Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Yellowstone/Grand Teton/Glacier

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Yellowstone/Grand Teton/Glacier

My husband and I will be spending the first two weeks of August in this area. We've booked our flights and have reservations for every night. I've read the postings back into 2001 and have gotten some great help but I still have a few questions. First our itinerary as of now: 8/1 arrive Billings early evening, pick up rental car, overnight Billings. 8/2 up early, free to sightsee, want to visit Little Big Horn NM, either early or late in day as several have suggested. Any other ideas appreciated. Overnight Red Lodge 8/3 & 8/4 Attend pottery workshop and overnight each night, Red Lodge 8/5 up early, cross Beartooth to Yellowstone, sightsee as much as possible in park (we have reservations for a cabin at Mammouth Hot Springs, the only thing that was left in the park as of 4/26. I plan to keep checking via phone to see if anything opens up.) 8/6 & 8/7 Yellowstone, plan at least one night geyser watch, sounds awesome. Again at Mammouth Hot Springs although they are holding a cabin for us at Flagg Ranch for the night of 8/7 (for a fee of course) if we want that. 8/8 up early, sightseeing Grand Teton NP, maybe with a float trip on the Snake River (several have mentioned that) overnight at Flagg Ranch 8/9 up early, sightsee and make way back to Red Lodge via route still in planning. Overnight in Red Lodge. 8/10 & 8/11 Pottery workshop and overnight in Red Lodge. 8/12 up early, drive to Glacier NP mainly via I-90 and I-15 (per AAA). If anyone knows a more scenic/interesting route, please tell us. We know this is a long, long drive, but we're used to that. Overnight at Glacier Park Lodge. 8/13 up early to at the very least drive the Going to the Sun Road with stops and/or short walks. Head south mainly via 93 to Missoula then I-90 to Butte. Overnight Butte. 8/14 up early to catch afternoon flight out of Billings. A few questions. 1. Should we keep the night of the 7th at Mammouth Hot Springs for a third night, or opt for Flagg Ranch which would put us closer to the southern end of Yellowstone? Or does it even matter? 2. After having read the postings, are we pushing it to try to see Glacier? How similar is it to the Tetons? Also, my husband and I spent two weeks in Alaska two summers ago. We drove from Anchorage to Seward, then up to Denali NP. Flew to Juneau and spent two nights in Glacier Bay NP, then flew to Ketchikan. Hiked to glaciers and saw them from boats. I just don't know how Glacier NP compares to that. My point is, we want to give Yellowstone the time it deserves to appreciate it's thermal geography. Something totally new to us. If those of you who know the area think we'd be better off to change the last few days we have and skip Glacier, we're certainly willing to consider changing our reservations if it isn't too late already to do so. We're both in our mid-fifties, in good health and while not into major hiking, want to see as much as we can that you don't get by just "driving through". Hikes of two or three hours round trip are similar to what we did in Alaska. We on this trip for the workshops and the scenery. Night life and cities aren't a factor although we will get down to Jackson for at least a few hours and Bubbas. I know this is a long posting but we want to get in ans many of the "must sees" and "don't misses" as possible. Who knows when we'll get back out that way again. Thanks for your help and if anyone has questions about the Florida panhandle from the Alabama line to Panama City we'll try to help. We live in Pensacola Beach. Thanks again, Frances

Sounds like you have done some planning! We did Glacier, Yellowstone, and the Tetons in a similar trip to what you have planned. All I can tell you are our experiences. We went in October, so I imagine we had a lot less crowds than what you will encounter. That said, we spent three full days in Yellowstone and a day in the Tetons. We loved Yellowstone and if we had a whole month there I do not think it would have been long enough (went back last December)! We had about as much time in Glacier as what you are planning and do not feel we had long enough. There are a lot of short hikes that we were not able to go on because of our time constraints. We have not been to Alaska so cannot compare Glacier to it. However, I can tell you that Glacier and the Tetons are completely different. My advise is that you should skip Glacier, however, if you think this will be your only trip, I say go, but understand you will be missing A LOT!

I would give the Tetons and Yellowstone more time and take in Glacier next trip. Do not miss Cody and Chief Joseph Pass back to Red Lodge. The Cody museum is worth a visit and the Proud Cut Saloon is the place to eat in Cody. The Moose/Wilson road in the Tetons is a great drive, we saw 5 black bear on the road side last August. Great photos and video!! One day is not enough!

Seems like a lot of nights are spent in Red Lodge that could be spent in YS. I think you need more time there. I'm so glad you are doing Beartooth. Mammath is okay if that is all you can get. The hotel there seems as nice as most others in the park. It just isn't as centrally located. To get to Glacier, I would go from West Yellowstone to Bozeman through the Gallatin Canyon--beautiful or from Gardiner to Livingston. Then make your way up to Helena and on up to the east side of Glacier. Then come back down the western route by Flathead Lake-very pretty and back down to the interstate. You could get all the way back to bozeman. It is a very nice town to spend some time in. We have DRIVEN from northeast Texas to Glacier and back with 3 nights in YS and one in GT many times in a two week time period and have felt like we got to see as much as we wanted to each time. One more thing, the cherries should be ready around Flathead Lake. It is really fun to find a place where you can pick your own. We did this on the east side of the lake.

April, Phil and Connie, Thanks for the responses. Your postings, along with others elsewhere, have convinced us we should plan Glacier for another trip. With that in mind I went back to the Yellowstons lodging site and managed to get a room in the Canyon Lodge for the two nights we would have spent going to Glacier. I'm giving up one of the first three nights in Yellowstone in order to have a bit more time in the Tetons. Had been leaning toward going through the Chief Joseph Pass on one of our drives back to Red Lodge, will definately do so. Again, thanks for your generous help. Frances

I would spend as much time as possible in Glacier area vs Yellowstone for Yellowstone is nice for its thermal and wildlife ,but for scenery Glacier blows rest away . do 7 days at Glacier (east west side) There is a reason it is called The Crown of the Continent and if you take my advice you will se why!!!!