Yellowstone & Glacier National Park

[Hodgy]

Originally Posted by Don N.

We did Glacier last year. Make all travel reservations NOW! DO NOT miss driving the highway-to-the-sun at Glacier. Take advantage of all pullouts to appreciate the grandeur of the views, especially for whoever drives because you must concentrate on navigating the narrow road and can't do much looking while driving.

If you can do the Road to the Sun from East to West. That puts you on the mountain side lane most of the way. Rather than the ½ mile drop-off just over the 18" curb made of broken rocks with concrete chinking !

And West of Logan Pass there are always construction delays with single lane traffic.

.

[hornet28]

Another thing is drive The Road To The Sun all the way through in both directions

[Bolo4u]

The DW, son and I did a trip last summer, and spent a good amount of time in Montana, including Glacier and then West Yellowstone. We stayed in local, mom/pop RV parks throughout our trip. Glacier is beautiful and we spent some time at Lake McDonald, and also did the Going to the Sun Road (quite a challenge in a dually), and a few days after our trip, someone lost their life when they slipped and fell while hiking? on Haystack falls. We drove through the park and came out on the east entrance then returned to Kalispell through Browning. There were a couple of big fires in Glacier late last summer, including around Lake McDonald, so some of the beautiful areas may be fire-scarred. I know some of the original cabins and other historic areas burned.

While you're in West Yellowstone, be sure to visit the Grizzly and Wolf discovery center, its pretty cool. This is the facility that does the bear resistant certification rating and testing on various products. One of the days we visited, the bears were product testing a Grizzly brand cooler (like a Yeti) and it was fun to watch.

We drove through the park and did the Old Faithful thing, it was ok... We saw very little wildlife (one buffalo and a handful of elk) in the area of the park we were in, but it may have been to warm for them to be in the valley. I hunt big-game so I wasn't too disappointed in not seeing animals, plus it made to better driving, not having to worry about the tourists stopping to take pictures or rescue an "abandoned" bison calf...

This trip we didn't do the Tetons, but I have don't them in the past, coming in from the Jackson Hole side. Its all a very gorgeous area. We just returned from a 7 day vacation in the Kalispell area, and enjoyed it as well. Glacier Park was open but its very limited as far as things to do and amenities.

side note: If you like to BBQ, in Columbia Falls (just north of Kalispell, on the way to Glacier) there is a local owned butcher shop, Perfect Cuts, which is immediately next door to one of the parks we stayed in. They have great meats, marinades and various other rubs and seasonings. Try their taco sausage for really good tacos, and their baconators (bacon and breakfast sausage ground together) and they have an good variety of house cured sausages and brats, its really worth a stop. We stocked up before we headed south on our trip.

[Tinner12002]

I'm I correct in thinking that most of the drive throughs everyone is talking about is done after parking the RV in a campground somewhere and then just driving through in their truck or car? Narrow and winding roads doesn't sound too friendly to RVs.

[Canonman]

Originally Posted by Tinner12002

I'm I correct in thinking that most of the drive throughs everyone is talking about is done after parking the RV in a campground somewhere and then just driving through in their truck or car? Narrow and winding roads doesn't sound too friendly to RVs.

Absolutely NOT RV Friendly at all!! Very scenic beautiful views but not something you'd want to do with any towable or with a motorhome over 24'
Just MHO.

[Hodgy]

Originally Posted by Tinner12002

I'm I correct in thinking that most of the drive throughs everyone is talking about is done after parking the RV in a campground somewhere and then just driving through in their truck or car? Narrow and winding roads doesn't sound too friendly to RVs.

You are correct and there are length and height restrictions in place. I would not take anything but a vehicle up there even if you managed to get below 21' with a TV & TT.

Vehicle Size Restrictions
Vehicles, and vehicle combinations, longer than 21 feet (including bumpers) or wider than 8 feet (including mirrors), are prohibited between Avalanche Campground and the Rising Sun picnic area parking. Vehicle and vehicle combinations over 10 feet in height may have difficulty driving west from Logan Pass to the Loop, due to rock overhangs. Stock trucks and trailers are able to access Packers Roost on the west, and Siyeh Bend on the east.





Going to the Sun Road normally does not open until late June or early July. The last time we did it on the Goldwing it did not open until July 15. This is account of the vast amounts of snow across the summit. I think it is two months of clearing with dozers, hoes and blowers.

Here is the link for the road including road status that they start updating in May.

https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvis...thesunroad.htm


Here is some of the action clearing snow up there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-9l1PojA6Q

Here is what it looks like when you actually get to drive on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yex8TS8v-xw

.

[GeorgeBullet]

Originally Posted by Bolo4u

The DW, son and I did a trip last summer, and spent a good amount of time in Montana, including Glacier and then West Yellowstone. We stayed in local, mom/pop RV parks throughout our trip. Glacier is beautiful and we spent some time at Lake McDonald, and also did the Going to the Sun Road (quite a challenge in a dually), and a few days after our trip, someone lost their life when they slipped and fell while hiking? on Haystack falls. We drove through the park and came out on the east entrance then returned to Kalispell through Browning. There were a couple of big fires in Glacier late last summer, including around Lake McDonald, so some of the beautiful areas may be fire-scarred. I know some of the original cabins and other historic areas burned.

While you're in West Yellowstone, be sure to visit the Grizzly and Wolf discovery center, its pretty cool. This is the facility that does the bear resistant certification rating and testing on various products. One of the days we visited, the bears were product testing a Grizzly brand cooler (like a Yeti) and it was fun to watch.

We drove through the park and did the Old Faithful thing, it was ok... We saw very little wildlife (one buffalo and a handful of elk) in the area of the park we were in, but it may have been to warm for them to be in the valley. I hunt big-game so I wasn't too disappointed in not seeing animals, plus it made to better driving, not having to worry about the tourists stopping to take pictures or rescue an "abandoned" bison calf...

This trip we didn't do the Tetons, but I have don't them in the past, coming in from the Jackson Hole side. Its all a very gorgeous area. We just returned from a 7 day vacation in the Kalispell area, and enjoyed it as well. Glacier Park was open but its very limited as far as things to do and amenities.

side note: If you like to BBQ, in Columbia Falls (just north of Kalispell, on the way to Glacier) there is a local owned butcher shop, Perfect Cuts, which is immediately next door to one of the parks we stayed in. They have great meats, marinades and various other rubs and seasonings. Try their taco sausage for really good tacos, and their baconators (bacon and breakfast sausage ground together) and they have an good variety of house cured sausages and brats, its really worth a stop. We stocked up before we headed south on our trip.

Thanks for the info and recommendation ,

[GeorgeBullet]

its crazy all the work they have to do to clear the road

[Msmith2054]

Yellowstone on our Bucket List this summer. Our first road trip with our “new to us” RV.
Will be traveling from SC coast. Any recommendations before we leave, or on the way?

[JRTJH]

If you plan on camping inside Yellowstone, make sure you have reservations before you leave home. If you're planning to stay outside Yellowstone, make sure you have reservations and an extra credit card before you leave home. If you're over 62, be sure to get the National Parks "Senior Pass" before you leave home. It isn't valid for contract services inside the parks but will save you admission fees and provide half price camping in all NP sponsored camping.