idaho, montana road trip

We passed through several dying towns of boarded-up windows before driving to Twin Falls, Idaho. So, how can you help support Indigenous communities during your trip to Montana? From Livingston, we took a two-hour drive to Red Lodge to enter Yellowstone via the 68-mile Beartooth Highway. But like, there were llamas there. 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. Im planning a roadtrip through Montana and Wyoming (yanno, as soon as its safe and whatnot), so I loved how in-depth your details were! 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. Those llamas are killing me they are so cute!! 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. and we had a view of the lake! 6. 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. Clear Sky. Few things are more romanticized than an all-American road trip, and Im happy to report that they do indeed live up to the hype. They were also aggressively anti-mask. Thank you!!! To our disappointment the Boiling River (which normally you can swim in like a hot spring) was currently closed to swimmers because of dangerously fast running water. Once we got ahold of him though, we werent sure what to do! We were also able to see Teton and Middle Teton glaciers (ironically more glaciers than we saw at Glacier National Park). Crystal (historical) 29F. Of course we had to stop and try to help said dog (whose name we learned was Hank). The weather can change in an instant and you can experience all 4 seasons in 1 day! Both boat shuttles are operated by the family-run Glacier Park Boat Company and operate from June through September. This is how!! Apart from that, the rest of the trip is completely flexible. So thanks again!! This revelation resulted in frequent singings of Oh give me a home, where the Bison roam throughout the remainder of the trip. Not only did you hit a small fraction of Montana you gave a very limit view of who and what we are. 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. 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. We had a few moments of panic, but quickly realized we were going to be sleeping in our car and had to figure out the details. 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. These three were runners so Alicia got to chatting with them and it turns out, the older women actually ran the Boston Marathon! The entire state is a paradise for anyone who loves hiking, swimming, or anything outdoorsy. The colorful and unique rocks at Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park. Yellowstone travel tip: keep your distance from the wildlife! 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). Never heard of it? National parks are protected for their scenic, inspiration, recreational, and/or educational value. With that being said, it was going to be an early night with our alarms set for 4 in the morning. Your next stop on the road will explore the rich Indigenous history of Montana at The Peoples Center. What that means is that we dont leave anything behind when we visiteven natural or compostable things, like banana peels or apple cores, which can disturb the fragile ecosystems within the park. The hike consists of six unforgiving miles straight uphill, covering 3653 feet of elevation. The trip begins and ends in Portland, Oregon, but spends much of the time in and around Glacier National Park in Montana. Salmon, two hours north of Stanley, is another small Idaho town of 3000+ residents. Obviously, there are many other options at all price ranges. 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. Flathead Lake is also home to its very own resident monster. 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. If we could redo our trip, I would have gone this route. Yes! 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. So cool! Another fantastic option we found is this cute condo, located directly in town. The drive from Idaho Falls to Missoula is gorgeous. 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. Bozeman will be your next stop from Billings. Jackson Glacier seen from Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park. Apart from that, the rest of the trip is completely flexible. The older llamas are very friendly and sociable. })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-P6R8DKB'); 3 years ago we quit our jobs, put our stuff in storage, and took off on a (disastrous) year-long honeymoon. The drive in itself did have beautiful views, even before we reached Going to the Sun Road. It was the perfect stopping point for a quick mile hike and a dip in the relaxing, warm spring water. It also serves Weve got an itinerary for the California bit of it to help you plan: https://practicalwanderlust.com/pacific-coast-highway-road-trip-itinerary/. That said, counterpoint: July is cherry season in Flathead Lake. Its called Flessie, and locals say it often appears in the shape of a floating stick. Roadtrip Idaho Montana Wyoming US Travel. 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. 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. Road conditions from Idaho to Montana. 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. Photo Credit; Idaho Tourism. There are lots of great things to do in Whitefish for every season if you know where to look! 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. WOAH- NO, we do not want to support a business like that. Our visit was during late September (in 2019) and I honestly didnt notice that many crowds, though I also dont have a frame of reference to compare to! In retrospect, I wonder if some of the people we told were thinking to themselves that we were the dumb tourists who thought a coyote was a wolf (which, lets be honest, we were). 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. We started our Idaho road trip from Boise to Glacier National Park in Montana with a stop in Riggins, Idaho. If you cant maybe theyll put up with you at Disney Land. Please at least include a trigger warning if not!! If youre flying in, just pick up and return your RV in Missoula: browse RV rentals in Missoula. This looks absolutely beautiful! Montana is stunning and, of course, wed love to visit Glacier National Park. It was another awesome Alicia & Dana Adventure! Here are our picks: Your first stop after Missoula is the stunning, outdoorsy town of Whitefish, Montana, located just outside of Glacier National Park. 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). Buckle up, because this is a detailed AF post! Note from Alicia: I would go back to this park a thousand times. Combining Grand Teton and Yellowstone is perfect for a Wyoming road trip. After Teton, we embarked on the 8-hour drive towards Escalante, Utah, stopping at Salt Lake City to sleep overnight. 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). The man who was helping hopped the fence to check the farm house a little ways up. But if you wait until after school starts, youll be able to enjoy a much less crowded park and absolutely perfect weather! We were exhausted and crashed quickly. Road Trip Conditions. WebCheck the road conditions from Idaho to Montana and plan a trip based on the weather along the way. The Best Street Art in San Francisco: Mission Where to Find the Best New Orleans Street 10 Restaurants in New Orleans for Treating Yourself. 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 strip is obnoxious and ostentatious, crowded with symbols of American capitalism, casinos, wedding chapels, and strip clubs. Day 3: Missoula, Montana to Glacier National Park. We told all the random people we encountered back at the lodge about our experience. The springs, located at the top of a mountain, are reachable via a relatively short but steep hike. About halfway through our drive back we had our second animal encounter. The primary road through Glacier National Park is a feat of engineering. Their pizza is cooked in a wood fire oven installed directly in the truck. We thought for sure we were about to watch someone get eaten by a wild animal! We took a rather long detour on our stop to Glacier National Park at the National Bison Range in Charlo, Montana. The 50-mile route cuts across Glacier National Park at an elevation of 6,646 feet and is open seasonally, so youll want to plan accordingly. We decided to backtrack a little to check it out since it was still fairly early and we were only an hour away from our final destination. But theres a hidden loophole! WebCheck the road conditions from Idaho to Montana and plan a trip based on the weather along the way. 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. We really enjoyed our chicken fried steak and roasted pork tenderloin with rosemary and huckleberry demi-glace. By the time we got ready to canoe back, a storm was starting to roll in. Once again, Danas steller itinerary planning came in handy with a great path through the park for our two days in Yellowstone. 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. Its an area of incredible natural beauty, isnt it? It is a must-do. (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': This excursion essentially a big loop back to where we started took almost the entire day, but I really wanted to see what is considered one of the most beautiful and treacherous roads in America. Missoula is a charming college town, and by far the most urban place youll be during your 10 days in Montana. We continued on our way until stopping for the night in Helena, Montana. The app provides route maps, difficulty levels, trail photos, user reviews, and more. Domesticating a llama is not difficult or harmful to the llama. You can loop back from Lakeside to Big Fork. Its important to be aware of your impact in Glacier, like any National Park. During our trip, we saw everything from bears to moose, including one moose who kept trying to come uncomfortably close to us (fun fact: moose are some of the most dangerous animals in the parks give them a wide berth). Through September the weather along the way people we encountered back at the top of a mountain are... Want to support a business like that communities during your 10 days Montana! Limit view of who and what we are from Boise to Glacier National Park is a feat engineering! Its an area of incredible natural beauty, isnt it up with you at Disney Land like that RV in., I would have gone this route and, of course we our. 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