We are in the beginning stages of planning a trip to the Glacier NP are of Montana and would like some input.
To start, we both enjoy photography and will take lots of pictures, this is not primarily a photo trip. We enjoy day hikes, wandering around small towns, history and just enjoying the outdoors.
The Dates are open but we are looking at the last week in June and the first week in July. We will be driving from the Detroit MI area and would like to stay in B&B/Inns (destinations) and motels (enroute)
Possible itineraries:
3 nights in the Black Hills SD
3 nights Waterton Lakes NP Albert Canada
4 nights Banff Alberta Canada
4 nights in the Flathead Lake area of MT (access to Glacier NP)
Long drive home
Another possibility:
Replace Banff or Waterton with Grand Teton NP (reordering the trip as makes sense)
We would consider leaving off the Black hills portion for timing purposes
What can we expect both crowds and weather wise? And does anyone have any other suggestions?
Posted by Kent Staubus on January 6, 2007 at 11:59 PM
Black Hills. You should have missed the nasty buffalo gnat season by a week or so, which is good. Baby animals in Custer State Park, waterfalls might still be running nice, be sure to spend time around the Needles Highway, Custer Park has the greatest concentration of animals in any U.S. park, the Needles area is quite nice, but the waterfalls are somewhat small by Canadian Rocky standards. There are some nice hikes, and be sure to ride the 1880 steam train.
Waterton Lakes. I think you'll be still under heavy clouds at that time of year. As I recall, the sky begins to reliably clear about the second week of July. Lake Louise and and Emerald Lake were my family's favorites.
Banff. Overcrowded yuppy town.
Flathead Lake. I didn't care for it, but there are some very nice country churches I found to photo.
If it were me, I'd maybe do the Going To Sun Road in Glacier, then head straight up into Canada and head for Jasper. There are TONS of great waterfalls, lots of wildlife, and best of all you can go visit the Athabasca Glacier. Few Americans seem to know anything about Canada. The only thing we have that impresses me more than the highway up to Jasper is Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, and the giant sequoia trees in CA. You could drive west on I-94 and come back through Canada, Sault St. Marie. The north shore of Lake superior is fantastic. Another thought would be to drive down from Thunder Bay to Duluth. Can't go wrong there. You're basic problem is you are spreading yourself too thin. Make it a Jasper trip and I don't think you'll have any regrets.
Kent in SD
Posted by Tim Marks on January 7, 2007 at 12:22 AM
Thanks KEnt
Jasper sounds like a thing to look into. We will take a serious look at making it the center piece.
You're right about so many Americans knowing little about Canada. Being from the only US city directly North of Canada (the Ambassador Bridge runs North to South from Detroit to Windsor) it is one of the places we like to visit most.
We did a three week Lake Superior circle tour about 6 or 9 years ago and the North Shore is well worth the trip. We even did a long week end trip to Sault Ste Marie to see the Detroit Junior Major hockey team place the Soo Greyhounds in the playoffs. We have also been to Newfoundland, a trip we heartily recommend.
Again, thanks for the input and we'll take a good look at Jasper
Discussion
2 repliesWe are in the beginning stages of planning a trip to the Glacier NP are of Montana and would like some input.
To start, we both enjoy photography and will take lots of pictures, this is not primarily a photo trip. We enjoy day hikes, wandering around small towns, history and just enjoying the outdoors.
The Dates are open but we are looking at the last week in June and the first week in July. We will be driving from the Detroit MI area and would like to stay in B&B/Inns (destinations) and motels (enroute)
Possible itineraries:
3 nights in the Black Hills SD
3 nights Waterton Lakes NP Albert Canada
4 nights Banff Alberta Canada
4 nights in the Flathead Lake area of MT (access to Glacier NP)
Long drive home
Another possibility:
Replace Banff or Waterton with Grand Teton NP (reordering the trip as makes sense)
We would consider leaving off the Black hills portion for timing purposes
What can we expect both crowds and weather wise? And does anyone have any other suggestions?
Waterton Lakes. I think you'll be still under heavy clouds at that time of year. As I recall, the sky begins to reliably clear about the second week of July. Lake Louise and and Emerald Lake were my family's favorites.
Banff. Overcrowded yuppy town.
Flathead Lake. I didn't care for it, but there are some very nice country churches I found to photo.
If it were me, I'd maybe do the Going To Sun Road in Glacier, then head straight up into Canada and head for Jasper. There are TONS of great waterfalls, lots of wildlife, and best of all you can go visit the Athabasca Glacier. Few Americans seem to know anything about Canada. The only thing we have that impresses me more than the highway up to Jasper is Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, and the giant sequoia trees in CA. You could drive west on I-94 and come back through Canada, Sault St. Marie. The north shore of Lake superior is fantastic. Another thought would be to drive down from Thunder Bay to Duluth. Can't go wrong there. You're basic problem is you are spreading yourself too thin. Make it a Jasper trip and I don't think you'll have any regrets.
Kent in SD
Jasper sounds like a thing to look into. We will take a serious look at making it the center piece.
You're right about so many Americans knowing little about Canada. Being from the only US city directly North of Canada (the Ambassador Bridge runs North to South from Detroit to Windsor) it is one of the places we like to visit most.
We did a three week Lake Superior circle tour about 6 or 9 years ago and the North Shore is well worth the trip. We even did a long week end trip to Sault Ste Marie to see the Detroit Junior Major hockey team place the Soo Greyhounds in the playoffs. We have also been to Newfoundland, a trip we heartily recommend.
Again, thanks for the input and we'll take a good look at Jasper