I posted last month asking for ideas about the Pacific Northwest, but now we're leaning toward Yellowstone & Glacier instead. I've got 2 routes in mind, and would like some feedback...Either way we would head up I-15 form Sourthern California, hitting Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and then Glacier. From there, I'm having trouble deciding which way to come home - heading west and coming home on the coastal route, or heading east, and hitting Mt. Rushmore and parts of Colorado.Either route requires a lot of driving in only 4 weeks, so I'm not sure what we want to do at this point.East out of Glacier: Google MapsWest out of Glacier: Google Maps

Here's the question I asked last time, which provides some overview of who we are and what we like...----------------------------------------------------------------------Each year we hit the road (me, the wife, and kids who will be 4 & 7 this summer) for about a month. We have a 38' DP and a Jeep Wrangler toad. We love hiking, biking, Jeeping, and seeing the sights.This was our 2011 Trip through Utah, Colorado, & Arizona.This was our 2012 Trip through Colorado.Prior to that we've done several trips through California, inlcuding Yosemite, Shasta, Eureka, the Redwoods, Mendocino, the Bay area, Half Moon Bay, Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, etc..., but I didn't create trip reports for those.

Glacier to Black Hills is a lot of open country, easy driving (except maybe for wind), but not a lot to do or see. Similarly Black Hills to Denver. As the Black Hills themselves - if you come from Chicago they are the first mountains. Coming from the west, you've seen higher ones. If you head west, consider taking US2 and WA20. I90 through Idaho passes through an historic mining district, with towns like Wallace (until the 1990s the freeway passed through main street). The Washington part of I90 is not scenic until you cross the Columbia.If you take WA20 across, consider taking it all the way to Port Townsend (includes a ferry ride), and pick up US101 there - unless you want to see Seattle itself.And further south you have decide whether you want freeway and Portland, or more coast. You could take 101 all the way.Unless you want to see San Francisco, consider taking CA20 from US101 to I5.There's another option - south through Idaho (US93 or US95), west across Oregon (US20/26), and then sample the Oregon Cascades (anything between US97 and I5).

I have a bias for CO and we are planning another trip to there is summer for the 10+th time BUT you've been to CO twice already so why a third time? I know that does not add up, but we've been to the NW 7+ times and will go back in a couple years and I assume you have not. I think the "Bad Lands" are well named and twice was enough for me as we are NOT desert people.SO, my answer is "GO West young man, GO West". Assuming a future trip to just OR & WA I would suggest going south from Glacier through the mountains of ID and then west through the middle of OR to the coast as posted in the last of the post above.On that future trip I would go north from Seattle to Anacortes, WA and take the toad on the ferry to Victoria, CA and stay in a motel for a night or two.

You are the only one who can answer the question of how much is too much. We have made both versions of your trip outline or variations several times. For us, Yellowstone is one week, Glacier is five days and that is not counting travel time to and return. I would concentrate on YS and Glacier and the routes there and return.We prefer heading up through Bishop and then up to Jerome, Id via US 6 & 93. Then through Craters of the Moon and then US 20 to West Yellowstone. Just don't like driving on I15. We stay at West Yellowstone now..used to stay at Madison campground when younger. I would not try to do the Black Hills, Sheridan, Buffalo on the same trip if you only have 4 weeks. If you really want to include that, I would skip Glacier and head from YS out through Cody to Buffalo, Wy. and then to the Black Hills. Custer State Park is one of the great state parks in the country.

Thanks for the input. I've spent some time reading your suggestions, looking them up on the map, etc..., and I was going to take your advice and "Go West". :DBut then the DW made an executive decision - she wants to head further East and go see Mt. Rushmore since she hasn't been there before. Hard to argue with that...So I'm in the process of reorganizing my trip plan to better allocate my driving days in between regions. I'll post an update after I've made some progress. But maybe something like this:Still need to work on it, but it's a start. In the meantime - can anyone suggest other points of interest in Wyoming along this general route? Or any other side trips worth making?For example, I'd like to break up the drive from Glacier NP to Mt. Rushmore, but I'm not sure what there is in between. Likewise with the drive from Mt. Rushmore to Ouray, CO. On the map I added a stop in Green River, WY, near Flaming Gorge Nat Rec Area, but that's just another random idea I threw at the wall. I'm open to any / all ideas. Thanks!

Summer 2013 Trip Ideas Tetons, Yellowstone & Glacier

Ivylog
Explorer III
Feb 22, 2013
I have a bias for CO and we are planning another trip to there is summer for the 10+th time BUT you've been to CO twice already so why a third time? I know that does not add up, but we've been to the NW 7+ times and will go back in a couple years and I assume you have not. I think the "Bad Lands" are well named and twice was enough for me as we are NOT desert people.
SO, my answer is "GO West young man, GO West".
Assuming a future trip to just OR & WA I would suggest going south from Glacier through the mountains of ID and then west through the middle of OR to the coast as posted in the last of the post above.
On that future trip I would go north from Seattle to Anacortes, WA and take the toad on the ferry to Victoria, CA and stay in a motel for a night or two.
paulj
Explorer II
Feb 22, 2013
Glacier to Black Hills is a lot of open country, easy driving (except maybe for wind), but not a lot to do or see. Similarly Black Hills to Denver. As the Black Hills themselves - if you come from Chicago they are the first mountains. Coming from the west, you've seen higher ones.

If you head west, consider taking US2 and WA20. I90 through Idaho passes through an historic mining district, with towns like Wallace (until the 1990s the freeway passed through main street). The Washington part of I90 is not scenic until you cross the Columbia.

If you take WA20 across, consider taking it all the way to Port Townsend (includes a ferry ride), and pick up US101 there - unless you want to see Seattle itself.

And further south you have decide whether you want freeway and Portland, or more coast. You could take 101 all the way.

Unless you want to see San Francisco, consider taking CA20 from US101 to I5.

There's another option - south through Idaho (US93 or US95), west across Oregon (US20/26), and then sample the Oregon Cascades (anything between US97 and I5).
MPond
Explorer
Feb 22, 2013
Here's the question I asked last time, which provides some overview of who we are and what we like...

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Each year we hit the road (me, the wife, and kids who will be 4 & 7 this summer) for about a month. We have a 38' DP and a Jeep Wrangler toad. We love hiking, biking, Jeeping, and seeing the sights.

This was our 2011 Trip through Utah, Colorado, & Arizona.

This was our 2012 Trip through Colorado.

Prior to that we've done several trips through California, inlcuding Yosemite, Shasta, Eureka, the Redwoods, Mendocino, the Bay area, Half Moon Bay, Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, etc..., but I didn't create trip reports for those.

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Summer 2013 Trip Ideas Tetons, Yellowstone & Glacier

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