that earned the Clarks Fork River

its Wild and Scenic status,

the only such river in Wyoming with this accolade.

The Box contains a treacherous stretch

that lures skilled and daring kayakers to it.

The run even involves physically carrying the boat

through bear-inhabited woods

that are closed in by the sheer cliffs,

a leisure activity

not for those with a nervous disposition.

The canyon is the third deepest

in the continental United States.

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Clarks Fork of Yellowstone River

cuts through the 600 meter vertical cliffs

of the Shoshone National Forest for 36 kilometers

before its confluence with the Yellowstone near Billings.

Further south within this vast wilderness

is this lone manmade structure,

the Sunlight Creek Bridge.

Constructed to provide direct access

from Cody to the Beartooth Highway,

this simple one-span concrete beam bridge

links the route across a narrow canyon.

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Suspended over a 90-meter drop,

the bridge is the highest overpass in Wyoming.

Locals claim that it holds a world record

relating its short length

to the depth of gorge it spans.

It's as much a destination as it is a bridge,

offering spectators a dramatic view

of the 365-meter wide canyon carved by the Clarks Fork

between the Beartooth Plateau and the Absaroka Mountains.

Completed in the 1980s,

the name Sunlight Bridge is actually quite ironic

since the gorge is so narrow and deep

that light only reaches the creek below

for a fraction of the day.

The bridge carries traffic

along the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway.

On its way south to Cody,

it makes a circuitous course through Dead Indian Pass.

The winding road eventually reaches a summit

that serves as a memorial

to the historic retreat of the Nez Perce Indians.

In 1877, they fled from the advance of the US Army

over these rugged high ridges.

One legend tells that the defeated tribe

left behind a wounded warrior

who was later scalped and buried by scouts.

While other local lore

may question the accuracy of that legend,

few can doubt the scenic beauty of this place.

At the top, the reward is an overlook

presenting an inspiring view of Sunlight Basin,

so-named by early 19th century prospectors

because the only thing that could get into this valley

most of the year is sunlight.

In the far distance, it's a different story.

Some hundred kilometers away

from the arid desert climate of Bighorn Basin

is the common sight of a thunderstorm.

But the bright skies beyond the imposing cloud

shows just how changeable

the weather can be across this range.

The Shoshone River weaves through the Wapiti Valley,

named after the Native American word for elk

which populate the region.

We follow the north fork of the river to its origin,

passing dramatic rock formations

reminiscent of one of America's greatest painters

of the Rocky Mountains, Thomas Moran.

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A strong tradition that thrives

throughout these foothills of the Wapiti Valley

is horseback riding.

Visitors seeking authentic cowboy experience

stay at several dude ranches that dot the area.

Guests can choose to take part in cattle drives

or simple ride off for the day

into the serene wilderness.

It's a truly western way

of enjoying the sights of Wyoming.

We enter Buffalo Bill State Park

in the eastern section of the Absaroka Mountains.

Here, the altitude drops to 1,400 meters

as we get ever closer to the city of Cody.

This striking landscape was formed

from volcanic activity some 50 million years ago.

As a result of glaciers, water,

and the relative softness of the rocks,

the Absarokas appear very craggy.

The constant forces of erosion

cut deep U-shaped valleys

with steep slopes and jagged outcrops.

Some of these formations are extinct geyser cones

that stand nearly 10 meters.

At the heart of Buffalo Bill State Park

is its reservoir of the same name.

Buffalo Bill was the nickname

of 19th century soldier and showman William Cody,

who owned much of the land before it was flooded.

Cody's vision was to irrigate the region

and turn it into productive farmland.

But the area was later acquired by the Federal Government

who implemented this massive reservoir project.

Today, the water here supplies four irrigation districts

comprising 38,000 hectares.

The Buffalo Bill Dam,

named in honor of the Wyoming pioneer,

was a marvel of engineering for its time.

When it was constructed in 1910,

it was the highest concrete dam in the United States,

standing almost 100 meters.

In 1985, it was extended by a further eight meters.

The Shoshone proved to be a difficult river to dam,

draining a mountainous area that falls 2,000 meters

before reaching this canyon.

Several major floods carried boulders

and uprooted trees to the site,

destroying early farming.

Seven men were killed during the harsh working conditions,

leading to the first strike in Wyoming history.

A slight detour brings us

to a fascinating geological feature,

Heart Mountain.

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Its distinctive cap, at two-and-a-half thousand meters,

is made up of limestone and dolomite rocks

that are nearly 350 million years old.

Interestingly, they poke out of the base of the mountain

which is only a mere 55 million years old.

How this geological oddity was formed

goes back to around that time,

when tremendous volcanic forces

were shaping the Earth's landscape.

But the actual story starts 40 kilometers away

at Beartooth Plateau,

where a four-kilometer-thick sheet of rock

covering 1,300 square kilometers broke away,

picking up speeds of up to 160 kilometers an hour.

It took just 30 minutes for the rock to arrive

and settle in this spot.

By far, this is the largest ever known rockslide

to have occurred on land.

Over the 48 million years since the landslip,

erosion has removed most of the sheet,

exposing the rock that was once buried

deep in the Earth's crust.

The Crow Indians named the mass Heart Mountain,

comparing it to the heart of a buffalo.

The peak is also significant

as it was a major landmark featured in the maps

of the legendary explorers Lewis and Clark

in the early 1800s.

We continue our journey along a stretch

of the Shoshone River that leads us to Cody.

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Whilst the city grew as a gateway town

to Yellowstone National Park,

its roots lie firmly in cowboy and western traditions.

Yet the town does have some charming modern features

such as the Northwest College Campus in the heart of Cody

which serves as an outreach school

for the University of Wyoming.

A far older landmark is the Park County Courthouse.

It's been holding official proceedings

ever since it was built in 1912.

The Buffalo Bill Historical Center

has five museums and a research library

all dedicated to preserving the spirit

of the American West and the legacy of William Cody.

The New York Times declared this complex

as one of the nation's most remarkable museums.

The town's only major motorway leads over Beck Lake

and past the Veteran's Memorial Park

where Cody proudly commemorates

the dedicated citizens who fought

for the American Armed Forces.

The park includes several granite monuments

that honor World War II, Vietnam,

Korea, and the Gulf War veterans.

The entrance has a dedication to a Marine

who was the first American

to lose his life in the Iraq War,

also naming the street in his honor.

Buffalo Bill erected the Irma Hotel in 1902.

Named after his daughter,

it quickly acquired fame for its caliber of guests.

Today, visitors can stay in rooms

occupied by such legends as Calamity Jane

and arguably, America's first ever celebrity, Annie Oakley.

Visitors can also settle in for drinks

at the Silver Saddle Saloon

which features a cherry wood bar given to Buffalo Bill

by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

The last leg of our journey takes us over

the semi-arid wilderness of Bighorn Basin.

More than just a National Park,

it's also a rich source of fossil fuel,

making it vital to the region's economy.

The heart of Bighorn Canyon National Recreational Area

is this reservoir.

Long and narrow, Bighorn Lake stretches

the full length of the canyon,

straddling the Wyoming-Montana border.

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Conservation has made this place a premier fishing spot,

though it hasn't been without its controversies.

Water allocation between the two neighboring states

has been an issue,

as well as the reservoir's effect on the Bighorn River.

The American Congress official established

this territory as a National Recreation Area in 1965

when the construction of the Yellowtail Dam

harnessed the flow of Bighorn River.

And its here that we finish our journey,

back in the state of Montana.

Bighorn Lake snakes through these immense canyon walls

for almost 115 kilometers.

The recreation area offers visitors

a tranquil setting to explore nature, wildlife,

and even the prehistoric Bad Pass Trail

that flanks the western side.

One of the highlights is Devils Canyon Overlook

where guests can view the confluence of two canyons

which tower 300 meters above the waters.

Once a flat surface,

forces have carved the massive walls of this gorge,

presenting some of Mother Nature's most spectacular work

and a magnificent place to end this journey.

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