AngelaSue

Hello all,

With three boys in tow, our two weeks in the National Parks looks like the adventure of a lifetime. However, I haven't seen anything posted about things to do if hiking/geyser-viewing/wildlife-searching are dampened by downpours, and I don't mean quick showers---rain all day. We may just plan to put on our raingear and do the same activities, but I'm sure picnics won't be the same I am looking for ideas on rainy days, just in case..... (Lewis and Clark Caverns is already on the list for Whitefish!).

Also, our plan for frequent hikes through Glacier and Yellowstone leads me to believe we'll pack lunches much of the time, and carry what we need for the day. Anyone out there have a good list of items to carry so we don't take too many things? Here's what I've come up with thus far:
water
lunch/snacks
mosquito repellant
small first aid kit
bear spray/bells/whatever seems
appropriate
camera
binoculars/scope
light-weight tri-pod (maybe)
jacket or rain poncho
sunblock (or just apply prior to
leaving)
hat/sunglasses

With kids along, I REALLY don't want to experience a lot of whining about their packs being too heavy (or end up carrying two myself, though I often consider myself a pack-mule mom).
Thanks, everybody.

claire_bluesky

I went to Glacier NP last June. Remember that it can be raining all day on the east side and sunny on the west side or vice versa. There's also Waterton Lakes NP to consider. One day, we could barely see because of the rain/fog for half the trip from the east side to the west side, and then suddenly - sunshine. We rented a boat on Lake McDonald that day and took a heli-tour. We also dressed for the rain and did what we had already planned. We only had one week, and w/travel, really only five days. I'm sure others have good backup ideas.

RedRock

If you are in Glacier why not make the short drive to Browning MT and visit the museum. This general area is the northern most point that the Lewis & Clark expedition reached on their way to the Pacific Ocean..

http://www.browningmontana.com/museum.html

..or visit the Goat Lick overlook on US-2.

Dayle

Hi AngelaSue,

You don't say when you are visiting. However, summer in the Rockies usually just means an afternoon thunderstorm, not all day rain. They normally blow over quickly, but in the meantime you can get drenched! Keep an eye on the sky, take a rain poncho and a warm layer and have fun. The biggest concern is lightening, so do keep an eye out.

annieO

We usually take a few games along. The last time we went to Glacier it snowed in June, so we went for a ride that day visitng some of the small towns around since many roads in Glacier were closed. Lewis and Clark Caverns is in another part of Montana by Whitehall and Three Forks. It is between Glacier and Yellowstone.

utahtea

The first time we went to Glacier it rained all week. We spent a lot of time driving around and I felt like we hardly saw the park. We were camping in a trailer so we probably spent a lot of time playing games when we weren't driving around. I really don't feel like I SAW that park till we went back the second time. We got so sick of the weather that we left Glacier and traveled down south to Zion National Park in Utah. We had no plans to go to Zion, but just couldn't take the bad weather an longer.

As mentioned, watch out for lighting, other wise wear rain gear and go for it.



Utahtea