Billings to Glacier NP
 

We have planned a week in Montana in Sept. flying into Billings arriving around noon. Have been to Yellowstone, and would like to travel to Glacier NP this trip, maybe up into Canada. I see that Billings to Glacier is approximately 8 hours. Where would be a good stopping off place for the night? The best place to enter the park? Best lodging? On a road trip we like to stay overnight and move on, unless there is a can't miss, need more time destination. Would like to take one route going and another on the return - any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Why not fly into Missoula or even Kalispell and avoid the drive across Montana? It's a great drive, but you've given up a whole day if Glacier is your main destination.

If you are already locked in, it's about 4 hours from Billings to Butte and about 5 1/2 hours from Billings to Missoula. Return trip could be through Cut Bank to Great Falls and then Highway 89, 12 and 3 (via White Sulfur Springs and Harlowton) to Billings. On that journey, you'll see what Montana is all about.

Unfortunately the airfare into billings was too good to pass up. My husband now thinks he would like to drop down into Yellowstone so here is a tentative itinerary - we don't mind traveling as we would like to see as much as we can, but please advise if this is too ambitious:

Sat: Arrive Billings (11am) to Red Lodge or Cooke City.
Sun: Yellowstone - stay at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel.
Mon: Yellowstone to Missoula
Tue: Missoula to East Glacier Park (or other suggestion?)
Wed: East Glacier to Waterton Lakes
Thur: Waterton to Great Falls
Fri: Great Falls to Billings

Is this too crazy?

Although I think Red Lodge is a great town and the drive through the Lamar Valley on the way to Mammoth is gorgeous, I would skip it on this trip. You are taking too many days away from you main destination.

Looking forward to hearing about Glacier. Have a great trip.

In Missoula: Check out the carousel in Caras Park downtown and also the kayaking park near the carousel. Spend some time exploring downtown Missoula; there are a lot of fun shops and good restuarants.

In Great Falls: Check out the Charlie Russell Museum and the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.

Thanks for the advise - I think you are probably right. Should we stick to getting to GNP and doing the Mountain Scenic Loop and GTTS Rd? Or is there a better suggestion? I would like to check out the suggestions in Missoula and Great Falls and any others. We like to site see, visit museums, shop, eat and some hiking (less than 5 miles). No fishing or horseback riding.

We did a trip last summer that went through Yellowstone, Missoula, Glacier NP and Waterton. I started writing about the trip (http://rlao.wordpress.com) but haven't gone that far yet. Depending on what you would like to do, there are many options. Here was what we did (I will write more details later in my blog) by day:

1. Yellowstone Norris Campground - visited Yellowstone Falls and Upper Basin Gysers
2. Missoula
3. Avalanche Creek Campground, Glacier NP - nice gorge there and visited Lake MacDonald
4. Sunrise Campground, Glacier NP - went through the Going-to-the-Sun road and hiked the Hidden Lake Trail around the Logan Pass. Definitely a must.
5. Sunrise Campground, Glacier NP- went to East Glacier (we could have moved there that night but we decided against packing up and setting up again)and took a boat ride and hiked out to Twin Falls. Great place to pick thimbleberry and another berry I cannot recall its name. But if you only have one day, go to Many Glacier instead
6. Many Glacier Campground, Glacier NP - hiked Grinell Glacier trial (a must). Try to stay here at least a couple of days if you like hiking. You can stay at the famous Many Glacier Hotel, or there is a motel like lodge and a campground there as well.
7. Crandell Campground, Waterton NP - we wanted to do the Carthew-Alderson hike but couldn't get a ride but we will go back for it someday. You can stay at the famous Prince of Wales hotel.

thanks for the help - here is my revised trip:

Sat - arrive Billings, drive to Helena.

Sun - Leave Helena, arrive Missoula

Mon - Missoula to Big Fork

Tue - Glacier Park - stay at East Glacier, St. Marys?

Wed. Waterton, Canada

Thur. Waterton to Great Falls

Fri. GF back to Billings

I think this will give us a good feel for Montana - any other suggestions? Thanks!

Missoula to Big Fork is only a 2 hour ride.

I know that Missoula and Bigfork are close, but the hotels in the GNP do not look very nice. Any suggestions on where we should stay after Missoula to make an entrance in into the park on Tuesday? Or should we just stay in the park?