some1nos

We will be flying into Bozeman in late September and renting a car. There are three adults, all young 65 year olds. We have 7 days to travel but need to return to Bozeman to return the car at the end of the 7 days. Could anyone suggest a doable itinerary for the 7 days, including Yellowstone and Glacier Parks.
Thank You!

tomfuller

Did you do a cost comparison flying to other airports such as SLC, Kalispell and Spokane or are you OK with the costs? My favorite way to arrive in the Glacier area is to take the Amtrak Empire Builder overnight from Spokane to Whitefish MT and rent a car there or from a car agency at the Kalispell airport. Late September may be late for Glacier NP. Sometimes there is early snow which can shut down the Going to the Sun Road.
There will be a lot less tourists in the National Parks after school starts (including colleges) but you have a risk of bad weather even in Yellowstone.
If you don't all have the Lifetime America the Beautiful Senior Pass be sure to get it before showing up at any National Park.
Check to make sure that your lodging options will still be open in both parks. If lodging will be closed in the parks, you have options in West Yellowstone and Gardiner for Yellowstone. In the Glacier region, I like the Meadow Lake Resort in Columbia Falls, MT

Melnq8

If you don't all have the Lifetime America the Beautiful Senior Pass be sure to get it before showing up at any National Park.

Just an FYI - if you're traveling in the same car and visiting a site that charges 'per vehicle' one pass is valid for up to four people. I don't have a pass, yet I get into parks all the time when traveling with my spouse, who has one.

From the US National Park website:

If I have more than four people in my car, how many passes do I need?

• One pass covers the vehicle at sites that charge "per vehicle".
• At "per person" sites, the applicable fee will be charged for each additional person.

And FWIW, I've yet to visit a site that charges per person.

some1nos

thank you!

some1nos

Thank You

PrairieHikerI

I'm not sure how to make an itinerary for Yellowstone but there are lots of things you shouldn't miss.The Yellowstone-Teton region may have more beautiful natural features than any other place in Continental US other than Yosemite. Besides Old Faithful, the main attractions are the Lamar Valley which has roaming herds of bison and elk plus wolves feeding on them (guided tours are available) and the Great Canyon of the Yellowstone which has a steep, deep canyon with waterfalls and hot springs. There lie three spectacular waterfalls: Lower, Upper and Crystal Falls.

Grand Prismatic Spring is a must-see. According to one online poster, wandering around Geyser Hill at night, is a magical experience. You can soak in the Boiling River Hot Spring which is cool enough for bathers/swimmers. Hike the two-mile Yellowstone Lake Overlook Trail to a high mt. meadow with a fantastic view of Yellowstone Lake and distant mts. Take a cruise on Yellowstone Lake aboard the Lake Queen and see lots of wildlife. If you have time, check out adjacent Grand Teton National Park with the most majestic mts. in the Lower 48.

some1nos

Thank You for this information!

Michael

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