Towering peaks, rushing rivers, shimmering lakes - this Rockies RV trip is steeped in splendour. As co-pilot for my husband Brent, I'm constantly reminded of how small we are in the big universal picture.

Day 1 - From Vancouver, we cross the Peace Arch Border, head down I-5 to Lynwood and get onto I-90 at Bellevue. For the next two days, this scenic byway takes us all the way to Belgrade, Montana.

Like a roving picture show, the terrain entertains. Golden flatlands, rolling hills and sprawling farmland are broken up by townships - from two-bit drive-bys like Ritzville and Sprague to the major hubs of Ellensburg and Spokane. Although Cour d'Alene is our goal for the first night, plenty of campground options pepper this route.
Drive time: 8 hours. Distance: 700 km

Day 2 - We slice through Idaho's northwest section and within an hour drive through Montana's interchangeable landscapes: lush forests, barren fields, and big sky. The highway eventually follows Little Blackwood River and, in the distance, we see the tall stack of once-thriving Anaconda Mines. In its glory days, the nearby city of Butte was thought to be the richest copper hill on earth. Today, while surrounded by Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, it offers allure of a different kind.

At Belgrade, we take Highway 191, eventually veer onto Highway 291 and mosey into Big Sky country where campgrounds abound. Beneath a canopy of evergreens, we cozy up for our second night.
Drive time: 7.5 hours. Distance: 640 km

Day 3-8 Yellowstone National
A short drive away is the border of Wyoming and Yellowstone's west gate ($25 fee also covers Grand Teton National).

We're soon blown away by the magnitude of this 2.2 million-acre adventure playground that's also home to over 10,000 thermal features, 300 geysers, 290 waterfalls and 60 different mammal species.

The park is divided into five sections, each offer lodging, dining and shops. There are 12 campgrounds ($20/night): seven are "first come, first serve" and five accept reservations (up to a year in advance).

We pull into Norris, a popular 116-siter, and even before we set up, Mother Nature puts on her show. Billowy grasslands, scored by the S-shaped Gibbon River, sprawl out beyond our fire pit. Hawks swoop above the golden maze, ducks waddle in the reedy shorelines, and a big, hairy bison grazes peacefully in the distance. At the turn of the 20th century, these buffalo-like creatures were nearly extinct. Today, at Yellowstone, they're a dime a dozen.

We pass more the next day while heading to Mammoth Hot Springs and, thanks to the ample pull outs, can snap and shoot from the safety of our vehicle.

Our roadway does a full circle, past the basalt columns of Sheep Eater Cliff, a 50 million year-old petrified tree, the lava-carved Calcite Canyon and the renowned springs, where spewing calcium and travertine beautifies the terraced stone.

Over the next three Yellowstone days, we move twice, first to Bridge Bay Campground that overlooks Yellowstone Lake, then to Grant Village where we're enshrouded by pines. From each park-like setting, we're able to take in more that this recreation king has to offer: Hayden Valley's wildlife, some of the 1,770 km of hiking trails, and countless hydrothermal features.

A visit wouldn't be complete without seeing the main attraction - the geyser that's been active every 90 minutes for more than 120 years. And just like clockwork, as we wait with cameras focused, it doesn't let us down. Old Faithful lives up to its name and erupts again.

Day 9 - A short scenic drive links Yellowstone to Grand Teton National, and though we hope to also check out this park's natural wonders, by the time we get to its south entrance, clouds blanket the towering peaks. Disappointed, we motor east in search of clearer conditions.

On Highway 287, we bisect Turpin Meadow recreation area, ascend Togwotee Pass, and cleave through Shoshone National Forest.

Dubois, once a rendezvous point for French and Indian trappers, is now a welcoming town that serves up a great cappuccino. Beyond, its red rock embrace, the land dramatically opens to an inland plain. In spite of all the photos we take, it's impossible to capture the magnitude - truly a landscape made for westerns.

The turnoff to Bull Lake becomes Highway 287 and we gradually climb out of the flatlands en route to Lander. Fort Washakie, the gravesite of Sacajawea, who, in the 1860s, was instrumental in the Lewis and Clark expedition, is worth another stop.

Lander is big enough for McDonalds, and Twin Pines RV Park boasts manicured pull-ins. But we keep on trucking - past Muddy Gap, through the Great Divide Basin, and the city of Rawlins. Finally, we reach our destination for the night - Saratoga Lakeshore Campground. And for $7/night, ($10 for hook up) we have a lakefront site, where the waterfowl entertain and the Medicine Bow Range provides a stunning backdrop.
Drive Time: 6 hours. Distance: 400 km

Day 10 - Sleepy Saratoga has lots of character and all is dressed in a western facade. After a short browse and buy, we hit the road again and, within an hour, we pass into colourful Colorado!

A string of campgrounds dot the way from Willow Creek to Granby - Denver Creek, Buffalo Creek, Cabin Creek. No matter which creek we choose, the view from our RV door will be gorgeous. But instead, we motor onward.

Junction 34 leads to Grand Lake, a sapphire beauty, steeped with history and tourist schlock. We stroll along the boardwalks, pick up souvenirs and meander through the museum. Although this lakeshore jewel has lots to offer, just a short drive away is Rocky Mountain National, where more treasures await!
Drive time: 3 hours Distance: 180 km

Day 11-14 - If Yellowstone is all about geysers, Rocky Mountain is all about altitude. 768 kilometres of hiking trails scroll its 265,770 acres; a quarter of which snake above the treeline. All five campgrounds and visitors centres sit above the 2,438-metre mark and are linked together by heaven-bound roads, making accessibility possible for everyone.

Trail Ridge Road is the main artery that bridges the east to the west. It ascends quickly from the valley and cleaves through the alpine tundra, where we're given sweeping panoramas. On our final day, we pull into the Tundra Communities; a trailhead that's aptly coined "Rooftop of the Rockies." Although only a kilometre, round trip, I feel colder and weaker with each plodding step. But, like the rest of this holiday, after toughing it out, there's soon a reward. Even before we summit, there is a 360-degree vista of the forever-unfolding peaks. Many are topped with snow, some are pocketed with lakes and all rise majestically from lush valleys below. It's breathtaking (both literally and figuratively) and without a doubt, is another Rocky Mountain high!

IF YOU GO:

Yellowstone National Park - www.yellowstonenationalpark.com
Rocky Mountain National Park - rockymountainnationalpark.com

AUGUST 2011 SENIOR LIVING MAGAZINE VANCOUVER & LOWER MAINLAND