Trip advice

#1
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qwerty

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#1
I'm going to Yellowstone/Glacier in September. What are the must see spots? I'm familiar with some of the famous tourist traps that we will inevitably go to, but I'm looking for some of the unknown ones to go along with them. Any advise is appreciated.
 
#2
#2
qwerty said:
I'm going to Yellowstone/Glacier in September. What are the must see spots? I'm familiar with some of the famous tourist traps that we will inevitably go to, but I'm looking for some of the unknown ones to go along with them. Any advise is appreciated.
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I'm jealous.

Have fun. I've never been, but I will get there some day.
 
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#6
#6
Went in '74. Can't remember much. Old Faithful is right on the dime, though. Lovely park. Seems like there were some geothermic hot water pools that have shades of blue you can't even imagine (I may be mistaking that one for Mammoth, though)
 
#8
#8
The east side of Glacier has several great spots. I really liked the hike to Iceberg Lake. Driving the Going to the Sun road is a must but you would probably be doing that anyway.

Glacier is Grizzly country and the park rangers take it very serious - you should too.
 
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#9
#9
qwerty said:
I'm going to Yellowstone/Glacier in September. What are the must see spots? I'm familiar with some of the famous tourist traps that we will inevitably go to, but I'm looking for some of the unknown ones to go along with them. Any advise is appreciated.
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Old faithful.....it is very good. They named it after me
 
#10
#10
I only spent a short time in Yellowstone but if you have time the drive out the NE entrance over the mountains and back into Montana takes you to a little town called Redlodge. Wild Bill Hickok and Annie Oakley both spent some time there.
 
#12
#12
I've never been to Glacier. Yellowstone is one of the most beautiful spots on Earth. There is so much to see out there. Spend as much time as you can in Yellowstone. The animals are awesome-porcupines as big as a small bear. Jackson Hole is a pretty neat town and close by. There are a lot of trails in the Grand Tetons close by too. You'll see moose, bear, elk, wolf, fox, weasels, eagles, hawks, bobcats, etc. Been there in the Summer and also skied Jackson Hole in the Winter. Grand Targhee is also close by in the Tetons.
 
#13
#13
volinbham said:
The east side of Glacier has several great spots. I really liked the hike to Iceberg Lake. Driving the Going to the Sun road is a must but you would probably be doing that anyway.

Glacier is Grizzly country and the park rangers take it very serious - you should too.
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The going to the sun road is a must. Hopefully you're going in early September as the road in its entirety will be closed on September 21 this year

Going-to-the-Sun Road FAQs - Glacier National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
 
#14
#14
#15
#15
Slydell said:
Is this a road trip/camping trip?
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We are flying into Salt Lake and have a couple of weeks. We are contemplating camping...but camper cabins aren't much more expensive and we won't have to pack a tent. So, I figure we will do that where we can.
 
#16
#16
CanadianVol said:
The going to the sun road is a must. Hopefully you're going in early September as the road in its entirety will be closed on September 21 this year

Going-to-the-Sun Road FAQs - Glacier National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
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No. Only the portion "between St. Mary Campground and Logan Pass" (roughly 16.8 miles in length) will be closed effective September 21st. You can still travel from West Glacier to Logan Pass (32 of the 50.1 miles traversed by this highway) until October 19th, barring heavy snows that might otherwise close it down earlier. See Going-to-the-Sun Road FAQs - Glacier National Park (U.S. National Park Service) and Glacier National Park Travel Guide - Going-to-the-Sun Road - American West Travelogue.
 
#17
#17
First and foremost, have you locked in a specific portion of September yet? If not, I would urge you in the strongest possible terms to visit Glacier during the last week-ten days of September. The last half of September and first week of October are a truly magical time of year to head for the high country. With school back in session, visitation is low and services will be limited, but you will seemingly have the park and, particularly, the backcountry all to yourself. If the weather is accommodating, crisp, cool days and brilliant, blue skies are the norm. Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to witness the daily transformation of the aspen as they assume their electrifying cloaks of yellow, orange and red. If you are supremely fortunate, a recent dusting of the peaks will add the final artistic touch to these magnificent landscapes. It is also the beginning of the fall rut for many big game species, so chances are excellent that you will hear elk bugling in the canyons, a signature sound of wilderness that you will never forget.

As for must-see attractions, the remote Kintla Lake area in the extreme northwest corner of the park, the Two Medicine valley in the southeastern sector, the Many Glacier area, which is somewhat reminiscent of the Swiss Alps (see Many Glacier Hotel | Glacier National Park | US Park Lodging and Grinnell Lake Photos & Framed Prints by James Kay Photography, Glacier National Park), and the Chief Mountain area (see Chief Mountain Photo - Glacier Park Photo Gallery), both of which are in the northeastern corner of the park all fall in this category. You certainly will want to traverse the Going-to-the-Sun Highway in its entirety and September 21st is the last day you will be able to do so.

I will discuss each of these areas in order, but first want to address St. Mary Lake as well as fall foliage destinations. The truly iconic view of Glacier is from the Wild Goose Island overlook (see Framed Prints Saint Mary Lake Photos by James Kay Photography - Glacier National Park) near the shores of St. Mary Lake, but this vantage point is only 7.6 miles from the eastern terminus of the Going-to-the-Sun Highway, so you will need to be there by September 21st. You will find it well worth the effort to target the St. Mary area during this time since the aspen groves which border this lake typically put on a superb show. Incidentally, the finest accommodation in this portion of the park is the St. Mary Lodge and Resort (Glacier Park Inc.). If you want something cheaper and more rustic, the St. Mary KOA Campground is about 1-2 miles from there (St. Mary / East Glacier KOA | Camping in Montana | KOA Campgrounds). And, yes, they do have camper cabins. We have had the pleasure of being serenaded by elk while staying at that facility.

As for fall foliage in general terms, Glacier puts on a magnificent display but hotspots are more widely distributed than in Colorado, where entire mountainsides are carpeted with aspen. Larch, a deciduous conifer (yes, you read that correctly) can be found on the shores of lakes located in the western half of the park, particularly those close to the North Fork of the Flathead, but they do not typically turn color until later in October. The most magnificent stands of aspen are, for the most part, located on the drier, more windswept eastern side of the park, particularly the St. Mary lake area, Many Glacier and Two Medicine valleys, and the Chief Mountain area. If you bring your passports, the adjoining Waterton Lakes National Park is also worth visiting (Waterton Lakes National Park - Home Page). The Prince of Wales Hotel (Glacier Park Inc.: Prince of Wales Hotel), an absolutely stately facility, is located there.
 
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#18
#18
qwerty said:
We are flying into Salt Lake and have a couple of weeks. We are contemplating camping...but camper cabins aren't much more expensive and we won't have to pack a tent. So, I figure we will do that where we can.
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Have you already booked your flight? If not, you might want to consider flying directly into Jackson Hole Airport (Welcome | Arrivals and Departures | Latest News | Jackson Hole Airport (JAC), Jackson Hole, Wyoming); it is the only airport actually located within a national park and it would save you about five hours' driving time and 300 miles as opposed to driving up from Salt Lake City. On the other hand, if you are already booked through SLC, you might consider a brief sidetrip to the Wind River Mountains; it is an extremely rugged area and these images will give you an idea of possible lodging facilities in the area (Big Sandy Lodge, Wyoming, Wind River Mountain Resort and Green River Lakes Campground and trails, Wyoming). Incidentally, the Green River Lakes area was "a popular location for annual mountain man rendezvous during the 1820s and 1830s, with as many as 450 to 500 trappers attending during its heyday in the 1830s" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_River_(Colorado_River).
 
#19
#19
volinbham said:
I only spent a short time in Yellowstone but if you have time the drive out the NE entrance over the mountains and back into Montana takes you to a little town called Redlodge. Wild Bill Hickok and Annie Oakley both spent some time there.
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He is referring to the Beartooth Highway (An All-American Road in Wyoming & Montana | Beartooth Highway | Montana & Wyoming Scenic Drives), otherwise known as US 212, and it is, indeed, a must-see attraction. In my opinion, it is second only to the Going-to-the-Sun Highway in terms of natural beauty. Be forewarned, however. The Beartooth Highway is the highest road in the Northern Rockies, topping out at 10,947 feet. I drove through genuine blizzard conditions there (and, no, I am not exaggerating) during a heavy snowstorm in August 1978. Incidentally, another resource worth consulting with respect to scenic drives in the Northern Rockies is: Rocky Mountain Vacations- Northern Rockies Travel- Top 10 Scenic Drives.
 
#20
#20
MphsBlues said:
Went in '74. Can't remember much. Old Faithful is right on the dime, though. Lovely park. Seems like there were some geothermic hot water pools that have shades of blue you can't even imagine (I may be mistaking that one for Mammoth, though)
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You are probably thinking of Morning Glory Pool (Morning Glory Pool - Old Faithful Virtual Visitor Center). Grand Prismatic Spring, on the other hand, has the "distinction of being the park’s largest hot spring. It measures approximately 370 feet (112.8 m) in diameter and is over 121 feet (37 m) deep. A description of this spring by fur trapper Osborne Russell in 1839 also makes it the earliest described thermal feature in Yellowstone that is definitely identifiable" (Grand Prismatic Spring - Old Faithful Virtual Visitor Center).
 
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#21
#21
Volosaurus rex said:
No. Only the portion "between St. Mary Campground and Logan Pass" (roughly 16.8 miles in length) will be closed effective September 21st. You can still travel from West Glacier to Logan Pass (32 of the 50.1 miles traversed by this highway) until October 19th, barring heavy snows that might otherwise close it down earlier. See Going-to-the-Sun Road FAQs - Glacier National Park (U.S. National Park Service) and Glacier National Park Travel Guide - Going-to-the-Sun Road - American West Travelogue.
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That was what I meant, may have worded it wrong. You can't drive the road end to end due to the fact that they close a portion down on the 21
 
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#22
#22
Go see Old Faithful while you are there but personally I think that part of the park is kind of ugly. There are several other geysers near by that are just short hikes to get to and a little less touristy (OF has bleachers around it). The Grand Prismatic is near by as well. There are wooden sidewalks around it but you don't really get a great feel for it unless you hike up a near by hill to get an aerial view.

Try to go all around the main loop. Spend an afternoon at Lake Lodge then go up to Canyon (I worked there in the summer of 01). Go all the way up to Roosevelt which IMO is the prettiest, although the smallest, section of the whole park.

There is a nice little town at the North Entrance called Gardner. Not a must see but I had some good times there.
 
#23
#23
Volosaurus rex said:
You are probably thinking of Morning Glory Pool (Morning Glory Pool - Old Faithful Virtual Visitor Center). Grand Prismatic Spring, on the other hand, has the "distinction of being the park’s largest hot spring. It measures approximately 370 feet (112.8 m) in diameter and is over 121 feet (37 m) deep. A description of this spring by fur trapper Osborne Russell in 1839 also makes it the earliest described thermal feature in Yellowstone that is definitely identifiable" (Grand Prismatic Spring - Old Faithful Virtual Visitor Center).
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Thanks for refreshing my memory. :hi: I remember that one. I remember thinking how nice it would be to take a dive into one of those pools (of course, I would not have any skin left if I had).
 
#24
#24
volinbham said:
The east side of Glacier has several great spots. I really liked the hike to Iceberg Lake. Driving the Going to the Sun road is a must but you would probably be doing that anyway.

Glacier is Grizzly country and the park rangers take it very serious - you should too.
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Ditto volinbham's recommendation pertaining to the east side of Glacier. Due to the rain shadow effect, the western side of the park is wetter and more heavily timbered than the eastern side. Southern portions of the park are generally lower in altitude, less rugged and more heavily timbered than the northern half. I doubt that you will have the time, but the Boulder Pass Trail from Kintla Lake is widely regarded as the most spectacular backpacking trail in the park.

The Iceberg Lake trail is located in the Many Glacier sector, a particularly beautiful area that is chockfull of great trails. Here is a nice overview of that trail: Iceberg Lake Trail - Hike Iceberg Lake in Glacier National Park. Another popular and reasonably short hike would be the Hidden Lake Trail, which is accessible from the Logan Pass visitor center. A glimpse of the terrain traversed by this trail can be seen in the following image: Glacier National Park Prints & Photos by James Kay, Hidden Lake, Bearhat Mountain. The Highline Trail, which takes you to Granite Park Chalet (Highline Trail - Hike the Highline to Granite Park Chalet in Glacier), also emanates from Logan Pass but is much longer in length and more physically challenging.

For navigational purposes, I highly recommend National Geographic's Trails Illustrated maps, specifically the following:

North Fork: Glacier National Park - National Geographic Maps

Many Glacier: Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks - National Geographic Maps

Two Medicine: Glacier National Park - National Geographic Maps

They can be purchased at any of the visitor centers or you can, of course, order directly from National Geographic.
 
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#25
#25
Qwerty, since you specifically requested off-the-beaten path routes and destinations, the northwestern corner of Glacier, which borders the North Fork of the Flathead River, receives very little traffic, particularly during the time you will be going. Take the Camas Creek Road from West Glacier to its junction with the "Outside North Fork" road, then follow the latter route to Polebridge, where you pick up the "Inside North Fork" road and follow it on up to Kintla Lake. The route is described in much greater detail on this web page: Polebridge - North Fork - Montana Glacier National Park MT.

Please note that the Polebridge Mercantile is a National Historic Landmark, one that looks like something straight out of Clint Eastwood's Spaghetti Westerns. More importantly, it is positively renowned for producing extraordinary pastries. With respect to the road beyond this point to Kintla Lake, be forewarned. It is, indeed, "maintained in a primitive condition. [It is] rough, dusty, and narrow, with many blind curves and few pullouts." Having traversed it once, "pocked like the surface of the moon" might be a more accurate descriptor than simply characterizing it as rough. The North Fork region, however, is gorgeous, wild country and solitude more than likely will be your constant companion while traversing it.
 
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