CindyJean

We're (2 adults, 2 kids, 9 and 14) thinking of staying at a place near Bozeman this summer. We have two weeks, and want to see Yellowstone, of course, and the Grand Tetons. We'd be staying near Bozeman for 6 nights, and then will be traveling around for 8 days, but flying out from Bozeman. Should we plan to see stuff outside of the parks during the first 6 days, and then spend a few nights in Yellowstone and a few nights in the Tetons? Or should we plan to do Yellowstone and the Tetons from Bozeman (daytrips), and then head off somewhere else (Glacier National Forest? Somewhere else wonderful that I don't know about? Idaho?) during that last week?

We stayed in Yosemite for two nights last summer, and loved it -- we're just wanting to play, hike, bike, etc. But are open to any suggestions.

Thank you!

RuthMc

You definitely want to try to stay in Yellowstone and Grand Teton. A day trip from Bozeman and then getting around in the parks would make for very long days. Lodging in the parks, especially Yellowstone, is hard to get, so your itinerary might be determined by when you can get rooms in Yellowstone, if you can at this date.

CindyJean

Thanks Ruth.

As I'm learning more, I'm thinking that we'll spend the first six days in Bozeman (non-negotiable), and toot around a bit from there, maybe do white-water rafting, etc. I'm wondering if it would make sense to do the Beartooth (Bearclaw?) Highway from there, and am wondering if we can get there and back in one day or if we need to spend the night in Red Rock. Also thinking that we'll spend a little time at Yellowstone, knowing that we'll be there for several days later. What else would people recommend around Bozeman?

Then, I'm thinking of spending nights 7-9 up somewhere in Glacier National Park. I'm thinking that we'll have to camp in order to cut expenses, and am wondering how we should plan this. We're also interested in spending one of those three nights up in Canada so the boys can say they did. Okay, so we can say we did, too. So if we're driving from Bozeman to Glacier, should we spend a night on on the south side of the park, another on the east, and then one up in the Canadian part? (Which, of course, involves a whole lot of setting up and taking down.) Or is there a place someone would recommend to camp for two nights in Glacier, and then head to Canada for one?

Also, is the Road to the Sun (sorry if I have that wrong, I don't have my books with me) as pretty going both ways, or do we want to go from south to north? And, is it too much driving to think that we could break down camp in Canada one morning, and then camp in Yellowstone that night?

And, can anyone tell me if we should plan to spend time at the Blackfeet Reservation? Has anyone done the tipis there?

Then, I'm thinking that we'll spend nights 10-12 camping in Yellowstone, and nights 13-15 camping in the Grand Tetons. Flying out from Bozeman on the night of the 16th day. I'm thinking that we won't need more than three nights in Yellowstone at that point because we will have visited there at least once during that first week (maybe more).

Tell me, oh great ones, how does this sound to you? Is there some other great aha kind of place that I'm failing to see? Thanks!

brookwood

Bozeman is a long ways from Old Faithful and the Canyon of the Yellowstone.
Driving down and back in one day several days in a row? I think the fun would soon go out of it.

The Museum of the Rockies is a fabulous place to visit. The museum underwent a substantial upgrade about 3 years ago and it is one of the premier museums of the West.

The paleontology section has been vastly upscaled since I first saw the museum in 1994. The Museum is the operational headquarters of one of the USA's foremost dinosaur paleontologists: John R. Horner. There are not many men whom I admire, but he is definitely one of them. His contributions to the science of paleontology are full of solid scientific research.

Just the other day, he was co-author of a paper that appeared in the journal Science on finding soft tissue on a T-Rex fossil. (Mary Higby Schweitzer was the lead author.)

Earlier, he had a skull of a T-Rex run through an MRI machine to analyze it without the need to break it apart.

CindyJean

I read that article!

Any other advice about the rest of my trip?

vahiker1

while at yellostone/bozeman, you might want to bring your camping gear and spend one night in the park (gives you 2 days in the park without traveling back to bozeman with minimal cost).

In Glacier, most campgrounds are first come so arrive early. Many Glacier is a really nice area and pretty central to the east side of the park and close to canada. Spend a day driving on the Going to the Sun Road with some day hikes! for more info, there is a glacier chat page:http://www.glacier.national-park.com...d/glacchat.htm

CindyJean

Good advice again. If we're driving up to Glacier from Bozeman, would we need to camp south of the park, and then spend the day on the Going to the Sun Road, ending up in Many Glacier? Or would it make sense to drive up from Bozeman, camp at Many Glacier, and do the road the next day?

Connie

We've done this trip many times. We camp in Yellowstone three nights. This gives you time to drive around and see everything, including the Tetons, which you can just drive through in 30 minutes. There are things to do there but it sounds like you are trying to see a lot. I'd use some of those days for Yellowstone and Glacier. Your pass to Yellowstone is good for the Tetons for a week so be sure to have it.

You can get all the way to Glacier in around six hours from the interstate, drive across GTS road and set up camp. It just depends on how much driving you like to do in a day. We like to drive and get there so we have more time to visit.

Rising Sun and Many Glacier are two good campgrounds on the east side. Going to the Sun is worth going over and back, which you can do in a few hours.

Waterton, Canada has a great campground just north of town, Crandall Mt. Campground. We too enjoy doing it to say we did. The town of Waterton is charming and we always see bears in the area. One night there would be enough.

Bozeman is too far away for day trip into Yellowtsone, IMO. To be honest, pretty much everything people go to see in the area is too far to use Bozeman as a home base, except the Beartooth Hwy. You could do a round trip in one day. No need to stay in Red Lodge.

Bozeman has a nice downtown to visit. The Pickle Barrel has great deli sandwiches. Go into the Powderhorn to see lots of stuffed animals, as well as good camping supplies.

If you like to antique shop. Belgrade, just a few miles west of Bozeman has a great antique shop downtown, My Home is in Montana.

I don't know about any white water rafting near Bozeman. We float the Yellowstone River and fish, if it isn't too high or fast. Otherwise, people stay off of it. It's closer to Livingstone. The Madison is a great river to float and fish and is closer to Bozeman. They stay off of it too, when it's high and fast.

bob_brown

Before definitely planning on camping at Many Glacier, check with the Rangers.
In recent years that area was restricted to hard sided camping vehicles because of bears -- no tents.

It is a beautiful spot. In years past it was one of my favorites. But the bear danger has grown, and the last time I was through there for a day hike, the posted sign said "Hard sided camping only."

That is why I suggest checking in advance. The restriction may be in effect this year as well.

CindyJean

More great advice! Bob Brown, I'm wondering if you're the guy who helped me plan a divine trip to the Southwest about six years ago. If so, thanks! It was perfect! We took your advice (or someone's!) about finding this little road up above Sedona, potholed like crazy, and loved it! Among other things.

A couple of questions -- are the bears that much of a problem all over Glacier, or just in Many Glacier (I'll check their site, too).

And, what route should we take from Bozeman to Glacier? Should we take the same route back, or do something different?

Your advice about less time in the Tetons is good, Connie, and thanks for the other tips, too.

And, is there anything else I'm missing? Anything in Northwest Idaho, for example?

Thanks!

Connie

We usually go north out of Bozeman straight to the east side of Glacier but lots of people like to go by way of Missoula. It's takes about the same amount of timet o get to Glacier but since we like to camp on the east side, we go that way.

Rising Sun has a little bear activity but nothing like Many Glacier. It's first come first serve so that's another good reason to get to the campground ASAP. They don't allow trailers of any kind in there.

Don't bother taking firewood over the border into Canada. They will just confiscate it. They are worried about some sort of pest getting into their country. The really nice thing is they have a huge pile at the entrance to the campground and let you take all you want free!!

brookwood

The quickest way I have found between Glacier and Yellowstone is to go by way of Great Falls. From Bozeman I have taken I 90 west to state route 69 and cut the corner over to I 15. (If you want to see Butte, then you would not take this cutoff.)

Then you have a choice. The shortest way is to follow US 287 to Choteau and join US 89 and follow it to St. Mary or Babb, which is the turn for Many Glacier.

The other way is to stay on I 15 though Great Falls. Leave I 15 at exit 348 and drive along Montana 44 to US 89.

The length of time required is perhaps a little less for the US 287 / US 89 route, and it is definitely shorter.

I have camped at various places in Yellowstone, and my favorite was and is Many Glacier. At the time I camped, I had a tent because there were no restrictions.

On the west side, there are several sites north of Lake McDonald.

Belly River campground is almost at the Canadian border, but it too is a good area to camp. The drawback is that you are away from the Sun Road by a considerable distance.

CindyW

It's the same Cindy, but for some reason I had to re-register. Thanks for the good information. Is there a reason that we'd want to see Butte, or Missoula?

And what about the Blackfeet Reservation?