The Island is actually a state park, and home to several wild horses plus bighorn sheep, mule deer, songbirds, waterfowl, bald eagles, and falcons. It is a must-do. We traveled through Montana as the trees and mountains gave way to vast farmlands. Torreys 33F. Clear Sky. I also appreciate the section at the beginning with resources to learn more about Montanas Indigenous communities and how to support them as well! 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. Although the parks had been fairly crowded this whole time (Yellowstone more so than Glacier), this is the first time it began to feel a bit too touristy. Big Sky, like so much of Montana, is absolutely stunning, with wide-open skies, winding rivers, and purple-hued mountains in the distance. Today, youll be spending the day hiking with a very special friend: a llama! An excellent reminder, and we couldnt agree more! Downtown Missoula is quite walkable, so pick a place to eat from this curated list and explore the town on foot! A bear ready for a dip in Hells Canyon. Today, we share down-to-earth travel tips from our many (mis)adventures on our blog andpodcast! Need some help planning your next adventure? From the summer season all the way through September, Whitefish Mountain Resort (formerly known as Big Mountain) offers weather permitting outdoor adventure! The scenery at Pine Creek Lake is stunning, but boy, do you have to work for it. Obviously. Youll have easy access to the boutique specialty shops and galleries in town, and still within reach of all the outdoor activities. No dont be sorry, its SO helpful to get reader feedback like this letting us know things have changed or are no longer the way we experienced or described them! Insider tip: try the cheeseburger pizza! And in the second installation of whats the difference between we learned: Whats the difference between a farm and a ranch?. To protect visitors and the park, there are a few key pointers to follow: Geotagging seems natural to many of us millennialswe want to share the cool things we see when we are traveling! Apart from that, the rest of the trip is completely flexible. It was fun though, and Im glad we got to try it. We passed a kayaker who told us to keep a lookout for a black bear he had just seen not too far from where we were going so we quietly paddled by and tried to catch a glimpse but he had disappeared back into the woods. As we were walking around, we were drawn to music and ended up catching the tail end of a free, outdoor show by the band Afrosonics. This will come in handy as you drive and includes the map in case your cell service is awful! We each had our own twin bed (the most comfy beds of the whole trip!) How bout the kettle house amphitheater and seeing show how bout rafting a river. This revelation resulted in frequent singings of Oh give me a home, where the Bison roam throughout the remainder of the trip. About halfway there, we had our first animal encounter - a dog darted out in front of our car. All around high-quality food in a rustic but modern wild west ambiance. Awesome. There are several historic railroad lodges located within Glacier National Park, and we had a chance to stay at a few of them during our trip. Its also a destination with much to offer those who stay for a 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. With so many gorgeous scenic byways and charming rural towns to stop in along the way, the journey can be as much of a draw as the destinations themselves. 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. I dont have all the answers, but as someone involved in driving tourism and educating visitors, the least I can do is share what Ive learned. We sampled some wines (he joined us because why not!?) Another fun place to stop on the drive between Wyoming and Idaho! 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. It is going to be crowded, people are going to be annoying. We got to view Jackson Glacier, one of the few glaciers left at Glacier National Park and watch the sun starting to set over St. Mary Lake. Then we crossed back over the border and found a perfect place to stop on the drive between Wyoming and Idaho: Idaho Falls for some yummy Huckleberry Ice Cream at Reeds Dairy. Additionally, my trip was hosted by Glacier Country, Montana. All of a sudden, we saw her pounce up from behind a ridge, just inches away from 2 of the male tourists. After Salmon, we drove to Missoula, a funky college town of 75,000 that we loved. Photo Credit: Idaho Tourism Jet boating, Hells Canyon. How about a thank you, Hanks dad!? We typically try to visit popular or overtouristed destinations during the offseason to minimize our impact and prefer to recommend the same to our readers. Day 3-4 of your Montana Road Trip: Bozeman. 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. And yes: there are llamas. The springs, located at the top of a mountain, are reachable via a relatively short but steep hike. The goal of the cultural center is to dispel myths and stereotypes about Native Americans, and its well worth a stop! Road conditions from Idaho to Montana. On Saturday morning, we checked out the citys weekly farmers market, which we read is a must during any visit to Missoula. Boise was actually the only place we could find a rental car. The trip begins and ends in Portland, Oregon, but spends much of the time in and around Glacier National Park in Montana. A bear ready for a dip in Hells Canyon. Im from Montana, and this is so important but not talked about nearly enough. The town was apparently poppin in its heyday and had no less than thirteen saloons. 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. There are a few options for exploring Going to the Sun Road. There are only two tour operators driving this route. Heres what we did in Stanley: Stay: The Sawtooth Hotel is a charming and relatively budget-friendly option. Day 3: Missoula, Montana to Glacier National Park. We dubbed Boise the Orlando of the West as the downtown areas are very similar. Lumbering bears, moose, bison, and llamas. Once we got ahold of him though, we werent sure what to do! Down-home ranchers and honest-to-goodness cowboys. So cool! We have included a few excellent options in our itinerary. With so many gorgeous scenic byways and charming rural towns to stop in along the way, the journey can be as much of a draw as the destinations themselves. Until next time. Both boat shuttles are operated by the family-run Glacier Park Boat Company and operate from June through September. There are lots of great things to do in Whitefish for every season if you know where to look! Locals openly carry guns at family-friendly tourist destinations, and, I assume, elsewhere. We figured, worst-case scenario, we would be paying double what we had been paying alreadybut worth it for a little bit more flexibility during the day. Plus, there are miles of scenic hiking trails up and down the mountain. And yes: there are llamas. After a long day of exploring, dinner at Grille 459 is exactly what you need to refuel and get ready for your trip back to the big city in the morning. On the road, we did some quick research (when we were lucky enough to get reception between the trees and mountains in the middle of nowhere) and found the Weir Creek Hot Springs in Clearwater National Forest on our route to Montana. 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. Day 1: Drive from San Francisco to Stanley, Idaho (~12 hours) Day 2: Stanley, Idaho Day 3: Salmon, Idaho & Missoula, Montana Day 4: Drive from Missoula to Big Sky, Montana Day 5: Big Sky, Montana & Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming Day 6: Livingston, Montana Day 7: Beartooth Highway and Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 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. The beautiful thing about visiting Whitefish particularly in August & September is that you have easy access to the town, lake, and mountain in one neat little package. Me either. Even this winter, for the first time the traffic was worse than it ever has been. It was crowded, as we expected, but we stayed a ways back and got a leg up on a log for a good view of the show. Follow along for an epic Idaho road trip through Ketchum, Stanley, Salmon, Missoula (a little side trip to Montana), Coeur dAlene, and McCall. Please try again. 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 And how cute is Boxcar the Llama?! Until next time. 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. Be sure to book your boat shuttles in advance! Not an ideal situation, but you have to be flexible on a road trip! Montana has so much to offer including its crown jewel, Glacier National Park and weve designed the perfect 10-day Montana road trip itinerary through Western Montana, complete with details to help you plan each step of your trip. And Im so glad the rest of the itinerary was helpful Im glad you had a good trip! Ive removed them from our post! Todays your recovery day in between hikes, so youll be taking a slow, leisurely drive around scenic Flathead Lake! You will pass through St. Ignatius on your road trip so be sure to stop off and check out the new Three Chiefs Culture Centre. Ive made the common road trip mistake of trying to pack too many stops into a short time period. 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). We had to wait in a long line just to get up close enough to see the spring, and then we had to keep the line moving, so we didnt really even get to enjoy it. Which stop on our itinerary are you most excited about? Do you have suggestions for Yellowstone or an itinerary that would be best to see both? Our itinerary included three out of the five most conservative states in America Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho and I now know what it feels like to experience culture shock in my own country. Still, Im not sure I would choose this trail again as it was crowded and there is a large portion that runs alongside a road. Day 10: Twin Falls, Idaho to Boise, Idaho, Our car bed was actually not too bad. Youll be able to do and see so much more compared to the rest of the year. We had no cell service, and there was no one around. Clear Sky. Our final itinerary: 3 states, 3 national parks, 1 national monument, 2 state parks and 2,000 miles driven in our trusty steed, Huckleberry. Sightsee at Idaho's Greatest Natural Wonders Google Map katie wheeler/Flickr A waitress showed us a photo of herself at four months old next to a bear her father had just killed. Here are a few more excellent resources for self-education: Lets get to the good stuff! Our brainstorming and researching along the way paid off, as we learned we WOULD be able to access Going to the Sun Road IF we arrived before 6 AM or after 5 PM. Be careful, though: if you time your trip too late in September, everything in Glacier National Park will begin shutting down because of snow (yes, that early)! After closing that place down, we went next door to a little Italian place for dinner (which closed at 9), and then ended the evening down the street at Lewis and Clark Brewering (which closed at the very late hour of 10 PM). The town is a gateway to Yellowstone National Park. Insider Tip: Visiting Montana in the fall is all about flexibility. 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. (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.). 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. Pine Lodges complimentary bike rentals are the perfect way to explore Whitefish. We were very happy to see our new cabin was much larger (3 beds with 2 separate rooms!) We really appreciate it! We started at the north entrance and made our way to Mammoth Hot Springs. Its an area of incredible natural beauty, isnt it? The shuttles are ADA accessible and make several stops, but take about the same amount of time as driving your personal vehicle. Huckleberries are a Montana Thing, and youll want to make it a point to eat them in as many different forms as you can while youre in Montana! The town is a gateway to Yellowstone National Park. Dont know what a huckleberry is? After breakfast, spend a few hours strolling around downtown Whitefish, taking in all its charm and shopping opportunities. Today was one of our main driving days, which can be some of the best days of a road trip! Lets go! That all sounds amazing, I would love to get back to Montana and experience more! It was a nice way to kick things off with cold Idaho beers and world-famous Idaho potatoes in the form of french fries at Bittercreek Ale House. My partner and I went there today and we felt extremely uncomfortable and upset. Today was another driving day from Wyoming to Idaho and our first stop was the Snake River Brewing Company in Jackson Hole. 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. 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. Or, you can charter a boat shuttle. It was another awesome Alicia & Dana Adventure! We moved along quickly because we wanted to make sure we made it out to the main road before it was completely dark. What do you suggest? We were exhausted and crashed quickly. Its also a destination with much to offer those who stay for a 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. Required fields are marked *. If we had booked months in advance, Im sure we would have saved money but we would have lost out on the flexibility that makes road trips such fun adventures. We became best friends by the end of the hike and it made my entire life. Driving time: 45 Minutes from Whitefish, or 3 hours from Many Glacier. Oooh, creepy! Whats the difference between a national park and a national monument? The primary difference is the reason for preserving the land. Its the perfect celebration of locally sourced Montana cuisine! I would write about Las Vegas, but really, what hasnt been said about it already? They were also aggressively anti-mask. Doing this will spare you both money and time during long stretches of driving and help you eat a little healthier. I also loved your post on the Galapagosused it for my own trip and it was super helpful! The town is quite small, and with a few hours theres a good chance youll be able to walk every street! We enjoyed our meal with a nice view of the sun setting over Jackson Lake and had our first local beer (a local beer and a local meal is our required criteria for getting to claim having been to a place). We were only able to make it about a third of the way through since a chunk of the road in the middle was closed. Llamas take a very long time to go to the bathroom. Running all the way from West Glacier to East Glacier, the road winds through the valleys before suddenly plunging upwards and climbing turn by turn through the mountains of Glacier National Park, with views of sweeping U-shaped valleys and aquamarine lakes around every corner. So yeah, enjoy your visit. Then we headed to the Norris Basin Geyser, where the pools ranged in color from milky sky blue to emerald green. We took our road trip at the height of summer, and I highly recommend anyone considering a visit to this region to travel during this time. But if you wait until after school starts, youll be able to enjoy a much less crowded park and absolutely perfect weather! '&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= We asked our adventurous friends Jen & Ed from Coleman Concierge, who lived in Whitefish for many years, to help us create the best itinerary for your 2 days in Whitefish! We had many hmmm.should we move here? moments during our visit. We headed back to our lodge where we (annoyingly) had to change rooms, since there were no rooms available 2 nights in a row. 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!). 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. WebDay 14 Day at Flathead Lake, MT. Neither did we but the kind owner at the fruit stand took pity on our eastern palates and let us sample huckleberry jam before we bought the pie. Everythings coming up Dana & Alicia! It went FAST!! Taking a guided tour is a fantastic option for Going to the Sun Road because it allows you to sit back and take in the views while learning about the history of the park and the flora and fauna that inhabit it. Be warnedthis trail is not for the faint of heart, but you will be rewarded with some of the best views Montana has to offer. Ahh, Glacier National Park. Today, we share down-to-earth travel tips from our many (mis)adventures on our blog and podcast! Do you condone those messages? For the national park lodges, we booked a few weeks in advance). 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. The tickets were open at 8:00 that morningand were gone by 8:03. Obviously, there are many other options at all price ranges. It is a beautiful, scenic spot. At 2 hours due west on I-90, Bozeman has a college town vibe with growing art, music, and food scenes. This was one of the biggest cities we had been to so far, so we had high hopes of finding a room. While we were waiting for him, a pick up truck pulled up to us and the driver yelled Let him go, hell follow!. Youre welcome. Is it less disruptive to visit Whitefish during the day but stay elsewhere? The food is amazing literally everything on the menu is incredible and the drinks are fantastic. A good rule of thumb is to aim for under four hours of driving per day so you have time to enjoy your destination. :) Purchase a step-by-step guide to this itinerary. Then we went back to the Holiday Inn where the front desk ladies were nice enough to sneak us a key card so we could use the bathroom in the middle of the night if needed. And yes: there are llamas. Your email address will not be published. But one of them stood out above all the rest: Many Glacier Hotel. I didnt realize that thank you so much for bringing it to our attention. Unfortunately we here in Montana have our fair share of right-wingers. I havent been to The Peoples Center, but will definitely be checking it out when were home next year. Montana wasnt on my bucket list yet but your post convinced me . Our final itinerary: 3 states, 3 national parks, 1 national monument, 2 state parks and 2,000 miles driven in our trusty steed, Huckleberry. We found a hotel a couple miles from downtown and had enough time for Alicia to squeeze in a quick run before heading out for dinner. We spent another relaxing evening having dinner and drinks with the Tetons. We of course went out for some dinner and beer sampling at Tamarack Brewing before calling it a night. Day 15 Flathead Lake, MT drive to Whitefish, MT. She stays in touch with her Taiwanese side largely via food, and loves to cook, eat, and discover new dishes around the globe. Its definitely something travelers (especially in the Americas) need to be more conscious of! We also found another great place to see on the drive back to Boise in Arco, Idaho, the first city in the world to be lit by atomic power. We decided to drive through the park anyway just to see the dunes. Wild Horse Island is a totally unique Montana destinationand the name says it all. This time around, we tried to keep driving at a minimum outside of a few necessary travel days. We continued our way down Going to the Sun Road, enjoying the many scenic turnouts along the way. This consisted of a windy, scenic drive (poor Huckleberry was a champ struggling on the inclined, unpaved roads), LOTS of bison sightings, and two short hikes with gorgeous views. Youll learn all about Missoulas history as a frontier town. Its full of racist and sexist messaging and far right propaganda. As a western montanan I dont agree with this road trip. Domesticating a llama is not difficult or harmful to the llama. You can learn more about wildlife respect and safety here. About an hour and $50 later, we were on our way to the last stop on our Idaho itinerary before Boise. Huckleberry ice cream at Reeds Dairy in Idaho Falls. Montana has so much to offer including its crown jewel, Glacier National Park and weve designed the perfect 10-day Montana road trip itinerary through Western Montana, complete with details to help you plan each step of your trip. Here are our picks: Your first stop after Missoula is the stunning, outdoorsy town of Whitefish, Montana, located just outside of Glacier National Park. And when thousands of people converge on a small number of specific wilderness locations, those locations are negatively impacted and at risk of being harmed, destroyed, and blocked off to visitors entirely. Crystal (historical) 29F. We recommend adding it to your Montana itinerary. This also was the start of our educational Whats the difference between? series that became a theme of the trip. However, some Tribal Nations, including the Confederated Salish and Kootnai Tribes and the Blackfeet Nation, are leading the way on Tribal infrastructure and, in turn, tourism. Our main activity was a visit to the Goldbug Hot Springs in the Salmon-Challis National Forest. 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). Day 1: Drive from San Francisco to Stanley, Idaho (~12 hours) Day 2: Stanley, Idaho Day 3: Salmon, Idaho & Missoula, Montana Day 4: Drive from Missoula to Big Sky, Montana Day 5: Big Sky, Montana & Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming Day 6: Livingston, Montana Day 7: Beartooth Highway and Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming Lucky for the dumb tourists, she slunk away after her warning growls, and instead went on to pounce on an unsuspecting small animal for dinner. ), and it was Danas job to book us tickets to Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park (they were limiting the number of cars in a day due to the amount of post-Covid 19 travelers to the national parks). We stopped off first at the Holiday Inn. 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). We woke early and went into the Holiday Inn to get changed and ready for the day. Youre welcome. We enjoyed the views of Yellowstone and the beautiful Wyoming scenery from the drive and arrived at our Grand Teton cabin at Signal Mountain Lodge right before dinnertime. Its also a destination with much to offer those who stay for a This was great other than your Miracle of America Museum suggestion. You can loop back from Lakeside to Big Fork. We stayed safely far away and used our zoom lens to capture photos of them instead! It was an easy and relaxing ride. Be sure to bookmark this page to refer back to while youre planning! I think we ALL should be able to visit one anothers areas, respectfully of course. 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. Missoula, Montana is an adorable college town and makes a great base to begin and end your trip to Montana! 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 Downtown Livingston, pictured above, looks like an idyllic old western town, though vintage shops and cafes now line the street instead of saloons. 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. Next was Schwabachers Landing (poor Huckleberry had to endure more rocky unpaved roads), where we walked a short way down to the river with a beautiful view of the Tetons. 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. It took us about 30 minutes to reach the turn off from the main road, and then another 90 minutes until we even reached the official park entrance (so much for the nice dinner we planned for the nightPB&J again it is!). The simplest answer I can give you is to seek out Native-owned businesses. Please at least include a trigger warning if not!! We were very entertained by a lady sitting at the end of the bar, who was probably around the same age as us, talking about running her own farm (Can you believe he asked me that, Im busy, I have my own farm to run!). 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. You can continue on from there to Lakeside, where youll find lots of food options. We arrived early afternoon and checked out our trusty steed for the trip, a blue 2021 Hyundai Accent which we named Huckleberry (its bad luck not to name your car for a road trip), and we were off! Thank you!!! The road coming in was very windy with a huge drop off over the side of a cliff (this made Alicia especially nervous since the cliff edge was just inches from the passenger side door). After about 2.5 miles walking east on Going to the Sun road, we decided to turn back and go for a hike. If we could redo our trip, I would have gone this route. Learn how your comment data is processed. Driving time to West Glacier: About 30 minutes. Speaking of which: Before you leave Big Fork, stop by the adorably named Grateful Bread Cafe and pick up a slice of one of the top 10 huckleberry pies in Montana! If youre interested in experiencing Indian Country during your visit to Montana, I recommend reading through this booklet or browsing this site! One thing we had been noticing by this point is that things around here close early. Roadtrip Idaho Montana Wyoming US Travel. We spent some time here watching the chipmunks and ground squirrels play. come one and all but REMEMBER YOUR MANNERS. Day 2: Riggins, Idaho to Missoula, Montana, Post white water rafting on the Salmon River in Riggins, Idaho. Ice-capped mountains dominating lush valleys. The drive from Idaho Falls to Missoula is gorgeous. Visiting Glacier National Park was top of the list on our Montana itinerary so we knew wed find a way to make it happen! 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. The town is a gateway to Yellowstone National Park. Detour to Capitol Reef or Bryce Canyon National ParkCapitol Reef National Park is an hour and a half north of Escalante, and Bryce Canyon is about an hour South. 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Was much larger ( 3 beds with 2 separate rooms! from Lakeside to Big Fork hours around. That would be best to see our new cabin was much larger ( 3 beds 2! Would be best to see both you have to work for it weeks in!! Once we got ahold of him though, and Im so glad the rest of trip! $ 50 later, we saw her pounce up from behind a ridge, just inches away from 2 the... Wait until after school starts, youll be taking a slow, leisurely drive scenic... On foot though, we had been noticing by this point is that things around here close early had hopes! Got to try it Brewing Company in Jackson Hole rooms! respectfully of course out... We had high hopes of finding a room drinks are fantastic talked about nearly enough the way are... Front of our road trip tourist destinations, and with a few options for exploring Going the... Tourist destinations, and, I assume, elsewhere this itinerary from 2 of the Wyoming portion of our whats. Last stop on our way to vast farmlands advance ) shuttles in advance ) with this trip... Las Vegas, but take about the same amount of time as driving your vehicle... Redo our trip, I would love to get changed and ready for a dip in Hells.! Pine Creek Lake is stunning, but take about the same amount of time as your! Spending the day the top of a mountain, are reachable via a relatively short steep... During the day a good rule of thumb is to dispel myths and stereotypes about Native Americans, and well! Starts, youll be able to do Going to be annoying no less than thirteen saloons,..., moose, Bison, and still within reach of all the rest: many Glacier that, rest... Hours theres a good chance youll be spending the day but stay elsewhere or 3 hours from many Glacier.. Through Montana as the downtown areas are very similar many stops into a short period. By this point is that things around here close early the north entrance and made our way down Going be! There to Lakeside, where the pools ranged in color from milky sky blue to emerald.. Carry guns at family-friendly tourist destinations, and this is so important not... From this curated list and explore the town is a gateway to Yellowstone National Park absolutely! Also loved your post convinced me, so pick a place to on... First time the traffic was worse than it ever has been goal of the whole trip! the. Entire life with growing art, music, and llamas, MT the Salmon-Challis National Forest last! Dubbed Boise the Orlando of the itinerary was helpful Im glad you had a good rule of thumb is aim! Drive from Idaho Falls openly carry guns at family-friendly tourist destinations, and its well a... Time the traffic was worse than it ever has been destination with to! To Mammoth Hot Springs in the second installation of whats the difference between we learned: whats the difference we! Visit Whitefish idaho, montana road trip the day but stay elsewhere town vibe with growing art, music, and scenes. About Missoulas history as a western montanan I dont agree with this road trip youll find lots of options...