Help!! Ideas for national parks full of mountains
Jan 28th, 2011, 10:43 AM
#1
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Help!! Ideas for national parks full of mountains
Hi,
My partner and I are looking to come back to the USA in either June or July as we loved it so much last year!! We've decided that we'd really like to find a national park that offers beautiful mountain scenery, and has the chance for hikes and lots of exploration. We're looking at the moment at a weeks holiday, but it could possibly be extended to two if the price is reasonable. We're quite happy camping too. It might not sound like it, but we are flexible, and would love to hear your ideas!!
HELP!!
My partner and I are looking to come back to the USA in either June or July as we loved it so much last year!! We've decided that we'd really like to find a national park that offers beautiful mountain scenery, and has the chance for hikes and lots of exploration. We're looking at the moment at a weeks holiday, but it could possibly be extended to two if the price is reasonable. We're quite happy camping too. It might not sound like it, but we are flexible, and would love to hear your ideas!!
HELP!!
Jan 28th, 2011, 11:17 AM
#5
June v. July will make a difference in some national parks; June can still be chilly (even snow) at higher elevations.
With only a few days I'd look for areas that are close to access points from the UK, so that you don't spend days in transit once you land.
Some ideas:
Yosemite NP, accessed in a couple of hours from San Francisco;
Rocky Mountain NP, close to Denver;
Mt. Rainier, North Cascades, or Olympic NP, all close to Seattle.
A couple of Canadian destinations: Banff and Jasper NPs, both easily accessed from Calgary;
Not a national park per se, but the area around Whistler British Columbia is gorgeous, and easily accessed from Vancouver.
With only a few days I'd look for areas that are close to access points from the UK, so that you don't spend days in transit once you land.
Some ideas:
Yosemite NP, accessed in a couple of hours from San Francisco;
Rocky Mountain NP, close to Denver;
Mt. Rainier, North Cascades, or Olympic NP, all close to Seattle.
A couple of Canadian destinations: Banff and Jasper NPs, both easily accessed from Calgary;
Not a national park per se, but the area around Whistler British Columbia is gorgeous, and easily accessed from Vancouver.
Jan 28th, 2011, 11:18 AM
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Starrs,
Thanks- Glacier National Park is exactly what we're looking for!! Mesa was beautiful, but I realised I must have had an idea in my head already.
Where would you suggest we fly into from the UK, and what sort of itinery would be sensible for the time that we have. We are not very experienced in navigation, so wouldn't feel safe going off on our own unless the trails are clearly marked, so are there also any options of tour guides at reasonable prices if that's not a stupid question?!
Thanks- Glacier National Park is exactly what we're looking for!! Mesa was beautiful, but I realised I must have had an idea in my head already.
Where would you suggest we fly into from the UK, and what sort of itinery would be sensible for the time that we have. We are not very experienced in navigation, so wouldn't feel safe going off on our own unless the trails are clearly marked, so are there also any options of tour guides at reasonable prices if that's not a stupid question?!
Jan 28th, 2011, 11:34 AM
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The trouble with Glacier is getting there.
Glacier is spectacular, as is its smaller Canadian counterpart, Waterton Lakes. You can fly to Salt Lake City on Delta, connecting who knows where from the UK, and fly on to Missoula (worth a day) in a smaller plane then drive 3 or so hours to the park. Or, you could fly to Seattle and take the Empire Builder train to GNP or you could fly to Calgary and rent a car that you could take across the border. You can hike from Waterton into Glacier NP across the border, but there is an immigration station (!) and probably customs right on the trail.
Rocky Mountain NP is easy to get to from Denver (rental car) and Denver has (had?) direct flights from the UK.
Glacier is spectacular, as is its smaller Canadian counterpart, Waterton Lakes. You can fly to Salt Lake City on Delta, connecting who knows where from the UK, and fly on to Missoula (worth a day) in a smaller plane then drive 3 or so hours to the park. Or, you could fly to Seattle and take the Empire Builder train to GNP or you could fly to Calgary and rent a car that you could take across the border. You can hike from Waterton into Glacier NP across the border, but there is an immigration station (!) and probably customs right on the trail.
Rocky Mountain NP is easy to get to from Denver (rental car) and Denver has (had?) direct flights from the UK.
Jan 28th, 2011, 11:42 AM
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So here is another answer. Have you considered the White Mountains of New Hampshire? The highest summits are only about 2000 meters, but, I say, BUT the difference in terrain between the base of the mountains and the summits is not significantly different than in many parts of the western mountains.
Moreover, there is a well-developed system of trails, huts, and camping maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club and other organizations. The system is part of the Appalachian Trail, and it crosses most of the summits over 4000 feet (like traversing a long string of Monroes). The trails themselves climb quickly above tree line, and they can be quite rugged. Because they have not been used for horse packing, most of them are narrow and rocky. In any kind of clear weather, the views are amazing, all the way across Maine to the sea on a very good day. Staying in the huts is expensive, but you don't have to carry a tent, sleeping bag, or food.
You can fly into Boston and reach many of the trailheads by bus from Logan Airport.
Moreover, there is a well-developed system of trails, huts, and camping maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club and other organizations. The system is part of the Appalachian Trail, and it crosses most of the summits over 4000 feet (like traversing a long string of Monroes). The trails themselves climb quickly above tree line, and they can be quite rugged. Because they have not been used for horse packing, most of them are narrow and rocky. In any kind of clear weather, the views are amazing, all the way across Maine to the sea on a very good day. Staying in the huts is expensive, but you don't have to carry a tent, sleeping bag, or food.
You can fly into Boston and reach many of the trailheads by bus from Logan Airport.
Jan 28th, 2011, 12:01 PM
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You're not going to get this in the Appalachians; if you want mountains, we got 'em
http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationP..._Colorado.html
http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationP..._Colorado.html
Jan 28th, 2011, 12:26 PM
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Think peaks higher than 2000 metres would be more of an option as in the UK our highest peak is 1340m so think we'd be looking for quite a difference in height for the challenge factor. Our only hesitation with the rockies is that last year we saw some of the range as we started our road trip in Denver (and they are amazing!)- we just want to see new parts of the USA as there are so many beautiful places to go- ideally we could do with a year to explore!!
Ackislander- you can definitely get direct flights from the UK, just in case you ever fancy a visit.
Ackislander- so does the Empire Builder train go straight from seattle airport? How long would it take?
Anybody- Any info on campsites that people have tried would be useful
Ackislander- you can definitely get direct flights from the UK, just in case you ever fancy a visit.
Ackislander- so does the Empire Builder train go straight from seattle airport? How long would it take?
Anybody- Any info on campsites that people have tried would be useful
Jan 28th, 2011, 12:51 PM
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I'm partial to Mount Rainier (NP) since I see it most every day, but for a one-week vacation where you really want to see mountains, etc., I'd suggest a combo Grand Tetons NP and Yellowstone NP. They're in close proximity -- and by gosh is Grand Teton NP beautiful! The air is fresh and pure!
Jan 28th, 2011, 01:08 PM
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The USA is blessed with many incredible National Parks. Bryce and Zion are spectacular and not hard to get to from Los Vegas. The Tetons are the most beautiful mountains I have ever seen and not far from Yellowstone, which is my favorite park. But Glacier National Park in Montana is unique and not to be missed. Honestly, Glacier is not that bad to get to. Delta flies direct from London to Minneapolis and also has a nonstop from Minneapolis to Kalispell Mt. You rent a car in Kalispell and drive to the park, I think its only about 35 miles. Driving the going to the sun road from West to East is a once in a lifetime experience, however I doubt the road will be open in June. June is better for Bryce and Zion and July for the Tetons and Glacier. No matter which park you select I know you will enjoy it.
Jan 28th, 2011, 01:30 PM
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Direct flights non stop from the U.K. on Delta from Minneapolis with connections non stop to Kalispell, Montana which is 34 miles to the west entrance of Glacier Park. Suggest late July to be sure Going to the Sun Road and MOST trails will be opened and clear of snow.
www.nps.gov/glac
We are having a hard winter, that is lots of snow to this date so a late summer arrival is suggested.
www.nps.gov/glac
We are having a hard winter, that is lots of snow to this date so a late summer arrival is suggested.
Jan 28th, 2011, 01:58 PM
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Stpetereb- We did Bryce and Zion last year- you're right they are amazing!Another of my favourite places was Goblin Valley.
John- Late summer may not suit us- it'll be somewhere for another trip-
Narnya- WOW WOW WOW!! You're right Tetons and Yellowstone are absolutely stunning- I'm won over. Where would you suggest we fly into, and what sort of timeframe and itinery would you suggest? Also what months are best to go?- I won't finish my course until the end of May, so after then up until the first week in Aug is my timeframe.
Anybody else feel free to butt in with ideas- they're very welcome!
John- Late summer may not suit us- it'll be somewhere for another trip-
Narnya- WOW WOW WOW!! You're right Tetons and Yellowstone are absolutely stunning- I'm won over. Where would you suggest we fly into, and what sort of timeframe and itinery would you suggest? Also what months are best to go?- I won't finish my course until the end of May, so after then up until the first week in Aug is my timeframe.
Anybody else feel free to butt in with ideas- they're very welcome!
Jan 28th, 2011, 02:03 PM
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One thing you may want to consider:
"Wyoming, Idaho and Montana are home to roughly 1,300 grizzlies. Their numbers have rebounded since the 1970s and, although grizzlies still are listed as a threatened species, it's no longer rare for one lolling roadside to jam up tourist traffic (as they did during my Glacier trip). They've killed 10 people in Glacier and five in Yellowstone in the past century, and those parks average one grizzly attack with injuries a year."
I've been camping my whole life and am accustomed to having to deal with "bear-proofing" my campsite, but those were black or brown bears, not grizzlies. I myself wouldn't camp in Glacier. If you really want to stay in Glacier Park, I'd suggest staying in one of the historic lodges (which are really beautiful) , and carrying bear spray (pressurized hot pepper oil) with you when you hike.
"Wyoming, Idaho and Montana are home to roughly 1,300 grizzlies. Their numbers have rebounded since the 1970s and, although grizzlies still are listed as a threatened species, it's no longer rare for one lolling roadside to jam up tourist traffic (as they did during my Glacier trip). They've killed 10 people in Glacier and five in Yellowstone in the past century, and those parks average one grizzly attack with injuries a year."
I've been camping my whole life and am accustomed to having to deal with "bear-proofing" my campsite, but those were black or brown bears, not grizzlies. I myself wouldn't camp in Glacier. If you really want to stay in Glacier Park, I'd suggest staying in one of the historic lodges (which are really beautiful) , and carrying bear spray (pressurized hot pepper oil) with you when you hike.
Jan 29th, 2011, 07:25 AM
#18
A couple of comments...
First, if you settle on Yellowstone + Grand Tetons, a week's holiday really won't do. You'd need to allocate a full day in each direction (on top of the international flights) to get from any international airport to the parks. (On the matter of air access, Salt Lake doesn't have any nonstop service from the UK, only from Paris; the closest cities with direct flights are Calgary and Seattle, both over 500 miles from the parks; otherwise you'd have to change planes someplace. Not a deal-breaker, but when you add the hours, it can be a time suck.)
Then you must recognize that Yellowstone is enormous - half the size of Wales, and the many attractions within the park are sometimes hours' drive from one to the other, not to mention crowded in high summer. (Yellowstone is the crown jewel of the US national parks system, deservedly so, which makes it extremely popular. If you decide to go there and then, advance bookings are essential.)
Then, adding in a day or two for Grand Teton NP, with just a week you've run out of time before you've really had the opportunity to see things and get into the rhythm.
Not trying to be discouraging, just realistic.
I did have a thought of an alternative, which I can throw out in keeping with your encouragement for butting in.
The Cascade range, which runs from British Columbia all the way down into California, basically comprises a string of volcanoes around 600 miles long, with some pretty remarkable mountain scenery between the big peaks. With a week (or better, 10 days) you could do a mini-tour of this region while remaining quite close (in time terms) to major airports and urban areas.
For example, fly into Seattle (nonstop on British Airways.) Take the train (light rail from the airport to the train station) to Portland, and collect a car. Or, alternatively, collect the car at Seattle airport and drive - around 3 hours.
Then start by exploring the Columbia River Gorge. Especially in June, the Gorge's many waterfalls will be in high flow from melting snow from the Cascade peaks that surround the gorge. Drive up the Hood River Valley to Mount Hood; there are some excellent trails around Timberline Lodge, and camping/hiking sites throughout the region. In June there will still be snow on the ground at elevation, but the lower slopes and the valleys below Mt. Hood will be in full and stunning wild flower display.
Here are a couple of pictures of Mt. Hood and the Gorge I took last spring, just for illustration.
Mt. Hood from Portland - http://gardyloo.us/20100510_21b.jpg
Columbia Gorge - http://gardyloo.us/20100509_5a.jpg
Latourelle Falls (one of many in the Gorge) - http://gardyloo.us/latourellefallshdr1.jpg
Mt. Hood from the Hood River Valley - http://gardyloo.us/20100509_85a.jpg
Then move north (an hour and a half or so) to Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. MSH is an active volcano, with excellent visitor and interpretive facilities. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_St._Helens
Followed by Mount Rainier NP. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rainier As with Mt. Hood, there will still be snow, possibly a lot of it, at higher elevations, such as the Paradise or Sunrise visitor centers, but again, the views, hikes, camping or other attractions at lower elevations will be superb. From Rainier you can (usually) see mountain crests disappearing in all directions.
Then continue east (away from Seattle) over the Cascades on US Hwy 12 toward the Yakima Valley, then turn north on US 97 and follow the east slopes of the Cascades up to Lake Chelan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_chelan - where you can take the Lady of the Lake ferry up the lake (which is more like a fjord) into the middle of North Cascades National Park. This is the "wilderness" side of NCNP (no road access) but there are facilities at Stehekin - trailheads, camping sites, mountain bike rentals etc. which will allow access into the back country if so desired.
Take the boat back down to Chelan, then continue north on US 97 a short distance to Washington SR 20, which transects the North Cascades NP back to the Puget Sound region (one of the most gorgeous drives in N. America) from which you can turn left and be back in Seattle in a couple of hours, or else turn right, cross the border, and be in Vancouver BC in about the same amount of time. There's nonstop service to the UK from Vancouver (British Airways, Air Canada, Air Transat, others.)
Because the distances are shorter, less of your time will be spent fussing with logistics. And because the national parks and other sights are relatively closer to populated areas (which is not to say the places are crowded, especially when compared to the likes of Yellowstone) you'll find a greater choice in terms of accommodations and commercial facilities, which can help on the budget front, assuming you don't want to camp every night or eat nothing but freeze-dried rations.
And, of course, if you want to spend some urban time, there are few cities more enjoyable to explore than Portland, Seattle and Vancouver.
So just throwing out some alternative ideas. Let a hundred flowers blossom and all that.
First, if you settle on Yellowstone + Grand Tetons, a week's holiday really won't do. You'd need to allocate a full day in each direction (on top of the international flights) to get from any international airport to the parks. (On the matter of air access, Salt Lake doesn't have any nonstop service from the UK, only from Paris; the closest cities with direct flights are Calgary and Seattle, both over 500 miles from the parks; otherwise you'd have to change planes someplace. Not a deal-breaker, but when you add the hours, it can be a time suck.)
Then you must recognize that Yellowstone is enormous - half the size of Wales, and the many attractions within the park are sometimes hours' drive from one to the other, not to mention crowded in high summer. (Yellowstone is the crown jewel of the US national parks system, deservedly so, which makes it extremely popular. If you decide to go there and then, advance bookings are essential.)
Then, adding in a day or two for Grand Teton NP, with just a week you've run out of time before you've really had the opportunity to see things and get into the rhythm.
Not trying to be discouraging, just realistic.
I did have a thought of an alternative, which I can throw out in keeping with your encouragement for butting in.
The Cascade range, which runs from British Columbia all the way down into California, basically comprises a string of volcanoes around 600 miles long, with some pretty remarkable mountain scenery between the big peaks. With a week (or better, 10 days) you could do a mini-tour of this region while remaining quite close (in time terms) to major airports and urban areas.
For example, fly into Seattle (nonstop on British Airways.) Take the train (light rail from the airport to the train station) to Portland, and collect a car. Or, alternatively, collect the car at Seattle airport and drive - around 3 hours.
Then start by exploring the Columbia River Gorge. Especially in June, the Gorge's many waterfalls will be in high flow from melting snow from the Cascade peaks that surround the gorge. Drive up the Hood River Valley to Mount Hood; there are some excellent trails around Timberline Lodge, and camping/hiking sites throughout the region. In June there will still be snow on the ground at elevation, but the lower slopes and the valleys below Mt. Hood will be in full and stunning wild flower display.
Here are a couple of pictures of Mt. Hood and the Gorge I took last spring, just for illustration.
Mt. Hood from Portland - http://gardyloo.us/20100510_21b.jpg
Columbia Gorge - http://gardyloo.us/20100509_5a.jpg
Latourelle Falls (one of many in the Gorge) - http://gardyloo.us/latourellefallshdr1.jpg
Mt. Hood from the Hood River Valley - http://gardyloo.us/20100509_85a.jpg
Then move north (an hour and a half or so) to Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. MSH is an active volcano, with excellent visitor and interpretive facilities. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_St._Helens
Followed by Mount Rainier NP. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rainier As with Mt. Hood, there will still be snow, possibly a lot of it, at higher elevations, such as the Paradise or Sunrise visitor centers, but again, the views, hikes, camping or other attractions at lower elevations will be superb. From Rainier you can (usually) see mountain crests disappearing in all directions.
Then continue east (away from Seattle) over the Cascades on US Hwy 12 toward the Yakima Valley, then turn north on US 97 and follow the east slopes of the Cascades up to Lake Chelan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_chelan - where you can take the Lady of the Lake ferry up the lake (which is more like a fjord) into the middle of North Cascades National Park. This is the "wilderness" side of NCNP (no road access) but there are facilities at Stehekin - trailheads, camping sites, mountain bike rentals etc. which will allow access into the back country if so desired.
Take the boat back down to Chelan, then continue north on US 97 a short distance to Washington SR 20, which transects the North Cascades NP back to the Puget Sound region (one of the most gorgeous drives in N. America) from which you can turn left and be back in Seattle in a couple of hours, or else turn right, cross the border, and be in Vancouver BC in about the same amount of time. There's nonstop service to the UK from Vancouver (British Airways, Air Canada, Air Transat, others.)
Because the distances are shorter, less of your time will be spent fussing with logistics. And because the national parks and other sights are relatively closer to populated areas (which is not to say the places are crowded, especially when compared to the likes of Yellowstone) you'll find a greater choice in terms of accommodations and commercial facilities, which can help on the budget front, assuming you don't want to camp every night or eat nothing but freeze-dried rations.
And, of course, if you want to spend some urban time, there are few cities more enjoyable to explore than Portland, Seattle and Vancouver.
So just throwing out some alternative ideas. Let a hundred flowers blossom and all that.
Jan 29th, 2011, 07:29 AM
#19
Sorry, forgot to include a link for the ferry on Lake Chelan: http://www.ladyofthelake.com/
Jan 29th, 2011, 07:33 AM
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Wow, gardyloo, what beautiful pictures! We're planning a trip to some of those areas (in Oregon) this September ourselves. Personally, I agree with you that your recommendation is the best. Given the "animal jams" and crowds in Yellowstone at that time of year, there will be a lot of just sitting in the car on the road.
