Somewhere on the Beartooth Highway the trees give up, and at the place called Top of the World you are standing in a landscape that belongs to the sky. The plateau is a rolling tundra of grass, sedge and tiny flowers, with granite boulders, snowfields and small lakes, and the horizon is mountains in every direction. At more than ten thousand feet it feels like a different planet from the Montana prairie far below, and the wind carries a sharpness that makes you reach for another layer.
This is the Beartooth Plateau, the largest high-altitude plateau in the contiguous United States, a block of ancient granite that was scoured by glaciers and holds some of the oldest exposed rock in North America. Hundreds of small lakes sit in the hollows, and in July the tundra bursts into colour with alpine forget-me-nots, moss campion and paintbrush. Mountain goats can be seen on the slopes, marmots whistle from the rocks, and pikas squeak from piles of stones. The air is thin and cold, and clouds can form and dissolve within minutes.
The highway that crosses it, US 212, was opened in the 1930s and has been called the most beautiful drive in America by a famous television journalist. It climbs from Red Lodge in Montana in a spectacular series of switchbacks and crosses the plateau before dropping toward Wyoming. It is a seasonal road, usually open from late spring to mid-autumn, and snow can fall on any day of the year, so check conditions before you go. The surface is generally good, but frost heaves, gravel and sudden fog or sleet can catch riders out. Start early, dress for winter in July, and watch for wildlife and tourists stopping suddenly.
A small store and lodge sometimes operate at the Top of the World stop in summer, but you cannot count on them. Red Lodge, about twenty-seven kilometres below, is a lively little town with petrol stations, restaurants and shops, and it is the place to fill the tank and eat well before the climb. On the other side, Cooke City has limited services. Carry water, snacks and a rain jacket.
Stay a moment in the quiet and watch the clouds move across the tundra. It is one of the great places to feel small.