washington oregon idaho montana wyoming road trip

I arrived in La Conner with some time to kill, so I drove Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho Panhandle and its lakes, Hells Canyon and US-12 from Missoula area to Lewiston ID are some Idaho highlights. Though this trip is all in good fun, if you're easily spooked or traveling with small children, you might want to hold off. One of my good friends moved there a year ago and this was my first opportunity to come visit. Roadside Attraction:Follow the battle of Little Bighorn where Custer had his last stand on a self-guided driving tour of the battlefield. As I walked back into my motel room, the guy at the desk asked me about Rattlesnake Canyon, then noticed the pizza box. Those traveling from areas with high rates of Covid-19 should consider avoiding travel for now in order to reduce spread. I reserved a room in Yakima, Washington, exactly 400 miles away, via Interstate 90. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g28973-i480-Wyoming.html. If you are short on time, Ive detailed my trip so you can get ideas on what is possible. The Bonanza and Custer Ghost Town is situated on the western edge of the Salmon-Challis National Forest. had a vacay with out kids in over 10 years, so this was much needed! Hiking around Two Medicine Lake would likely have been messy, so I opted for the scenic boat cruise. The Grinnell Glacier hike is arguably one of the best hikes in Glacier National Park. It was a small hike down to the beach and I was worried wed be tripping over everything after it got dark, but we were fine. Knowing we got a late start in the day, we initially wanted to stay somewhere near Spokane but ended up pushing the drive further.We got to a rest stop in Missoula, called Muralt's Travel Plaza, at 2 AM, so . Town:Helena, Montanas Historic District, Last Chance Gulch, has a fascinating history rooted in the citys early pioneer and mining days. Do: There is much to do in the university town of Bozeman. Alternatively, you may use, Best Western Plus Park Place Inn & Suites. Chihuly Garden and Glass has been on my bucket list for a while, so I was thrilled to finally be here. We did see it from a distance Agree to begin in Yellowstone and the Tetons for better weather. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-86306967', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');flights we book, approx 20 days. I bought way too many souvenirs, so we had to buy another suitcase to get everything back home.whoops. On the slopes of the Bighorn Mountains, Eatons is one of the few ranches where more experienced riders can still take horses out without a guide (guided trail rides also happen twice a day). *Cell reception sucks!!! I would head straight to Jackson and Tetons then on to Yellowstone and North toward Missoula and Seattle. It makes for one of the most epic road trips there is - this 12-stop itinerary is one of the best ways to do it right. Have a map, know where youre Once again, I had a rainbow following me around. Relief map of Oregon's downhill ski areas. Obviously, this itinerary isnt for everyone, but hopefully itll help some who are on a time budget or some who have a couple weeks and can spend their time enjoying the different areas. Sweet Peaks ice cream for dessert. There are 13 campgrounds at Glacier National Park but the one at Kintla Lake is a bastion of solitude and beauty ($15/night). If you're an outdoor lover, you must squeeze in one day in Grand Teton National Park into your Seattle to Yellowstone road trip. I thoroughly enjoyed both roads, but I was very happy to call it a night, once I got to Yakima. We went to the Paradise visitor center to get my passport stamped and a better look up the mountain. Both hikes combined probably amounted to 11 miles or more of hiking. We drove for a couple more hours to get a head start on our destination for tomorrow. And, I had to cover a lot of ground. I was now getting quite familiar with Montana 49 and US 89. The Pacific Northwest is such a beautiful area with so much to do! This is a great two-week adventure road trip that starts and ends in Boise with the following stops along the way: Day 1: Boise to Sun Valley. Also explore Yellowstone's neighboring parks with suggestions on things to do and see at Grand Teton, Glacier, Badlands and Theodore Roosevelt national parks plus Devils Tower, Craters of the Moon and . Let us help you free yourself from the burdens of everyday life and boldly venture forth so you can take your vacation further. After a few hours, we finally spotted the mountain. I kept a close eye on my watch, constantly calculating the time needed for the return hike before darkness arrived. Eat & Drink:At Parasol in Billings find local takes on global and Montanan cuisine, including falafel, Reuben sandwiches, and tacos. The warmest temperature recorded in Montana is in Glendive but that is in the east. From there, travel. Now, it was time to head south, and that's what I did, but of course I took my time, with detours out towards the Castle Special Place (west of Highway 6), and to St. Henry's Catholic Church, an historic structure east of Route 6. For the afternoon, we went to Glacier National Park. At the 90-year old Rod-N-Gun Saloon, get a stiff drink and a game of shuffleboard. If Its easy to forget Waterton Lakes National Park. Bonus that I got some girl time and hubby time. In the Bear Pit Lounge at the Old Faithful Inn, sit back and relax with a cocktail and apps. Summer season is the busiest season for traveling within the United States; July and August are by far the most crowded times in most national parks, and the months when hotel rooms are the most expensive. Eventually I ended up in Waterton Lakes National Park, and did some more driving around (this time I hiked Red Rock Canyon, out to Blakiston Falls). Fish at the parks many lakes and rivers (no permit required) and take a drive down the famed Going-to-the-Sun Road, one of the countrys most spectacular National Historic Landmarks. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. Idaho - Ketchum/Sun Valley/Stanley area in the southern part of the state are popular destinations. Do: Sun Valley is a posh, all-season outdoor getaway. Day 3 Day in Seattle, WA One day to tour main highlights. Our Trip Planner tool helps make planning your next camping trip or road trip easy. My philosophy for travel is fit in as much as I can, because I never know if Ill get back to the area. Wrapped around the southern banks of Payette Lake, McCall is a charming mountain town packed with outdoor adventure for any age or level. Breakfast: The Nova Cafe in downtown Bozeman has a menu packed with both savory and sweet morning treats. 1. Our pizza ended up taking to long and we missed it. I anxiously checked for news about Going-to-the-Sun Road on the morning of Day 4, but it was still closed. On the way there, I took Montana 49, also known as Looking Glass Hill Road. Eat & Drink: Have an upscale dinner of sustainable fresh fish and wild game at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel Dining Room. At the far end of the lake, I hopped off (and waded through some frigid ankle-deep water) to get to the trail to Twin Falls. This is what I have so. It's quite nice -- and the endless chain of mountain peaks in the distance were an unexpected addition to the landscape. Eat & Drink:Stretch your legs and grab a cold drink or a bite at the Galena Lodgein Galena, a community-owned homebase for skiers and hikers in the Boulder Mountains. I had been watching that website daily for the past couple weeks hoping the road would open. Next stop, Museum of Pop Culture. Arriving back at the dock, a long line of hikers were already waiting for the boat to return -- so many, the boat couldn't hold us all. How long to spend here/around here? Do you plan to spend the morning in Seattle, the afternoon in Portland, or perhaps see something like Mt. I hiked to the "L" and beyond, then came back and sat on the "L" for a while, and thought about dinner. Unfortunately, it Im honestly not sure we would have had the time anyways. going. We havent Interests nature, wildlife, geology, cars, food, films, unusual stuff, walking to look at things - no big hikes. From I-90 just south of the Montana-Wyoming border, you'll have your pick of two scenic drives that start on US 14: the Bighorn and Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway is a roughly 200-mile route across the Bighorn and Shoshone national forests on the way to Cody, while the Medicine Wheel Passage Scenic Highway heads toward Bighorn Lake on US 14A. Theres something for everyone! Mount Rainier was our top destination today. I will be back. Need a change of pace from alpine hiking at Mount Rainier? Answer 1 of 3: Hi, My husband and I are planning a 2 week Washington / Oregon / Idaho / Montana road trip in late May / early June starting and finishing in Calgary, AB (Canada). Day 2 Sandpoint, ID drive to Seattle, WA 6 hrs of driving. I also ventured into Canada briefly on this trip -- something I didn't have time to do in 2006. Eat & Drink:There is very little in the way of towns or restaurants between the Yellowstone boundary and Cody but if you happen to be traveling in the evening, the Lost Buffalo Grill in Wapiti is open from 5pm-9pm five days per week in the summer months. More driving awaited on this day, but if you're planning a trip to Glacier National Park, you have to accept a good bit of driving. Took the ferry to Friday Harbor, very cool experience! I set out to hike the Scenic Point trail. Start unearthing the endless possibilities of your Wyoming vacation. Start New Trip. I drove aimlessly, in any direction that looked like it might yield a good photo. Spokane. and that was pretty cool. quickly. I could have made the trip quicker, by driving up to I-90, then cutting across Washington and Idaho. On Day 8, my goal was to make it to Missoula by nightfall. On Thursday, July 2, 2020, we picked up our van for the week and left Seattle at around 4 pm. FYI, very cold and windy! With sunset still hours away, I wasn't ready to quit -- so after checking into my hotel, I drove over to the coast, to see the famous shipwreck half-buried on the beach at Fort Stevens Park near Astoria, Oregon. I had no other plan. The hubbys ankle was still bothering him. Quick note, we decided on a Pacific Northwest road trip so we could visit my son who was playing for a drum corp in the Seattle area. The southern Highway 20 is a quicker route, but the northern passage is much more interesting. You'll need it by this point. You'll have to be very choosy here. British Columbia, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington: Seattle, WA: Bellingham . North Cascades National Park is located about 3 hours northeast of Seattle. Most of the day was spent on the Oregon Coast. We generally notice more availability after the winter holidays, so start looking again in January and you will be able to get lodging within the park with en suite bathrooms. Grizzlies, geysers and big, open skies: a US road trip through 3,000 kilometre of Big Sky country . Make sure to check the status of the states, regions, and establishments in which youre planning to visit prior to travel. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-72743563', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');car. Town: Stop in Greybull, Wyoming, for a look at ancient dinosaur tracks in the painted badlands of Red Gulch and the bizarre rocks that form the geological anomaly, Devils Kitchen. I heard it, but the To reach it, you'll need to travel down Route 75 until you reach the small town of Sunbeam. I only made one worthwhile stop, at the Center of the Universe in Wallace, Idaho. As is often the case, the Scenic Point is at a very high point, overlooking everything, and to get there, you've got to go uphill. He told me it was one of the best pies in Missoula. Short walk to a beautiful waterfall in one direction and a swinging bridge in the other. *Try huckleberry everything!!! It's a pretty exhausting climb -- and quite muddy, too, thanks to some passing rain showers. I opted for the shorter, familiar route. After a very full day of driving and hiking, I was exhausted by the time I approached the destination. The Ptarmigan Tunnel Trail had a washed-out bridge above Ptarmigan Falls, so I made the falls my turn-around point. It was perfect. 25th - Spend time in Olympic National Park - whale watching tour. Discover road trips, the best places to stay, and other travel resources that will ensure an unforgettable Wyoming getaway. 8. Nature:Natural beauty surrounds you as you drive north through Grand Teton National Park. 13 Places; 01:02; 26 mi; Trip Guide; 10 things to do on a Western Wyoming road trip. A chance to rest. Read More. Only roadside stops of 10 minutes or less. This park should be on your Pacific Northwest road trip agenda! I only hit a tiny portion, but I plan on coming back to see the rest. At the Resort, ski or snowboard in winter and golf, go for a horseback ride or hike the trails of Bald Mountain in summer. Abbreviations: WY. Southern Pacific 4449, St. Louis-San Francisco 1522, Santa Fe 3751, Spokane, Portland and Seattle 700 and Milwaukee Road 261 steam locomotives to operate excursions over their rails . Temperatures in western Montana reach over 100 F (38 C) but are of short duration. Should I rent an RV to save money on a road trip? I'm not sure what your plans are for (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? End your night on the town at the Bozeman institutions Rockin R Bar and The Haufbrau House. We tried to make it to Mount St. Helens before the sunset, Then heading back towards Oregon, We continued westward through Idaho, Spokane, Washington, and dipped a little south to finish our road trip loop in the Columbia River Gorge and Mt. There was a good amount of light to see going back and we stayed down there at least 30 minutes after the sunset. Covering 604 miles, this 12-hour-long trip is best planned over the course of a few days. This is what I have so. If you don't have three full days to devote to this NP, then save it for a future trip. Pike Place is overwhelmingly amazing!!! We walked around town until the ferry was ready to leave. Even though I already went to a lavender farm on San Juan Island, I had to see another one! You'll soon see the ghost town on your left. We always recommend people to begin their West Coast road trip in Seattle, especially if your focus is going to be a Washington / Oregon road trip vs the whole PCH. Day 1: (Option 1) Medford, OR to Crater Lake to Eugene, OR. It spreads throughout 3 states: WY, MT and ID. I checked into my motel in Columbia Falls, then spent the rest of the day on the west side of Glacier National Park. The cities and sights included in our detailed Montana Road Trip Itinerary are: Kalispell Flathead Lake and National Bison Range Whitefish Kootenai Falls Glacier National Park Hungry Horse Reservoir Swan-Seeley Valley Missoula was very foggy, so I could not see the waterfall at all. However, the area was still beautiful. So, I drove to Seattle around midnight to pick him up and then drove back to the La Conner area. Canyon or Lake and Old Faithful gives you good coverage. I gave up on Rattlesnake Canyon after a while, and found another trail that did have a payoff. This is another must do in the Pacific Northwest! My plan was NOT to drive all night to be in La Conner, Washington the next morning, so I dont recommend it! Area: 97,914 sq mi (253,600 sq km). Discover our 7-Day Northern Idaho Itinerary for more ideas in this part of the Inland Northwest!. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-72738360', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Seattle, WA, Day 7 Portland, OR drive to La Grande, OR, Day 8 La Grande, OR drive to Craters of the Moon, Day 9 Craters drive to Yellowstone NP, Wyoming, Day 11 Yellowstone NP, WY drive to Bozeman, MT, Day 12 Bozeman, MT drive to Flathead Lake, MT, Day 15 Flathead Lake, MT drive to Whitefish, MT, Day 16 Whitefish, MT drive to Calgary, AB. Campgrounds are like hot cakes, so you need to get there early if you want one of the more popular sites. I was also running out of time, but I pushed it to the very last minute. If this road isnt on your list of all-time best scenic highways, it should be. Now you're ready to hit the road specifically . It was still kinda foggy, but it made for some cool pictures with the bridge. This is an arid trek through Eastern Oregon with many geological oddities to see and plenty of pioneering history to explore. Technically Montana is not part of the pacific northwest, but I couldnt be this close and not visit her! This is an impossibly bad road with unbelievably good views. Interstate 84 runs directly through the Gorge on the south side of the river and you'll take this interstate when driving to Yellowstone NP. Even so, driving about 4 hours on day of arrival, jet lagged is not a great plan to me. Its less than an hour up the road. Near the end of my day, I had made up enough time that I decided to treat myself to some two-lane roads: one was straight as an arrow, the other was a very squiggly line on the map. With just 7 days in the Pacific Northwest, it's perhaps a little too far afoot to fit in comfortably. 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