 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / March 2006Looking for someone who has taken RV trips in the Montana and Wyoming and Idaho areas
My wife and I are going to rent a small (22') RV for the month of June starting in Salt Lake City. I have done a lot (too much??) research on things to see. I would like to carry on an email conversation with someone who has travelled in this area so I can work out a rough itinerary. The no brainer itinerary for me would be a loop up through western and west/central Wyoming into Montana along the continental divide to Glacier and then returning down through Idaho. If we were going in July that would be perfect but I worry about hitting Glacier half way through June rather than in late June. Anyway, that is probably already too much detail. I don't want to bore the readers of this group with my detailed questions so I thought an email conversation would be less intrusive on newsgroup readers who don't want to read this stuff. TIA. Dick Snyder > My wife and I are going to rent a small (22') RV for the month of > June starting in Salt Lake City. I have done a lot (too much??) [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > worry about hitting Glacier half way through June rather than in > late June. If Glacier Park & Going to the Sun Highway is part of your planed trip, any time before July 1st could be very iffy - if it snows it's closed, if they have bad slides, may not be open by then. I suggest you check with Glacier and see what they think it's going to be like in June. Our last 2 trips through that area in late June, the highway was still closed from the winter slides. I like Craters of the Moon in ID. so well, we've been there 3 times. Tom J Thanks for the tip. Do you think I should check now or wait until the end of April or so? Presumably they could get a lot more snow in March and April though I don't know the snow patterns out there. >> My wife and I are going to rent a small (22') RV for the month of June >> starting in Salt Lake City. I have done a lot (too much??) research on [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Tom J I'd say that by the 1st of May they should have an idea when the road will be open. I don't think they would venture a wild guess much before then. Tom J > Thanks for the tip. Do you think I should check now or wait until > the end of April or so? Presumably they could get a lot more snow in [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] >> >> Tom J I might add that "Going to the Sun HIghway" has a maximum length restriction of 21', therefore your 22' RV would not be allowed there. I second the Craters of the Moon NP in ID. Very interesting place. Yellowstone is always a favorite place. Recommend Madison Junction CG and entering thru the west entrance. One place that I have tried to visit is the Medicine Wheel NHM in northern WY off 14A. Every time we have been by there, it has been snowing and that has been in July, and August as well. George >Thanks for the tip. Do you think I should check now or wait until the end of >April or so? Presumably they could get a lot more snow in March and April [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] >> >> Tom J >wwemu@cwnet.com wrote: >I might add that "Going to the Sun HIghway" has a maximum length >restriction of 21', therefore your 22' RV would not be allowed there. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >Yellowstone is always a favorite place. Recommend Madison Junction CG >and entering thru the west entrance. Note that the Madison Junction CG has no dump station. It's still our favorite in Yellowstone.  SignatureDD >>wwemu@cwnet.com wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > >It's still our favorite in Yellowstone. Just checked the NPS site and Madison still has a dump station as it did when we visited. George >wwemu@cwnet.com wrote: >>>wwemu@cwnet.com wrote: >> [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > >George Oops. I was confusing it with Mammoth Hot Springs Campground, at the north end. THAT'S our favorite, and it has no dump station. Sorry. SignatureDave Thanks George. I knew about the 22' restriction. We are planning to rent a car while we are there as we want to make a number of stops for viewing and hiking and didn't think we would want to take the red bus though if you have a different opinion I would like to hear it. As for Yellowstone we have been there twice so we may take a hike or two there but don't plan an extended stay.Thanks for the tip on Medicine Wheel too >I might add that "Going to the Sun HIghway" has a maximum length > restriction of 21', therefore your 22' RV would not be allowed there. [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] >>> >>> Tom J Hi Dick, We stayed at the St Mary's CG on the east end of the park. I do recommend taking the tour. The road is very windy with drop offs on one side and steep wall on the other. If you are driving, you won't be able to sightsee. There are two tour companies. We used the one that did not have the restored red buses. It was very enjoyable and you have a tour guide that points out the best views, etc. They also make stops along the way and stop for lunch at the far end. WE had a car along and are very glad we took the tour. It is not expensive. And, You can take pictures while HE is driving. BTW, they picked us up at the CG and returned us to the CG. Don't know if they will do that for a CG outside of the park. Enjoy the heck out of it. George >Thanks George. I knew about the 22' restriction. We are planning to rent a >car while we are there as we want to make a number of stops for viewing and [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] >>>> >>>> Tom J I guess I trust my driving more than someone else's in these type of roads. A driver giving sightseeing descriptions doesn't sound to me like a good idea on these roads. While a tour bus sounds nice, I'd rather drive on these type of roads. Isn't a tour bus rather wide also? While I agree that I can't do much sightseeing while driving on these type of roads, I wouldn't feel safe with someone else driving a tour bus. Am I being too concerned about this? Al > Hi Dick, > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > George Hi Al, I think so. These guys drive this every day. They are not in a hurry and they know the road. These are small buses designed for this particular route. Having ridden over the route, I would rather ride with them than drive it. I could drive it if needed but I wouldn't like it.... George >I guess I trust my driving more than someone else's in these type of roads. >A driver giving sightseeing descriptions doesn't sound to me like a good [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >> >> George > I guess I trust my driving more than someone else's in these type of roads. > A driver giving sightseeing descriptions doesn't sound to me like a good [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > safe with someone else driving a tour bus. Am I being too concerned about > this? Al We took the Red Car tour last July. The driver was a young girl. She was an excellent driver, and was a supurb tour narrator. I am extremely squeemish on sheer cliff sides. I was totally at ease. The Red Cars are longer than the limit for private vehicles, but they are Grandfathered in, so to speak. I don't think the tour operators would let just anybody drive the $250,000 dollar, irreplaceable vehicles. We drove the road in 1987, Don said it was much nicer to be able to look and not worry about traffic and all the other stuff. The next day, on the spur of the moment, we took a helicopter tour of the park. Such a view. No way you could see that much of the park if you hiked it all your life. Mary >>Hi Dick, >> [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >> >>George How about the number of stops that you took. Did you wish you could have stopped whenever you wanted in order to take pictures? I have read that criticism before. Also, what if your seat is on the wall side vs dropoff side? How are the views? As for the helicopter, that is a good idea. I also like to see things slowly and on foot so we definitely hike but the helicopter is a good idea esp. if the hiking trails are still clogged with snow. >> I guess I trust my driving more than someone else's in these type of >> roads. A driver giving sightseeing descriptions doesn't sound to me like [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] >>> >>>George Dick, The tour we were on, the driver stopped whenever there was space to do so. You must remember that "highway" is very narrow, cut into the side of the mountain. There were not a lot of "pull outs". He utilized all that there were. If you were driving your own car, you would not have been able to stop any more nor would you have seen as much. The vehicles are not that wide so you can see out both sides. Also, you go both ways on the highway so if you are on the wall side going, you are on the drop off side coming. There are tremendous views in both directions. IIRC, it cost somewhere around $30 each for a trip that took around 4 hours. Well worth the money. George >How about the number of stops that you took. Did you wish you could have >stopped whenever you wanted in order to take pictures? I have read that [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >and on foot so we definitely hike but the helicopter is a good idea esp. if >the hiking trails are still clogged with snow. > Dick, > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > George George said great. Mary >> Dick, >> [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Mary It great,..... (proofread, proofread, proofread, mumble mumble) > How about the number of stops that you took. Did you wish you could have > stopped whenever you wanted in order to take pictures? I have read that > criticism before. Also, what if your seat is on the wall side vs dropoff > side? How are the views? As I recall the "up" cliff is on the north side the entire trip. Which is why I tell people to drive east to west, if they are remotely worried about that kind of thing. But the tour cars have great views, no matter where you are seated. Signature-------------------------------------------------------- Personal e-mail is the n7bsn but at amsat.org This posting address is a spam-trap and seldom read RV and Camping FAQ can be found at http://www.ralphandellen.us/rv > How about the number of stops that you took. Did you wish you could have > stopped whenever you wanted in order to take pictures? I have read that > criticism before. Also, what if your seat is on the wall side vs dropoff > side? How are the views? Our guide stopped whenever someone in the bus yelled "Kodak" He was excellent. I think he was able to get wawy with parking in places where private cars couldn't. I have some wonderful photos. Since we drove the road back and forth, they are from two vantage points. Don't forget to see some of the other places in the park, like Goose Lake and the big lodge where you can take a boat ride across one lake and hike to another lake. Signature----------- Janet Wilder The Road Princess http://janetwilder.blogspot.com >I guess I trust my driving more than someone else's in these type of roads. >A driver giving sightseeing descriptions doesn't sound to me like a good [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >safe with someone else driving a tour bus. Am I being too concerned about >this? Al yeah, frankly i do think you're being waay too concerned about that. most of the tour buses we've been on have a driver and a separate guide...not all, but most. but i agree with you...i'd rather drive and be able to stop where and for how long i like. don't get me wrong...we sometimes take the bus but more often than not we drive it ourselves. for instance, in 2004 we spent some time in mounment valley. rather than take the tour we drove ourselves and ended up spending between 5-6 hours in the valley. 73, rich, n9dko > I guess I trust my driving more than someone else's in these type of roads. > A driver giving sightseeing descriptions doesn't sound to me like a good [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > safe with someone else driving a tour bus. Am I being too concerned about > this? Al I'm afraid you are. The tour bus we were in was a little longer but not wider than a minivan. Shuttle type. *I* would feel safer with someone who knows the road driving than I would being inexperienced on a narrow, curvey road. It's pretty sacry in places. There is water coming onto the road from the rocks on the side, too. Signature----------- Janet Wilder The Road Princess http://janetwilder.blogspot.com > Hi Dick, > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > the CG and returned us to the CG. Don't know if they will do that for > a CG outside of the park. They did it for us. The buses were down for refitting when we were there. I agree about the tour guide. Worth it. Signature----------- Janet Wilder The Road Princess http://janetwilder.blogspot.com >> My wife and I are going to rent a small (22') RV for the month of June >> starting in Salt Lake City. I have done a lot (too much??) research on [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Tom J Unless they have changed the requirements since last summer you can't take a 22' anything over the Going to the Sun Highway. I believe the size limits are 21' length, 8' height and 8' width. They do have numerous tours over the road by van and the recently renovated old red touring cars. You will probably find some of the non paved scenic drives closed due to snow/mud. Last summer the Blacktail Plateau drive in Yellowstone didn't open until July. On June 20 last summer there was still a lot of snow northeast of Yellowstone on the Beartooth Pass, US 212, most of the higher lakes were covered with ice, and some of the parking areas had not been cleared of snow. Also, the highway was closed in Montana due to landslides. It is probably open by now, but you should check if you plan on using that route. Ron > Unless they have changed the requirements since last summer you can't take a > 22' anything over the Going to the Sun Highway. I believe the size limits [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Ron We stayed at Johnson's campground in St. Mary's and they hooked us up with a shuttle-sized tour bus company to do Going to the Sun Road. We had a Blackfoot gentleman as the driver/guide who was also a teacher of Blackfoot cluture at the local community college. Way, way better than driving it ourselves. Can't you wait until July? We did the Continental Divide in 04 as well as some of Idaho along the Lewis & Clark Trail. There would be no difficulty taking your RV over the Divide. If you'd rather not, I can recommend an excellent guide who will take you in his 4WD vehicle and give you more history and perspective, plus show you other sites in the area that aren't in the tourist books. You may email me personally at this address. Signature----------- Janet Wilder The Road Princess http://janetwilder.blogspot.com Thanks for all the good information. It just be June (long story you don't want to hear!). >> Unless they have changed the requirements since last summer you can't >> take a 22' anything over the Going to the Sun Highway. I believe the [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > > You may email me personally at this address. > My wife and I are going to rent a small (22') RV for the month of June > starting in Salt Lake City. I have done a lot (too much??) research on [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > be perfect but I worry about hitting Glacier half way through June rather > than in late June. Despite what Tom has said, 90% of the time Going to the Sun is open by Memorial day (I spent over 20 years in the area, trust me). Your RV is too large for Going to the Sun, but the tour coaches are great. Craters is neat area. Are you into museums? There are a BUNCH Signature-------------------------------------------------------- Personal e-mail is the n7bsn but at amsat.org This posting address is a spam-trap and seldom read RV and Camping FAQ can be found at http://www.ralphandellen.us/rv I see where Ralph E Lindberg <n7bsn@callsign.net> contributed: > Despite what Tom has said, 90% of the time Going to the Sun is open by >Memorial day (I spent over 20 years in the area, trust me). I don't think Ralph's statement is correct (90% seems very optimistic) but in any event it doesn't matter what the statistics are. The OP needs to check when he wants to go. If the road is closed when he wants to cross, it won't matter if it was open on that date 99% of the time. Go to http://www.nps.gov/applications/glac/roadstatus/roadstatus.cfm and/or related sites at the appropriate time. Will Sill The Curmudgeon of Sill Hill Thanks very much for the URL to find out road status. I will give a check mid-May to see where things stand. I hope to do some hiking too but I guess we will just see the status of the trails when we get there. >I see where Ralph E Lindberg <n7bsn@callsign.net> contributed: > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Will Sill > The Curmudgeon of Sill Hill > > My wife and I are going to rent a small (22') RV for the month of June > > starting in Salt Lake City. I have done a lot (too much??) research on [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Are you into museums? There are a BUNCH If the Original Poster has time and can do it the Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump would be fun to see. It is in Canada, West of Calgary. Thanks for the reference to Calgary. Actually saw that already during a trip in the Canadian Rockies a couple of years ago. >> > My wife and I are going to rent a small (22') RV for the month of June >> > starting in Salt Lake City. I have done a lot (too much??) research on [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > If the Original Poster has time and can do it the Head Smashed In Buffalo > Jump would be fun to see. It is in Canada, West of Calgary. ... > If the Original Poster has time and can do it the Head Smashed In Buffalo > Jump would be fun to see. It is in Canada, West of Calgary. Head Smashed In is a wonder, on his route are Madison (near Three Forks) and Ulm Piskan (near Great Falls). I have been to Ulm in the last year, and it is worth the stop. But it's been almost 30 years since I was at Madison and I have no knowledge of it's current condition. Signature-------------------------------------------------------- Personal e-mail is the n7bsn but at amsat.org This posting address is a spam-trap and seldom read RV and Camping FAQ can be found at http://www.ralphandellen.us/rv I have read MANY guidebooks and I have a few favorite museums on my must see list (tops is the Plains Indians museum). >> My wife and I are going to rent a small (22') RV for the month of June >> starting in Salt Lake City. I have done a lot (too much??) research on [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Are you into museums? There are a BUNCH >>>I have read MANY guidebooks and I have a few favorite museums on my must >>>see list (tops is the Plains Indians museum).<<< In the 1970's, on our way out to the West coast, we stopped for gas at one of those tourist traps. They had an Indian there that was suppose to have a photographic memory. I walked up to him and asked him what he had for breakfast on June 12th, 1958. He said "eggs". My brother had filled the tank and was ready to go so I couldn't ask him any more questions. About 20 years later I was driving by the same place and they still had the sign out about the indian with the photographic brain. I figured I would stop and see if he even remembered me. I walked up to him, raised my hand and said "HOW". He said "scrambled". SignatureJerryD(upstateNY) > I have read MANY guidebooks and I have a few favorite museums on my must see > list (tops is the Plains Indians museum). Very much worth the stop. In the past couple of years I have stopped at: CM Russel in Great Falls (western art) Lewis and Clark/Giant Springs near Great Falls State History Museum in Helena Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman (home of Jack Horner, great fossil exhibits), also Pioneeer and other history Old Trail Museum in Choteau (Indian, Pioneer, Dinosaur) Two Medicine Dinsaur Center in Bynum ... and all were worth the stop Signature-------------------------------------------------------- Personal e-mail is the n7bsn but at amsat.org This posting address is a spam-trap and seldom read RV and Camping FAQ can be found at http://www.ralphandellen.us/rv >>I have read MANY guidebooks and I have a few favorite museums on my must see >>list (tops is the Plains Indians museum). [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Lewis and Clark/Giant Springs near Great Falls > State History Museum in Helena All of the above are commendable. The state history museum in Helena is one of the poorest state museums we've seen. (We've seen most of them as we visit them when we visit state capitols. We have 12 to go to have done all 50) They charge admission. Take the Trolley tour of the town that is right in front of the museum. Signature----------- Janet Wilder The Road Princess http://janetwilder.blogspot.com |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.