Theyre very popular. Bozeman will be your next stop from Billings. I guess a lot of other people had the same idea for fun this summer. This part of the country is famously beautiful, characterized by lush green alpine landscapes and snow-capped peaks, winding rivers, and countless small towns dripping with old western charm. WebDay 14 Day at Flathead Lake, MT. In all seriousness, I had no idea Idaho was this beautiful. 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. 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. After our musical detour, we grabbed a final meal of our road trip at Wild Root and headed back to the hotel to get some sleep before our early - and long - day of travel home. Looking for a convenient summary of our Montana itinerary? The town is a gateway to Yellowstone National Park. But nothing was going to keep up from experiencing the wonders of Glacier National Park! 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. Day 11: Boise International Airport to Orlando/Boston, Our final itinerary: 3 states, 3 national parks, 1 national monument, 2 state parks and 2,000 miles driven in our trusty steed, Huckleberry. Youll be able to do and see so much more compared to the rest of the year. Day 3-4 of your Montana Road Trip: Bozeman. A bear ready for a dip in Hells Canyon. The trip begins and ends in Portland, Oregon, but spends much of the time in and around Glacier National Park in Montana. All National Parks utilizes the ethos of Leave No Trace. Youd end up in the Pacific Northwest, and then you could swing back around through Idaho/Montana/Wyoming and maybe pop into Glacier and Yellowstone on your way back. As the day went on, the skies began to clear and we were able to experience the sheer beauty of the park. We recommend visiting in late August/early September. The plan was to go sand sledding and sand boarding. 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. But, adorably, they step politely off the trail to do it. Insider tip: the wild forest mushroom and puff pastry tapas will literally change your world! Montana is stunning and, of course, wed love to visit Glacier National Park. Dan and I get lost crossing the street so I feel we are like-minded adventurers, Hahah it does sound like we are similar travelers Depending on how much time you have, driving the PCH north starting in southern CA (only a few hours from Las Vegas) would be a fantastic road trip! Ive made the common road trip mistake of trying to pack too many stops into a short time period. If you are planning on coming to Whitefish, be prepared to see throngs of people walking the streets and filling our stores and restaurants. Photo Credit; Idaho Tourism. When we were done with our hike, it was lunch time. Hells Canyon National Recreation Area A scenic view of Hells Canyon. Drop us a comment below! In 2016 we quit our jobs, put our stuff in storage, and took off on a (disastrous) year-long honeymoon. 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). We enjoyed the warm hues of the setting sun as we continued our way out to the main road and back to our little cabin in the woods. Missoula, Montana is an adorable college town and makes a great base to begin and end your trip to Montana! Road Trip Conditions. Day 16 Whitefish, MT drive to Calgary, AB. We really enjoyed our chicken fried steak and roasted pork tenderloin with rosemary and huckleberry demi-glace. We also love their biscuits and gravy, and the giant, gooey cinnamon rolls. 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. No boards for us. I love this post! 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. Our final itinerary: 3 states, 3 national parks, 1 national monument, 2 state parks and 2,000 miles driven in our trusty steed, Huckleberry. Its an area of incredible natural beauty, isnt it? We of course went out for some dinner and beer sampling at Tamarack Brewing before calling it a night. Bummer. The drive from Idaho Falls to Missoula is gorgeous. So much has been said about Yellowstone already, so Ill just share a list of attractions we visited in the park: Detour to Ashton, IdahoIt is impossible to find a campsite in Yellowstone in the summertime. Our alarms jarred us awake in pitch black (which felt strange since we had woken with the sun at 5:30 on the previous mornings) with the pounding of rain on the roof of our cabin. Road Trip Conditions. 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? In the morning, we joined Papa Elk (aka a male elk) for breakfast. First up on your clockwise drive around the lake is the town of Polson, the largest town on Flathead Lake. Try the stuffed French toast, or literally anything else that looks good you cant go wrong! Today was another driving day from Wyoming to Idaho and our first stop was the Snake River Brewing Company in Jackson Hole. Here are the top things to do in the area: Livingston is a historical railroad and ranching town in Southwestern Montana, a short distance north from Yellowstone National Park. The colorful and unique rocks at Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park. 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. Day 3-4 of your Montana Road Trip: Bozeman. Your email address will not be published. It was the perfect way to end the first day of the Wyoming portion of our road trip. We readied ourselves quickly (lets be honest, Alicia stared Dana down with as much intensity as one can muster at 4AM to make sure she was moving quickly enough for Alicias type-A liking) and headed out to the West entrance of the Park. The trip begins and ends in Portland, Oregon, but spends much of the time in and around Glacier National Park in Montana. The land that is currently Glacier National Park was actually given to the Blackfeet Nation as part of their original reservation. 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. 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 tied up our canoe on the bank and hiked halfway up to Inspiration Point, enjoying the views of the Hidden Waterfall on the way. We were exhausted and crashed quickly. We made it in perfect time, just 4 minutes before the geyser was set to blow. About halfway through our drive back we had our second animal encounter. Road conditions from Idaho to Montana. 2021 Update: Unfortunately The Peoples Center suffered a devastating fire and has been relocated to St. Ignatius. Additionally, this itinerary includes routes that pass through American Indian reservations. Torreys 33F. 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). 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 In the next section, Ill dive deeper into what we did in each destination. Psst:Weve also created a free, printable version of this Montana Road Trip Itinerary! Did we spend too much time looking at all of the amazing pieces and come home with a few prize possessions? This website, run by the Montana State Government, provides excellent resources. Sadly I didnt have a chance to take this tour myself during my trip, but Ive heard nothing but good things. Obviously, there are many other options at all price ranges. 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!). 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. So we did, and the dog followed as promised, but.rude!!! This is literally like the best Montana itinerary post Ive ever seen!! From the Sun Tours website: our Guides are life-time residents of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and possess extensive knowledge in many facets of Tribal History, culture, and lifestyle. 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. 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! We also love that Pine Lodge is eco-friendly with many sustainability initiatives in place, and offer guests complimentary bike, kayak, or SUP rentals! Until next time. Our favorite part was the beaver slide, an area so narrow you literally had to sit and slide down to get through. 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. The strip is obnoxious and ostentatious, crowded with symbols of American capitalism, casinos, wedding chapels, and strip clubs. Bozeman will be your next stop from Billings. One of the best ways to get the full Idaho experience is to road trip through the state. All of a sudden, we saw her pounce up from behind a ridge, just inches away from 2 of the male tourists. 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. We brought a cooler from home to use during our trip and bought groceries along the away. It was the perfect stopping point for a quick mile hike and a dip in the relaxing, warm spring water. Today, we share down-to-earth travel tips from our many (mis)adventures on our blog and podcast! I also loved your post on the Galapagosused it for my own trip and it was super helpful! I just love, love, love your writing style and the way you travel. 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. So, only slightly less intimidating than the Loch Ness Monster. Subscribe and well send you our FREE 22-page Travel Planning Guide. 18 Restaurants in San Francisco for the Best https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7V3TvpcgJfU&t=802s, Tulum Street Art Photo Tour (And Exactly Where to Find Each Piece! 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. From the Norris Basin, we continued on to the famous Prismatic Spring. Driving time to West Glacier: About 30 minutes. 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! Im so sorry to hear that your home is experiencing overtourism. The town is a gateway to Yellowstone National Park. We thought we made it on time, but when we went to the rental desk, we were told it was 81 degrees outside. Today, we share down-to-earth travel tips from our many (mis)adventures on our blog andpodcast! 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. So cool! To quote the Essential Understandings, American Indian individuals and tribes are still here with distinct and intact governments, languages, and cultures that contribute to modern Montana. 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