Road Trippin' Through Montana (Billings, Missoula: earthquake, campsites, living)

[nyyfanatic85]

Hello Montana-ites;

My wife and I are thinking about road-tripping in the western US next summer. We have about three weeks to do it in late May/early June, and we are coming from Illinois. Here is what we want to do in Montana:

- Yellowstone
- Visit family in Missoula
- Glacier National Park
- Open to suggestions!
- When finished, keep venturing west through Coeur d'Alene and eastern WA

We know Montana is a huge state. So...questions abound! If we're coming from TR National Park in ND, how long will it take us to do all of the aforementioned? We would like to spend 1-2 days in Yellowstone and 1-2 in Glacier as well. Are there any campsites that you would recommend?

Thanks for the advice in advance!

[electric_lady]

Glacier NP is not to be missed. However, depending on how you are with crowds and when you are going to be out here, I'd consider spending some time hiking in Grand Teton NP, as the summer crowds (mid-June-Labor Day) in Yellowstone are quite stifling.
Also, if you're going to be heading from YNP to Missoula, I'd recommend taking back roads south of I-90 to get there. Check out Virginia City/Nevada City, Quake Lake, Madison River all just out of West Yellowstone as you're heading west. Basically - my suggestion is to get creative. It won't take too much longer on the back roads than the Interstate. There's no one on the road, and you're free to drive 70 if you so choose. And some of the back highways in MT boast the most beautiful scenery in the U.S.
You could spend several weeks (years, really) exploring MT on its own. Coeur D'Alene, ID is lovely but not as isolated of a feeling as some of the gorgeous lakes in MT. I'm not a fan of most of WA unless it's far north and far west, IMHO - so I'd spend the time in MT and make a quick drive to the coast. But that's just me.

[nyyfanatic85]

Thanks for the info- that was exactly what I was looking for.

- How is Route 2 in the northern part of the state? We are considering taking that route from ND all the way to Glacier. Can you still drive 70 on that road and not get a ticket?

- Where are these lakes that you speak of?

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Continuing El Lady's suggestion: From Glacier consider taking either Highway 2 through Kalispell, Libby and Troy, and stop at the Kootenai Falls, and then go south on 95 (in Idaho) to Sandpoint, or (even more spectacular) go south from Kalispell along Flathead Lake (that would be one of the lakes!) to Highway 200, and west on 200 to Sandpoint along the Clark Fork River and Lake Pend Oreille. Spend a day or two in Sandpoint, and then go south on 95 to Coeur d'Alene. I'd also suggest spending more time in MT and North Idaho, rather than exploring WA.

[strudel42]

Agreed with all of the above. I would think late May/early June would be a pretty good time to make your trip as it is really not yet high tourist season. Just wanted to add that, that early in the summer, much of GNP is likely to be off-limits still due to snow. Not to discourage your visit as much of the park will surely be open, but as far as road closures, campgrounds and other amenities you'll want to contact the park before you head out.

[Keim]

Originally Posted by nyyfanatic85

- How is Route 2 in the northern part of the state? We are considering taking that route from ND all the way to Glacier. Can you still drive 70 on that road and not get a ticket?

Thats the speed limit along the Hi-Line (Hwy 2). It is straight and flat thru E. MT.

[Keim]

Originally Posted by electric_lady

I'm not a fan of most of WA unless it's far north and far west, IMHO - so I'd spend the time in MT and make a quick drive to the coast. But that's just me.

I'll jump in here and mention that the Palouse area (South east Washington-South of Spokane to Clarkston, WA) has been listed by National Geographic as one of the 20 most scenic areas in the world.

You can't go wrong with any of the spots mentioned. But the Palouse will hold its own in comparison, and is very different from the mountainous areas you'll see in N. ID and W. MT.

[mtnlady]

If you intend on driving the Going to the Sun road in Glacier, you'll most likely have to wait to the end of June. This year the road opened June 24th. Late snow kept it closed, and there was ~10 feet at Logan Pass on the 26th. Of course it depends on what the winter brings.

If you want to drive HWY2 you won't be impacted as they keep that road open year round. It goes on the south edge of Glacier.

[Ravekid]

Originally Posted by nyyfanatic85

We know Montana is a huge state. So...questions abound! If we're coming from TR National Park in ND, how long will it take us to do all of the aforementioned? We would like to spend 1-2 days in Yellowstone and 1-2 in Glacier as well. Are there any campsites that you would recommend?

I'm not from Montana, but made the drives through Montana. We left Billings around 8 or 9AM. We had lunch around lunch time in Missoula. We ended up in Whitefish, MT in the late afternoon. It was basically an eight hour drive from Billings to Whitefish. When you factor in some stops for gas/food, it is a nine hour trip. From Whitefish, we drove around the southern end of Glacier and hit I-15 and headed south to I-80, then I-80 to US 191 to W. Yellowstone. Again, another long drive. We left around 8-9AM and got to W. Yellowstone around 5PM or later. This was in mid-Sept. I hear traffic is heavier during summer, as more families with K-12 kids are on summer vacation.

I have heard the drive on the Beartooth Highway (US 212) is awesome. The way our trip went, we couldn't make this drive. My goal is to get back out that way and drive both the Beartooth and Chief Joseph Scenic Highways.

[nature's cathedral]

Here are the places you should go:

1. Black Hills
2. Devils Tower
3. Bighorn Mountains -- Beautiful Plateau at the the top
4. Bighorn Canyon via Wyoming --- Wild Horses, Great Canyon, the look of Utah and Arizona Well worth the trip unless you don't like desert environs.
5. Cody
6. Sunlight Basin/ Beartooth Should not be missed
7. Red Lodge
8. Livingston
9. Bozeman
10. Hylite Canyon
11. Moonlight Basin -- Incredible views of the Spanish Peaks
12. Three Forks Were the Missouri Comes together.
13. Butte - Mining Museum, Berkley Pit, some really neat old architecture.
14. Georgetown Lake. Great High Mountain Lake with wonderful views of the Anaconda Pintlers
15. Philipsburg Old Mining Town very charming
16. Seeley Lake
17. Swan Lake
18. West Glacier
19. Going to the Sun Highway
20. Many Glaciers/ Swiftcurrent The best of Glacier and the drive to Two Medicine and the lake there is something to behold.
21. Two Medicine
22. US 2 past goat lick to West Glacier
23. Whitefish Lake
24. Kalispell
25. Flathead Lake
26. National Bison Range Moiese -- Antelope, Bison, The Mission Range.
27. Missoula
28. Bitterroot Valley: (If you hike Bear Creek Overlook Trail) Take Eastside Highway to Corvallis and then go to Golf Course Road then back down Skalkaho to Hamilton. Blodgett Canyon, Lake Como
29 Chief Joseph pass to Wisdom and the Big Hole (Just and incredible drive similar in feel but different than the Madison River Valley) then south and east to Dillon.
30 Dillon to Virginia City
31. Madison River Valley and Ennis
32. Earthquake Lake / West Yellowstone
33. Yellowstone
34. Grand Tetons
35. Wind River Range are another under appreciated mountain range.
36 Home

If you still want to go to Coeur d'Alene then take take in from Libby to Bonners Ferry to CD.

Good Luck and have fun