Travel Advice, Montana or Wyoming, Yellowstone area
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Monte F
Silver $$ Contributor
Do not forget to get a steak dinner at Sir Scotts Oasis Steakhouse in Manhattan, MT. You will not be hungry after doing so.
Rocking R bar in Bozeman, local watering hole that blew up about a decade ago. Explore Hyalite reservoir and canyon South of Bozeman, lots of water falls and some of the best ice climbing in the winter.
Rocking R bar in Bozeman, local watering hole that blew up about a decade ago. Explore Hyalite reservoir and canyon South of Bozeman, lots of water falls and some of the best ice climbing in the winter.
ronsatspokane
Gold $$ Contributor
The Beartooth is motorcycle heaven. Before I rode it for the first time an Austrian friend of mine who lived in Red Lodge for a number of years said that it is the closest thing to the roads through the Alps that you'll find in the US. Years later, having ridden both, he was correct. A more sport oriented bike is needed to truly enjoy it.
My uncle was a Game Warden in Tensleep. My cousin and I used to take snowmobiles up that road in the winter. The highway was usually plowed but there were plenty of side trails.
I live just north of Gallatin Gateway Montana and am fortunate to be able to enjoy many of the places that have been mentioned. Right now I’m in West Yellowstone on a fishing reconnaissance mission. The snow flakes are as big as silver dollars at the moment. Kind of a crappy weather day but those are the best days to fish the small out of the way streams this time of year. I took a little drive into the Park yesterday afternoon and saw what had to be the most handsome male grizzly I’ve ever seen. Nearly black with cinnamon rump and shoulders. I spend most of the summer fishing around here and get to see it at its best. I am a very lucky boy indeed.
GNP - Not in 2021. MT DOT has road construction scheduled for Highway 2 near the west entrance and Highway 89 near the east side. In addition, GNP has projects scheduled on the Going-to-the-Sun road and also into Many Glacier. This year for the first time GNP is requiring a on-line Entry Ticket Reservation ($2 bucks) ahead of time to even drive through the Park on the Going-to-the-Sun road...
YNP and Grand Teton have no travel restrictions and can handle the traffic, but bear and buffalo jams are inevitable (as tourists you'll be an active participant). With the new CDC guidelines federal facilities are re-opening visitor centers etc.
Let's pretend for the moment you decide to do YNP/GTNP. When you leave home head west to Sioux Falls and get on I-90 and head west. I'd recommend a stop at Mount Rushmore (If you're staying the night I highly recommend going to the lighting of the sculpture, the NPS will have the timing of the ceremony). Avoid being in the Black Hills during Sturgis... After Mt. Rushmore continue west on I-90, you can do a short side trip to Devil's Tower NM - you can shoot the pet prairie dogs with your camera.
As you continue west you'll have a decision to make; go over the Big Horns to Cody (you can go over at Buffalo via US 16 or just north of Sheridan via US 14) or do you continue on I-90 into Montana to the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument - what I'd recommend. Big Horn mountains are just another mountain, the Battlefield provides a more thought provoking experience as viewed from two different perspectives - a teaching moment. After the battlefield spent the night in either Billings or Red Lodge Montana because...
You're going to take the scenic route to Cody. You'll go to Red Lodge and take the "Beartooth All American Road" over the Beartooth Mountains (US 212)[Charles Kuralt called it "the most beautiful drive in America", I concur]. When you get to Highway 296 (Chief Joseph Highway) turn left, do not continue straight towards YNP/Cooke City. Continue on the Chief Joe and when you get to Dead Indian Pass pull out and read the interpretive signs. This is part of the 1,500 mile route that Chief Joseph and his Nez Perce tribe took trying to out run the cavalry to Canada. His famous quote, I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever.
While in Cody the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, maybe the rodeo and on to YNP/GTNP.
YNP things not to miss: If you come in the east entrance via Cody: Yellowstone Lake, Fishing Bridge, after fishing bridge up through the Hayden Valley to Upper/Lower Falls of Yellowstone River & Artist Point. From there you can take the loop back around towards old Faithful and through several geyser basins that have boardwalks to get out and explore. After Old Faithful you can head out the south entrance to Grand Teton NP and Jackson hole.
So when you're done with YNP/GTNP how to head back. No brainer we're talking Lewis & Clark (mandatory reading before the trip; Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose. So where ever you are just head to Threeforks Montana. What an educational, teaching, reflective couple of days this will be. Journey back to 1804, paddling, sailing and dragging a couple boats up the Missouri River trying to get to the Pacific Ocean. At Threeforks is where the Gallatin, Jefferson and Madison Rivers come together to being what we call the Missouri River, named so by Lewis & Clark... When they came to the junction on the way upstream they had to decide which fork to take, as Yogi Berra says when you come to a fork in the road take it... On the way back Lewis & Clark get to Threeforks and decide to split up, Clark says you know I think if I head east over these mountains I'll run into that Yellow River that joins the Missouri, I'll float down it and meet you there at the confluence....
After Threeforks go to Great Falls. There is a fantastic interpretive center of the expedition.
From Great Falls go Fort Benton (there was a steamboat the ran from St. Louis to Fort Benton). After Fort Benton Take 80 to 81 to 191 north through the Charlie M Russell National Wildlife Refuge, cross the Missouri. At Malta take highway 2 over to Fort Union and observe the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone, pause to reflect on what those men accomplished. From there find your way back home....
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest - Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest - Lewis and Clark Interpretive Centerwww.fs.usda.gov
WOW! That sounds like a 2 month trip to me! Sounds amazing though!
Luxury Guest Ranch Cody Wyoming, near Yellowstone National Park
We are a small family-owned guest ranch in Wapiti, Wyoming, that offers genuine hospitality, adventure, and stunning scenery in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.
www.randcreekranch.com
Lived in Cody for several years. Here's my recommendation. Find a dude ranch up the North Fork and do some dude ranch things. There are several up the N. Fork. You've got access to everything in Cody that's already been mentioned. I'd head up to Sunlight Basin and make yer way into Yellowstone via the NE entrance. You can check out the Lamar Valley area and look for a wolf and other stuff. I'd come back the same way as its a long drive to make it all the way around. Sunlight Basin is worth the drive back as you can head to the top of Bear Tooth Pass. After a day of rest doing stuff in Cody, I'd head back into Yellowstone up the North Fork and head over to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. That would be my first destination in the park. Nothing else compares. You can do Old Faithful and all the other stuff during that trip. I'd plan on leaving real early, as in no later than 6 am both trips. After you've seen everything Cody has to offer, I'd go back through the Park and go South into Jackson. Then spend several days there. There's some cool dude ranch type places to stay where they do wagon rides and old west cook out type stuff. You can also raft the Snake. Plenty of hiking, biking, sightseeing, and fishing opportunities along the way. Someone mentioned Pinedale. You could go south from Jackson and cut across at Hoback Junction. Head on over to Pinedale. You could cut across from Pinedale over Union Pass to Dubois. This is a well maintained gravel road that gets plenty of summer traffic. From Dubois you could work yer way east to Riverton and up to Ten Sleep of further north to hit the Big Horns. The Big Horns and the Black Hills are nice, but they don't compare to NW Wyoming...
If you get to West Yellowstone, there are some very nice rental homes along the Madison River. https://www.airbnb.com/madison-river-mt/stays
I am not associated with any of these properties.
I am not associated with any of these properties.
Alex Wheeler
Site $$ Sponsor
Im not far from Yellowstone. Never been there though. We did get 3-4" of snow over the last 2 days. Id recommend June through the end of August to avoid snow. We get snow starting in Sept. ending in May.
Coyotefurharvester
Silver $$ Contributor
Everything is a long days drive apart, you need time but it is so worth it. Mt Rushmore, Yellowstone, Glacier. Wife and I did a 7 day, 3 days of bird hunting ( north central Montana) hit the parks trip. What a great early Oct trip. Kalispell was the only disappointment.
Kittitas George
Gold $$ Contributor
Red Lodge to Bear Tooth Pass (10,947elev.) to Cook City is super beautiful. Watch for the mature grizzly eating moth larva in the old gravel pit as you enter Cook City, I guess he is there frequently. Lamar Valley bison and antelope, Park H.Q. and big elk, Then the elk in downtown Gardiner. Wonderful memories, time to 'saddle up' and head to MT. The snow can come early to Bear Tooth and Yellowstone, the Park is on the divide with 3 passes about 8,000 feet. Travel safely.
I found an Airbnb in Victor ID. Looks like a cabin that sleeps 4 which is what we need. Available July 10- July 17. Can anyone tell me about this location? Looks to be within driving distance if grand Tetons and yellow stone, also Jackson hole. What is there to do minus the parks in the area? Looking for fishing, kayaking and just to see the world! I don't see us spending alot of time in Victor, just to sleep and rest during the visit. Is this a good area?
Planning to take 2 weeks it looks like, 3- days travel each way. Looking for stops along the way.
Planning to take 2 weeks it looks like, 3- days travel each way. Looking for stops along the way.
lawman29
Gold $$ Contributor
Victor and Driggs, ID are to some extent bedroom communities for individuals that work in Jackson Hole and can't afford to live there - which is 99% of us. The Grand Targhee Resort offers some activities and events, check their web site. From Victor it is approximate 2 hours to YNP South Entrance via Jackson or the West Entrance going due north.
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