That said, counterpoint: July is cherry season in Flathead Lake. 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! 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. 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. We thought we made it on time, but when we went to the rental desk, we were told it was 81 degrees outside. Trump 2020 banners hang proudly in front of houses and wave in windy fields and farmland. Day 10: Twin Falls, Idaho to Boise, Idaho, Our car bed was actually not too bad. This was probably my personal highlight of my entire Montana road trip! Road Trip Conditions. This stunning park is the highlight of any Montana road trip! It is a must-do. 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. Depending on when your flight arrives, you may or may not be spending the night in Missoula. To get you started, we mapped out an Idaho road trip for you and the family with more diversity than most cross-country trips can provide. We learned there used to be 7 volcanoes in the area, the last of which erupted 2,000 years ago. From Livingston, we took a two-hour drive to Red Lodge to enter Yellowstone via the 68-mile Beartooth Highway. 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. They also decided to rename the center to honor three of the chiefs that represent the native tribes of CSKT, the Salish, Pend dOreille, and Kootenai. 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 enjoyed the 2 hour tour through the caverns - put this on your Montana itinerary! 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. 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. 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. I am always happy to help! Glacier National Park the star of both Montana and our itinerary is crowded and packed with visitors in July. They need plenty of room so they dont get nervous, just like humans. Crystal (historical) 29F. 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 dubbed Boise the Orlando of the West as the downtown areas are very similar. We will also send you our favorite tips to help you plan your Montana road trip! Which gives me hope for my future llama-owning self. We each purchased a bottle and said our farewells as we headed on to our final destination. That all sounds amazing, I would love to get back to Montana and experience more! And yes: there are llamas. 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. Like, more snack breaks than me, which is really saying something. You basically just hug them until they get used to you. 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)! Obviously, there are many other options at all price ranges. Im sorry to hear that overtourism has had a negative impact on Whitefish Is there a season that would be considered off-season, when visitors would have less of an impact? 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! To get you started, we mapped out an Idaho road trip for you and the family with more diversity than most cross-country trips can provide. People live in isolated rural areas hours away from the nearest grocery store. 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. First stop was Moulton Barns on Mormon Row, an old Mormon settlement before the national park was established. Moon Travel Guides has a comprehensive guide to Glacier National Park, plus a Moon Yellowstone to Glacier National Park Road Trip guide. The drive from Idaho Falls to Missoula is gorgeous. As we headed on towards our cabin at Lake Lodge, we got to experience some of the awesome wildlife that Yellowstone has to offer. Eat: Sawtooth Luces serves up cold local beer and a mean Idaho Kobe beef burger, and we had a delicious breakfast at Stanley Baking Company. 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. The state is home to federally recognized Tribal Nations, as well as many unrecognized communities (the fact that Tribes must be defined by the State or Federal government in order to exist is, in and of itself, super problematic). 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. You can loop back from Lakeside to Big Fork. Missoula has a plethora of hotels so we booked a Comfort Inn near downtown on our way into town. The guide includes everything from the hacks we use to save money on travel to printable packing lists. But be sure to time your visit just right: the road opens in June or July and closes for weather-related reasons around late September or early October, so be sure to check that date before you go (and remember: the weather in Montana is unpredictable AF). Before you head out, pack a picniclunch to keep you fueled up as you hike through the island looking for wild horses! 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. Llamas take a very long time to go to the bathroom. Always be respectful and mindful of your responsibility and leave it the way you found it! Stay: Country Motor Inn is a budget motel in town. 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. Start your day with a pour-over at the Wild Coffee Company, a third wave coffee shop that donates 1% of its profits to local non-profits working on nature and outdoor conservation. Photo Credit: Idaho Tourism Jet boating, Hells Canyon. (Note: if you have any suggestions for resources not included here, or ways I can better present this information, please drop us a comment and let us know!). On the way north to Riggins we drove through the Payette National Forest, enjoying the tree lined roads and mountain views. 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. After our bellies were full, we swung back by the airport to pick up Alicias bag and started our Idaho road trip north towards Riggins. The food is amazing literally everything on the menu is incredible and the drinks are fantastic. Detour to The Old Saloon in Emigrant, Montana20 minutes away from Livingston is The Old Saloon, an old western restaurant and bar established in 1902. Whatever you bring in, you should bring back out againpack it in pack it out. We thought for sure we were about to watch someone get eaten by a wild animal! WOAH- NO, we do not want to support a business like that. Dottie is one part of Dots on a Map. If you are planning on coming to Whitefish, be prepared to see throngs of people walking the streets and filling our stores and restaurants. Day 5: Glacier National Park to Helena, Montana. Wellwe were wrong. When we arrived at the Cold Springs Winery, the owner was out fixing the pond and opened for us even though we arrived before opening. Youre welcome. Adding it to my bucketlist. Try not to let it bother you and focus your energy on appreciating the incredible natural phenomenon in front of you (easier said than done, sometimes). The venue is an experience in itself, with wild game taxidermy lining the walls, a sturdy wooden bar, and a vintage piano in the corner. Driving time: 45 Minutes from Whitefish, or 3 hours from Many Glacier. Looking for a convenient summary of our Montana itinerary? and enjoyed chatting with the owner and his father. Then we headed back to the campgrounds where Dana (of course) took a nap in preparation for our evening excursion into the East side of the park, and Alicia made friends with some people at our campground. Subscribe and well send you our FREE 22-page Travel Planning Guide. We spent the morning exploring the different geyser basins throughout Yellowstone. Lumbering bears, moose, bison, and llamas. The museum & cultural center showcases the traditions and culture of tribes that have traditionally been passed down orally from generation to generation, as well as examples of cultural tribal artifacts from the Salish, Pend dOreille and Kootenai tribes like basket weavings, beaded vests and more. In the morning, we joined Papa Elk (aka a male elk) for breakfast. When we arrived at Small Dune (where the sledding was done), there was a couple heading back to their car. Theyre now fully emboldened since the governor and other right wing extremists got elected. Alica tried looking online. You can make it almost all the way around Whitefish Lake and not have to share the road with cars! Our 5-mile hike to Bond Falls was gorgeous and offered me several hours to attempt to befriend my llama, Boxcar: a beautiful, sassy 1-year-old whose respected I needed to earn. While Boxcar was certainly sassy and took a while to warm up to me enough for us to share a hug and a selfie, the llamas that come along on hikes are perfectly well behaved. From there about an hours drive from Big Fork Wild Horse Island is just 45 minutes of athletic activity away! We made it in perfect time, just 4 minutes before the geyser was set to blow. 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. '&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= Wow I love this post and itinerary ,such lovely places. 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. They had to go take care of a parking ticket and let us borrow their board until they came back. I hope you find it useful when planning your own road trip through the Western United States! 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. My partner and I went there today and we felt extremely uncomfortable and upset. 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). Whichever you decide, they are both great stops for your Western United States road trip! Follow along for an epic Idaho road trip through Ketchum, Stanley, Salmon, Missoula (a little side trip to Montana), Coeur dAlene, and McCall. I just love, love, love your writing style and the way you travel. We arrived at Bruneau Dunes State Park just after 9:00. Torreys 33F. We started our Idaho road trip from Boise to Glacier National Park in Montana with a stop in Riggins, Idaho. Firstly: be aware during your trip that Glacier National Park and, in fact, most USA National Parks was originally inhabited and maintained by Indigenous peoples. and received our complimentary beers at check-in. With rustic log cabins, winding rivers, and rolling green meadows all framed by the snow-capped the Sawtooth mountains the town looks straight out of a fairy tale. On Saturday morning, we checked out the citys weekly farmers market, which we read is a must during any visit to Missoula. They can only handle a few visitors at a time before the landscape and the animals start to feel the impact. 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. They had the dairy cows right on site, along with a small petting zoo! If youre up for it, wander all the way across the bridge to the other side of town to check out the Hip Strip, Missoulas coolest neighborhood. Note that shuttles have limited seating and you may find yourself waiting for a seat during high season. We had all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ at Ginseng BBQ on the strip and authentic, mouthwatering Shanxi beef noodle soup at Shang Artisan Noodle. 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. 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