Glacier, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Rocky Mt National Park
 

We are beginning to plan a two week vacation in the Rocky Mountains in September 2017. I think we will fly from SFO to DEN, then rent a car, but have not ruled out idea of a road trip from home. Thoughts?

Of the national parks, we would like to divide our time among three of the four above. The question is which one to omit? I'm thinking of Yellowstone.

I have not been to the Rockies since 1971 when I moved from Michigan to San Francisco. DH is from Italian. We have spent much time together in the Sierras, but he has never seen the Rockies. We are experienced and sturdy day hikers in our late fifties and sixties; our last big trip was a trek in Bhutan last November. Also interested in lodging options (moderate cost with maybe one splurge), but perhaps that step comes next.

Thanks for any help.

Is there a question here???? I will make one up. Personally if flying into Denver then stick with the Denver area and reduce your travel time to a few hours every few days. Yellowstone is a full day's drive from Denver. If Yellowstone is on your list then fly into somewhere closer to Yellowstone.

There are many more options in Colorado than just the RMNP. You have Durange and Mesa Verde in the SW corner to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison to Aspen, Leadville, Glenwood Canyon, great Sand Dunes, etc. All offering great hiking and biking opportunity. Just get a good guide book for Colorado.

Flying to Denver and renting a car will save some time but be more expensive.

41 hours of driving from San Francisco to Yellowstone, then Rocky Mountain and back to San Francisco - so you could plan on 5 days of just driving which leaves you with 9 days for sightseeing. If you fly to Denver, you'd eliminate about 3 days of driving.

Doesn't make sense to omit Yellowstone since it is right next to Grand Tetons. Glacier or Rocky Mountain are the 2 outliers. If you are flying to Denver, Glacier is the furthest and the one I would omit. Likewise, if you decide to road trip from San Francisco, Glacier is the furthest away and also the one I would omit.

I would go to Yellowstone first as they start shutting down lodging and other concessions in September. You will want to plan accordingly.
https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/ocd_locale.htm

I would ask you check the option of flying to, driving to or taking the train to Salt Lake City instead of Denver.
It is about 6 hours drive to the Yellowstone area from the SLC airport (via Idaho Falls).
Decide which you would rather see, Glacier or Rocky Mountain.
The California Zephyr takes about 17 hours from Emeryville to SLC (arriving between 3 and 4AM MT).
From what I've heard, rental cars are more expensive in Denver than in Salt Lake City.

I agree that it doesn't make sense to omit Yellowstone since it's adjacent to Grand Tetons. If you plan to include Glacier, I would start there first and work your way south. Concessions and lodging there start to shut down even earlier than Yellowstone.

Be aware that MANY services in Glacier shut down the day after labor day. Possible in middle to late September that the Going to the Sun Road could be snow covered or even closed.

Thank you all for your help. fmpdm, my questions were which of the four parks to eliminate, and a road trip from home vs flying.

It seems clear from responses that flying is the way to go. We are not retired, so time is very limited. Unfortunately, of the four parks, we need to include the two farthest away, Glacier and Rocky Mountain National Park, the former because Glacier knocked me head over heels in 1971,( despite having over 20 counted blisters at that point in my road trip from Michigan to California by way of the Rockies and Canada, Washington and Oregon) and Colorado holds much loved goddaughter, who we may not have seen for over a year by then.

So, I will look for an open jaw flight to Missoula and back from Denver, leave early on a Saturday morning, returning to San Francisco the following Sunday evening.
Could that look like
Sat-travel
Sun-Thurs: Glacier
Friday-travel
Sat-Tues: Wyoming (giving short shift to either Grand Tetons or Yellowstone)
Wed--travel to RMNPP
Thurs-Friday RMNP
Sat am early: return car in Fort Collins. Short flight to Colorado Springs to A & S
Sun--hang out with A & S in am, then travel

I'd appreciate any suggestions or modifications. We will be able to return to this area again, probably at some point will spend an entire vacation in Colorado. I know we are spreading ourselves thin, but am not sure what to give up. DH is from Italy and we ALWAYS tell people to not try to do Rome, Florence and Venice in one trip...but it's very hard to decide what to leave out. Our usual travel style is to go to Europe for 17 days (3 travel), spending a week in Genoa and a week in another European city, so I'm very uncertain about how to divide things up, given that both Glacier and Colorado are mandatory.

Mille grazie.

Allegiant air has a weekly non stop flight from OAK to Kalispell which is only 34 miles to the west entrance of GP.

WOW--thanks John.

I would cut back a day or maybe even two and add that time to Yellowstone and/or Grand Tetons. As it stands you have 5.5 days in Glacier (counting some time on arrival and departure days), only 4 in Yellowstone/GTNP.

Hello,

This sounds like a great trip. As Yellowstone is our favorite NP, I would have to recommend keeping it on your list! We were able to see and do a lot in Yellowstone & Grand Tetons in just 5 days - our itinerary with notes and pictures is on our website (check out link in my bio). It was the wildlife sightings that were most memorable and the amazing landscapes of places like Lamar & Hayden Valleys. We used TravelBrains Expedition Guide to Yellowtone which was very helpful.

Hope this helps. Have a great trip!

- Mike

A few years ago I did a trip from Jackson Hole to Grand Tetons to Yellowstone and ended at Glacier. I was SO GLAD we did just one day at Yellowstone. I was not impressed and found it touristy. Give yourself plenty of time at Grand Teton and especially Glacier. I think Glacier National Park is America's jewel and would go back in a heartbeat. Don't miss seeing St. Mary's Lake. Enjoy every minute.