HELENE’S TRIP

TO MONTANA & WYOMING

15 NIGHTS /6 STOPS

A Magnificent Mountainous Road Trip!

Our dream was to discover the spectacular mountains of Montana (Glacier National Park) and the volcanic fields and mountains of Wyoming (Yellowstone and Grand Teton). After visiting other national parks and getting a taste of the natural magnificence of the earth, we wanted to visit others. During this road trip, we stayed an average of two to three nights per location. In 15 days, we drove a total of 1,200 km and spent 20 hours on the road. This itinerary is from August. Our budget for the whole trip was around $ 1695 per person for 15 nights (excluded food and activities).

15 nights & 6 stops
$
1200 km
from May to October
road trip & nature discovery

Yellowstone east

Yellowstone east

Yellowstone 3

Lake Shernurne Glacier

Iceberg lake

Glacier

Grand Teton

Yellowstone 2

Yellowstone 1

rafting Yellowstone

Bowman lake Glacier

Iceberg lake 2

Moose

oldfaithfull

yellowstone canyon

Photo ©helenedwds

ABOUT HELENE: Hélène is from Belgium. She has three children, two twin boys and a daughter. Her passions include hiking in nature and observing wildlife and scenic landscapes. However, Helen is not a fan of camping and avoids this activity during her travels.Hélène always plans her own trips, spending hours on the Internet and in travel guides trying to find destinations off the beaten path. She prefers traveling in remote locations.

ABOUT HELENE: Hélène is from Belgium. She has three children, two twin boys and a daughter. Her passions include hiking in nature and observing wildlife and scenic landscapes. However, Helen is not a fan of camping and avoids this activity during her travels.Hélène always plans her own trips, spending hours on the Internet and in travel guides trying to find destinations off the beaten path. She prefers traveling in remote locations.

WHAT HELENE LOVED ABOUT THIS TRIP

Glacier National Park
Hike to Iceberg Lake
Nature at its wildest

NEW YORK – KALISPELL (MONTANA)
JACKSON HOLE (WYOMING) – NEW YORK

6 hours with 1 stop via Chicago or Denver

+

RENTAL CAR

1200 km in 15 days
20 hours on the road
6 stops

AVERAGE BUDGET PER PERSON

TOTAL: $1695 / pp
$880 / pp for 15 nights excl. breakfast.
$265 /pp for car rental
$550 /pp

Arrival airport - Kalispell airport

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KALISPELL AIRPORT TO
COLUMBIA FALLS

45 km/45 min

Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park

Retreat

3 NIGHTS

Where we stayed?
What we did?

Explore Glacier National Park

Hike at Lake McDonald : In the morning we hiked the McDonald Creek trail until Avalanche Creek Overlook (north of the lake), in the afternoon we hiked the Rocky Point Trail.

Hike at Bowman Lake : Take the Outside North Fork Road (An SUV is a must, most of the road is unpaved, beautiful views) until Polebridge where you can make a pitstop at the Mercantile (the building is worth it !) and then continue to Bowman Lake where you can leave the car at the camping. We hiked the trail almost until the end of the lake, eat our picnic and even had a swim in the lake ! Great hike far away from the crowd.

COLUMBIA FALLS TO
ST MARY

70 km/3 hours

Saint Mary Glacier National Park

Saint Mary Glacier National Park

Lakes

2 NIGHTS

Where we stayed?
What we did?

We drove from the West to the East of the Glacier Park on the Going-to-the-sun road, stopped at numerous points of view (Avalanche Creek, Logan Pass, Jackson Glacier Overlook, Wild Goose Island Overlook,…) and finished the day with a boat tour on St Mary Lake at Rising Sun. Fantastic views !

Day hike to Iceberg Lake : one of the highlights of our trip ! It is a 14 km round trip with a 300m elevation change to a beautiful lake surrounded on 3 sides by towering cliffs. The lake is frozen all year except in the summer when icebergs float in the pristine blue water. The trail to the lake has majestic views, beautiful flowers and wildlife (moose, grizzly bear,…). Don’t forget your picnic.

SAINT MARY TO
WEST YELLOWSTONE

600 km/6h30

Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park

Retreat

3 NIGHTS

Where we stayed ?
What we did?

On our way from Glacier N.P. to Yellowstone N.P. we stopped for lunch in Helena, the capital of Montana. We also made a stop in a real “ghost city”, Nevada City, where you can experience the the old west in a village that was abandoned in 1863.

We spent most of the next day in the Old Faithful Area. There is a trail walking you from one geyser to another and from one pool to another. And of course the Old Faithful Geyser that erupts every 90 to 120 minutes. Impressive !

WEST TO NORTH YELLOWSTONE
(GARDINER)

88 km/1h45

Gardiner North Yellowstone

Gardiner North Yellowstone

Rafting

2 NIGHTS

NORTH YELLOWSTONE TO
EAST YELLOWSTONE

130 km/2h30

East Yellowstone

East Yellowstone

Wildlife

2 NIGHTS

Where we stayed?

We transformed in cowboys for 2 nights and stayed in a real ranch: the Shoshone Lodge Guest Ranch. We stayed in cabins 5 and 6. The restaurant is very good and every night you can sit around the fire pit and make some s’mores (a s’more is a campfire treat popular in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, consisting of a marshmallow and a layer of chocolate placed between two pieces of graham cracker or cookie).
What we did?

On our way to the ranch we stopped at different point of views : Lamar Valley, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (Inspiration Point, Lookout Point, Red Rock Point, Artist Point, Uncle Tom’s trail,…).

We spent the next day on a horse. We booked a 4-hour lunch ride at the ranch for our family. We spent the day with our guide, a real cowboy, riding in the mountains and picnicking by a little river. Another fantastic experience with the kids !

EAST YELLOWSTONE TO
GRAND TETON NP

200 km/4h

Grand Teton

Grand Teton

Scenery

3 NIGHTS

Where we stayed?
What we did?

On our way to Grand Teton N.P. we stopped at different point of views around Yellowstone Lake: Steamboat Point, West Thumb Geyser Bassin. Before arriving at the hotel we also climbed the Signal Mountain Summit Road where you have a stunning view of the park.

On the next day we hiked around Jenny Lake to Inspiration Point and the Hidden Falls and came back to the visitor center by boat. We also made several stops on the very scenic Teton Park Road.

GOOD TO KNOW

– www.hikinginglacier.com is great to help you plan your hikes in Glacier National Park.

– Travel between end of May and beginning of October, roads can be closed because of the snow between Octobre and May. July and August are very crowded (especially in Yellowstone NP)

– Please become familiar with some of the potential hazards in the parks : bears and mountain lions (Glacier national Park); bears, bisons, wolves and geothermal dangers (Yellowstone and Grand Teton).

– In the US National Parks, you will stay in local style hotels/cottages. They are clean and practical. Some have fantastic views.

– Don’t forget to plan ahead and pick up a picnic in groceries on the way for your hikes.

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