More MONTANA Ideas!
D U S T I N
Ms. Cal Culator
on 4/26/10 6:02 am, edited 4/26/10 6:06 am - Tuvalu
on 4/26/10 6:02 am, edited 4/26/10 6:06 am - Tuvalu
On April 26, 2010 at 4:12 AM Pacific Time, Elizabeth N. wrote:
If you're gonna take a week, I would do the greater Yellowstone area.
My suggested itinerary would be something like: (assuming you started from our planned Three Forks rendevous)
Day 1: Three Forks to West Yellowstone via Ennis, which would take you past Hebgen Lake and Earthquake Lake. Leave early in the morning so you can enjoy lots of scenery and shopping/coffee stops. Beware, it's a LONG way between potty stops out there :-). Alternatively, go through Big Sky to West Yellowstone, also magnificent. (Big Sky is an area and a ski resort, not a park. Some of it is technically part of Yellowstone Park.) Traffic is likely to be worse along the Big Sky route. Plan to spend the night in West Yellowstone, spend time hanging out, wandering, shopping. MAKE A RESERVATION THERE.
Day 2: Buy a several-days pass to Yellowstone. West Entrance to South Entrance (Madison Junction, miscellaneous geothermal attractions including Old Faithful, possible small stop at the lake) and down to Jackson, WY through Grand Teton National Park. Recommended places to stay would be either Signal Mountain Lodge (on Jackson Lake) or Jenny Lake Lodge. Try to be outside for sundown and sunrise. Bring mosquito dope and a jacket.
Day 3: Enjoy the magnificence of the Tetons and do a little shopping/touristy stuff in Jackson. Just driving around out in the countryside is great. Pack food and water if you do so, especially water. It is DRY DRY DRY out there, and a lot cooler than you're used to, plus with the altitude, you can dehydrate before you notice it.
Day 4: South Entrance of Yellowstone to North Entrance. LEAVE EARLY. I suggest going around the lake (shop here for lunch supplies), to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, then cut west to Norris Geyser Basin and north to Mammoth Hot Springs. Mammoth in the late day light is really really cool, even better at sunset and sunrise :-). Spend the night in Gardiner, MT. There are chain places that fill up very quickly, but you can get a bed and a bathroom in any of the local places. The Antler Pub and Grill is the local colorful eatery. Gardiner is not nearly as "touristy" as the other gateway communities, but you will get reliable plain food and lodging. STEAK is always good :-). They roll up the sidewalks around 9:00 PM though, so plan accordingly. There's no doubt a 24 hour convenience store like a Town Pump or something, but remember this is a state the size of a significant chunk of Western Europe with about three quarters of a million people in it, at least half of whom are clustered in half a dozen "cities." Accordingly, things are far apart and not always as available as we Easterners are used to having them :-).
Day 5: Back into Yellowstone for quite a lot of driving, but I promise it's worth it. North Entrance to Northeast Entrance (I'd suggest doing more Mammoth touring if you want--sunrise would be lovely), where you will drive the Beartooth Highway, one of the most amazing places on earth, topping out at 11,000 feet above sea level. http://www.beartoothhighway.com/ This is a MUST SEE that ranks right up there with Old Faithful, even BETTER in my opinion. Spend the night in Red Lodge, MT. Historic lodging (and pretty nice, too) would be the Pollard Hotel. Lupine Inn and Alpine Lodge are also pleasant, and there are some chain places. Yummy home cooking and local/regional beer can be had in several places, but I'll especially mention the Bear Creek Saloon/Steakhouse (YUM YUM) and the Carbon County Steak House. There's a really cool local brewery, too, Sam's Tap Room/Red Lodge Ales, if you like that kind of thing. Local beer is served everywhere, though.
Day 6: From Red Lodge, take Highway 78 to Absaroka (pronounced "AbSORkee") and take in the loveliness of the Absaroka ("AbsaROka") Mountains and on to Columbus, where you'll rendevous with I-90. Meander along I-90, stopping to enjoy the Missouri River scenery. Spend the night in Livingston or Bozeman, depending upon whether you have a 7th day of touring time.
Day 7 if you have it: From Livingston or Bozeman, go to either Big Sky or Ennis, depending on which way you went to West Yellowstone. Ennis has more to do shopping and touristy-wise, Big Sky has more sheer grandeur of country. Consider a soak at the Bozeman Hot Springs. Or hang out in Bozeman, which can occupy a couple days all by itself. Bozangeles, as the locals call it, is the home of Montana State University and a great center of knowledge for paleontology. Museum of the Rockies is a marvelous place. Decent local breweries, too :-).
TOLD you I'm a tireless tour guide! ~~~~
Elizabeth, you left something out (or I missed it) and I'm taking the liberty of adding it. Elevation. Anyone planning to visit Yellowstone should do so while NOT dealing with low enough iron to cause anemia and breathing problems.
That's because it's a five-hour, $3000 ambulance ride to Idaho Falls where the nearest cardiac services are located.
Three Forks is only 4550 feet. Mammoth Hot Springs is over 6000 feet and West Yellowstone gets close to 6700 feet and the highest elevations within the park get up to over 11,000 feet...not many people go to the mountain tops, but driving around the park it is easy to get up to 9000 feet or so.
ETA: Ooops, you DID mention altitude..but not in reference to breathing issues. I'm so clever that I avoided Denver (because of the altitude) on my way to Yellowstone. DUH!!!!
My suggested itinerary would be something like: (assuming you started from our planned Three Forks rendevous)
Day 1: Three Forks to West Yellowstone via Ennis, which would take you past Hebgen Lake and Earthquake Lake. Leave early in the morning so you can enjoy lots of scenery and shopping/coffee stops. Beware, it's a LONG way between potty stops out there :-). Alternatively, go through Big Sky to West Yellowstone, also magnificent. (Big Sky is an area and a ski resort, not a park. Some of it is technically part of Yellowstone Park.) Traffic is likely to be worse along the Big Sky route. Plan to spend the night in West Yellowstone, spend time hanging out, wandering, shopping. MAKE A RESERVATION THERE.
Day 2: Buy a several-days pass to Yellowstone. West Entrance to South Entrance (Madison Junction, miscellaneous geothermal attractions including Old Faithful, possible small stop at the lake) and down to Jackson, WY through Grand Teton National Park. Recommended places to stay would be either Signal Mountain Lodge (on Jackson Lake) or Jenny Lake Lodge. Try to be outside for sundown and sunrise. Bring mosquito dope and a jacket.
Day 3: Enjoy the magnificence of the Tetons and do a little shopping/touristy stuff in Jackson. Just driving around out in the countryside is great. Pack food and water if you do so, especially water. It is DRY DRY DRY out there, and a lot cooler than you're used to, plus with the altitude, you can dehydrate before you notice it.
Day 4: South Entrance of Yellowstone to North Entrance. LEAVE EARLY. I suggest going around the lake (shop here for lunch supplies), to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, then cut west to Norris Geyser Basin and north to Mammoth Hot Springs. Mammoth in the late day light is really really cool, even better at sunset and sunrise :-). Spend the night in Gardiner, MT. There are chain places that fill up very quickly, but you can get a bed and a bathroom in any of the local places. The Antler Pub and Grill is the local colorful eatery. Gardiner is not nearly as "touristy" as the other gateway communities, but you will get reliable plain food and lodging. STEAK is always good :-). They roll up the sidewalks around 9:00 PM though, so plan accordingly. There's no doubt a 24 hour convenience store like a Town Pump or something, but remember this is a state the size of a significant chunk of Western Europe with about three quarters of a million people in it, at least half of whom are clustered in half a dozen "cities." Accordingly, things are far apart and not always as available as we Easterners are used to having them :-).
Day 5: Back into Yellowstone for quite a lot of driving, but I promise it's worth it. North Entrance to Northeast Entrance (I'd suggest doing more Mammoth touring if you want--sunrise would be lovely), where you will drive the Beartooth Highway, one of the most amazing places on earth, topping out at 11,000 feet above sea level. http://www.beartoothhighway.com/ This is a MUST SEE that ranks right up there with Old Faithful, even BETTER in my opinion. Spend the night in Red Lodge, MT. Historic lodging (and pretty nice, too) would be the Pollard Hotel. Lupine Inn and Alpine Lodge are also pleasant, and there are some chain places. Yummy home cooking and local/regional beer can be had in several places, but I'll especially mention the Bear Creek Saloon/Steakhouse (YUM YUM) and the Carbon County Steak House. There's a really cool local brewery, too, Sam's Tap Room/Red Lodge Ales, if you like that kind of thing. Local beer is served everywhere, though.
Day 6: From Red Lodge, take Highway 78 to Absaroka (pronounced "AbSORkee") and take in the loveliness of the Absaroka ("AbsaROka") Mountains and on to Columbus, where you'll rendevous with I-90. Meander along I-90, stopping to enjoy the Missouri River scenery. Spend the night in Livingston or Bozeman, depending upon whether you have a 7th day of touring time.
Day 7 if you have it: From Livingston or Bozeman, go to either Big Sky or Ennis, depending on which way you went to West Yellowstone. Ennis has more to do shopping and touristy-wise, Big Sky has more sheer grandeur of country. Consider a soak at the Bozeman Hot Springs. Or hang out in Bozeman, which can occupy a couple days all by itself. Bozangeles, as the locals call it, is the home of Montana State University and a great center of knowledge for paleontology. Museum of the Rockies is a marvelous place. Decent local breweries, too :-).
TOLD you I'm a tireless tour guide! ~~~~
Elizabeth, you left something out (or I missed it) and I'm taking the liberty of adding it. Elevation. Anyone planning to visit Yellowstone should do so while NOT dealing with low enough iron to cause anemia and breathing problems.
That's because it's a five-hour, $3000 ambulance ride to Idaho Falls where the nearest cardiac services are located.
Three Forks is only 4550 feet. Mammoth Hot Springs is over 6000 feet and West Yellowstone gets close to 6700 feet and the highest elevations within the park get up to over 11,000 feet...not many people go to the mountain tops, but driving around the park it is easy to get up to 9000 feet or so.
ETA: Ooops, you DID mention altitude..but not in reference to breathing issues. I'm so clever that I avoided Denver (because of the altitude) on my way to Yellowstone. DUH!!!!
Oh yeah, that breathing thing..... (Says she who went to Yellowstone the last time just a couple months before going on oxygen for pulmonary hypertension and whose pulmonologist about had a coronary when she called after three or four days of driving among those mountaintops....)
Um, yeah folks, what Sue said. If you wanna come zipping in to God's country, be aware that you'll be around a mile above sea level just about everywhere I take you, so PLEEEEEZE bring your breathing meds and get your iron levels out of the anemic range.....
Um, yeah folks, what Sue said. If you wanna come zipping in to God's country, be aware that you'll be around a mile above sea level just about everywhere I take you, so PLEEEEEZE bring your breathing meds and get your iron levels out of the anemic range.....
Hey, thanks for dropping in here!
For those who don't know, this is my only slightly older sis :-D. She lives in MT, had the smarts to stay in God's Country. Those who come to our Western Joy weekend just might meet her. She's not quite the diehard social butterfly that I am, plus she'll be haying, but I'm hoping to talk her into putting in an appearance somewhere along the way :-).
Anyhow, yeah, a night at Chico would be fun too. Probably kinda spendy though, isn't it?
Thus far, the folks who are coming are all from truly warm climes compared to out there, so I doubt anyone would get too hot.....
For those who don't know, this is my only slightly older sis :-D. She lives in MT, had the smarts to stay in God's Country. Those who come to our Western Joy weekend just might meet her. She's not quite the diehard social butterfly that I am, plus she'll be haying, but I'm hoping to talk her into putting in an appearance somewhere along the way :-).
Anyhow, yeah, a night at Chico would be fun too. Probably kinda spendy though, isn't it?
Thus far, the folks who are coming are all from truly warm climes compared to out there, so I doubt anyone would get too hot.....
I just stumbled on your thread !! , been off a bi from boards
Can I try and join in ?
I can't do the cruise it would turn out too expensive was bummed by that, this may be more do-able..
Trying to expand my areas so to speak,,, really act like I am an emptynester,,,, instead of constent helper with family and the medical needs grankids,,, LOL then whala ! one day they discover they are handeling it on their own and WOW ! Nana has disappeared !
the Jul 30 to August is better for me, I could either drive or fly. If I drive I can gather peoples from this area if need,,, would be interested in the rooms to share, anything with ho****er, really don't care where we went from there, it is all about the meet group thing for me and getting out there !!
Debi
Can I try and join in ?
I can't do the cruise it would turn out too expensive was bummed by that, this may be more do-able..
Trying to expand my areas so to speak,,, really act like I am an emptynester,,,, instead of constent helper with family and the medical needs grankids,,, LOL then whala ! one day they discover they are handeling it on their own and WOW ! Nana has disappeared !
the Jul 30 to August is better for me, I could either drive or fly. If I drive I can gather peoples from this area if need,,, would be interested in the rooms to share, anything with ho****er, really don't care where we went from there, it is all about the meet group thing for me and getting out there !!
Debi
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