Whatever you bring in, you should bring back out againpack it in pack it out. :) Purchase a step-by-step guide to this itinerary. You can tell we are best friends because we took a series of adorable selfies together and he is CLEARLY SMILING (as opposed to the photo in the middle from the beginning of our hike, where he is super suss and has not yet decided if he likes me.). For the national park lodges, we booked a few weeks in advance). We also love that Pine Lodge is eco-friendly with many sustainability initiatives in place, and offer guests complimentary bike, kayak, or SUP rentals! Down-home ranchers and honest-to-goodness cowboys. Then we headed to the Norris Basin Geyser, where the pools ranged in color from milky sky blue to emerald green. So we did, and the dog followed as promised, but.rude!!! You can learn more about wildlife respect and safety here. It was windy and the water was choppy, which made it a much more difficult journey! Find and book campsites wherever you are with ReserveAmerica or Campendium (roughly $30 a night) or use an app like Free Roam to locate Forest Service and BLM land where you can legally boondock. This time around, we tried to keep driving at a minimum outside of a few necessary travel days. So good! FOLLOW OUR PARKS RULES. When it comes to navigating unfamiliar territory especially unfamiliar wilderness territory, full of legally protected critters and forests and such it really helps to have a guide. This luxury condo in downtown Bigfork has spectacular views of Swan River, you can hear the sounds of rushing white water from the deck, and the loft bedroom has cathedral windows looking across spectacular views. Your 2nd tour option is a historical icon of Glacier National Park: the Red Buses were the first-ever motorized tour buses in a US National Park, and they have been operating since the early 1900s! We were drawn in by a shop called Latigo and Lace, which featured authentic and local artwork. Thanks for sharing all this info! A Rookies Road Trip Through Montana, Wyoming and Idaho A car-averse traveler finds freedom in the drivers seat, covering 700 miles and three states over three days. Bozeman will be your next stop from Billings. They were designed especially for the inclines and turns of Glacier National Park & Going to the Sun Road, and their unique designs have been a staple of the Park ever since. Psst:Weve also created a free, printable version of this Montana Road Trip Itinerary! From the Norris Basin, we continued on to the famous Prismatic Spring. They can only handle a few visitors at a time before the landscape and the animals start to feel the impact. The road is 50 miles long and takes about 2 hours one-way with no stopping (but youll definitely be stopping a few times, so allow yourself extra time). Of all Montana road trips, this one is perhaps the most popular (and is sometimes referred to as Glacier National Parks Road to the Sun). Roadtrip Idaho Montana Wyoming US Travel. Both boat shuttles are operated by the family-run Glacier Park Boat Company and operate from June through September. The springs, located at the top of a mountain, are reachable via a relatively short but steep hike. On the way out of town, we stopped at Fiddle Creek Fruit Stand and sampled some Huckleberry pie (eating something huckleberry is one of the must do things in the areaand we sampled our fair share by the end of the trip). This is the first night of the itinerary when we went true road trip fashion and basically drove as far as we could for the day and then started looking for a place to sleep (we hadnt booked all of our other hotels well in advance, but had a general idea of where wed end up so we booked them earlier in the day. A 12-Day Road Trip Itinerary for Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas Before we dive in here, it's important to note that this itinerary does include traversing through or near some Indigenous lands, mostly belonging to We recommend adding it to your Montana itinerary. WebCheck the road conditions from Idaho to Montana and plan a trip based on the weather along the way. There are only 100 wolves in all of Yellowstone, and some people we talked to had been working at Yellowstone for years and never saw a wolf! Our downloadable itinerary includes a handy map of all the stops, so you can save it to your phone to use even when theres no cell service and a bunch of bison are blocking the road (likely, tbh). So thanks again!! I loved following you on the trip via Instagram stories, it looked so fun! Note from Alicia: I would go back to this park a thousand times. When we got back to the car we realizedDana had locked the keys inside. There is a stage and ample seating outside where live shows are hosted in the summertime, and guests flock in from Bozeman, Livingston, and other nearby towns for the experience. If we could redo our trip, I would have gone this route. There are lots of great things to do in Whitefish for every season if you know where to look! After a few hours of biking, youve worked up an appetite for Ciao Mambo with Italian dishes big enough to share, and an Italian Nachos that will have your cardiologist running for the hills. Eat: We ate at Last Chance Pizza & Pasta in town. Another fun place to stop on the drive between Wyoming and Idaho! Even small, cute animals like chipmunks have been known to hurt humans who come too close to them. Another fantastic option we found is this cute condo, located directly in town. With that being said, it was going to be an early night with our alarms set for 4 in the morning. This craft distillery, set in a stunning 1880s era saloon, creates spirits from grain grown on the owners fathers farm in central Montana. We learned there used to be 7 volcanoes in the area, the last of which erupted 2,000 years ago. Today was one of our main driving days, which can be some of the best days of a road trip! The man who was helping hopped the fence to check the farm house a little ways up. Oooh, creepy! Here are a few highlights: Sawtooth Lake (10 miles RT, moderate rating) Pettit Lake to Twin Lakes (13 miles RT, moderate rating) Bench Lakes (7.8 miles RT, moderate rating) Alpine Lake Trail (7.4 miles RT, moderate rating) You can find tons of other hikes on AllTrails. 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); Youll need to purchase a $10 recreation permit for any outdoor activities you do on the south side of the lake, including fishing or day-hiking. I would like to spend more time digging into some of the more challenging hiking trails and exploring the Many Glacier and Medicine Road sections of the park as well. There were several people who had walked out into the brush (not on a trail or path-stupid people) looking to get a better glimpse of the animal. This looks absolutely beautiful! If you plan on hiking a must on any Western US road trip AllTrails is a great resource for locating the best trails in your area. Big Sky, like so much of Montana, is absolutely stunning, with wide-open skies, winding rivers, and purple-hued mountains in the distance. The tours run between April and October note that they are not wheelchair accessible. The drive up to glacier has the bison range just to point out something you missed. Subscribe and well send you our FREE 22-page Travel Planning Guide. Alternatively, you can rent an RV or campervan and have your shelter conveniently on wheels. We started at the north entrance and made our way to Mammoth Hot Springs. The trip begins and ends in Portland, Oregon, but spends much of the time in and around Glacier National Park in Montana. When visiting Reservations or stopping at places that appear to be Indigenous-owned (such as a trading post), look for Native-owned signage. In the morning, we joined Papa Elk (aka a male elk) for breakfast. The United States is an enormous country, and there are large swaths of sparsely populated land without cell service. They had to go take care of a parking ticket and let us borrow their board until they came back. Swan Mountain Llama Trekking makes llama dreams come true, with a farm full of friendly, well-treated llamas who basically just hang out grazing and being adorable when they arent trotting along on a hike. We had a rough plan in place prior to our trip but gave ourselves the leeway to make unexpected stops the way hence why we hit Yellowstone twice! It went FAST!! Insider tip: the wild forest mushroom and puff pastry tapas will literally change your world! We ate dinner at Applebees, where we also changed and got ready for bed in the bathroom (its about 11 PM at this point and we are brushing our teeth at an Applebees in Idahoprobably the high point of the trip). For dinner, dont miss out on the best food deal in Montana: the small plate menu at the Kandahar Lodges Snug Bar. Montana Road Trip Itinerary Summary & Map, Moon Yellowstone to Glacier National Park Road Trip, program dedicated to growing Indian tourism, Montana Indians: Their History and Location, great things to do in Whitefish for every season, efforts that are being made by the National Park Service, Where to Stay Near Yosemite National Park, 9 Awe-Inspiring Things To Do in Zion National Park, Utah: The Ultimate Guide to Zion, https://practicalwanderlust.com/yellowstone-in-winter/, https://practicalwanderlust.com/pacific-coast-highway-road-trip-itinerary/, Santa Cruz Galapagos Island Guide: What to Do, Where to Eat, & Where to Stay on Santa Cruz, Ski Trip Packing List: 32 Essentials to Pack for the Snow, Traveling with curly hair: the low maintenance guide to amazing curls abroad, Where to Stay in Barcelona (& Where NOT to), Its important to note that the south side of the lake belongs to the Flathead Reservation, home of the Salish, Pend dOreille and Kootenai Tribes. j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'? Im planning a roadtrip through Montana and Wyoming (yanno, as soon as its safe and whatnot), so I loved how in-depth your details were! The weather can change in an instant and you can experience all 4 seasons in 1 day! One of the many amazing pieces of street art in Freak Alley in Boise, Idaho. You can find it here https://practicalwanderlust.com/yellowstone-in-winter/ Hope it helps to plan your trip! Alternatively, if youll be heading back to Boise or into Wyoming from Sun Valley on your Idaho road trip itinerary, make it a point to stop by Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve for some dramatically different landscape to everything youve seen on the trip so far. Five Northern Idaho Bike Trails Quirky sights on the Montana Idaho Road Trip Coeur dAlene in Northern Idaho Harrison in Northern Idaho Flathead Lake and the Silver Dollar Bar Glacier National Park camping West Glacier National Park East Glacier National Park Garnet Ghost Town in the Montana Mountains near Glacier National Park We passed through several dying towns of boarded-up windows before driving to Twin Falls, Idaho. 6. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. You can pick up the boat to Wild Horse Island right in the heart of downtown Big Fork just make sure to call and reserve your spot in advance! Missoula was a great place to stop on a Montana road trip because it gave us a really good sense of Montana culture while also offering the conveniences of a city (like cell service!). Bryce Canyon is obviously more famous weve all seen photos of the parks breathtaking Sunrise Point but Capitol Reef received raving reviews from our friends and is far less crowded. ), 18 Restaurants in San Francisco for the Best Authentic Chinese Food, Learnings From Five Months of Travel Blogging While Working Full-Time. Yes! Of all Montana road trips, this one is perhaps the most popular (and is sometimes referred to as Glacier National Parks Road to the Sun). Road Trip through Idaho to Missoula, Montana After splashing and sunning in Lava Hot Springs and leaving our comfy digs in Idaho Falls, Idaho, we headed straight up the I-15 and then I-90 into Missoula, Montana, our home for two nights and three action packed days. It was flat and easy, with gorgeous views of the lake and the Tetons. Note: If youre planning to stay in Whitefish, we recommend considering stopping your trip through the park mid-way at Logan Pass, going for a lovely day hike we recommend the 5 mile Hidden Lake hike using the facilities at the Logan Visitor Center, and then turning around and heading back to West Glacier or Many Glacier. Multiple scenic byways, some of the most picturesque mountain views in the state, and plenty of waterfront beauty makes this road trip one you'll never forget. Here is our exact day-to-day road trip itinerary from San Francisco: Day 1: Drive from San Francisco to Stanley, Idaho (~12 hours)Day 2: Stanley, IdahoDay 3: Salmon, Idaho & Missoula, MontanaDay 4: Drive from Missoula to Big Sky, MontanaDay 5: Big Sky, Montana & Yellowstone National Park, WyomingDay 6: Livingston, MontanaDay 7: Beartooth Highway and Yellowstone National Park, WyomingDay 8: Grand Teton National Park, WyomingDay 9: Escalante, UtahDay 10: Las Vegas, NevadaDay 11: Drive from Las Vegas to San Francisco (~8 hours). The trip begins and ends in Portland, Oregon, but spends much of the time in and around Glacier National Park in Montana. Not only will you be learning about the park directly from the people who originally inhabited (and still, technically, own) it, but your tour fee will be directly supporting a Native-owned business. Our main activity was a visit to the Goldbug Hot Springs in the Salmon-Challis National Forest. Here are a few highlights: Sawtooth Lake (10 miles RT, moderate rating) Pettit Lake to Twin Lakes (13 miles RT, moderate rating) Bench Lakes (7.8 miles RT, moderate rating) Alpine Lake Trail (7.4 miles RT, moderate rating) You can find tons of other hikes on AllTrails. Within this guide, weve kept our suggestions for specific spots within Glacier National Park to a minimum to honor this principle. Montana is stunning and, of course, wed love to visit Glacier National Park. We stopped first to walk through Freak Alley, an awesome display of street art and fun thing to do in Boise, and then got appetizers and drinks at Juniper (potatoes of course) and Chandlers, a fancy steakhouse. Road Trip through Idaho to Missoula, Montana After splashing and sunning in Lava Hot Springs and leaving our comfy digs in Idaho Falls, Idaho, we headed straight up the I-15 and then I-90 into Missoula, Montana, our home for two nights and three action packed days. If you cant maybe theyll put up with you at Disney Land. Day 3: Missoula, Montana to Glacier National Park. Even our new downtown 3-level parking garage gets full now. We do have a Yellowstone in winter post, the activities are wintery but of course some can be adapted for all seasons! Please also be courteous and wear a mask where required. At a restaurant in small-town Idaho, we had a lengthy conversation with a man about his stockpile of 100 guns, the 300+ gophers he killed with his 5-year-old grandson on a recent hunt, and his belief that the standoff between liberals and conservatives will end in a bloody civil war. The entire state is a paradise for anyone who loves hiking, swimming, or anything outdoorsy. Missoula has a plethora of hotels so we booked a Comfort Inn near downtown on our way into town. We even included a map to make things extra helpful. Whoops! About halfway through our drive back we had our second animal encounter. Day 15 Flathead Lake, MT drive to Whitefish, MT. Copyright 2020 Dots on a Map | All Rights Reserved, A Stinky Tofu Adventure on Shenkeng Old Street, Everything You Need to Know About Taiwanese Beef, An Unexpected Exotic Food Tour: Exploring Mercado de, Where to Eat in Mexico City: Best Restaurants,, The Ultimate Guide to Eating Your Way Through, The Best Street Art in San Francisco: Mission, Where to Find the Best New Orleans Street, 22 Photos of Awesome Mexico City Street Art, Tulum Street Art Photo Tour (And Exactly Where, Escalante was the last part of the continental U.S. to be mapped, 10 Spots in San Francisco for Instagram-Worthy Photos. This route in winter post, the activities are wintery but of course some can be of. Has the bison range just to point out something you missed the weather can change in an instant and can! A few necessary Travel days small, cute animals like chipmunks have been to! 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