Beartooth highway
Apr 4th, 2004, 05:02 PM
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Beartooth highway
We will be spending the night in Cody before going to Yellowstone. After reading the various posts, we are considering going to Red Lodge from Cody just so we can drive down the Beartooth Highway. Is this worth it or is the drive from Cody to Yellowstone just as good?
Apr 5th, 2004, 05:32 AM
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ctspice,
My husband and I were in Yellowstone a couple of summers ago. We made both the drives you mention and they are very different. Both offer great scenery and some amazing geology. If the Beartooth will be open by the time of your trip, by all means, do it. As both Tess and richbutnot said, you won't regret it.
If you hit Red Lodge at lunch time there's a great little restaurant that has surprisingly good Mexican food, along with other types, considering that it's called Bogart's. Quite reasonable, too.
If this is your first trip to Yellowstone, prepare to be awed. The diversity of the place is amazing. My best advice would be to get up and out by daylight to beat the crowds. Also, there is something inspirational about being the only people at a place like Norris basin at sunrise.
Enjoy,
Fran
My husband and I were in Yellowstone a couple of summers ago. We made both the drives you mention and they are very different. Both offer great scenery and some amazing geology. If the Beartooth will be open by the time of your trip, by all means, do it. As both Tess and richbutnot said, you won't regret it.
If you hit Red Lodge at lunch time there's a great little restaurant that has surprisingly good Mexican food, along with other types, considering that it's called Bogart's. Quite reasonable, too.
If this is your first trip to Yellowstone, prepare to be awed. The diversity of the place is amazing. My best advice would be to get up and out by daylight to beat the crowds. Also, there is something inspirational about being the only people at a place like Norris basin at sunrise.
Enjoy,
Fran
Apr 5th, 2004, 07:05 AM
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The Beartooth is our favorite drive in all the U.S. Rockies. We've even camped up on top.
The Chief Joseph Hwy from Cody to the Beartooth is also a very pretty drive.
I wouldn't think of NOT doing it.
The Chief Joseph Hwy from Cody to the Beartooth is also a very pretty drive.
I wouldn't think of NOT doing it.
Apr 5th, 2004, 07:08 AM
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I got to thinking you probably meant going to Cody to Red Lodge on 120 & 72.
Chief Joseph Hwy hits the western end of Beartooth. We like to take it, go east to Red Lodge and then back track to Yellowstone. It's worth the second look and actually looks quite different from different directions.
Chief Joseph Hwy hits the western end of Beartooth. We like to take it, go east to Red Lodge and then back track to Yellowstone. It's worth the second look and actually looks quite different from different directions.
Apr 5th, 2004, 07:48 AM
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It's too bad you can't do both. While the drive from Cody to the Park is not as impressive as the Chief Joseph, once you are in Yellowstone, the views are superb especially those of Lake Yellowstone.
On the Beartooth, the most specacular stretch is from Red Lodge to where the Chief Joseph comes in from Cody. So, you would have to backtrack to enjoy the best views on the highway.
If you take the Beartooth and can time your trip, try to be in the Lamar Valley a couple of hours before sunset and join the crowds looking for wolves. It's one of the best places in the Park to see them.
On the Beartooth, the most specacular stretch is from Red Lodge to where the Chief Joseph comes in from Cody. So, you would have to backtrack to enjoy the best views on the highway.
If you take the Beartooth and can time your trip, try to be in the Lamar Valley a couple of hours before sunset and join the crowds looking for wolves. It's one of the best places in the Park to see them.
Apr 5th, 2004, 10:36 AM
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Not sure if you will also stay in Red Lodge. If you do, I recommend the Pollard Hotel, on the main street in a nicely renovated Victorian building.
We had a memorable visit there a few years back: we reserved at the Pollard after reading about it in CN Traveler.
We drove in late September from Yellowstone via the Chief Joseph (because Beartooth was already closed by snow). When we arrived, they were in the midst of a Brazilian culture festival, and we were invited to join them. We heard a very good concert of classical guitar music, then had a wonderful meal of Brazilian specialties, with a selected wine for each course. A very memorable evening at the end of an amazing trip!
We were disappointed to miss the Beartooth, but we will for sure see it one day! (Just another excuse for a repeat trip...)
We had a memorable visit there a few years back: we reserved at the Pollard after reading about it in CN Traveler.
We drove in late September from Yellowstone via the Chief Joseph (because Beartooth was already closed by snow). When we arrived, they were in the midst of a Brazilian culture festival, and we were invited to join them. We heard a very good concert of classical guitar music, then had a wonderful meal of Brazilian specialties, with a selected wine for each course. A very memorable evening at the end of an amazing trip!
We were disappointed to miss the Beartooth, but we will for sure see it one day! (Just another excuse for a repeat trip...)
Jun 17th, 2004, 02:52 PM
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After doing tetons and yellowstone we plan to drive to glacier. Now hearing about Beartooth Hwy I think we could cut yellowstone short a day and go out of the Northeast and spend one night in RedLodge before heading to Glacier. How much longer will it take us to get to Glacier if we do that? I thought it was going to take the whole day to go north from Mammoth to Glacier and so is going from Red Lodge crazy? We have a reservation St St. Mary;s Lodge in East Glacier but really want to enter from West Glacier on Going to the Sun Hwy. What do you who are more familiar with this area think? thanks. We leave on our trip June 27.
Jun 17th, 2004, 03:55 PM
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If you are staying in the cabins @ St. Mary's Lodge, good luck. We stayed there a couple of years ago. Cabins are small but nice, but a bar directly behind, they have bands until late at night. Workers cabins there also and they stay up around camp fire all night partying.
Jun 19th, 2004, 05:53 AM
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Thanks but I think we are not in a cabin at least I hope not. Any thoughts on cutting a day off Glacier (4 nights instead of 5)and staying between Red Lodge and Glacier a night so we can add Beartooth Hwy to our itinerary? We could probably leave Mammooth and drive out of YNP at Cooke City and travel Beartooth to Billings and then to Helena or Butte in one day and then on to Glacier the next day. What do you think? Anybody? My husband thinks that leaving Mammoth and driving up to West Glacier and across the Sun road is too much in one day anyway>
Jun 22nd, 2004, 12:36 PM
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I'm no Montana expert so take this with a grain of salt. Here's our experience from a few years back...
We stayed in a wonderful log house B&B near West Glacier, and took one day to drive Going to the Sun road to East Glacier and back (with a few short hikes and many photo ops). When we left West Glacier, we drove to Yellowstone where we stayed at the Old Faithful Lodge. As I recall (don't have my journal here to look up) that took most of a day, because it was a very beautiful trip, and we didn't want to fly through it. Stopped for a picnic lunch on Flathead Lake(?), took many photos.
That's the opposite of what you're planning, but you may be able to glean some useful info! Have a terrific trip. Wish we were going again...
We stayed in a wonderful log house B&B near West Glacier, and took one day to drive Going to the Sun road to East Glacier and back (with a few short hikes and many photo ops). When we left West Glacier, we drove to Yellowstone where we stayed at the Old Faithful Lodge. As I recall (don't have my journal here to look up) that took most of a day, because it was a very beautiful trip, and we didn't want to fly through it. Stopped for a picnic lunch on Flathead Lake(?), took many photos.
That's the opposite of what you're planning, but you may be able to glean some useful info! Have a terrific trip. Wish we were going again...
Jun 22nd, 2004, 01:52 PM
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I don't think I would stay at St. Mary's if I was paid to do it!
You can make the whole trip in one day, but if you go around to West Glacier and drive west to east, the trip will be close to 500 miles by the time you drive over the Sun Road.
However, I would not take the route suggested by Mapquest. I would opt for more Interstate driving at take I 15 after using Montana 69 as a cutoff from I 90. I would follow I 15 to north of Great Falls, and leave at the Vallier exit. That road joins US 89 to its junction with US 2. Follow US 2 around the south end of Glacier and come back to St. Mary's over the Sun Road.
It is about 60 miles from West Glacier over Logan Pass to St. Mary's.
To answer the other question, I think the Beartooth is spectacular, but one does not initially drive "down" the Beartooth. You must go up first!! And it is quite a "go up".
Just as good? Depends on the point of view. The Chief Joseph Highway is interesting, but only a few roads in the USA beat the Beartooth for mountain scenery.
You can make the whole trip in one day, but if you go around to West Glacier and drive west to east, the trip will be close to 500 miles by the time you drive over the Sun Road.
However, I would not take the route suggested by Mapquest. I would opt for more Interstate driving at take I 15 after using Montana 69 as a cutoff from I 90. I would follow I 15 to north of Great Falls, and leave at the Vallier exit. That road joins US 89 to its junction with US 2. Follow US 2 around the south end of Glacier and come back to St. Mary's over the Sun Road.
It is about 60 miles from West Glacier over Logan Pass to St. Mary's.
To answer the other question, I think the Beartooth is spectacular, but one does not initially drive "down" the Beartooth. You must go up first!! And it is quite a "go up".
Just as good? Depends on the point of view. The Chief Joseph Highway is interesting, but only a few roads in the USA beat the Beartooth for mountain scenery.
Jun 22nd, 2004, 03:36 PM
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You can definitely get to Glacier in one day from Mammoth and even after doing Beartooth but it will add a few hours to your drive so it depends on how long you usually like to drive.
There's not a lot of mileage or time difference between driving up to the west or east side of Glacier. I would wait to take the GTS road the day after you get there when you are fresh. You will want to drive over and back. It will look different from different directions and is well worth seeing again.
It would be worth your time to take a day trip up to Waterton, across the Canadian border. If you drive just north of town in the Crandell Mt campground, you have a good chance at seeing bears.
There's not a lot of mileage or time difference between driving up to the west or east side of Glacier. I would wait to take the GTS road the day after you get there when you are fresh. You will want to drive over and back. It will look different from different directions and is well worth seeing again.
It would be worth your time to take a day trip up to Waterton, across the Canadian border. If you drive just north of town in the Crandell Mt campground, you have a good chance at seeing bears.
Jun 22nd, 2004, 06:10 PM
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Thanks for all the tips. I think we will leave Mammoth early and go east and drive the Beartooth Hwy and then head on to Butte or Helena or maybe even get farther north near Whitefish or somewhere closer to West Glacier. Probably 4 days in Yellowstone will be enough and seeing Beartooth seems worth leaving Yellowstone a day earlier. Thanks. Any other suggestions or thoughts?
Jun 22nd, 2004, 07:26 PM
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If you go to Waterton, you enter Canada, which is no big deal, usually.
Coming back, you must get by US Customs and Immigration at the Chief Mountain station unless you go over to Cardston and use the Port of Piegan.
Lately, documents proving citizenship are required. I take my passport, but even that document did not save me from questioning. I was astounded. A passport is clear proof of citizenship,but the guardian at the gate had to ask all sorts of inane questions, like "Why were you in Canada?" I love the one who looked at me, looked at my passport picture, then asked me my name.
Coming back, you must get by US Customs and Immigration at the Chief Mountain station unless you go over to Cardston and use the Port of Piegan.
Lately, documents proving citizenship are required. I take my passport, but even that document did not save me from questioning. I was astounded. A passport is clear proof of citizenship,but the guardian at the gate had to ask all sorts of inane questions, like "Why were you in Canada?" I love the one who looked at me, looked at my passport picture, then asked me my name.
Jun 23rd, 2004, 05:37 AM
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I might have missed it but I don't think you say how long you are planning to stay in Yellowstone. In choosing to take a day out of either Yellowstone or Glacier, I'd choose to take a day off Glacier. It takes a lot longer to get around and see Yellowstone than it does Glacier.
I think your plan to stop for the night between parks is a good idea.
I wouldn't worry about where you are staying in St. Mary. It will be clean and you aren't going to be there much--just to sleep and clean up.
I never understood people who go somewhere beautiful like Glacier and worry about how nice their hotel is. Hopefully, you'll be out seeing the scenery, not hanging out in your hotel.
On your day trip to Canaday, take time to drive up to Many Glacier Lodge. It is on the same side of the park and is worth going to see. You might even want to plan on having a meal there. They even do a high tea in the afternoon in an area looking out over the lake and mountains.--just beautiful!
If you want to do some hiking, it is where most of the best trails in the park begin.
I think your plan to stop for the night between parks is a good idea.
I wouldn't worry about where you are staying in St. Mary. It will be clean and you aren't going to be there much--just to sleep and clean up.
I never understood people who go somewhere beautiful like Glacier and worry about how nice their hotel is. Hopefully, you'll be out seeing the scenery, not hanging out in your hotel.
On your day trip to Canaday, take time to drive up to Many Glacier Lodge. It is on the same side of the park and is worth going to see. You might even want to plan on having a meal there. They even do a high tea in the afternoon in an area looking out over the lake and mountains.--just beautiful!
If you want to do some hiking, it is where most of the best trails in the park begin.
Jun 24th, 2004, 05:16 AM
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Thanks so much. You all have been great. We leave this Sun from Md. and fly into Jackson and stay 3 nights there doing the tetons and then 2 nights at Old faithful Inn and 3 ngiths at Mammoth Hot Springs and then 5 nights in StMary's Lodge and then back to Kalispell for on night before flying out of Missoula. I may have to cut a day off Mammoth to do Beartooth Hwy and stay somewhere on the way to Glacier because'm not sure I would be allowed to cut off the first night at St. Mary's reservation, but may call and find out. If you have any other ideas please keep writing. I'll write again when we get home. Thankds
Jun 24th, 2004, 11:23 AM
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I don't think you would regret taking a day off Mammoth. The northern end of the park doesn't have as many sites or activities. 3 nights is a long time for that area.
Just a thought. You could keep the 3rd night and do Beartooth as a day trip from there. Just drive out the northeast entrance to Red Lodge and back. Then you wouldn't have to worry about getting it in on your way to Glacier.
Just a thought. You could keep the 3rd night and do Beartooth as a day trip from there. Just drive out the northeast entrance to Red Lodge and back. Then you wouldn't have to worry about getting it in on your way to Glacier.
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