June 2022 Trip Planning Montana - Idaho

[KCurtis]

Wife and I are currently planning our June 2022 trip. We have planned our 2 week path to a park in Missoula, Montana so far. We will be meeting up with some of our good friends there for a week. After that we want to explore Idaho. I am looking for some help in a good path and what to see since neither of us have ever been to Idaho.

The only thing we have in mind is we want go to the Organ Coast as a part of the trip. Other than that we are open to suggestions. I can't book the park at the location we want to stay until Jan 1st, 2022.

So what are your suggestions please. Thanks in advance!

[KCurtis]

Okay, I just added 7 days in the West Glacier RV Park close to the West Entrance of the National Park.

[OilnH2o]

Highway 12 to Idaho from Missoula and on to the coast through Tri-citeis. Many good FS campgrounds along the Lochsa. The secret stop is Pink House - a BLM campground that is first come/first served. A great spot...

[Kanusport]

Go south from Missoula on 93 towards salmon Idaho. Catch the salmon Idaho scenic byway towards challis Idaho, Clayton, Stanley and now you are in the beautiful sawtooth mountains. You could head south to sun valley or west over lowman pass and beyond. This area is truly magical and special place on earth. You could also stay south out of salmon and check out craters of the moon on your way to sun valley. Then head over gallena pass to Stanley Idaho that way.
There is an actual gold dredge and good camping up the yankee fork of Idaho near Stanley

[ssandks]

You can’t go wrong on any two lane highway. In addition to state and federal parks, look at those established by local power companies around the various dams. It’s beautiful out there. But download the Windy app and set it to show air quality (smoke) levels and wildfires so you can adjust your trip as necessary.

[daleyocum]

The Oregon coast is super popular in the summer for good reason. It’s gorgeous country but you will want reservations for any of the state parks. They open six months in advance.

If you decide to go through Grand Teton national park it’s also reservation only these days. While there, though, take a day trip to the brand new 140,000 sq ft National Military Vehicle Museum near Dubois. The engineering and context this place provides is Smithsonian class.

[Acheron2010]

The Idaho Potato Museum in Blackfoot is a Harvest Host place. Lot of room for parking several Airstreams. A bit noisy during the day, but you can get a peaceful sleep and tour the museum in the morning.
South of Butte on I-15 is the small town of Melrose, and the Sportsman Lodging and RV Park. Great place for fly-fishing.

[Mikemdd]

If you are already at the West entrance of Glacier, its a short drive over to Sandpoint, Idaho on the North end of Lake Pend Oreille. Then drive south towards Couer dAlene and stay at Farragut State Park on the South end of Lake Pend Oreille. LPA is 47 miles long and over 1200 feet deep. There is a Navy Acoustic testing station on the edge of Farragut in Bayview that designs and tests submarines and zero noise propulsion ships and drones. We have a summer house on the Lake near there and see submarines go buy regularly. Farragut Park is an amazing park with awesome campsites. It fills up fast and is sold out through the summer. From there you have two choices to get to Oregon. Head west or go south and cross over near Boise. I grew up in S. Idaho and went to U of I in Moscow. You will enjoy the trip.

[MrStreamer]

A stop at Bozeman Campground and Hot Springs, Bozeman, on way to Missoula is my suggestion. Hot Spring entry included in site fee.

[CruizinDux]

KCurtis, having lived in Eugene for 15 years, there are lots of favorites and lots of threads.



However for the question at hand ID...our fav is the Wallowa Lake ~ Joseph area. The last time we departed back to Eugene via the Eastern route thru Hells Canyon ~ Halfway and Baker city. A road in much better condition than I was expecting.

[field & stream]

If this is of interest to you, you will be traveling in prime Lewis and Clark country pretty much the whole way including a recreation of Fort Clatsop (Oregon coast area) where they camped for a winter.

[KCurtis]

I just wanted to thank everybody. I appreciate all the great tips!

[LBelle]

You have gotten some good information and I wouldn't want to dampen any of it (yes it is RAINY in the Pacific NW right now) but wondered how much time you have? Is it two weeks to get to Missoula, one week there, a week at Glacier NP and then Oregon and Idaho? I fear without at least two or more weeks in addition you just can't do justice to the western end of your route. As a Texan you are indeed aware of distances etc but it is two days from Missoula to the Oregon coast, two days from the Oregon coast to Idaho etc etc. And there is indeed so much to see and do along the way (northern Idaho's lakes, the Columbia Gorge...central Oregon/Bend, Cascade mountains...) before or after the splendor of the Pacific coast.

[KCurtis]

We are leaving June 2nd. We recently retired, so we have all Summer and Fall if we want. Once we hit an area of the country we try to see as much as we possibly can. Therefore, time isn't an issue.

[gypsydad]

Made the trip from Austin to Missoula area for 20 years towing our AS's...Amarillo first night (or maybe a bit farther to Dumas), then a night in Billings area, and Missoula or Glacier by 3rd day in the afternoon. Missoula is about 2.5 hours from Glacier. From Missoula to Idaho there are several places to visit/camp, depending on what your planning. 90 takes you from Missoula to Coeur d'Alene which there are several great spots to camp. Another route mentioned earlier is along 12...very beautiful drive along the Lochsa River with plenty campgrounds along the way. Either way, if your goal is to get to Oregon, you can drop down to Kennewick, Wala Wala, or Pendelton. Again, lots of camping sites and great wine/produce/fruit in the area as you head thru Portland to the coast...fun trip; all you need is time to enjoy...it is a long drive if you don't stop and take in the sites.

[tommyglen]

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Lots of veteran travelers to the northwest! With lots of recommendations!

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[mefly2]

Originally Posted by OilnH2o

Highway 12 to Idaho from Missoula and on to the coast through Tri-citeis. Many good FS campgrounds along the Lochsa. The secret stop is Pink House - a BLM campground that is first come/first served. A great spot...

Dave offered great insight ... also a venture south on Hwy 93 N would be rewarding. PM for more info.

[KCurtis]

We are members of the region #9 chapter. We've only attended one of the gatherings in a RV Park on Lake Lewisville last year right in the middle of the CoVID breakout. We are always already booked for trips each time they send out their notices of events. We tend to know where we are going up to a year in advance since my wife and I don't like winging it.

Hopefully we will be able to work our way into another event at some point.

[BRS]

This is a bit confusing. You state that you want to visit Montana and Idaho but then you want to visit the OREGON coast. Are you aware that you will be driving 500 miles across the state of OREGON to get to the Pacific Coast ?

[Dick tracy]

Unless you plan to hike a lot at Glacier, wife and I did it in one day last summer. East entrance was closed, drove the "going to the sun" road, one hike and done. IMHO great to see once, but Grand Tetons, Yosemite are the best in the west for hiking, Yellowstone for pure scenery.
From Glacier, Bonners Ferry is beautiful, Sandpoint super cute and fun, not many RV or state parks to camp in until you get to Couer d'alene.
We live in Portland metro, when heading east we drive straight through to Idaho in one day, either Boise if going south (UT, CO), Sandpoint if going north (Canada,, MT, SD)
Oregon coast is great, top to bottom Astoria to Brookings. if you can only make three stops - Astoria area Fort Stevens State park, Newport area Sea Rock Cove or South Bay State park, Winchester bay/Coos Bay - Winchester Bay resort, Sea Perch RV resort. World class golf at Bandon Dunes. Crater Lake would be a great stop.
Might be worth noting, June in the PNW is mostly rainy.