Visit our Popular Forums

tdveal · 09-04-2009, 09:10 AM

Greetings fellow travelers,

Tam and I are off to Montana to see the sites. This is our first big trip since retiring earlier this year.

Our first stop is Glacier National Park and we would love to hear any advice or amusing stories about the park as well as other Montana sites.

We look forward to getting to know the nice folks on this forum. Hopefully it won't be for repair advice.

Safe travels to you.

Terry

**moosetags** · 09-04-2009, 09:27 AM

We went to with Lucy Glacier last year (June, 2009). Being from Florida, we thought that winter was long over, wrong. The Highway to the Sun was not yet fully open. The four mile stretch at the highest elevation was still snowed-in. So we went as far as we could from the south. We then drove all the way around and did the road from the other direction as far as we could. This was a 300 mile round trip. We did get to see a lot of great scenery. Some day we will go back in the summer.

Have a great trip, and let us know all about it, with pictures, of course.

Safe travels.

Brian

dogpound · 09-04-2009, 10:04 AM

Congratulations on your retirement. Hope you have a good and SAFE trip. We are very fond of the NW region. We try to get up there about every other year.

We are presently getting our travel plans ready for the winter as we retired in March and will be spending time in Quartzsite, AZ with a bunch of other A/S fanatics.

Stay safe in your travels.

Bob
4CU/CAC
WBCCI # 10105 -- AIR # 28748

68 TWind · 09-04-2009, 10:13 AM

The area around Many Glacier Lodge is my favorite. Make sure and tour the hotel. If you are a hiker, my favorite is the hike to Iceberg Lake. It is a moderate hike, pack a lunch and make a day of it. The trail is the site of my up close and personal meeting with a huge grizzly ( about 6 ft away). That was many years ago, but bears are real in Glacier and this time of year they are really eating to get ready for winter. On the west side of the park, the hike to Avalanche Lake is awesome. Totally different terrain on the western slope than on the east side of the park.

Enjoy.

dieterdog · 09-04-2009, 11:24 AM

Have a great time,, September is the best month for Airstreaming in my opinion in Montana,,, lovely warm days,, cool nights,,, Glacier is great,, happy trails,,, donna

FLYNCLD · 09-04-2009, 11:37 AM

Little town of Red Lodge is quite nice and there are a couple of very nice National Forest campgrounds on the edge of town.

mwells4654 · 09-04-2009, 11:48 AM

Safe Trailering - Have lots of fun and think of us working people now and again (not) lol

overlander64 · 09-04-2009, 12:30 PM

Glacier National Park has been on my travel itinerary in two of the last five years. I have found new things to see and do on both of my trips. Among my "musts" while visiting Glacier National Park is to take a tour on one of the "Big Red Busses" -- these are restorned National Park Service tour buses from the 1930 -- open roofed marvels that allow you to make the most of your Glacier experience (only better way to see the park is touring in a fully open convertible).

A favorite place of mine to enjoy a good meal while watching activity on the Railroad is the Isaac Walton Inn -- the Inn is historic and a wonderful place to visit.

For the view as well as the historical importance, I always enjoy a stop at the Theodore Roosevelt Monument.

You will want to have your camera ready -- the scenery is absolutely fabulous -- and you never know when some of the park's wildlife will strike a special pose for you!

Enjoy your expedition!

Kevin

P.S.: US 2 is about my favorite means to see Montana and Idaho . . . I can also recommend Mountain Meadow RV Park in Hungry Horse, MT -- spent a wonderful week there on my last visit.

Gene · 09-04-2009, 12:41 PM

It's hard to miss this, but I suppose people do. Most if not all RV's are not allowed on the Going to the Sun Hwy. If you have acrophobia (fear of heights), that highway may not for you either. Someday GNP may not have any glaciers, so it's time to go.

Just across the border in Alberta, is Waterton NP and is also well worth seeing. Several hundred miles to the NW is Canada's Glacier NP. To go to Canada you'll need a passport or a card similar to a passport (probably too late to get one now).

Welcome to the Forum and you will surely get plenty of advice.

Gene

loudruff · 09-04-2009, 01:59 PM

If I get close enough to visit Glacier NP, I do believe I would definitely have to stop in and visit dieterdog aka Donna), who happens to live out there. I am sure she would be a great tour guide! She has two cute Airstreams and knows lots of great places to camp! You can probably PM her!

pmclemore · 09-04-2009, 05:02 PM

Long rigs (25' or more IIRC) are not allowed on the Going to the Sun Road. Frankly, you should not try to stretch the regs there - there are several compound curves that could require you to either cross the center line or brush the cliff on the right. Don't take your trailer.

Otherwise, it is a wonderful park. If you want to cross from one side to the other, you can take the Marias Pass road (to the South) and you will have no probs. The Roosevelt monument is on that road, by the way.

Another aside is that the Marias Pass is the lowest crossing of the continental divide from there to thunder. So the Blackfeet defended it - even its knowledge - for quite a long time. Be sure to visit the Blackfeet museum in Gardner.

Pat

hampstead38 · 09-04-2009, 05:09 PM

I'm from Libby. Drop me a pm and we'll try to get you to some of the neat places without letting any tourists catch on.

2Alaska · 09-04-2009, 05:37 PM

Hi,
We just got back from Glacier 2 weeks ago. It was breathtaking! Although we were there in August it was snowing in the higher elevations and it was in the 40's to 50's during most of the day. Due to the weather we didn't get to hike to any of the glaciers but it was still amazing.

We stayed at the West Glacier KOA and the location was perfect for us. We drove the Going To The Sun road 3 times and it was different each time.

In Two Medicine we took a short hike to Roaring Eagle Falls which was beautiful and we ran into a momma moose and her 2 calves along the way.

It's the most georgeous place. Drive safe.

We also went to the Battle of Little Big Horn one our way out of Montana. Another great place to see if you have the time.

Have a great time!
~2Alaska

Wayne&Sam · 09-04-2009, 06:01 PM

This is the first year in many that Sam isn't going to Montana. She's heading to BC instead. She's also flying this time, not taking the Airstream.

It's a great area, you'll have a wonderful time.

thecatsandi · 09-04-2009, 06:44 PM

Well if you are passing through Missoula. I have CP available. 30A at the curb. Ok 30A at the curb by the end of tomorrow. The conduit is run, the box is installed and I have the wire.
Almost anywhere in Montana is beautiful. Philipsburg, Georgetown lake. Yellowstone. Glacier.....

hookedonclassic · 09-04-2009, 07:49 PM

We were in Glacier about a month ago. Stayed at West Glacier KOA and as said above, it was convenient. Allow a full day to take the 50 mile road trip on the Going to the Sun Highway. Great scenery and wildlife.

overlander64 · 09-04-2009, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmclemore

Long rigs (25' or more IIRC) are not allowed on the Going to the Sun Road. Frankly, you should not try to stretch the regs there - there are several compound curves that could require you to either cross the center line or brush the cliff on the right. Don't take your trailer.

The park service is serious about this restriction . . . it was interesting with my '75 Cadillac Eldorado by itself at 19 feet when we traveled by car rather than Big Red Bus -- it was worth some of the amusement park frights just to have the experience of the fully open convertible.

Fortunately, the Big Red Bus drivers have all been well-trained in maneuvering the tight confines of Going to the Sun Highway -- the buses are actually close to one foot too long for the road according the advisory.

Kevin

tdveal · 09-06-2009, 09:39 AM

Wow. Thanks for all of the replies. They were very helpful. We wil get there this afternoon and will keep you posted.
Terry and Tammie

wkerfoot · 09-06-2009, 10:07 AM

Last year after the Bozeman international, we went to Glacier and stayed at the Apgar campground inside the west entrance to the park. The NPS has a free shuttle service from Apgar to Lake Saint Mary. It is a van from Apgar to the divide and a full size bus from the divide to Lake Saint Mary. If you go all the way, plan for a full day as well as weather changes, it rained at the divide on our trip.

Bill

MTsafari · 09-06-2009, 10:56 AM

We're in Columbia Falls, only 20 minutes away from the West Glacier entrance. GNP is in our backyard, and our favorite weekend hangout. While we've camped on the East side, we tend to frequent the West side campgrounds, Apgar and Fish Creek.

My best piece of advice is to check the nps website to check campground availability. Fill up days are slowing down now, but some campgrounds close after labor day.

And if you choose to stay on the East side, be sure to visit the Two Sisters cafe near Babb (best pies in the state).

Good luck and safe travels!