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 arrived in the evening, so we watched the sunset at Higgins Street Bridge, took a walk downtown, and had a few drinks at The Rhino Bar, a proper dive with yummy beers on tap (this part of the country has consistently incredible beer). National parks are protected for their scenic, inspiration, recreational, and/or educational value. Day 10: Twin Falls, Idaho to Boise, Idaho, Our car bed was actually not too bad. Do you have suggestions for Yellowstone or an itinerary that would be best to see both? Additionally, this itinerary includes routes that pass through American Indian reservations. When we reached the first lake, I came close to tears because we had worked so hard for the beautiful views. 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. 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 There are lots of unique views and hiking opportunities along the way. So, we made the hour and a half drive to Ashton for affordable lodging, which we found at the Eagle Peak Lodge. We arrived at the Glacier Haven RV Park & Campground in the early evening. You can plan your Whitefish getaway in broad strokes and then fill in the details once you get there. Youll learn all about Missoulas history as a frontier town. Its a shameful fact that all outdoor enthusiasts and National Park visitors should be aware of, as well as the efforts that are being made by the National Park Service. The older llamas are very friendly and sociable. 1. A bicultural Taiwanese-American, she lived in Taiwan from the ages of 3-10 and finds it fascinating to analyze the differences between the two cultures that have shaped who she is. 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. Whatever you bring in, you should bring back out againpack it in pack it out. A bear ready for a dip in Hells Canyon. That was more budget-friendly anyway and we got to set our own itinerary. Do NOT dump your trash on the roadways. We became best friends by the end of the hike and it made my entire life. Are there ways for visitors to enjoy Whitefish responsibly, such as by visiting during a specific season or during a lull in tourists? 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. Even this winter, for the first time the traffic was worse than it ever has been. We continued south until we got to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. 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. We thought we made it on time, but when we went to the rental desk, we were told it was 81 degrees outside. Domesticating a llama is not difficult or harmful to the llama. 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! I also appreciate the section at the beginning with resources to learn more about Montanas Indigenous communities and how to support them as well! Every few feet, Boxcar would find an exciting looking leaf to munch on, which gave me a chance to catch my breath and earn brownie points for letting him snack. We recommend using Kayak to price-compare flight deals & dates before you book to save money on your flight. So if you want to post some cool pics of the nature you seego for it! Weve also created a free, printable summary of this Montana Road Trip! Just in time too, because about 20 minutes later the skies opened up. 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. You see, Cafe Kandahar, the fine dining restaurant located in the lodge, is the best food in Whitefish and possibly all of Montana with a price point to match. Feels like 33.03 Wind speed 2.4 mph Pressure 1010 hPa. I took my trip in later September, and while the leaves were beginning to turn into lovely golden colors, nearly everything in the park was shutting down, including many of the highlights of this itinerary! 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. The Island is actually a state park, and home to several wild horses plus bighorn sheep, mule deer, songbirds, waterfowl, bald eagles, and falcons. 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. This is literally like the best Montana itinerary post Ive ever seen!! Glacier National Park the star of both Montana and our itinerary is crowded and packed with visitors in July. Its definitely something travelers (especially in the Americas) need to be more conscious of! Alicia was surprisingly calm about the predicament Dana put us in. Once youve made it to the top of the mountain (however it is that you got there), stop in at the Summit House Restaurant on top of the chair lift for amazing views and a cold drink. Thats the beauty of a FREE country! 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. 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 are a few essentials to pack and bring with you on your trip: Montana has one of the highest American Indian populations in the US, with about 66,000 people of Tribal heritage. The closest hotel we could find available was in Ontario, Oregon - 7 hours away from where we were and 5 hours past where we were going. 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. Salmon, two hours north of Stanley, is another small Idaho town of 3000+ residents. We recommend staying somewhere walkable, so youll want to base yourself close to downtown on either side of the river. But before we jump into all of the amazing things youll be doing and seeing, we need to cover a few important basics. I dont know when Jen and Ed lived there, or when they last visited Whitefish, but Im sure they would be disappointed and sad to see the amount of people who cram into our small town. At local businesses and restaurants, taxidermy animal mounts outnumber patrons. Across the street we went to lunch at Buckhorn Bar, where we sampled local beers, fried food, and most interestingly, the musings of the local people. Just a short drive outside of Whitefish, the Resort has myriad ways to get your thrill on, like the mountain bike park, alpine slides, zip-lines, and rope courses. Huckleberry ice cream at Reeds Dairy in Idaho Falls. Id like to update this post to include a heads up to our readers about visiting Whitefish, and Id love your input or any other locals reading this. While Glacier is gorgous and amazing there are places in motana that are just as stunning. From there, we set out to Jenny Lake where we rented a canoe to paddle across to Inspiration Point - a great thing to do in Grand Teton. Combining Grand Teton and Yellowstone is perfect for a Wyoming road trip. Driving time: 45 Minutes from Whitefish, or 3 hours from Many Glacier. We continued on our way until stopping for the night in Helena, Montana. Disclaimer: This post includes sponsored content from Moon Travel Guides and RVShare, both of which we have personally tried and vetted (theyre great). And be sure to get something comfy: this is a road trip, after all! Plus, there are miles of scenic hiking trails up and down the mountain. For dinner, dont miss out on the best food deal in Montana: the small plate menu at the Kandahar Lodges Snug Bar. The springs, located at the top of a mountain, are reachable via a relatively short but steep hike. BEHAVE YOURSELVES and be GOOD VISITORS and youll be welcomed. Youll be staying on the banks of the lake in a charming little town called Bigfork, one of many charming little towns located around Flathead Lake. Did we spend too much time looking at all of the amazing pieces and come home with a few prize possessions? That all sounds amazing, I would love to get back to Montana and experience more! It was another awesome Alicia & Dana Adventure! Ethical tourism can be a great way to support and grow Indigenous communities while educating others about their culture, but immersive, sustainable Indigenous tourism such as community homestays or community-led tours of Tribal Nations doesnt currently exist in Montana. I didnt realize that thank you so much for bringing it to our attention. Were hoping to visit late June as thats when our daughter is done with school. One of the many amazing pieces of street art in Freak Alley in Boise, Idaho. Follow along for an epic Idaho road trip through Ketchum, Stanley, Salmon, Missoula (a little side trip to Montana), Coeur dAlene, and McCall. WebCheck the road conditions from Idaho to Montana and plan a trip based on the weather along the way. A bear ready for a dip in Hells Canyon. Trump 2020 banners hang proudly in front of houses and wave in windy fields and farmland. We really appreciate it! My partner and I went there today and we felt extremely uncomfortable and upset. All of a sudden, we saw her pounce up from behind a ridge, just inches away from 2 of the male tourists. Youre welcome. Yellowstone travel tip: keep your distance from the wildlife! (note from Alicia: Who in 2021 locks a car from the door and not from the keys!?). They can only handle a few visitors at a time before the landscape and the animals start to feel the impact. We traveled through Montana as the trees and mountains gave way to vast farmlands. Our favorite rapid was called the Time Change, which took us under a bridge where the time literally changed from Mountain to Pacific (our brains were very confused on time for the rest of that day since we went over and under that bridge multiple times). Eat: Tru North Cafe, owned by a recent Los Angeles transplant who came to Livingston on vacation and accidentally bought a coffee shop, serves a mindblowing Maple Mountain Cloud latte and blueberry jam breakfast sandwich. The town is a gateway to Yellowstone National Park. What do you suggest? 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. Eat: We ate at Last Chance Pizza & Pasta in town. There are shuttles running throughout Glacier National Park, and you can take them from the entrance of West Glacier up Going to the Sun Road all the way to Logan Pass and East Glacier (and back again) for free! Dont know what a huckleberry is? Rule of thumb: Always keep 25 yards (about 2 school buses) away from a non-aggressive animal, or 100 yards (one football field) away from large/potentially aggressive ones. So, how can you help support Indigenous communities during your trip to Montana? Its also a destination with much to offer those who stay for a 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. 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 each purchased a bottle and said our farewells as we headed on to our final destination. How about a thank you, Hanks dad!? There are a few options for exploring Going to the Sun Road. 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! Crystal (historical) 29F. (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!). Be sure to bookmark this page to refer back to while youre planning! 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). Do NOT be rude to staff in our establishments or our National parks. Sightsee at Idaho's Greatest Natural Wonders Google Map katie wheeler/Flickr Bring themalongand youll be covered with detailed information, maps, and landmarks along the way. After a long day of driving and exploring, Big Fork Inn is the perfect place for a cozy dinner with a view. 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 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. Day 16 Whitefish, MT drive to Calgary, AB. 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. If youre feeling up for a few hills, you can continue all the way up the accurately named Big Mountain for sweeping vistas. Montana is stunning and, of course, wed love to visit Glacier National Park. Day 3-4 of your Montana Road Trip: Bozeman. (Which is like still super cute.). 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. Missoula has a plethora of hotels so we booked a Comfort Inn near downtown on our way into town. With so many people road-tripping, the prices were exorbitant so it was challenging for the budget-conscious traveler. A good rule of thumb is to aim for under four hours of driving per day so you have time to enjoy your destination. and we had a view of the lake! The sheer magnitude and untouched rugged beauty make you feel small in the most wonderful way. Our main activity was a visit to the Goldbug Hot Springs in the Salmon-Challis National Forest. Yes! 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