Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > United States
Reload this Page >

Suggested route for National Park's drive, starting in Glacier NP.........

Suggested route for National Park's drive, starting in Glacier NP.........

Old Mar 1st, 2015, 07:28 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Suggested route for National Park's drive, starting in Glacier NP.........

So most of our trip is now sorted, so I thought it time I started on this part.
Brief recap.....
Nights
3 x Vancouver
4 x Vancouver Island
7 x Alaskan Cruise
2 x Anchorage
3 x Denali
3 x Mukilteo (Seattle)

We then collect our RV's (another couple traveling with us) in Vancouver, we have booked our first three nights in Whistler. We will then head east and will have nearly two weeks to drive towards Calgary. Up to this part of the trip is pretty well sorted, from Calgary our friends leave us and we plan to 'drop down' into the States and explore some of the National Parks.

We will have about 2.5-3 weeks before the RV is due back in Vancouver. We obviously want to see as much as possible and realise there's a lot to cover. Driving long distances is part of the fun for us, remember the scenery will be all new to us. Does anyone have a thought or two on a good route to take?

On our wish list, Glacier National Park, Mount Rushmore (via Little Bighorn ?) then Yellowstone. Would I be correct in saying the The America the Beautiful NP pass, would be our best option?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
aussiedreamer is offline  
Old Mar 1st, 2015, 07:34 PM
  #2  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sorry, tried to be so thorough........ We will be starting this leg of the trip on or about June 26.
aussiedreamer is offline  
Old Mar 1st, 2015, 07:59 PM
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
http://tinyurl.com/mgokf5g


I'll be interested if this link works, but this is a rough map of our plan.....maybe Mount Rushmore may have to go......but we seem 'so close'??
aussiedreamer is offline  
Old Mar 1st, 2015, 10:39 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 22,939
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Glacier, Yellowstone, Rainier and Olympic National Parks. That's more than enough for the time you have.
Michael is online now  
Old Mar 2nd, 2015, 03:43 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 5,904
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The America the Beautiful pass gets you into all the US national parks, get it at the first park you go to, Denali, if you are going with the cruise line they should credit you the entrance fee for Denali, but you may have to ask for it.

I agree with Michael, skip Rushmore.

Make Reservations for a camping spot in Yellowstone and maybe the other parks now.
emalloy is offline  
Old Mar 2nd, 2015, 07:32 AM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 603
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Traveling down through Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, then turning back west to Mt. Rainier and Olympic National Park is a very good plan. This makes more sense with Vancouver as the final destination than going to Mt. Rushmore.

And I echo the suggestion to try to get campsite reservations for all of these places, but particularly Yellowstone, as soon as possible.

If you think you will be fatigued of national parks by the time you get to Washington State, you could also consider some "island hopping," which might include Whidbey, San Juan and/or Orcas Island.

Have a great trip.
voyager61 is offline  
Old Mar 2nd, 2015, 10:20 AM
  #7  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks so much.....the only issue with booking camp sites is, we don't really know how long we will want to spend in each place....we may have to at least narrow down our time in Yellowstone.
Thanks again.
aussiedreamer is offline  
Old Mar 2nd, 2015, 11:01 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 22,939
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
If you arrive at a national park before 1 p.m., you usually can get a campsite, especially if it is not in what often is the centrally located campground. This is generally true at least from Sunday through Thursday. In Yellowstone we've camped without reservations at the Norris campground.
Michael is online now  
Old Mar 2nd, 2015, 12:06 PM
  #9  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks Michael
aussiedreamer is offline  
Old Mar 2nd, 2015, 02:28 PM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,189
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
What length is the RV? Do you want full hook ups or do you dry camp?

I take it you will have already covered Jasper and Banff National Parks in Canada. I would add Waterton National Park in Canada just above Glacier in the US.

You won't be able to drive the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier because of the length of your vehicle but there are park shuttles. Even our small 22' RV wasn't allowed.

Adding Mt. Rushmore adds at least 750 miles to your route. I don't know if you've driven a motorhome before but they are slower especially in mountain conditions. They are also a lot tiring for the driver than a car. If you do add Mt. Rushmore then check out, Devils Tower National Monument, Badlands National Park & Custer State Park.

Utahtea
utahtea is offline  
Old Mar 2nd, 2015, 11:33 PM
  #11  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It's 25'...full hook up maybe every now and then. Yes we've had a motor home before, in Spain. Thanks for your very helpful suggestions.


do we 'have' to stay in parks....the reason I ask, if we happen to be stuck one night can we pull up somewhere 'safe' but not in a park?? One of our favourite memories is our night spent on a street in Seville because we took longer than expected and wandering. ��
aussiedreamer is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2015, 02:59 AM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,169
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
In general, Walmart Superstores in the West, especially those outside city limits, permit overnight stops in their vast parking lots. Good form requires you to replenish your supplies next morning. In the Southwest, many casinos permit RV's to overnight with the hope if not the expectation that you will leave some money at their tables. The same may be true in the Northwest, but I don't know.

Casual overnights on the street like you experienced in Seville are illegal in most places but frequently done by people in van-based RV's. I would not try it in a high-profile vehicle in a larger place except in a light industrial area where people might well be storing an RV rather than at their home. In all these casual places, you need to manage your liquids very carefully. There is nothing like a puddle of water under the vehicle to ensure that you are asked to move on.

I am leaving out National Forest and BLM casual camping. Both have formal, though sometimes primitive, campgrounds but there are places where you can pull off the road for camping IF you are fully self-contained. No dumping the washing up water, no matter how parched the landscape. Inquire locally.

Finally, Mt Rushmore is not only out of your main region, but you get there through fairly featureless terrain. You have enough of that in Oz driving an RV across these areas with a headwind. Or cross wind is no one's idea of holiday travel. Road surfaces may be rough owing to harsh winter weather and the incessant bump-bump, bump- bump of expansion joints in the highway, mile after mile, could drive you mad.
Ackislander is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2015, 10:17 AM
  #13  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thankyou so much...awesome comprehensive response....much appreciated.
aussiedreamer is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2015, 12:43 PM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,189
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You probably won't have any problems getting a camping site at Colter Bay Campground at the Grand Tetons but I'd make a reservation a several days ahead or as soon as you have a date just to make sure.

The RV is small enough that you might be safe enough to check on camping at Madison Campground in Yellowstone while on your trip and make reservations when you have a better idea of your dates. One thing I love about making reservations in Yellowstone is they are so nice. They will change dates or even cancel without a fee...or that is the way they were a couple of years ago. If you decide to camp outside the park your best location will be West Yellowstone.

The problem with finding places to camp near a national park is that everyone goes there so if it's national forest or BLM land they could also fill up early. This won't be as big of an issue while on the road between parks. Most RV rental places will give you a campground directory to help find places to stay.

If you decided to try a Walmart either call ahead or check in with the store manager before you spend the night. Some cities have regulations that prohibit overnight camping. I know ours does.

We like to camp in the national parks whenever possible but will use private campgrounds with full hook ups while in transit.

Sounds like a great trip!

Utahtea
utahtea is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2015, 05:02 PM
  #15  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Fantastic, thank you
aussiedreamer is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2015, 07:37 PM
  #16  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Utahtea.........I've been doing some research, hope this isn't a silly question,

I've select St Mary's and Avalanche as prospective parks, I realise we can't book Avalanche, but can we drive our 25' RV in that far? It would appear not but the website says that Avalanche can have up to 26' RV's......so I'm a bit confused.
aussiedreamer is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2015, 08:10 PM
  #17  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,023
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
@aussiedreamer: Yes, you can drive to Avalanche Lake area and that is as far as you can drive your motor home. Parking spaces in Avalanche will hold an RV as long as 26.
If you decide to camp there you than can take a FREE shuttle the rest of the way on the Going to the Sun Road.
FREE shuttle runs the the complete 51 miles of the road with pick up and drop offs along the way.
John is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2015, 08:21 PM
  #18  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thank you John, I was getting really confused.
aussiedreamer is offline  
Old Mar 14th, 2015, 03:18 PM
  #19  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Quick update, I've booked Fishing Bridge RV Park for 3 nights.

Quick question, once we are in the park, is it 'better' to drive our RV to each place we want to visit or use the bus/shuttle?

And John, I can't believe this is still stumping me, BUT we are driving into Glacier NP from Calgary/East, are you saying we CAN drive to Avalanche Campground? On the map it looks like we can't. ;-)
aussiedreamer is offline  
Old Mar 14th, 2015, 05:06 PM
  #20  
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,004
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I believe John was referring to the free shuttle at Glacier Nat'l Park. AFAIK, there is not one at Yellowstone (Fishing Bridge).
sludick is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -