Emigrant, Montana, 2026

The 5 million annual visitors to Yellowstone National Park can arrive from the north, south, west and east. The roads from Cody in the east and Jackson in the south travel through rural Wyoming. Whilst the visuals are strong, there are not many frontier towns to break up the journey and add breadth to a story.

Meanwhile, West Yellowstone offers the most popular gateway which is why there are 16 modular type motels scattered across a bleak service led town. It is a town to drive through, not dwell in.

However, the road down from Livingston, Montana, in the North is visually blessed and gives the visitor a free hit before even getting close to the park. Paradise Valley is Western Montana at its outrageous best and there are many fabled resting points along the way. Drivers don't have to pay to go on this road, but I sense that they should.

The most famous watering hole on the way south is the Old Saloon in Emigrant, which sits on the banks of the Yellowstone River. Established in 1902, this is an authentic Marlboro Man saloon and as good an example as any of why the American West is a lead component in the Americana jigsaw.

The Old Saloon cannot be missed because the indecently large billboard grabs the eye from some way off. I always sensed there was a photograph here - especially in the late afternoon light - and my leaning was to play to the location and its people. This is cowboy country and this is also the road to Yellowstone where the wolf packs are one of the many attractions.

We are very grateful to the new owners of the Old Saloon - Matt and Melody Ferstler - for inviting us to pay homage to one of America's great road trip resting points.