Whichever you decide, they are both great stops for your Western United States road trip! Wild Horse Island is a totally unique Montana destinationand the name says it all. Day 11: Boise International Airport to Orlando/Boston, Our final itinerary: 3 states, 3 national parks, 1 national monument, 2 state parks and 2,000 miles driven in our trusty steed, Huckleberry. As a western montanan I dont agree with this road trip. As we passed through Hayden Valley (known for its wildlife sightings), we noticed a lot of people pulled over at a turn out, pointing and taking pictures. Lunch is included and carried on the llamas, who are excellent pack animals (if youre a differently-abled hiker, this is a HUGE help, particularly for overnight or multi-day treks which would be far more difficult without the assistance of a pack animal). Road conditions from Idaho to Montana. Our itinerary included three out of the five most conservative states in America Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho and I now know what it feels like to experience culture shock in my own country. We started at the Mud Volcano area, where we had to tiptoe our way past a bison that was a little too close for comfort (turns out, those lazy-looking giant cows are actually really aggressive). Slightly disappointed, we continued on to see Old Faithful, which we were anticipating having the same tourist quality. A bear ready for a dip in Hells Canyon. Crystal (historical) 29F. By the time we got back to the campsite where we parked, the park had come to life with tons of rangers and visitors out and about. Until next time. Photo Credit; Idaho Tourism. Just a short drive outside of Whitefish, the Resort has myriad ways to get your thrill on, like the mountain bike park, alpine slides, zip-lines, and rope courses. Once you complete the hike, you are rewarded with six warm pools, a waterfall, and sweeping views of the scenery below. 1. Its an area of incredible natural beauty, isnt it? I, personally, drive on side streets (where possible) because the main streets get all backed up. Today, the Island is part of the Flathead Indian Reservation and is managed by the Montana parks department. Thanks to stuff like this, we have been found out, and our quiet lives have been forever disrupted. At local businesses and restaurants, taxidermy animal mounts outnumber patrons. Those llamas are killing me they are so cute!! There was an error submitting your subscription. :), Purchase a step-by-step guide to this itinerary, hitewater rafting trip down the Salmon River. Then we went back to the Holiday Inn where the front desk ladies were nice enough to sneak us a key card so we could use the bathroom in the middle of the night if needed. Rule of thumb: Always keep 25 yards (about 2 school buses) away from a non-aggressive animal, or 100 yards (one football field) away from large/potentially aggressive ones. Youre welcome. Its also a destination with much to offer those who stay for a Eat: Sawtooth Luces serves up cold local beer and a mean Idaho Kobe beef burger, and we had a delicious breakfast at Stanley Baking Company. While Boxcar was certainly sassy and took a while to warm up to me enough for us to share a hug and a selfie, the llamas that come along on hikes are perfectly well behaved. We ate dinner at Applebees, where we also changed and got ready for bed in the bathroom (its about 11 PM at this point and we are brushing our teeth at an Applebees in Idahoprobably the high point of the trip). It was another awesome Alicia & Dana Adventure! Eat: Tru North Cafe, owned by a recent Los Angeles transplant who came to Livingston on vacation and accidentally bought a coffee shop, serves a mindblowing Maple Mountain Cloud latte and blueberry jam breakfast sandwich. Today, we share down-to-earth travel tips from our many (mis)adventures on our blog andpodcast! At a restaurant in small-town Idaho, we had a lengthy conversation with a man about his stockpile of 100 guns, the 300+ gophers he killed with his 5-year-old grandson on a recent hunt, and his belief that the standoff between liberals and conservatives will end in a bloody civil war. The ladies were very nice and gave us some numbers of local mom and pop places we could try. But fun fact: designated in 1996, Escalante was the last part of the continental U.S. to be mapped. Are there ways for visitors to enjoy Whitefish responsibly, such as by visiting during a specific season or during a lull in tourists? And Im so glad the rest of the itinerary was helpful Im glad you had a good trip! Pine Lodges complimentary bike rentals are the perfect way to explore Whitefish. And while youre exploring, if youre a cheese lover (and really, isnt everyone), be sure to stop by Flathead Lake Cheese for samples of local Montana deliciousness. Subscribe and well send you our FREE 22-page Travel Planning Guide. Then it was time to set out on our whitewater rafting trip down the Salmon River. Another fantastic option we found is this cute condo, located directly in town. Five Northern Idaho Bike Trails Quirky sights on the Montana Idaho Road Trip Coeur dAlene in Northern Idaho Harrison in Northern Idaho Flathead Lake and the Silver Dollar Bar Glacier National Park camping West Glacier National Park East Glacier National Park Garnet Ghost Town in the Montana Mountains near Glacier National Park In the next section, Ill dive deeper into what we did in each destination. It was more comfortable than tent camping anyway! Stay: We slept at our friends quaint and reasonably priced Airbnb, though there are also a few motel options in town. Bozeman will be your next stop from Billings. This was our first adventure since the world shut down for the Coronavirus pandemic and we knew it had to be epic so we create an itinerary to visit Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park, and Grand Teton National Park - and we hit the road for a 10-day road trip to Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Be sure to bookmark this page to refer back to while youre planning! We arrived early afternoon and checked out our trusty steed for the trip, a blue 2021 Hyundai Accent which we named Huckleberry (its bad luck not to name your car for a road trip), and we were off! The artichoke spinach dip and conversation with local patrons were to die for.Ponderosa Pies is a food truck in Salmon that I wish we tried (they were sold out when we went). Montana has so much to offer including its crown jewel, Glacier National Park and weve designed the perfect 10-day Montana road trip itinerary through Western Montana, complete with details to help you plan each step of your trip. Make sure you give plenty of space to the animals in national parks, even ones that arent aggressive! The man who was helping hopped the fence to check the farm house a little ways up. They need plenty of room so they dont get nervous, just like humans. As we headed on towards our cabin at Lake Lodge, we got to experience some of the awesome wildlife that Yellowstone has to offer. It was windy and the water was choppy, which made it a much more difficult journey! Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, on the other hand, is just as impressive and a true hidden gem. I love small towns and their charm and appreciate you highlighting restaurants and lodging, super helpful! We recommend Stageline Pizza, which is a local legend for great pie. Its full of racist and sexist messaging and far right propaganda. Autumn Travel Itineraries Montana Road Trip Sponsored Post The West USA National Parks USA Wildlife Wildlife. We headed over to the dune and met another family with 2 sleds. (Note: if you have any suggestions for resources not included here, or ways I can better present this information, please drop us a comment and let us know!). We unfortunately were not one of the lucky winners of said tickets (Dana may or may not have thrown her phone across the room in frustration). You can find it here https://practicalwanderlust.com/yellowstone-in-winter/ Hope it helps to plan your trip! Hells Canyon National Recreation Area A scenic view of Hells Canyon. If youre thirsty, The Great Northern Brewing Company, Bonsai Brewing, or Spotted Bear Spirits have you covered. With rustic log cabins, winding rivers, and rolling green meadows all framed by the snow-capped the Sawtooth mountains the town looks straight out of a fairy tale. Youre gonna wish you had, because Montana actually has a burgeoning wine scene. Well, I for one am super happy I stumbled upon this post! It also serves If youre lusting for more libations (and maybe something a little less fancy) check out the happy hour at The Bulldog for Huckleberry Wings and cheap beer. We also love their biscuits and gravy, and the giant, gooey cinnamon rolls. Your next stop on the road will explore the rich Indigenous history of Montana at The Peoples Center. If you are planning on coming to Whitefish, be prepared to see throngs of people walking the streets and filling our stores and restaurants. Whoops! Day 5: Glacier National Park to Helena, Montana. We headed back to our lodge where we (annoyingly) had to change rooms, since there were no rooms available 2 nights in a row. If you plan to go to more than one national park, opt to buy an annual pass for $80 instead of individual day passes at $35 a pop. come one and all but REMEMBER YOUR MANNERS. Its also a destination with much to offer those who stay for a We recommend staying somewhere walkable, so youll want to base yourself close to downtown on either side of the river. Our final itinerary: 3 states, 3 national parks, 1 national monument, 2 state parks and 2,000 miles driven in our trusty steed, Huckleberry. We traveled through Montana as the trees and mountains gave way to vast farmlands. Roadtrip Idaho Montana Wyoming US Travel. Psst: Planning a trip toMontana? Stanley, population ~60, is located in Central Idaho, about 130 miles from Boise. It was fun though, and Im glad we got to try it. Stay: Country Motor Inn is a budget motel in town. Of all Montana road trips, this one is perhaps the most popular (and is sometimes referred to as Glacier National Parks Road to the Sun). Driving time: 45 Minutes from Whitefish, or 3 hours from Many Glacier. Meanwhile, Alicia and I were so excited about our wolf encounter! Moon Travel Guides has a comprehensive guide to Glacier National Park, plus a Moon Yellowstone to Glacier National Park Road Trip guide. Llamas take a very long time to go to the bathroom. Be careful, though: if you time your trip too late in September, everything in Glacier National Park will begin shutting down because of snow (yes, that early)! Its also important to keep in mind that American Indian culture is not something that exists in the past it is still thriving and present, despite centuries of oppression and brutal policies that have pushed out Indigenous peoples and disenfranchised them. Our 5-mile hike to Bond Falls was gorgeous and offered me several hours to attempt to befriend my llama, Boxcar: a beautiful, sassy 1-year-old whose respected I needed to earn. This time around, we tried to keep driving at a minimum outside of a few necessary travel days. The sheer magnitude and untouched rugged beauty make you feel small in the most wonderful way. Here is a day by day breakdown of our recommended Montana road trip itinerary. Rest time was over at about 5 PM, and we were back out on the road heading to the East park entrance. Photo Credit; Idaho Tourism. Do NOT hit golf balls off Glacier National Parks Going to the Sun Road because youre stopped in construction traffic with nothing better to do than ENJOY THE SCENERY. Youll have easy access to the boutique specialty shops and galleries in town, and still within reach of all the outdoor activities. Do you condone those messages? We spent another relaxing evening having dinner and drinks with the Tetons. Plus, who can resist a random winery stop on a road trip?!? Sadly I didnt have a chance to take this tour myself during my trip, but Ive heard nothing but good things. The town is a gateway to Yellowstone National Park. We explored both the Brink of the Lower and Upper Falls, as well as Artist Point. Day 3-4 of your Montana Road Trip: Bozeman. The town is a gateway to Yellowstone National Park. Montana looks so beautiful in your pictures! For breakfast and coffee, head to Swift Creek Cafe. It bared its teeth and pulled back on its paws like she was going to strike. To protect visitors and the park, there are a few key pointers to follow: Geotagging seems natural to many of us millennialswe want to share the cool things we see when we are traveling! Clear Sky. To get you started, we mapped out an Idaho road trip for you and the family with more diversity than most cross-country trips can provide. If you are on a tighter budget, you can do a mix of motels and camping, or even camp the whole time. It is a must-do. There is a stage and ample seating outside where live shows are hosted in the summertime, and guests flock in from Bozeman, Livingston, and other nearby towns for the experience. :) Purchase a step-by-step guide to this itinerary. The colorful and unique rocks at Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park. Downtown Livingston, pictured above, looks like an idyllic old western town, though vintage shops and cafes now line the street instead of saloons. From the Norris Basin, we continued on to the famous Prismatic Spring. It hits different when you are talking to a flesh-and-blood human rather than working yourself up over the contents of a Facebook comment. (note from Alicia: Who in 2021 locks a car from the door and not from the keys!?). WebTrip: Big Sky (Washington, Idaho, Montana) TakeMyTrip.com The Big Sky Trip An adventure in the Pacific Northwest The Big Sky trip is a 10-night driving trip to the northwestern United States. We had no cell service, and there was no one around. Speaking of which: Before you leave Big Fork, stop by the adorably named Grateful Bread Cafe and pick up a slice of one of the top 10 huckleberry pies in Montana! Day 10: Twin Falls, Idaho to Boise, Idaho, Our car bed was actually not too bad. Our final itinerary: 3 states, 3 national parks, 1 national monument, 2 state parks and 2,000 miles driven in our trusty steed, Huckleberry. The food is amazing literally everything on the menu is incredible and the drinks are fantastic. The ladies at the front desk informed us that they had no rooms available, and as far as they knew there were no rooms anywhere between Idaho Falls and Boise (3 hours away and our final destination for the trip). I am always happy to help! Take in the views from the balcony off the spacious living room. After our bellies were full, we swung back by the airport to pick up Alicias bag and started our Idaho road trip north towards Riggins. Feels like 33.03 Wind speed 2.4 mph Pressure 1010 hPa. The plan was to go sand sledding and sand boarding. So, we made the hour and a half drive to Ashton for affordable lodging, which we found at the Eagle Peak Lodge. This is why we love small, local places. 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