monpetit

Thinking on a 2 week's vacation-summer 2007-
in Montana(Missoula/Seeley lake in a dude ranch/Apgar-certainly Belton Chalet/West glacier/Helena/Missoula), , I have quasi finalised my hotel's choices...but not in east glacier...
All what I read makes the choice...difficult and delicat...
Is many Glacier Hotel as bad as some describes, in term of lodging ??
Are they, near the park some B&B ??or other
adress : important is a good bed, in a clean room and quietness...(so BW, some chains or a basic but clean motel are good...) ??
We are good hikers and so want to be early in
the morning in trailheads : no too much miles are "needed" between where we sleep and where we hike...
And finally, what about a stay in Waterton ?

Initial programm was : 1 night in Missoula/
4 nights in ranch/3 nights in Apgar/3 nights in West glacier/2 nights in Helena/2 nights in Missoula.
It could be : 3 nights in Apgar/2 in Waterton/1 in Great falls and the rest as prevised??
And don't worry, the rest of Montana, and notably south part with yellowstone will be part of another sejour...
We preffer less miles and more days in each
part than a lot of miles...
Erik.

monpetit

ttt

woodie

For waht it is worth, Waterton is great.

In the Missoula area, consider Big Fork. A summer palyhouse there is very very good.

Check them out on the web. Restaurants in Big Fork [Montana] are exceptional. The whole area does a great tourist job.

You are sure to enjoy.

kureiff

One night in Great Falls might be fun. You could check out the Charlie Russell Museum and the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center.

There is a lot to do in both Missoula and Helena. Waterton is beautiful. Whitefish and Big Fork are both nice places to stay after touring the park and then heading south to Missoula.

AlJ

I've heard good and bad about Many Glacier. The view in any event is second to none in my opinion. We stayed at Swiftcurrent Motor Inn which is just past Many Glacier. I loved it. It was quiet enough. We were always so tired we would have slept through a lot. I'd gladly stay at Swiftcurrent again.

AuntAnnie

We stayed our first night at GNP on the east side at Rising Sun Motor Lodge in tiny, clean, rustic cabins w/ 2 double beds and a small bathroom. They were $81 a night (several years ago). We had a fun meal of buffalo burgers and local microbrews at the Two Dogs Mesquite Grill. Our accomodations seemed kinda luxurious at the time; we had just finished paddling the Lewis & Clark Upper Missouri River so a rustic cabin with a bed was a slice of heaven! They were nothing fancy, but clean is my main requirement and I have always found Nat'l Park rooms to be clean. We also really enjoyed the L&C Interpretive Center in Great Falls mentioned by another poster. I think if you are hikers you are used to rustic and these cabins would be fine for you. It was a peaceful area. Happy Trails!

monpetit

thanks for those first responses.
Usefull to begin to think to a choice...
Erik.

Pegontheroad

Monpetit:

I'd be interested in hearing whether you stayed at Many Glacier Hotel. I worked there one summer during college--many, many years ago--and it was very nice then. From the delicate hints, I assume it has deteriorated since then.

Ackislander

I gather from your syntax that you might not be from the US.

One thing we found wonderful in Montana is that the brief tourist season has limited the amount of capital owners can spend on their buildings. Thus many older, rather quaint hotels and restaurants still exist -- the kind of thing Americans seek out in Europe! Think French two star accomodation.

In East Glacier, we stayed at the Mountain Pine Motel, just down the road from the Glacier Park Lodge. This is a charming ‘50’s place with a very friendly staff. The rooms don’t have “Sanitized for your Protection” strips over the toilet seats, but they do have paper wrappers over the real glasses! Those of you over 50 will be right at home! We parked in the woods just outside our rooms and walked up the road for dinner after watching a horse stampede from the Glacier Park Lodge back to the stables.

Book early. You cannot necessarily expect to find a room just by showing up during the summer. Also expect slowish service in restaurants because of staff shortages during high season.

It is worth every bit of inconvenience for the scenery.

monpetit

Finally, programm is, beginning July the 21st, a saturday :
07.21 : Paris/Missoula-night at Wingate inn
07.22 : Boulder lake trail and road to Rich ranch in Seeley lake
07.23,07.24 and 07.25 : Rich ranch -horse hikes.
07.26 : Seeley lake to West Glacier(St Ignacius, pueblo center,...) and hidden prairie hike on the northfork part, night at the Belton Chalet.
07.27 and 07.28 : hikes in west part(quartz lakes loop and fish/snyder lakes trails), nights in Belton Chalet.
07.29 : a morning hike , very early before Logan pass and an afternoon hike in west part(garden wall??). Night at Swifcurrent motor inn, room with private bathroom.
07.30 and 31, hikes in east part(iceberg lake, ptarmigan,...).
08.01 : Drive to Great falls(Ch.Russel museum) and an hike near Choteau and then, drive to Helena.Night at Best Western great northern.
08.02 : hike in the vicinity of Helena and Helena itself.night at BW
08.03 : Helena/Missoula via Elkhorn, Philipsburg and Garnett : a day of ghots towns.
08.04 : hike in Bitterrot valley(one with ponds to be able to put feets in water...).Those 2 last nights in the B&B
blue mountain.
08.05 : back to France...
I'll put a review when returning, with impressions/trails, hotels,...and also all the change due to weather, trails conditions(bear if there are,...),...
Erik.

laurieb_nyny

Hi Erik. We will just miss you in Glacier as we are going at the end of August. Looking forward to reading your trip report before we leave.