Breakfast: Wake up with traditional and international breakfast favorites from The Wild Table. I checked into my motel in Columbia Falls, then spent the rest of the day on the west side of Glacier National Park. I stopped at the always-beautiful Multnomah Falls, and somehow found the energy and motivation to hike to the top. Photo Op:Grand Teton and Yellowstone are teeming with wildlife. Grand Teton National Park. If youre traversing southeastern Washington, Clarkston will be the first sizeable city youve seen in several hours. I got up early to take a hike solo in Hoh Rain Forest. Just my husband and I travelling, it will be for my 40th birthday and hubby is early 40's. Not sure why Calgary is even in the mix if your not going to see the Canadian Rockies? Maybe a few short stops. For more luxurious accommodations, try the historic Lake Yellowstone Hotel where rates start around $150/night. This is really just a half-day, since my plane landed around noon. I spent way too much money in that lavender gift shop. You dont have to travel to England to ponder the origins of the mysterious Stonehenge. We did see it from a distance I could have spent many more days here. 1. We did Twin Falls to The Dalles last year. To start the day, I backtracked slightly on US 2 to Kootenai Falls, where a nearby swinging bridge spans the wild rapids of the river. I understand why so many people consider this to be the 'heart' of Glacier, with some of the best trails, and best views. Breakfast: Get your morning coffee and a light breakfast at the friendly local favorite, Rawhide Coffee. 7. Only roadside stops of 10 minutes or less. How long to spend here/around here? Mapbox . From Randle to Windy Ridge, you'll be driving one of the most scenic routes in Washington State, the NF-99. Take the Peaks to Craters Scenic Byway and stop for a hike at the Craters of the Moon National Monument, where a lava field spans 618 square miles, before traveling on to Idaho Falls, a quiet and. At Goldsmiths Bed and Breakfast on the banks of the Clark Fork River, rooms are homey and comfortable (~$100/night). Take in other interesting Western sights in South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming as a bonus. Eat & Drink:Stretch your legs and grab a cold drink or a bite at the Galena Lodgein Galena, a community-owned homebase for skiers and hikers in the Boulder Mountains. Start New Trip. With just 7 days in the Pacific Northwest, it's perhaps a little too far afoot to fit in comfortably. Please may I ask for help regarding our itinerary!! Made it to Port Townsend for the ferry. The charm of that rainy weather was wearing off, and by the time I was back in the USA, the clouds were no longer picturesque. Instead, I chose to explore the Palouse -- a region of rolling hills, where every turn looks somewhat like that desktop image on Windows XP computers. Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion. Trip: Big Sky (Washington, Idaho, Montana) - TakeMyTrip.com The Big Sky Trip An adventure in the Pacific Northwest The Big Sky trip is a 10-night driving trip to the northwestern United States. Rest will be low to mid range prices. I had much more driving to do on this day, but I figured I had enough time to enjoy one more hike, before starting the long push to the coast. I opted for the shorter, familiar route. Road Trip Sept 18 Oregon-Idaho-Wyoming-Montana-Washington, Re: Road Trip Sept 18 Oregon-Idaho-Wyoming-Montana-Washington. Covering 604 miles, this 12-hour-long trip is best planned over the course of a few days. I talked to the person at the front office as I checked out of the cabin. Also yes check lodging in Yellowstone at first of year. Eat & Drink:At Parasol in Billings find local takes on global and Montanan cuisine, including falafel, Reuben sandwiches, and tacos. I was also running out of time, but I pushed it to the very last minute. Another benefit of sticking to the Washington side: you can visit the Stonehenge replica, a war memorial in Maryhill, Washington. After a very full day of driving and hiking, I was exhausted by the time I approached the destination. On my way to Spokane, I saw a bear running in a field!! Often, I do this to trick myself into longer, tougher hikes. For the afternoon, we went to Glacier National Park. I had to hurry to finish the hike, and then hurry back to the airport, but I made it with time to spare. I will investigate doing it the other way round following your suggestions. The Pacific Northwest is a beautiful area that you MUST visit! Do you have any tips for the Washington / Oregon portion?? For Jackson/Grand Tetons just stay in one place instead of moving. Not a lot of time, mind you, but just enough. Plus, it was of course, cloudy. Another must do that should be on every Pacific Northwest road trip! Read this trip report for ideas, Road trip ideas from Memphis down thru MS to New Orleans. I had to cover enough ground on Day 1 to make Day 2 possible. This is what I have so far: Day 2 Sandpoint, ID drive to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Mountain States sub-region (Idaho, Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, new Mexico, and Utah). To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. From here on out, I was making it up as I went along, day by day. Gorgeous!! He has a September birthday and it is his favorite place to spend his birthday. The rest of the day was spent watching Austin and then driving to our hotel in downtown Seattle. Ive Re: Road Trip Sept 18 Oregon-Idaho-Wyoming-Montana-Washington 5 years ago Save Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho Panhandle and its lakes, Hells Canyon and US-12 from Missoula area to Lewiston ID are some Idaho highlights. Read More. Spend a day at the lake, where you can rent everything from paddleboards and kayaks to jet boats and pontoons or book a lake cruise. What documentation do I require to enter Canada ? Appreciative residents live among it all in manageable yet exciting cities and towns. I may or may not have fallen asleep. We use cookies on koa.com to help improve your experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits, troubleshoot how the site operates, and learn more about how koa.com is performing. 8. And unfortunately, the plan I eventually chose could have been better. They also do overnight pack trips in the neighboring national forest. Day 3: Bike Galena or Hike Alice Lake on the way to Stanley. FYI, cash only! Wrapped around the southern banks of Payette Lake, McCall is a charming mountain town packed with outdoor adventure for any age or level. It would be a longer drive, and further from the mountains, but I'd cover new territory. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-72743563', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');car. Campgrounds are like hot cakes, so you need to get there early if you want one of the more popular sites. Relaxing in a hotel in Spokane, getting up early and seeing a bit of this city and then driving towards La Conner going through the North Cascades National Park via the east entrance. Nature:Get out on the water at Flathead Lake, the biggest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. My philosophy for travel is fit in as much as I can, because I never know if Ill get back to the area. If the timing was right I would have loved to kayak around this beautiful lake. I stopped for a quick breakfast at Franks Diner in Spokane, super cute! *Slow down and look for wildlife. You'll see nine of Wyoming's most haunted places along the way! Powells Books and VooDoo Donuts were the must dos here. Moving further south you'll find motorcycle roads winding through fertile stretches of the Rocky Mountains and . These will affect your timing. Southeast Montana map Maps of Montana's Flathead Lake Area and Flathead Valley. Both hikes combined probably amounted to 11 miles or more of hiking. We walked around town until the ferry was ready to leave. This is another must do in the Pacific Northwest! Town:In Idaho Falls, stroll along the River Walk to see the eponymous waterfall. Click here to learn more. Of course, Im from Dallas, so any kind of elevation makes me happy. Town:In the city of Billings, see the carefully maintained treasures of Moss Mansion or the Yellowstone Art Museum. This would position you better for the drive home. Feeling a bit worn out from moving on all the time and starting to feel a bit "blah" about the driving. As this is a 3-4 hour driving day, I suppose you are planning a few hours in the morning to do a quick drive through? Breakfast: The Nova Cafe in downtown Bozeman has a menu packed with both savory and sweet morning treats. He called while I was in route to Spokane and told me he had a few free hours the next morning to hang out. Seattle Day! The Bonanza and Custer Ghost Town is situated on the western edge of the Salmon-Challis National Forest. We drove through Olympic National park towards Port Angeles. But Im so glad I got to see all that I did! Day 3. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!! Eat & Drink: Dig into the flavors and aromas of Sicilian cuisine at the upscale Ox Pasture or find a more laid-back meal on the wide-ranging menu at Prerogative Kitchen. Nature:Hike one of the Sawtooth National Forests two national recreation trailsthe Fishhook Creek Boardwalk at Redfish Lake or the Wood River Nature Trail at Wood River Campgroundor take a scenic drive along the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway (Hwy 21) or the City of Rocks Backcountry Byway. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. A drive through does not equate to a visit! At the 90-year old Rod-N-Gun Saloon, get a stiff drink and a game of shuffleboard. Day 4 Seattle, WA drive to Portland, OR 3 hrs of driving. I did not realise just how quick this would book up and the only rooms left are a room without a bathroom. Bonus that I got some girl time and hubby time. I had been watching that website daily for the past couple weeks hoping the road would open. This is what I have so. Many regions continue to see high infection rates and deaths, while many states and counties remain under varying stay-at-home orders. Or try your hand at fly fishing on the Logan River. We had Kobe Steak & Sushi for dinner, Hibachi style, very good! 3. You get to decide how much time to spend anywhere. You'll have to be very choosy here. Map of Oregon showing state regions. Rates start around $100/night. Post is here. Take a look at this webcam which shows almost NO flow. I tell myself I'll hike for a while, then turn around -- but inevitably, once I'm up there, I go further. And, I had to cover a lot of ground. He told me it was one of the best pies in Missoula. Idaho - Really Shoshone Falls is not much this time of year so a waste of time in my opinion. Wyoming is where the untamed spirit of the West opens your mind and invigorates your senses. it would have been a miracle to fit everything in as well, so I got over it was still freaking early, so I just headed to wait in the parking lot for my Border to Border. Unfortunately, due to devasting wildfires in that area earlier this month, the area probably won't be in its best dress. Take a look at weather conditions right now for Yellowstone and Grand Tetons. Short walk to a beautiful waterfall in one direction and a swinging bridge in the other. You can read more about it here. Hopped on the monorail and headed to the Seattle Center. Quick note, we decided on a Pacific Northwest road trip so we could visit my son who was playing for a drum corp in the Seattle area. Whidbey Island. It was under construction, so people recommended not going until it was complete. Stay: Bed down at the stylish RSVP Hotel (around $150/night) or The Lark, a sunny downtown hotel with an outdoor wood-burning fireplace and a patio overlooking Main Street (~$260/night). I drove the treacherous curves a bit more quickly this time, but still stopped to gaze at the incredible eastern side of Glacier National Park. North Cascades National Park is located about 3 hours northeast of Seattle. Enough to have its own post as well. First full day of fun! Here are our suggestions for places to visit near or on the way to Yellowstone in Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Utah, South Dakota and Colorado. It had the bluest water Ive ever seen. I was now getting quite familiar with Montana 49 and US 89. As long as the itinerary matches your travel style, it's okay. We were going to try and drive to the Hurricane Ridge visitor center, but it was raining, and we didnt have much time. Answer 1 of 5: Hi, My husband and I are planning a 2 week Washington / Oregon / Idaho / Montana road trip in late May / early June starting and finishing in Calgary, AB (Canada). But One of the best ways to enjoy southern Alberta is to get off the main road between Pincher Creek and Waterton Lakes National Park offers a couple of scenic drives that take you from Waterton townsite into the mountains. Rocky Mountain and Carlsbad Road Trip Colorado, New Mexico This unique, looped road trip will take you on a magical adventure to numerous enchanting waterfalls including Multnomah Falls, Salt Creek Falls, and Tamanawas Falls, among others. IDEAL LENGTH: 14 days. I dont even remember the time. Get your own look at those that frequent this region of Wyoming at the National Elk Refuge on the edge of town. You are welcome to join us on the Wyoming forum for more detailed advice. While Montana 37 was pretty, US 93 was somewhat boring and filled with traffic. So cool!! Day 1: (Option 1) Medford, OR to Crater Lake to Eugene, OR. As Waterton clouded up, I drove north towards Pincher Creek, and quickly ended up on some dirt roads west of Highway 6. Do I need to book hotels ahead or can I book hotels as I travel? However, the area was still beautiful. Unfortunately, it down poured after that, so we headed back to her house. 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