Black Bear Inn
Dubois, WY
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

Here's a ferocious looking black bear out in Dubois, Wyoming. Don't know if he can be classified as the world's largest, though he can certainly be in the running for world's most ferocious.

What is attention catching here is the wide-open mouth and roaring pose. This guy doesn't exactly look like he wants to cuddle. Sitting out along the highway, he does a good job of making sure you notice the Black Bear Inn.

Dubois has more than its share of roadside characters, and this bear fits right in. Between the jackalope down the road and this roaring black bear, there are plenty of reasons to slow down and take a look around town.

UPDATE: The giant black bear still stands outside the Black Bear Inn in Dubois. The inn remains open, and the roadside bear continues keeping watch along the highway, looking just as ferocious as ever. 06-26

Dinosaur
Jerome, ID
Photo and info courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Here's a big ol' dinosaur found off the highway in Jerome, ID. The sign on the bottom left corner of the photo reads 'Onyx Eggs'. It appears the implication is that they're like fossilized brontosaurus eggs or something. 08-06

What is attention catching here is the combination of the dinosaur and the onyx eggs. Whether you believed the story or not, it was a clever way to get travelers to pull over and take a closer look.

Roadside businesses have always found creative ways to attract attention, and this was one of them. Put a dinosaur next to a pile of egg-shaped rocks and suddenly you've got people wondering what they're looking at.

The dinosaur was actually located in Bliss, Idaho, about 30 miles northwest of Jerome, where it stood outside Bob's Museum, Gift, and Rock Shop. It was exactly the kind of quirky roadside attraction that made long drives a little more interesting.

UPDATE: Bob's Museum, Gift, and Rock Shop has closed, but the little dinosaur reportedly remains standing in Bliss. While travelers can no longer stop in for onyx eggs and souvenirs, the roadside dinosaur continues to survive as a reminder of one of Idaho's classic roadside stops. 06-26