Trip Planing - Glacier NP (Missoula, Hungry Horse: rent, home, construction)

[zedzul]

Hello Everyone

I'm starting to gather info for a trip this summer (itinerary Below) and hope you could answer some questons




Fri Aug 29: Leave after work, stop some where in NY
Sat Aug 30: Driving
Sun Aug 31: Driving
Mon Sep 1: Driving getting to Glacier NP Apx: 2,675 Miles
Tues Sep 2: Explore Road System, Minor hiking
Wed Sep 3: Day hike to Mountain lodge Apx: 7.2* miles
Thru Sep 4: Day hike out, Apx 7.4* miles
Fri Sep 5: Head to Yellowstone NP Apx 443 Miles
Sat Sep 6 Explore west Yellowstone and Grand Teton
Sun Sep 7: Day hike in Grand Teton Apx: 7.6 miles
Mon Sep 8: Explore East and north of Yellowstone
Tuesday Sep 9: Fluff Day,
Wed Sep 10: Drive to the black hills SD Apx 458 Miles
Thru Sep 11: Explore wind cave, Mount Rushmore, Crazyhorse, Rushmore caves.
Fri Sep 12: Continue Explore of Black hills
Sat Sep 13: Drive to/Tour badlands Apx 128 Miles
Sun 14: Start Drive home
Mon 15: Drive
Tues 16: Home again Home again jigity jog Apx 1193 Miles


* With side trips = more about 9 Miles




Is three day in Glacier NP enough time?
Most likely not, but if you only had three days what would you do?
How’s the weather in early September? I know weather is unprodicible but what most likely, will I freeze? Drown? Most likely be ok?
Do you think driving 2675 miles in just over 3 days is fine?
Any suggestions?

[A Neighbor]

Nights in September start to get a little cool. You are planning on doing a lot of hiking and driving, may I suggest that you slow down a little and enjoy each area a little more. I think that you will enjoy your time more if you give yourself more time. For instance on your hike into and out of Mountain Lodge in Glacier see if you could spend two nights there you might get to see more and do more of the side trip hikes that you seem to like.

On the way from Yellowstone to the Blackhills there is a lot of stuff to see. If you like history and are exploring some of this area because of the history then you should really look at this website Montana Custer Country, Custer Battlefield, Dinosaur, Big Game Hunting, Blue Ribbon Fly Fishing. . Also think about going into WY to see the Devils Tower. Not only is this area rich in history with Battles but it is also a very good area for Lewis & Clark.

When it comes to driving 2675miles in 3+ days it really depends upon your abilities and if you have someone with you to help with driving. It may be just as inexpensive/expensive to fly out to Missoula area and rent a car that you could return in the SD area and fly home from their. It would give you more time to explore this area, but it wouldn't let you see everything in between. It is really just a matter of your tastes and abilities.

The one thing that I would suggest when you get here, is that you set aside your watch and cell phone, laptop or other tech device (or maybe just ignore a few calls, if it is important, they'll call back and back and back :-) )and just enjoy the moment. You won't regret it.

[rickers]

You planned five vacations in one ! Don't dwell too much in Glacier when the surrounding area begs to be leisurely enjoyed ! (Thompson chain of lakes, Hungry Horse Reservoir, Stillwater Lakes and on and on !) Oh by the way Glacier is a great mid summer "hiking park" with a few roads whereas Yellowstone is more of a driving park accessible during a larger part of the year. Yellowstone is a fantastic place to hike also. Portage a canoe to Shoshone Lake from Yellowstone Lake for a non-tourist, true Yellowstone experience.
If you want a real vacation to remember, book a multi-day wilderness white water rafting trip down the South Fork Flathead River. They pack you in on trail stock and send you down a wilderness section on rubber rafts with a guide of coarse ! People do this trip on their own also but it takes real guts !

[brokencrayola]

You will never be able to realistically do all that in that amount of time. After many roads trips I know to allot about twice the time you think you will need. Inevidibly you will run into road construction, flat tire, something along those lines just driving. You cannot drive quickly through the National Parks. It is very slow driving and that doesn't even take in account bear jams and traffic brought to a stop by some animals in or off the roadside. The hikes alone will take a full day and you will likely be so tired the next day you will not be able to drive as far as you would think. The longer the trip is the tireder you will get. Driving at night in the west is not the same as your way. You get deer, elk, you name it on the roads at night and it is best to keep your drinving to the daytime. I think you have waaaay too much crammed into that trip. If anything I'd say travel to Glacier and leave it at that. Spend your days in the park hiking, taking pictures, and looking around. You will be exhausted and likely way too rushed to try to do what you have planned, if even possible.

[brokencrayola]

The weather is early Sept. should not be an issue at all, maybe cool mornings and evenings if that. The big issue is your time management. Sept. 6th for an example. It will take you ALL day just to drive straight through Yellowstone into the Tetons, forget looking around, exploring etc. I have done the same thing you are trying to do and that is cram all the fun you can have in a certain amount of time. It doesn't work. Narrow down you trip to one general area and explore that area.

[goozer]

Originally Posted by A Neighbor

When it comes to driving 2675miles in 3+ days it really depends upon your abilities and if you have someone with you to help with driving. It may be just as inexpensive/expensive to fly out to Missoula area and rent a car that you could return in the SD area and fly home from their. It would give you more time to explore this area, but it wouldn't let you see everything in between. It is really just a matter of your tastes and abilities.

The one thing that I would suggest when you get here, is that you set aside your watch and cell phone, laptop or other tech device (or maybe just ignore a few calls, if it is important, they'll call back and back and back :-) )and just enjoy the moment. You won't regret it.

I think this is great advice. It sounds like you are looking to spend your vacation primarily hiking and enjoying some great scenery. But from you itinerary, it appears that you are only planning on hiking about eight days among the 19 days you will be spending on vacation. As things currently stand, you will be spending a lot more time on the road than the trail. When it comes to vacation, time is worth more than money to me. I would probably scrimp together the extra cash to fly out there and rent a car so that I could spend more time on the trail. Also, it may not be that much more expensive to fly if you factor in gas/motel/and car wear and tear.