Anyone familiar with Montana (Yellowstone to Glacier)? (1 Viewer)

[Bryan X]

Anyone familiar with driving from Yellowstone to Glacier? I'll be doing that drive next summer and I'm not sure of the best way to go.

I'll be spending one night somewhere in between. I'm wondering if it's best to stay on I-15 as long as possible (up to Shelby), or best to go a more direct route using state/US routes (287/89).

The state/US route is shorter miles, but I'm concerned it will be slow going through small towns.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

We drove from Michigan to Glacier several years ago, and have been to Yellowstone four time. We took I-90 all the way to Missoula, and headed north from there on 93. We came back on US-2 to I-15. Both routes are similar. The overland route would take you a lot longer.

If your destination is West Glacier, take the I-90 to Missoula route. If you are going to the east part of the park first (Many Glacier), take the I-15 route. Then go across the park on the Going to the Sun Road -- one of the highlights of the park.

 

[Bryan X]

Thanks Scott. We are staying on the East side of the park (Many Glacier area). We'll be coming up from Yellowstone, so taking I-15 north and then going west on US2 is the best route?

We'll be staying at Glacier for 3 days. Going-to-the-Sun road is definately on the list of things to do. Any suggested hikes? We've done long hikes in National Parks before (20 mile round trip hikes) but probably won't be looking for long hikes this time, but anything under 5 miles round-trip. Also, any other must see/do things at Glacier?

I'm really looking forward to this and am figuring Glacier will rank right up there with Yellowstone/Tetons and Grand Canyon for me.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Bryan, yes, I-15 to US-2 is probably your best bet to Many Glacier. I'm not sure what's available for lodging along the way, since we drove from Many Glacier all the way to Billings our first day leaving the park. We stayed in Whitefish outside the western side of the park on our way in. You should be able to make it from Yellowstone to Glacier in a days drive, though, so may not need lodging in between.

It's been a few years since we've been there, so some of the hiking trail names elude me. There is a nice trail from Logan Pass on the Going to the Sun road that crosses some snow even in the summer, and a trail to Iceberg Lake in the Many Glacier area that I remember. Also, the trail around the lake at Many Glacier Hotel was nice, and it's easy, since it's flat. If you are staying at the hotel, it's a nice after-dinner hike.

We didn't see much wildlife in the Many Glacier area, so I can't help you in that respect.

If you have time, the Two Medicine section is less crowded and has some beautiful views. Pack a lunch, though, as there's no restaurant there (just a small grocery store). Also, a drive up to Waterton on the Canadian side is worth the trip if you have the time. We took a nice hike up there near Red Canyon (I think that's what it's called) back to a waterfall, and also saw some black bears.

We didn't spend much time in the western side of the park, so I'm not sure what there is to offer over there. For our next visit, we plan on staying on each side of the park for a few days so we can explore the Lake McDonald area more. Driving across the park on the Going to the Sun Road takes too long to be jumping back and forth across the park, and it's the only road connecting the two sides.

 

[Bryan X]

Thanks for the info, Scott. Very helpful.

Like you, I think when we leave Glacier, we'll get to Billings that first night. Do you remember what roads you took and about how long a drive it was. We'd like to head home through North Dakota, but there are not many options for lodging in northeast Montana.

We could probably make it from Yellowstone to Glacier without stopping in between, but we have the time so I thought I'd make it a more leisurely pace.

 

[JohnRice]

Bryan, I have driven extensively throughout Montana. My question is, do you want to "get there" or do you want to enjoy the trip as much as possible? If the former, follow your plans. If the latter, drive as many 2 lane state highways as possible. They are all just fine. Yes, they take a bit longer, but for instance, the drive from Glacier to Billings is still a breeze on state highways. You would do it by Interstate in a half day, easy, so take your time and enjoy it instead. I-90 and I-15 are OK. Actually, there is some nice stuff on I-15 north of Helena and 90 is pretty dull, but you are committing a grave mistake if you drive Montana almost entirely by interstate. It is one of the most stunning states in the union. Take my advice and drive as many state highways as possible. They are all just fine.

I doubt you can find one I haven't driven multiple times, so pose some suggestions, I'll find a map somewhere and give opinions.

BTW, now that I read through again, are you saying you will stay in Billings between Glacier and Yellowstone? If so, that doesn't make much sense. For one, Billings is not a very picturesque area, and it isn't in between the two parks. You might stay in Bozeman, which is nicer, then drive SW into West Yellowstone. You can also approach or leave West Yellowstone by a state highway (forget which one) which goes down to Rexburg and Pocatello ID., which lets you see the Grand Tetons from the back. It's a great drive.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

You actually don't have to go as far south as Pocatello. Leave west Yellowstone via US 20 and you will pass Henry's Lake. Take a side trip on ID 47 to see upper and lower Mesa Falls on the Henry's Fork. Later cut over to US 26 at your convenience north of Idaho Falls (look for the radioactive glow if driving at night ). US 26 passes through the Swan Valley of the Snake River up past Pallisades reservoir, where it joins with US 89 to enter Grand Teton Nat. Park from the south along the Grand Canyon of the Snake River.

Some people find the section of US 89 south of Pallisades reservoir to be highly scenic, but I drove it last year and wasn't impressed.

I recommend you purchase the WY, MT, and ID state atlasses produced by Benchmark Maps Benchmark Maps Home which contain more info and fewer errors than the corresponding DeLorme ones. Amazon and the like sell them.

Bryan, where are you flying into and out from? The same place, or differing citys? Or do you plan to drive all the way from your home (someplace around Chicago IIRC)? A rule of thumb is the bigger the airport the cheaper the flights.

 

[JohnRice]

Actually, I didn't mean to imply you had to go to Pocatello. I just couldn't remember the highway and recalled it went to Pocatello. I may have been confused and was actually thinking of Idaho Falls.

 

[Bryan X]

We're driving from Ohio.


A little of both. I like scenic routes, but am concerned about hitting town after town on the state highways which can really increase travel time.

Once we leave Yellowstone, we have one night in between before we have to be at Glacier. The plan now is to leave through West Yellowstone and take 191 up to I-90 then 287 north to hit I-15 (at Helena). Then we'll take I-15 up to Shelby and spend the night there. In the morning we'll take 2 west into Glacier. Does this sound like a good route? The only reason we chose Shelby to spend the night before Glacier, is that it's relatively close and had a few options hotel-wise. I figure Shelby is close enough to Glacier that we'll get to the park early in the day.

When we leave Glacier is when we'll spend the night in Billings. It just seems like a decent distance to go the day we leave Glacier. A question I have though, is what route would you recommend to get from Glacier to Billings?

We've been through southern Montana before (I-90) on a trip to Yellowstone a couple years ago. But we never made it anywhwere else in Montana. And what little we saw was beautiful. I can only imagine what the rest of the state holds.

We're going to be at Yellowstone for 4 days so one of them we'll take a day trip to the Tetons and Jackson. We were there the last time we travelled to Yellowstone. That year when we left Yellowstone/Teton area we went into Idaho and hit Craters of the Moon and then went on to Salt Lake City and then Arches National Park before heading home. On the way out we hit the Badlands, Devil's Tower, and Little Bighorn Battlefield. That was a beautiful trip.

 

[JohnRice]

Have you looked at a map of Montana? There aren't that many towns. I would guess half the towns on state highways don't even have a stop sign. As far as the route from Yellowstone to Glacier, you are allowing 2 days for what will take maybe 6-7 hours. OK< it probably takes longer than that. It's been a while, but I used to regularly drive home to Spokane from Bozeman, often not leaving until mid or late afternoon.

If you approach Glacier from the East, I would leave to the south and take some of the highways in the area NW of where 90 and 15 meet. It probably makes more sense to approach from the South (going North off 90 somewhere West of Butte). That is "A River Runs Through It" territory, and you would be making a mistake to miss it. Then leave Glacier to the East and head toward Billings. You seem concerned about the highways, but I wouldn't be. That is the best part of Montana, like I have said. You won't fall off the edge.

 

[Bryan X]

How would you recommend going from Glacier to Billings?

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Bryan, if you decide to take the overland route, I'll leave the suggestions to John. When we left Glacier to head home, I took I-15 to to US-89 near Great Falls, and then took that to I-90. We probably could have driven further, but stayed in Billings because it didn't look like there was much east of there for lodging. We then took I-94 through North Dakota (I'd never been to ND) and Minnesota and came back through Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

On the drive there, I'd suggest staying on I-80 until you reach I-29 east of Omaha. You can then take that north to I-90. That way you don't have to drive through Chicago. For some reason, AAA wanted to route us through Chicago on I-90, but there was no way I was taking their TripTik suggestion.

On the way from Yellowstone to Glacier, if you happen to be near Bozeman at dinner time, you have to stop and eat at the Mint Cafe in Belgrade. We stayed there overnight last year because our flight home was early in the morning. The restaurant was absolutely incredible -- a five star restaurant in the middle of nowhere. Well-to-do ranchers parked their Lexus's in front of the place. Prices were very reasonable for such fine food. A couple of Hollywood celebrities are known to frequent the place, too.

 

[Yee-Ming]

Next week the missus and I fly to Seattle, then it's a road trip to Yellowstone, via Spokane and Glacier. So I'm driving the other direction (Glacier to Yellowstone; return to Seattle from Yellowstone will be via Boise and Portland). So John's tips are much appreciated by me too, and if I have anything to add next month when I get back, I will.

What's intimidating to me is that, having spent most of my life in a tiny country where 40km literally will cross the entire country, the thought of that first day's drive from Seattle to Spokane, over 400km, is just a bit mind-boggling. And that pales in comparison to the return leg from Boise to Portland.

Oh well, at least our vacations in California the last two years took in plenty of driving as well, so I'm getting the hang of it.

On a related, yet unrelated note, anyone know anything about Garmin GPS navigators? They're on sale here right now, including US maps, so I'm tempted to get one, 'just in case'.

 

[Bryan X]

Excellent.

 

[JohnRice]

Yee-Ming, a couple alternatives for the route from Spokane to Glacier. The chicken way is to go all-the-freaking-boring-way to Missoula on I-90, then straight north, along the full length of Flathead Lake, through Kalispell and on into the West side of Glacier.

An alternative, is, to turn north off I-90 at St. Regis, which is right at the Eastern foot of Lookout Pass, go on northeast to about the middle of Flathead Lake, then on north the same route as the previous one. You have to pay attention though. It is quite possible to get lost because there are a few road changes. I drove that dozens of times and it was my standard route.

The nicest is to go straight up Division in Spokane (actually, the north bound section may be a different street) then to (I think) Hwy 2, across the panhandle of Idaho (Kettle Falls ID, Libby MT, etc.) and then into Kalispell from the West and on into Glacier. That is how I went with the ex wife when we visited Spokane and Glacier about 10 years ago. I need to find a map so I can give specific directions, but this last one is pretty simple and it's a hell of a lot more interesting than the interstate. It definitely can take longer, if there is road construction.

Once again, I need to find a Road Atlas. This is all from memory and I sometimes have a tendency to mix up some of the Central Montana cities, like Butte, Great Falls and Helena.

Bryan, as far as going back to Billings from Glacier, there is a route which I believe goes pretty much straight East out of Central Great Falls, then you catch another hwy south down to Bozeman. I seem to recall it actually saves quite a few miles. It may have actually come out a little East of Bozeman, around Livingston. It isn't mountainous, but it was a favorite route for me. There was a town on the southbound section toward Bozeman which had two businesses, total. A grocery store and a combination Bar/Bank. No kidding. The sign simply said "Bank & Bar" No name. Just "Bank & Bar". I love that stuff.

 

[Bryan X]

I think I see that on the map. Looks like 89. If I understood Scott right, that looks like the route he took also. Thanks.

 

[JohnRice]

I can't find my stinking Road Atlas anywhere.

Anyway, to the best of my recollection, the highway I am talking about was a main East/West road in Great Falls. You just take it on out of town.

FWIW, I drove so much of Montana repeatedly, I was looking for alternate routes to make things interesting, and found a lot of neat stuff. Of course, I can see how you pampered Easterners would be a bit intimidated by the thought of getting off the Interstates out here in the Big Bad Western Expanse.

 

[Bryan X]

If you get a chance to look at a map, John, can you confirm the route for me?

 

[Jay H]

As an easterner, I found driving the secondary roads in Co/WY were fairly easy, traffic is sparse. Recently, some friends and I drove from Denver all the way to Dubois, WY which is just east and south of the Grand Tetons/Yellowstone which is a pretty lengthy drive. We drove through Cheyenne towards Casper to Riverton all along one lane state roads and a lot of cows. The worst part is the RV train where you get stuck behind 3-4 moving houses but the traffic was sparse enough that it wasn't too hard to pass. Now if it was east coast density and RV traffic (drive down the Kanc. in the White mtns on NH on a summer weekend), that is a different story. But, I found not going I-80 and then north to get to Dubois was fine, probably more scenic too.

Jay

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Personally, I don't mind driving back roads, except for the fact that I'd rather spend less time driving to my destination and more time actually enjoying the destination when we take a driving trip. The Interstates are usually the best way to accomplish that. If the overland route is quicker or offers enough interesting places to see along the way, though, I'll not hesitate to take the less-traveled road.

John, if you cannot find your atlas, there is always Google Maps or MapQuest. Personally, while I do own a road atlas, I usually just look things up on the mapping software that came with my Garmin gps. It's a lot quicker.