dlord3

A co-worker and I are taking a trip next late May or early June. We are in our mid fifties and mostly want to just drive and take lots of pictures. We have 7-10 days to try to see all three of these areas. We were looking for help on the best places to stay (reasonably priced) in the Teton and Glacier areas. Is Coulter Village a good place to spend a night or two? Also looking for best places to eat and whatever scenic roads we should include. Also, we are not interested in rodeos, museums, dinner shows, or that type of thing. We are interested in scenic (not whitewater) raft or boat trips, historic trolley rides, very light hiking, and sky gondola type rides. And finally, where are the best deals for airline, & car rental from Tampa, FL? Best places to fly in/out of.

hilda

You need to research weather patterns as late May and early June can be wintry in these parks. Going to the Sun road in Glacier opens mid to late June. I was in Yellowstone mid June and it snowed. Check out the national park web sites for lodging options, the earlier you book the more choices you will have. Didnt stay in Coulter Village but drove in and it looked nice.

hilda

PS, look for multi city rates, example fly into Bozeman, Billings, fly out of another airport. Jackson Wyoming is a great location but pricey. You will pay more for your rental car with a drop off feeBillings/bozeman will be cheaper. From Glacier is the airport in Kalispell

utahtea

We've been to Yellowstone the first week in June twice now and had fantastic weather. Two years ago they did get alittle snow at the end of May before we got there. We had a thundershower or two, but that can happen any time. The great thing about the end of May and early June is the crowds have not come yet.

BTW, we've been to Yellowstone in mid July and had snow...I think it's possible at any time.

Utahtea

bob_brown

I suggest you put Glacier last on the schedule and the Tetons first.

Also I would push the dates back as far into June as your personal considerations will allow.

There are two main reasons I suggest this type of scheduling: the Beartooth Highway and the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier. Both will be open when the snow is cleared.

Usually the Beartooth Highway opens late May to early June. We drove over it once when the snow was still piled high on the side of the roads and the snowmobilers were still at it.

The Sun Road opens sometimes in mid June usually, BUT the snowfall depth determines how soon the plows can get the clearing job accomplished.

One thing is certain, the later in June you go, the better your chances that the Sun Road will be open. If the entire route is not clear, you can still drive part of the way from either side and see quite a bit of scenery.

As a general rule, accommodations in the Tetons are better than those in Yellowstone which are, in turn, better than those in Glacier. That generalization, however, is subject to quite a bit of qualification because anything rated as a "budget" or "Pioneer" cabin in Yellowstone is for me a place to avoid.

The last few trips I have made to Waterton-Glacier found us scratching our heads over where to stay. We finally decided on Shintangle Springs B and B on the Alberta side about 5 miles from the main part of Waterton. We took a long day trip or two into Glacier.

Unfortunately since we were last there, 2005, the US Department of Homeland Security has made border crossing a chore. You will need your passports and even so, you might get a long quiz session.

Also, bear in mind that it is an all-day drive to get from Yellowstone to Glacier. I know it sounds tempting to do all three in one trip, but within a 7 - 10 day time frame, I really do not think it is that great an idea.

As for the best places to fly in and out of, it depends on many factors. I would look to Billings or Jackson first and then go on from there. My son one year flew into Helena because that was where the price was the best, but then he had a long backtrack to Yellowstone and the Tetons.

justme22

with only 7 to 10 days you are going to be in the car alot but if you are not going to get out of your car and really hike at glacier, a drive thru all day to get to the main areas gtsr and many glacier, you could do it but you better rent a comfy car!

because you do plan on doing a lot of driving, it makes the most sense to fly into jackson hole or kalispell. (the begining of your loop can be from either airport) You might do better in price at kalispell mt for price

AND the rental cars at these airports have unlimited miles. this is not the case at many of the smaller airports when i did my research earlier this year for a late summer trip to yellowstone. Billings, Bozeman, Helena all were 1500miles plus additional charges after that.

At glacier a drive into many glacier is definately worth it. you would also want to stop at logan pass and get out a little and walk a short distance on some of the trails right there (highline? comes to mind)

you will want to if your route allows, to drive on route 2 to the salt lick and see mountain goats hanging out, but you may see them elsewhere in glacier.

also to save time to see scenery you should try and stay in the parks so you wake up to the spectacular.

Bob Brown is right about the road situation. all of the park roads like going to the sun and mountain passes that are labelled closed in winter mean there is no snow plowing all winter long. the altitude allows the snow to stick around the snow can be 20+ feet high in places....

also you should be able to get a calm float on the snake river out of jackson wy.

dlord3

I am so thankful that all of you were willing to take the time to fill me in on so many things! This is my first time posting on this web site and it is gratifying to get so much help. BTW, if not able to drive into Canada for accomodations while visiting Glacier, where in Montana should we look? Boy this is like having a personal travel agent.

justme22

you may want to try and stay at st. mary lodge on rt 89. right at the start of going to the sun road. but try for many glacier hotel or swiftcurrent motor lodge in the park. i believe you have to contact glacier lodge inc. on the other side, again glacier lodge inc for park properties or try apgar village which is not part of glacier park inc

there are very few lodging sources on the east side of glacier near the route to waterton.

bob_brown

I really do not have an answer to your question about where in Montana to stay.
If I HAD to be in the US side, I would look first at Apgar Village which is part of the park concessioner's holdings.

Then I would do a Google on accommodations in West Yellowstone. There are some privately owned cabins that might well fill the bill. The drawback is the distance from the park entrance. On the east side there is motel or two at St. Mary's. The photographs look ok, but I have read on this forum that the gambling crowd tends to take over the better of the places at St. Marys.

There are some in-park accommodations on the east side: The Rising Sun lodge, Many Glacier hotel, and the Swiftcurrent motor inn.

My son and his family one year took a two bedroom , no bath, cabin and pretended they were pioneers in covered wagon. They had a bed and a roof!

The Many Glacier Hotel is very well located; the views are incredible. If you can put up with the room, perhaps the view will compensate.

I made the comment earlier that if the hotel were to burn, it would result in the loss of thousands of lives, all of them 6-legged.

In Yellowstone, be careful of Old Faithful Inn. Some of the rooms there arer wretched. We were in one once where the shower was so small that I could not turn around easily. At 6 feet, 180 pounds I was not exactly Two-ton Tony Galento. I remember that when trying to turn the shower curtain rod came loose and hit me in the head. When I checked out that morning, I sai something to the clerk at the desk. Her primary concern was that I was conscious enough to sign the charge card receipt. I was totally irked by not only her demeanor but by the awfulness of the room, particularly considering the price I had to pay. We said to heck with it after one night and returned to a motel in West Yellowstone.

In Yellowstone, the Western cabins are ok at Canyon and the Old Faithful Snow Lodge. Accommodations in cabins at Mammoth, Old Faithful other than the Snow Lodge cabins, and the more expensive cabins at Canyon are poor.

The Roughrider Cabins at Roosevelt are just that: rough. Bring your own air mattress to put on the bunks to save your back.

I stayed at Roosevelt many, many years ago on my first visit. Bears were uncontrolled at the time and wandered through the camping and cabin areas.
Everybody used a bath house that was centrally located. We also had a water bucket and there was a faucet outside in the yard.

I got up to go and get a bucket of water one frosty morn when I saw a young bear, probably half grown, nosing around the area. A man from another cabin came wandering along with his bucket and walked into the backend of the bear. He panicked, slung his bucket up in the air, and ran. The bucket came down and hit the bear in the flanks. The bear was startled and fled, right into the door of the ladies' end of the bathhouse. Whereupon several equally startled women in various stages of undress came pouring out the door.
Last a very confused and bewildered bear emerged, finally got his bearings, and headed for the woods never to be seen by us again. For the bear I am sure it was a most unsettling way to start the day. He was minding his own business and suddenly all hell breaks loose because some bleary eyed tourist conks him with a bucket.

justme22

just to clear up confusion, there is lodging right next to lake macdonald and the park's apgar village inn. it is a privately owned operation see:

http://www.westglacier.com/apgar_village_lodge.php

the hotel units have the creek running right behind them it is a nice place to stay but not officially "glacier"

this is where i stay when on the lake macdonald side of the park.