Glacier National Park
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Shell_of_the_South · 09-02-2003, 05:35 PM

Has anyone ever visited Glacier Nat'l Park? I'd love to hear your experiences there. We are thinking of going there next summer.

AKLRULZ · 09-02-2003, 05:51 PM

Never have been to Montanna, but it looks gorgeous! Just in case you haven't found it - here's the NPS website. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Elliot'sDragon · 09-02-2003, 07:15 PM

Yes, I was there about five years ago. It was gorgeous. I wanted to revisit it this past summer but the fires prevented me. My hesitation in recommending visiting it next summer is because of this years burn. I remember visiting Yellowstone after there terrible fires a few years back. It was sad just seeing hundreds of burn acres. Why not head north to Baniff in Canada or the south to the Black Hills.

Shell_of_the_South · 09-05-2003, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Elliot'sDragon:
Yes, I was there about five years ago. It was gorgeous. I wanted to revisit it this past summer but the fires prevented me. My hesitation in recommending visiting it next summer is because of this years burn. I remember visiting Yellowstone after there terrible fires a few years back. It was sad just seeing hundreds of burn acres.

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">Thanks, Joe, I didn't think about the fires they had there. But, I would love to hear more about your trip there. Did you stay in one of the lodges in the park? How long were you there? What did you do? Did you fish?

If we don't go to Glacier, we may head back to Yellowstone and the Tetons. We were there in 1999 and didn't spend nearly enough time there. Yellowstone is so big and there is so much to see!

WEDway Guy · 09-05-2003, 10:28 AM

This topic is very interesting to me too. I've never really vacationed in the parks out west...just hiked. I've seen some great shows on the Travel Channel about the parks and the lodges you can stay in. I'd love to hear people share their experiences at the parks and lodges. I want to stay in one of those grand old lodges someday.

GoofyMom · 09-05-2003, 11:32 AM

We drove through Glacier National Park on our way home from a vacation in Montana quite a few years ago. I think we went in April or May, some of the waterfalls were just thawing out. I remember driving through the clouds on the Going to the Sun highway. We stopped at a beautiful lodge to just look around. WOW!!! We basically stood there with our mouths open. We didn't stay there for the night though because we wanted to stay in Waterton instead (the park on the Canadian side). The scenery was gorgeous!

FLSharon · 09-05-2003, 06:58 PM

I've never been to Glacier, and my Yellowstone trip was so long ago, i really can't comment on it. HOWEVER, last year we went to Yosemite. WOW... I'm dying to go back. We were there either the end of may or beginning of June. The waterfalls were dynamite due to the spring thaws. (they aren't so great in the dead of summer or fall) Our time was spent either in the Valley or at the Mariposa Grove of sequoias. Those trees are awesome. We stayed at the yellowstone lodge, however the biggie is the Awahnee.. (i'm messing up the speilling here) It was booked and much too dark for me anyway. I would love to visit yosemite again.. we went for sequoias but the waterfalls were a major bonus.

Elliot'sDragon · 09-06-2003, 12:12 AM

My second love is a good road trip. I have traversed this beautiful coutry a few times. Sadly, I have not stayed in Yellowstone because I never know the exact time I will get to a place. But I am determined that the next time I plan to get in that area I am going to saty in the lodge.

Give me some idea of which way you will be starting your trip and I'd love to give you some tips.

Bert & Sully · 09-06-2003, 03:33 PM

Wow never thought about going that far out. Sounds beautiful!

Shell_of_the_South · 09-08-2003, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Elliot'sDragon:
Give me some idea of which way you will be starting your trip and I'd love to give you some tips.

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">Well, we don't have any real plans yet, but I would like to visit Glacier, then go down to Yellowstone and the Tetons, or in reverse. When we visited Yellowstone in 1999 we stayed in Jackson Hole, then went through the Tetons and up to Yellowstone. We spent 2 nights in Cody, which was a long drive back and forth to Yellowstone. Next time we go back we will definitely stay in some of the lodging inside Yellowstone.

Bert & Sully · 09-08-2003, 06:11 PM

Michelle what planning tools are you using for this? We've been talking about this ever since I saw your original post.

Elliot'sDragon · 09-08-2003, 07:13 PM

I really liked the Virgian Motel in Jackson. It was rather inexpensive with large rooms, big pool and set up against those beautiful mountains. Where will you fly into? CAn you get up to Montana? I loved Butte.
DId you stay at the Irma Hotel in Cody? That was awesome!!!
I know there are cabins for rent just outside the south entrance to the Grand Teton park. It was north of Sun Valley. I am not home now but will try to figure out where it was when I get home.

Shell_of_the_South · 09-09-2003, 03:26 PM

We are driving from GA! That is what we did in 1999 also. We stayed at a dump in Cody, but it was the only thing we could find because we didn't have ressies. We didn't stay at the Irma but we ate dinner there and it was AWESOME! All you can eat prime rib buffet. We watched the gunfight outside the Irma before dinner. I did see some info on the cabins in the Tetons and they were fairly reasonably priced. We had a wonderful room at Jackson Hole, I think it was the '49ers Inn - Best Western.

The only part of Montana we got into was Cooke City which is at the north entrance to Yellowstone. We really want to see more of Montana this trip.

Elaine, the only trip planning tools I have used are the national parks websites http://www.nps.gov/. I have also gone to each state's website that we plan to drive through and requested information to be mailed to my home. Just go to www.state. the state's abbreviation here .us. Example for Georgia would be www.state.ga.us. I've also done searches through google for more specific info.

patty c. · 09-09-2003, 11:14 PM

My parents fly into Kalispell, MT every summer and vacation at Lake Mary Ronan. As a teenager I would go along, now my son goes with them. We frequently took side trips to Glacier, Yellowstone, Waterton, or Banff. It is hard to believe, but Banff just blows the Tetons away. If you are going to drive, it's definately a hike, but certainly worth it. And if you're going as far as Glacier, I'd take another day and go at least as far as Banff. I've been thinking about doing this trip with my family. If I were to make this trip I would fly into Kalispell (usually via Salt Lake). Drive up to the Lodge at Glacier (probably 1.5-2 hrs). The next day, sight see or fish, then drive to Waterton (right over the Canadian border - perhaps another hour, depending on where you stay). In Waterton, stay at the Prince of Wales Hotel, or at least visit it. Next, move up to Banff. Banff is a MUST! If you can, stay at the Banff Springs Hotel. If time permits spend 2 days/1 night traveling further north to take in Lake Louise and the Athabasca Glacier (which you can tour -- fascinating!) This is absolutely the most gorgeous scenery you will see in North America. Quite a drive from Georgia, but if you want to get up into Montana, it would be a shame to be so close to Banff and miss it.