Need some help planning your next adventure? We would like to spend a few days in Seattle and Portland at the start, aswell as a lake in Montana for a few days at the end. 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. Or this comfortable condo in Marina Cay with a master bedroom that looks SO cosy. Whats the difference between a cave and a cavern? A cave is any cavity in the ground that does not receive sunlight, while a cavern is a type of cave that includes stalagmites and stalactites. Llamas take a very long time to go to the bathroom. We thought we made it on time, but when we went to the rental desk, we were told it was 81 degrees outside. A bear ready for a dip in Hells Canyon. It is going to be crowded, people are going to be annoying. We recommend staying somewhere walkable, so youll want to base yourself close to downtown on either side of the river. People have a lot to say about Vegas, but in my opinion, you just gotta enjoy it for what it is: a tacky fabulous adult Disneyland. You can drive Going to the Sun Road yourself in your own vehicle. Awesome. Clear Sky. (The verdict is still out on whether they are actually their own type of berry, or just wild blueberries, but dont tell a local that.). The Ultimate Yellowstone in Winter Guide: Everything You Need to Know, How to Be a More Responsible Tourist: a Travelers Guide to Ethical Tourism, The Perfect 10-Day Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary: Utah Mighty 5 Road Trip Guide, The Perfect 2-Day Glacier National Park Itinerary, 14 Epic Things to do in Yosemite National Park, California, Copyright 2023, Practical Wanderlust. If youve never tried to change from a wet bathing suit into comfy driving clothes on the side of a road, well, youre missing out. We headed to the Target across the street (6 minutes before it closed) for pillows and blankets (we took the extra 30 seconds to get blankets that matched our houses, obviously). WebThe route to here from Bear Lake weaves along the Idaho/Wyoming border through Jackson, Wyoming, and passes west of another popular local destination, Grand Teton National Park, before ending in West Yellowstone, Montana. 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. The story of the horses on Wild Horse Island is that the Salish-Kootenai tribe kept their horses on the island to keep them safe from being stolen by other tribes. 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.). Weve got an itinerary for the California bit of it to help you plan: https://practicalwanderlust.com/pacific-coast-highway-road-trip-itinerary/. 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). Minus the ostentatious Trump 2020 banners hanging on some of the houses, of course. BEHAVE YOURSELVES and be GOOD VISITORS and youll be welcomed. 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. Because we didnt have the special tickets to enter the road during normal hours, we couldnt check out the east side of the park until after 5PM so we decided to hike up the road itself for a little bit, which was a great call. (note from Alicia: Who in 2021 locks a car from the door and not from the keys!?). The trip begins and ends in Portland, Oregon, but spends much of the time in and around Glacier National Park in Montana. During my trip I spoke with a Montana state government employee involved in developing Indigenous tourism, who shared some of the challenges faced at the State level. Day 5: Glacier National Park to Helena, Montana. Ive made the common road trip mistake of trying to pack too many stops into a short time period. We only had one day scheduled in the park so we only had one shot to make it in before they stopped letting un-ticketed cars in at 6! The drive from Idaho Falls to Missoula is gorgeous. WebThe route to here from Bear Lake weaves along the Idaho/Wyoming border through Jackson, Wyoming, and passes west of another popular local destination, Grand Teton National Park, before ending in West Yellowstone, Montana. At least about 1/3 of the license plates we see are from out of state. You can rent one from somebody who does on RVShare! So cool! With so many people road-tripping, the prices were exorbitant so it was challenging for the budget-conscious traveler. For a shortcut version, you can take the Chief Two Guns shuttle boat across Swiftcurrent Lake, board the Morning Eagle to shuttle across Lake Josephine, and then hike a 3.6-mile hike to Grinnell Glacier. It was also our first adventure since Danas fun hospital visit in Ecuador so we decided a US road trip was the way to go. 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). Day 3: Missoula, Montana to Glacier National Park. Here you go! Day 6: Helena, Montana to Yellowstone National Park, Alicia ready to slide down the Beaver slide at the Lewis and Clark Caverns. Spend your last meal saying goodbye to Montana at PLONK Wine. I would have never imagined Montana a place I would want to visit but you have me convinced I will love it! We stayed safely far away and used our zoom lens to capture photos of them instead! Thanks to stuff like this, we have been found out, and our quiet lives have been forever disrupted. But if you wait until after school starts, youll be able to enjoy a much less crowded park and absolutely perfect weather! When we were done with our hike, it was lunch time. We headed over to the dune and met another family with 2 sleds. International Selkirk Loop, 6373 Bonner St, Bonners Ferry, ID 83805, USA 4. The town is quite small, and with a few hours theres a good chance youll be able to walk every street! The ladies at the front desk informed us that they had no rooms available, and as far as they knew there were no rooms anywhere between Idaho Falls and Boise (3 hours away and our final destination for the trip). Follow along for an epic Idaho road trip through Ketchum, Stanley, Salmon, Missoula (a little side trip to Montana), Coeur dAlene, and McCall. Its always better to see fewer destinations more completely than more destinations incompletely. And by the way, Glacier is now going to restrict access, and initiate an online reservation system to get into the park, that you need to reserve at least 30, possibly 60 days in advance. Your next destination is Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater natural lake west of the Mississippi! The town is a gateway to Yellowstone National Park. This summer, we took a 10-day road trip through the Western United States, hitting Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, and briefly passing through Utah and Nevada on the way back to San Francisco. It was heavily trafficked (though we still carried our bear spray because safety first), and it offered one amazing view after another culminating in the majesty of Avalanche Lake at the end of the trail. Apart from that, the rest of the trip is completely flexible. ), 18 Restaurants in San Francisco for the Best Authentic Chinese Food, Learnings From Five Months of Travel Blogging While Working Full-Time. It was the perfect stopping point for a quick mile hike and a dip in the relaxing, warm spring water. Its also a destination with much to offer those who stay for a We recommend staying at Pine Lodge, located right on the Whitefish River and a 3-minute drive to downtown. You can also turn this road trip into a fantastic RV trip, complete with some of the best RV camping the country has to offer in Glacier National Park. In 2016 we quit our jobs, put our stuff in storage, and took off on a (disastrous) year-long honeymoon. If youre interested in experiencing Indian Country during your visit to Montana, I recommend reading through this booklet or browsing this site! Or, you can charter a boat shuttle. We took a rather long detour on our stop to Glacier National Park at the National Bison Range in Charlo, Montana. But nothing was going to keep up from experiencing the wonders of Glacier National Park! Whatever you bring in, you should bring back out againpack it in pack it out. It was the perfect place to stay for the night in this tiny, charming western town. The goal of the cultural center is to dispel myths and stereotypes about Native Americans, and its well worth a stop! The pass also gets you free parking at all federal recreation areas. 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. Yellowstone travel tip: keep your distance from the wildlife! We spent our afternoon hiking to the Escalante Natural Bridge, which we had all to ourselves. 6. It also serves By the time we got ready to canoe back, a storm was starting to roll in. Your next stop on the road will explore the rich Indigenous history of Montana at The Peoples Center. Follow along for an epic Idaho road trip through Ketchum, Stanley, Salmon, Missoula (a little side trip to Montana), Coeur dAlene, and McCall. If youre lusting for more libations (and maybe something a little less fancy) check out the happy hour at The Bulldog for Huckleberry Wings and cheap beer. Its the cutest, weirdest thing. We started our Idaho road trip from Boise to Glacier National Park in Montana with a stop in Riggins, Idaho. WebTrip: Big Sky (Washington, Idaho, Montana) TakeMyTrip.com The Big Sky Trip An adventure in the Pacific Northwest The Big Sky trip is a 10-night driving trip to the northwestern United States. We also learned quickly that the beautiful scenic views came with a lack of cell service so for anyone planning this drive, download a couple playlists and pick up a paper map in advance. As the day went on, the skies began to clear and we were able to experience the sheer beauty of the park. While our itinerary includes 2 days in Glacier NP, if youre planning to spend more time there or youd like to bookend this trip itinerary with a trip to Yellowstone, these two guides are essential. We continued on our way until stopping for the night in Helena, Montana. The next two stops, Snake River Overlook and Oxbow Bend, had gorgeous views of the Tetons and Snake River. While we were waiting for him, a pick up truck pulled up to us and the driver yelled Let him go, hell follow!. We arrived at the Big Iron Motel just before 9 (and it was still light outside!) It was the perfect way to end the first day of the Wyoming portion of our road trip. The next morning we explored the town of Riggins (population 401) and ate lunch at Kates Cattlemens Homestyle Cooking, where we were served by Kate herself (get the biscuits and gravy, youll thank us later)! The weather in Montana is fickle, and its not uncommon to experience all 4 seasons in the course of a day during the summer and fall. Today, we share down-to-earth travel tips from our many (mis)adventures on our blog and podcast! Flathead Lake is also home to its very own resident monster. My trip to Montana, which was hosted by a State tourism bureau, was eye-opening; I realized how little I know about our American Indian neighbors and the ways in which my country (and by extension, myself) are still, today, complicit in oppressing Indigenous culture and communities. Well also send our favorite travel tips straight to your inbox! We recommend adding it to your Montana itinerary. One of the best ways to get the full Idaho experience is to road trip through the state. And how cute is Boxcar the Llama?! Its NSFW bathrooms are just part of the quintessential dive bar charm! We arrived at the Glacier Haven RV Park & Campground in the early evening. I was lucky enough to have a lakeside room, and that view was everything. Ice-capped mountains dominating lush valleys. 2021 Update: Unfortunately The Peoples Center suffered a devastating fire and has been relocated to St. Ignatius. I also loved your post on the Galapagosused it for my own trip and it was super helpful! A good rule of thumb is to aim for under four hours of driving per day so you have time to enjoy your destination. Detour to Garnet Ghost TownOn our way to Big Sky from Missoula, we stopped at Garnet Ghost Town, a former mining town active from the late 1800s to the end of World War I. Jackson, the closest town, is crowded and expensive. Although your adventurous friends Jen and Ed probably felt that they were doing a good thing by highlighting our town of Whitefish, the bummer for the residents of Whitefish is that our town has been TOTALLY overwhelmed with tourists the last few years. The cocktails are boujie yet surprisingly affordable be sure to try the smoky grapefruit! Site by, 30 Things Nobody Tells You About Quitting Your Job to Travel, 32 Things Nobody Tells You About Long Term Travel as a Couple, 30 Things No One Tells You About Backpacking in South America, The Ultimate Montana Road Trip: Detailed 10-Day Itinerary. Georgies Outdoor Mexican Cafe has a quesadilla bursting with melted cheese and generously portioned fish tacos. WebCheck the road conditions from Idaho to Montana and plan a trip based on the weather along the way. Relaxing, warm spring water Escalante natural Bridge, which we had all to ourselves able to every! 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