WebThe ultimate road trip planner to help you discover extraordinary places, book hotels, and share itineraries all from the map. 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. We continued for a stop at must-see on any Idaho road trip, Craters of the Moon National Monument - an insanely unique landscape in the middle of nowhere. They were designed especially for the inclines and turns of Glacier National Park & Going to the Sun Road, and their unique designs have been a staple of the Park ever since. Its also a destination with much to offer those who stay for a Is it less disruptive to visit Whitefish during the day but stay elsewhere? Spend your last meal saying goodbye to Montana at PLONK Wine. Follow along for an epic Idaho road trip through Ketchum, Stanley, Salmon, Missoula (a little side trip to Montana), Coeur dAlene, and McCall. As we were walking around, we were drawn to music and ended up catching the tail end of a free, outdoor show by the band Afrosonics. This is the first night of the itinerary when we went true road trip fashion and basically drove as far as we could for the day and then started looking for a place to sleep (we hadnt booked all of our other hotels well in advance, but had a general idea of where wed end up so we booked them earlier in the day. BEHAVE YOURSELVES and be GOOD VISITORS and youll be welcomed. It may not have happened exactly how we planned, butit all came up Dana & Alicia in the end! Guess we should have had wolf vs. coyote in our whats the difference between? series! But before we jump into all of the amazing things youll be doing and seeing, we need to cover a few important basics. A waitress showed us a photo of herself at four months old next to a bear her father had just killed. Although the parks had been fairly crowded this whole time (Yellowstone more so than Glacier), this is the first time it began to feel a bit too touristy. Stay: Econo LodgeEat: The Hob Nob on South Higgins Street has good coffee and very filling, all-American brunch fare all at a very reasonable price. Alicias bag didnt make the connecting flight and we had to come back and pick it up later in the afternoon. Downtown Missoula is quite walkable, so pick a place to eat from this curated list and explore the town on foot! 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. Thank you so much for including info about Native American lands and supporting indigenous communities. Our main activity was a visit to the Goldbug Hot Springs in the Salmon-Challis National Forest. It was another awesome Alicia & Dana Adventure! We recommend trying the bacon waffle I know it sounds weird, but just trust us. Clear Sky. And how cute is Boxcar the Llama?! 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. So far on this trip, rooms had been expensive due to the amount of travelers in the area. Youll learn all about Missoulas history as a frontier town. The variation in topography that we have seen on this short trip has just been amazing! Once again, Danas steller itinerary planning came in handy with a great path through the park for our two days in Yellowstone. However, because we road-tripped in the summer and stayed near well-known US national parks, these cost about $100 an average each night not the cheapest option for accommodation. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hey, we are Dottie & Lenza, bloggers and video creators. And it actually feels homey! Alternatively, if youll be heading back to Boise or into Wyoming from Sun Valley on your Idaho road trip itinerary, make it a point to stop by Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve for some dramatically different landscape to everything youve seen on the trip so far. It was flat and easy, with gorgeous views of the lake and the Tetons. After a long day of exploring, dinner at Grille 459 is exactly what you need to refuel and get ready for your trip back to the big city in the morning. Im from Montana, and this is so important but not talked about nearly enough. We left Riggins that afternoon to make our way towards Glacier National Park. And when thousands of people converge on a small number of specific wilderness locations, those locations are negatively impacted and at risk of being harmed, destroyed, and blocked off to visitors entirely. Apart from that, the rest of the trip is completely flexible. Truly, you arent helping. By Lia Garcia | Updated on: February 20, 2022. Missoula, Montana is an adorable college town and makes a great base to begin and end your trip to Montana! Starting from Boise and working your way counterclockwise around the state to some of the best outdoor spots makes for one memorable Idaho road trip. Hells Canyon National Recreation Area A scenic view of Hells Canyon. We spent another relaxing evening having dinner and drinks with the Tetons. (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!). Every few feet, Boxcar would find an exciting looking leaf to munch on, which gave me a chance to catch my breath and earn brownie points for letting him snack. Like, more snack breaks than me, which is really saying something. These unique and beautiful formations are a must-see on any Wyoming itinerary. Then it was time to set out on our whitewater rafting trip down the Salmon River. Road Trip through Idaho to Missoula, Montana After splashing and sunning in Lava Hot Springs and leaving our comfy digs in Idaho Falls, Idaho, we headed straight up the I-15 and then I-90 into Missoula, Montana, our home for two nights and three action packed days. We enjoyed the 2 hour tour through the caverns - put this on your Montana itinerary! You might recognize the town as the setting of A River Runs Through It (if not, be sure to watch it or read the book before your trip)! There are only 100 wolves in all of Yellowstone, and some people we talked to had been working at Yellowstone for years and never saw a wolf! So, only slightly less intimidating than the Loch Ness Monster. Crystal (historical) 29F. Ive made the common road trip mistake of trying to pack too many stops into a short time period. 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). The beautiful thing about visiting Whitefish particularly in August & September is that you have easy access to the town, lake, and mountain in one neat little package. But, adorably, they step politely off the trail to do it. Most restaurants are closed by 9 PM at the latest. Once you complete the hike, you are rewarded with six warm pools, a waterfall, and sweeping views of the scenery below. After Salmon, we drove to Missoula, a funky college town of 75,000 that we loved. 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). Insider tip: the wild forest mushroom and puff pastry tapas will literally change your world! There are lots of unique views and hiking opportunities along the way. The sun sets late in Montana in the summer, so you can still catch the sunset after your dinner; Check it out at Wayfarers State Park, a locals favorite place to see the sunset over the lake as the sun sinks behind the mountains. Taking a guided tour is a fantastic option for Going to the Sun Road because it allows you to sit back and take in the views while learning about the history of the park and the flora and fauna that inhabit it. It was the perfect place to stay for the night in this tiny, charming western town. The adjacent Snug Bar offers a small plate/tapas menu starting at 5:00 pm, so you can savor the finest of flavors without breaking the bank. But fun fact: designated in 1996, Escalante was the last part of the continental U.S. to be mapped. Dottie is one part of Dots on a Map. In all seriousness, I had no idea Idaho was this beautiful. Oh, and youll also need to book your tour about a year in advance. With so many gorgeous scenic byways and charming rural towns to stop in along the way, the journey can be as much of a draw as the destinations themselves. I LOVE LLAMAS SO MUCH. We passed a kayaker who told us to keep a lookout for a black bear he had just seen not too far from where we were going so we quietly paddled by and tried to catch a glimpse but he had disappeared back into the woods. 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). Day 3: Missoula, Montana to Glacier National Park. The state is home to federally recognized Tribal Nations, as well as many unrecognized communities (the fact that Tribes must be defined by the State or Federal government in order to exist is, in and of itself, super problematic). The man who was helping hopped the fence to check the farm house a little ways up. The guide includes everything from the hacks we use to save money on travel to printable packing lists. Swan Mountain Llama Trekking makes llama dreams come true, with a farm full of friendly, well-treated llamas who basically just hang out grazing and being adorable when they arent trotting along on a hike. j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'? Day 2: Riggins, Idaho to Missoula, Montana, Post white water rafting on the Salmon River in Riggins, Idaho. Wellwe were wrong. Our favorite part was the beaver slide, an area so narrow you literally had to sit and slide down to get through. Additionally, my trip was hosted by Glacier Country, Montana. When we arrived at the Cold Springs Winery, the owner was out fixing the pond and opened for us even though we arrived before opening. Please also be courteous and wear a mask where required. At local businesses and restaurants, taxidermy animal mounts outnumber patrons. I would like to spend more time digging into some of the more challenging hiking trails and exploring the Many Glacier and Medicine Road sections of the park as well. Day 3-4 of your Montana Road Trip: Bozeman. While his convictions differ significantly from mine (Ive lived in liberal cities my entire life and have never handled a gun), it was eye-opening to hear an opposite perspective on familiar issues. You can pick up the boat to Wild Horse Island right in the heart of downtown Big Fork just make sure to call and reserve your spot in advance! They need plenty of room so they dont get nervous, just like humans. This summer, we took a 10-day road trip through the Western United States, hitting Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, and briefly passing through Utah and Nevada on the way back to San Francisco. Required fields are marked *. 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. WebThe route to here from Bear Lake weaves along the Idaho/Wyoming border through Jackson, Wyoming, and passes west of another popular local destination, Grand Teton National Park, before ending in West Yellowstone, Montana. Thats the beauty of a FREE country! Take in the views from the balcony off the spacious living room. All opinions, recommendations, bad jokes, and suggestions that Huckleberries are actually just wild blueberries are 100% my own and absolutely not their fault. No dont be sorry, its SO helpful to get reader feedback like this letting us know things have changed or are no longer the way we experienced or described them! This was probably my personal highlight of my entire Montana road trip! We would like to spend a few days in Seattle and Portland at the start, aswell as a lake in Montana for a few days at the end. This will come in handy as you drive and includes the map in case your cell service is awful! We also found another great place to see on the drive back to Boise in Arco, Idaho, the first city in the world to be lit by atomic power. Or this comfortable condo in Marina Cay with a master bedroom that looks SO cosy. 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. Are there ways for visitors to enjoy Whitefish responsibly, such as by visiting during a specific season or during a lull in tourists? A bear ready for a dip in Hells Canyon. Note: If youre planning to stay in Whitefish, we recommend considering stopping your trip through the park mid-way at Logan Pass, going for a lovely day hike we recommend the 5 mile Hidden Lake hike using the facilities at the Logan Visitor Center, and then turning around and heading back to West Glacier or Many Glacier. And in the second installation of whats the difference between we learned: Whats the difference between a farm and a ranch?. FOLLOW OUR PARKS RULES. You see, Cafe Kandahar, the fine dining restaurant located in the lodge, is the best food in Whitefish and possibly all of Montana with a price point to match. and we had a view of the lake! After our musical detour, we grabbed a final meal of our road trip at Wild Root and headed back to the hotel to get some sleep before our early - and long - day of travel home. Well, I for one am super happy I stumbled upon this post! We continued on with no further interruption and made it to the park entrance. Ice-capped mountains dominating lush valleys. The river was low, so the water was not running fast, but we still hit 3 good class III rapids on our run. Well also send our favorite travel tips straight to your inbox! 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. Few things are more romanticized than an all-American road trip, and Im happy to report that they do indeed live up to the hype. Just another good story to tell, right? The town is a gateway to Yellowstone National Park. Youll have easy access to the boutique specialty shops and galleries in town, and still within reach of all the outdoor activities. Then we headed back to the campgrounds where Dana (of course) took a nap in preparation for our evening excursion into the East side of the park, and Alicia made friends with some people at our campground. Unfortunately, the bad weather thwarted our planned 2nd hike of the day, so instead, we did a scenic drive, hitting all the Big 4 things to do in Grand Teton National Park along the way. Alicia was surprisingly calm about the predicament Dana put us in. These three were runners so Alicia got to chatting with them and it turns out, the older women actually ran the Boston Marathon! Next was Schwabachers Landing (poor Huckleberry had to endure more rocky unpaved roads), where we walked a short way down to the river with a beautiful view of the Tetons. About halfway through our drive back we had our second animal encounter. (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': After leaving Helena, we started our day with a stop at Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park in Montana on the way to Yellowstone in Wyoming. The town was apparently poppin in its heyday and had no less than thirteen saloons. Torreys 33F. Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. But if not, the next best thing is a guidebook. Thank you!!! What is the best time of year to visit Montana? Crown jewel of Montana. We were very happy to see our new cabin was much larger (3 beds with 2 separate rooms!) So good! 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). Did we spend too much time looking at all of the amazing pieces and come home with a few prize possessions? new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], WebCheck the road conditions from Idaho to Montana and plan a trip based on the weather along the way. We will also send you our favorite tips to help you plan your Montana road trip! We arrived at Bruneau Dunes State Park just after 9:00. The trip begins and ends in Portland, Oregon, but spends much of the time in and around Glacier National Park in Montana. Try the Huckleberry Creme Brulee, because there is no such thing as too much huckleberry in Montana. I took my trip in later September, and while the leaves were beginning to turn into lovely golden colors, nearly everything in the park was shutting down, including many of the highlights of this itinerary! Wild Horse Island is a totally unique Montana destinationand the name says it all. Try not to let it bother you and focus your energy on appreciating the incredible natural phenomenon in front of you (easier said than done, sometimes). Unfortunately we here in Montana have our fair share of right-wingers. It also serves and enjoyed chatting with the owner and his father. In the morning, we arrived to these views: Utah is home to Bryce Canyon, Zion, Arches, and other majestic but crowded national parks. You'll also be subscribing to our monthly newsletter. I think we ALL should be able to visit one anothers areas, respectfully of course. Day 16 Whitefish, MT drive to Calgary, AB. Rest time was over at about 5 PM, and we were back out on the road heading to the East park entrance. The stresses of day to day life feel less important and slowly start to drift away. A good rule of thumb is to aim for under four hours of driving per day so you have time to enjoy your destination. The early morning rainy start actually ended up working out in our favor, since we got to enjoy the park without the large crowds of people. This part of the country is famously beautiful, characterized by lush green alpine landscapes and snow-capped peaks, winding rivers, and countless small towns dripping with old western charm. We mainly used Booking.com to book low-cost motels located on our route. If you happen to be besties with a friendly Park Ranger, youre covered! We were drawn in by a shop called Latigo and Lace, which featured authentic and local artwork. 1. We were stocked up with essential items (PB&J fixings, fruit & snacks, water, bug spray, and most importantly, bear spray). And because were gluttons for food, we also recommend a mid-drive stop at the adorable, European-themed Windmill Village Bakery for giant, fluffy donuts on your way to Missoula! Its so important to respect the places youre visiting. Youre welcome. Day 7: Yellowstone National Park to Grand Teton National Park, The Norris Geyser Basin at Yellowstone National Park. Getting little glimpses into the real lives of the local people is one of our favorite parts of traveling the world! Whats the difference between a bison and a buffalo? In case you were wondering, they are completely different animals that are often mistaken for each other, but only bison can be found in North America. Its also a destination with much to offer those who stay for a Here are a few highlights: Sawtooth Lake (10 miles RT, moderate rating) Pettit Lake to Twin Lakes (13 miles RT, moderate rating) Bench Lakes (7.8 miles RT, moderate rating) Alpine Lake Trail (7.4 miles RT, moderate rating) You can find tons of other hikes on AllTrails. While our itinerary includes 2 days in Glacier NP, if youre planning to spend more time there or youd like to bookend this trip itinerary with a trip to Yellowstone, these two guides are essential. The water is the most beautiful turquoise color flowing over smooth, multicolored rocks with tree lined mountains as the backdrop. Huckleberries are a Montana Thing, and youll want to make it a point to eat them in as many different forms as you can while youre in Montana! Well not quite. If youre up for it, wander all the way across the bridge to the other side of town to check out the Hip Strip, Missoulas coolest neighborhood. We do the Utah Big Five frequently as we live so close. Multiple scenic byways, some of the most picturesque mountain views in the state, and plenty of waterfront beauty makes this road trip one you'll never forget. Torreys 33F. We moved along quickly because we wanted to make sure we made it out to the main road before it was completely dark. Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. 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. We passed through several dying towns of boarded-up windows before driving to Twin Falls, Idaho. Turns out, the rest of the local people is one part of Dots on a map view Hells... Am super happy I stumbled upon this Post lake and the Tetons narrow you had... Day 2: Riggins, Idaho the guide includes everything from the hacks we use save! 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