Olympic National Park is huge! We headed back towards Oregon and tried to watch the sunset from the coast. The hike to Scenic Point wasn't just time-consuming, it was strenuous. I started the day refreshed, and drove up to the stunning Many Glacier area. One more reason to go back to the area. I only made one worthwhile stop, at the Center of the Universe in Wallace, Idaho. After a very full day of driving and hiking, I was exhausted by the time I approached the destination. Day 2 Sandpoint, ID drive to Seattle, WA 6 hrs of driving. Unless you opt for a much longer scenic route from Denver to Yellowstone National Park and the Bridger-Teton National . Of course, I didn't make it to the end of either one. Often, I do this to trick myself into longer, tougher hikes. Portland. At least half the way, I had a rainbow and storm clouds to my left, and sunshine and mountain peaks on my right. The western half of North America is often described as a land of contrasts, and no route across it gives a sharper sense of the region's extremes than US-93 . Eat & Drink:The Raven, a waterfront restaurant in Big Fork, has an eclectic menu, craft cocktails, live music and unparalleled views. Eat & Drink:Get quesadillas and burritos with a family-touch at Los Gabanes Mexican Restaurant in Greybull. This is a great two-week adventure road trip that starts and ends in Boise with the following stops along the way: Day 1: Boise to Sun Valley. Nature:Explore the cinder cones and underground lava tubes of Craters of the Moon National Monument, an alien landscape formed by fire. SeaTac International Airport (SEA) is a great hub to start at and you can get a direct flight here from almost . You're welcome. Not sure how many days you plan to spend in Idaho, but you might consider adding 2 nights in the Yellowstone area for Cody and to drive Beartooth Pass (which also is closed today due to snow.). I reserved my same cabin for Day 7, giving me one more night in East Glacier. I would head straight to Jackson and Tetons then on to Yellowstone and North toward Missoula and Seattle. Road Trip USA: Great Sights of the West - Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone And The Grand Tetons. I got there 15 minutes before it opened for the day. This park should be on your Pacific Northwest road trip agenda! Edited: 5 years ago Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming This road trip includes parks: Olympic National Park, North Cascades National Park, Crater Lake National Park, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and more! If youre traveling in winter, hit the slopes at Bridger Bowl Ski Area. America's Mother Road: Historic Route 66 Photo Credit: TheCuriousGnome During the summer, they run zip line tours over the chair lifts. Powells Books and VooDoo Donuts were the must dos here. Address Street Address * Hidden In order to get over to the coast, I had to take US 12 past Mount Rainier. If the timing was right I would have loved to kayak around this beautiful lake. I bought way too many souvenirs, so we had to buy another suitcase to get everything back home.whoops. Road Trip Fun from VA to WY, MT, Banff, Yoho, Jasper 2023 Northeast Europe Christmas market trip, Road trip from Las Vegas to San Francisco via Los Angeles, OKC to Chandler to Tulsa to Kansas City to Omaha in Mar '23. This is a must do on a Pacific Northwest road trip! I will investigate doing it the other way round following your suggestions. Town:In the city of Billings, see the carefully maintained treasures of Moss Mansion or the Yellowstone Art Museum. I think I stopped at almost every turnoff and took a million photos. The Mount Jumbo trail climbs a very noticeable hill above Missoula -- a hill that's adorned with a huge letter "L" (it's right next to a hill with the letter "M" on it, which I hiked in 2006). Yummy! Tight curves, narrow drops, and endless potholes and dips make the drive slow. I flew to Spokane solo, rented a car and then headed towards Whitefish, Montana. There are many different areas of the park with a lot of diversity. I opted for the shorter, familiar route. Plan a driving trip from Mt. It is gigantic, massive, monumental and deserves your respect and time - it occupies more than 3,400 square miles! Breakfast: Breakfast at The Kneadery in Ketchum, a rustic eatery with Rocky Mountain-inspired takes on traditional dishes like benedicts and omelets. 11 thru mt rainier to yakima or moss lake, 12 l9ng drive to west yellowstone or gardiner, 15 am yellowstone then down to grand teton. Enjoy this post with a long Oregon and Washington road trip itinerary. 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. Discover our 7-Day Northern Idaho Itinerary for more ideas in this part of the Inland Northwest!. Coeur d'Alene Idaho. In most places, there isnt a good alternative. So, I drove to Seattle around midnight to pick him up and then drove back to the La Conner area. Stay: For the most authentic Yellowstone experience, spend the night under the stars. Washington / Oregon Road Trip Part 1: Seattle and the Puget Sound. Even so, driving about 4 hours on day of arrival, jet lagged is not a great plan to me. 6. Do I need to book hotels ahead or can I book hotels as I travel? A chance to rest. Unfortunately, it down poured after that, so we headed back to her house. I did the best I could, but there was probably some mud on my pants on the way home. Breakfast: Have a seat or take your coffee and breakfast to go at Market on Front, a bustling cafe and artisan market downtown. We did see it from a distance See an impressive collection of dinosaur fossils at the Museum of the Rockies or browse the shops and galleries downtown. This day was a mess, at least, weather-wise. Required fields are marked *. quickly. This place was amazing! First full day of fun! "worth it", "worth while", "must do" all of those are personal choices. Agree to begin in Yellowstone and the Tetons for better weather. From there, I continued up US 95, the "North South Road" in Idaho, through Moscow, Coeur d'Alene, and eventually Sandpoint, where a miniature Statue of Liberty stands watch over Lake Pend Oreille. North Cascades National Park is located about 3 hours northeast of Seattle. The rest of the day was spent looking for a Walmart or Target. 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. Its super cute!! So cool!! So much to see and eat! So, I drove back up Yakima Canyon to Umtanum Creek, where a suspension bridge takes hikers over to a trail that winds up a side canyon. I had no other plan. If you plan to pull over for a photo, be sure not to get any closer to them than 75-feet. Unfortunately, it down poured after that, so we headed back to her house. Bachelor, Broken Top, South Sister, and 14 different alpine lakes. The donuts we got were huge and delish! Chihuly Garden and Glass has been on my bucket list for a while, so I was thrilled to finally be here. Let us help you free yourself from the burdens of everyday life and boldly venture forth so you can take your vacation further. 3 hrs of driving. Its also the central attraction in the stunning Columbia River Glacier National Park: Johns Lake & McDonald Creek Hike, Appistoki Falls & Scenic View Hike, Two Medicine, Two Medicine: Boat Ride, Hike to Twin Falls, Ptarmigan Falls & Tunnel Trail, Many Glacier, Swiftcurrent Lake & Lake Josephine Hiking Loop, Grinnell Glacier Trail, Glacier National Park, St. Henrys Historic Catholic Church, Southern Alberta, Hike to Missoulas Big L on Mount Jumbo. I also knew that The original plan included hanging out by Lake Coeur dAlene longer. Reasonable, but no time to really see anything along the way. Bring a warm jacket. Route distance: 1,561 km Suggested Time: 2 weeks + A vast, scenic landscape provides the timeless backdrop for the western United States. We were going to try and drive to the Hurricane Ridge visitor center, but it was raining, and we didnt have much time. After dinner, grab a pint at the WyOld West Brewing Company, which also has a wide-ranging menu of sandwiches, burgers, pasta, and more. So, while you could cover this stretch of road in 75 minutes, I recommend taking plenty of time to stop along the way. Plan Your Trip. Largest cities: Cheyenne, Casper , Laramie, Gillette, Rock Springs, Sheridan, Green River, Evanston, Riverton, Jackson, Cody, Rawlins, Lander, Torrington, Douglas, Powell, Worland, Buffalo. Now, in late June, the town was alive, and thankfully the restaurants were open. Like between 40-50 hoursthe Pacific Northwest is huge! Fly through the trees at Tree To Tree Idaho or Timberline Adventures, grab some friends and go out to Lake Coeur d'Alene, or take a hike at the many trails surrounding this city. The reason we are starting / finishing in Calgary, is because that is where we live, and we would like to take our own vehicle. The Bonanza and Custer Ghost Town is situated on the western edge of the Salmon-Challis National Forest. Gorgeous!! WHEN TO GO: Late May to early October. Very easy to get to, right off the highway. The latter begins its trip on the triple-track Alameda Corridor, . Columbia River Gorge, Oregon. Struggling with other things to see or do of interest in Idaho. We learned so much about volcanos at the visitor center. Key spots: Cheyenne Old West Museum, Curt Gowdy State Park, Snowy Range Scenic Byway, Wyoming Frontier Prison Museum, Sinks Canyon State Park, Grand Teton National Park, Jackson. Along the way, you get to see places like Mount Rushmore, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Devils Tower and, finally, Old Faithful. more. Spokane How long to spend here/around here? Book lodging ONLY thru the Xanterra website at http://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com Do NOT book this via 3rd party. You'll see nine of Wyoming's most haunted places along the way! It's such a neat little town, that I always enjoy walking around there. Should I rent an RV to save money on a road trip? It was the shorter route, for sure (although still a long drive), but it was the same route I had taken during my 2006 trip. Visiting the many historical markers, interpretive centers, and monuments along this long trail is a marvelous way to learn more about their journey through present-day Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon.As you stand at the same sites where they once stood, look out at . This volcano explosion was like a 100x bigger than Mount St. Helens! Map of Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding area of Yellowstone. Its less than an hour up the road. Rushmore to Yellowstone to experience the West's top national parks and monuments. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g28973-i480-Wyoming.html. There may be minimum night stays at Cannon Beach. Needless to say, when my head hit that pillow, I was out!! If youre looking for a nice, scenic drive in northwest Montana, just look at a map. I want emails from Fodor's Travel with travel information and promotions. The Pacific Northwest is such a beautiful area with so much to do! Stay: Cozy up in a suite, apartment or townhouse on the banks of a picturesque river at Rock Creek Resort, starting at around $130/night. FYI, very cold and windy! Stay: Spend a night at the Cmon Inn, a Montana lodge with an indoor courtyard and waterfall, for around $120. Interstate 84 runs directly through the Gorge on the south side of the river and you'll take this interstate when driving to Yellowstone NP. Rates start around $180/night. And it isn't as crowded as Cannon Beach. The bridge and falls were used in the movie, The River Wild. Technically Montana is not part of the pacific northwest, but I couldnt be this close and not visit her! I gave up on Rattlesnake Canyon after a while, and found another trail that did have a payoff. Stay: Almost all Eatons guests stay in individual cabins on the property, each rustic but comfortable with full bathrooms. Are you thinking of visiting Glacier? For more luxurious accommodations, try the historic Lake Yellowstone Hotel where rates start around $150/night. And this time, I kept going, as far as time allowed. The Columbia River Gorge area in OR (NE of Cannon Beach) is full of easily seen waterfalls. Gorgeous!! On the Washington side, the pace is slower, but the views are equally spectacular. I took US 2 around the southern end of Glacier, to my stopping point for the next two nights: East Glacier Park Village. You'll soon see the ghost town on your left. Try it out now for free! These will affect your timing. Watched Austin play for a bit before heading to the Where will you stay this night. veteran. Apart from that, the rest of the trip is completely flexible. Yellowstone National Park is located in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. Rent a kayak or SUP in Woods Bay, go for a swim, or fish for trout and perch from shore. Perhaps you can enjoy a short visit to Mt Rainier NP. Distance: 432 miles.