Road trip to Glacier National Park, any suggestions?

[bcdon]

Me and Mrs. BCdon are heading on a road trip next Friday to Glacier National Park (http://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm) in Montana. It's the Centennial anniversary and we've never been to Montana.

Anyway, does anyone have any ideas on things to do along the way to Montana. I think I'll be driving from Vancouver BC-->Seattle-->Spokane-->Coeur d'Alene-->Glacier ? Any interesting stops, guitar shops, breweries, pubs that I should visit?

Spudman: Do you live out that way?

Thanks!

[Tig]

Ah, a pure slice of Heaven in the Flat Head country! I'm not much help though. I only XC skied there in Winter a bunch of years ago. We met a moose on the trail!

I loved skiing Big Mountain, and could easily move to White Fish.

[bcdon]

Thanks, Tig... I think I'm a little late for the skiing but I'm sure I'll find a nice hike or two. I just have to pack the right amount of wine. ;-)

[Tig]

Like most big national parks, when you get about 1/2 a mile away from the road, you'll find you are suddenly far away from any crowds. Funny how most people never venture away from the roads!

Sounds like a wonderful trip!

I think that's a fairly good drive for Spudman, but he's much closer than the rest of us are.

[Commodore 64]

It's a great National Park, because it doesn't get the crazy crowds that Yosemite and grand canyon get. We went there when I was about 12.

Montana is so awesome, we dug dinosaur bones in near Choteau, collected oligocene turtle fossils at random stops along the freeway (they weather out of the hills).

Unfortunately, I was so young I don't remember much about the route we took to get there other than we drove from Ohio, stopped at Wall Drug in South Dakota, went to Yellowstone, and dug fish fossils in Kemmerer, Wyoming.

[sunvalleylaw]

Spud and I are both south several hours, though we are a couple hours apart east to west. I have only driven by the turn off on I-90, not gone up there yet. I am sure it will be beautiful. Have a great trip!

[bcdon]

Thanks guys... I'm really looking forward to the trip. I'll post some pictures on my return.

[sunvalleylaw]

As far as things to do on the road there, I would consider stopping at Dick's Drive in on 45th http://www.dicksdrivein.com/About_Us.html (University of Washington district, take a right off the freeway and it is right there) for a old fashioned gut bomb for lunch, along with a shake to fuel you for up over the Cascades. This is if you are not breaking off I-5 north of Seattle on 405 to head to I-90. If you go that way, I can really suggest no stops. That way may save you some time thought, and it is not worth getting stuck in Seattle traffic just to get a Dick's Deluxe, though if the time is right, I would.

Then once on I-90 heading toward Eastern WA, there is a good rest stop up at Snoqualmie Summit where it is nice to stretch the legs and use the facilities, and look up at the ski lifts. Decently maintained. You could stop at the lake (Kachess) just past the pass and have a picnic, but I am not sure about plumbed facilities. http://www.yelp.com/biz/lake-kachess-campground-cle-elum

Then once passed Ellensburg (truck stops, facilities, yet they are less desirable then the Pass), then Vantage WA and crossing the Columbia, get set for a long dry drive to Spokane across Eastern WA. Just hoof it through there. Things get prettier again near Spokane. This guy has some pics of Lake Kachess from a few years ago, and of Vantage, before you hit the big wide open. http://travel.webshots.com/album/47327751MgmgPW?start=48

So bottom line, I would hoof it down to Seattle area and either skirt Seattle to the east, or drive down to 520 then I-90 to catch some of Seattle and maybe Dick's, stop again at the pass, then hoof to Spokane. Have fun!

EDIT: I added some links to a couple of the possible stops just for fun. Have a great time! I love road trips. Interestingly, I am arriving in Seattle for a college fraternity reunion this Friday afternoon, when I presume you will be on the road. I'll wave at ya!

[Eric]

Get ready for snippy park rangers if memory serves. I once went on a trip up through Glacier, Banff, and Jasper. Glacier was by far the most self-important and pretentious of all of the parks.

In fairness, I think they are probably a much higher-traffic park than either of the other two, so they probably need to pound the rules into your head a little better.

Whatever you do, have fun! It's definitely a beautiful trip.

[bcdon]

EDIT: I added some links to a couple of the possible stops just for fun. Have a great time! I love road trips. Interestingly, I am arriving in Seattle for a college fraternity reunion this Friday afternoon, when I presume you will be on the road. I'll wave at ya!

Thanks! Hope you have a great time in Seattle!!

[bcdon]

Get ready for snippy park rangers if memory serves. I once went on a trip up through Glacier, Banff, and Jasper. Glacier was by far the most self-important and pretentious of all of the parks.


I'll do the old "sorry, we're from Canada and didn't know line." :crazyguy
Thanks!

[sunvalleylaw]

Get ready for snippy park rangers if memory serves. I once went on a trip up through Glacier, Banff, and Jasper. Glacier was by far the most self-important and pretentious of all of the parks.

In fairness, I think they are probably a much higher-traffic park than either of the other two, so they probably need to pound the rules into your head a little better.

Whatever you do, have fun! It's definitely a beautiful trip.

I watched a historical film (one of those Ken Burns type ones) on PBS that detailed the history of the US National Park system. They started them out 'round the turn of the last century, and had very little planning on how to manage them once they were formed. The military patrolled them at first, upon the orders of good old Teddy Roosevelt, and had to scare off the poachers, etc. that were used to hunting there.

Later of course, with post war car traffic, a whole array of problems had to be overcome, such as feeding bears from cars, etc. See old 60's films of the parks and consider Yogi Bear. Other than the Olympic National Park, and Mount Rainier National Park, I had been to no parks before coming to Idaho. I have since enjoyed Yellowstone many times. Yes, it is a bit overcontrolled and in some cases, dumbed down, but considering the traffic, and the sense of a lot of the people wandering around, I guess it has to be. Still amazing though. I love this history stuff, but when I share it here, I see I start to look like Cliff Claven from the old Cheers show. LOL!

I am sure you will enjoy Glacier BCDon! Nice to see it now before the glaciers recede any further.

[Tig]

Still amazing though. I love this history stuff, but when I share it here, I see I start to look like Cliff Claven from the old Cheers show. LOL!

Well, not to me. I'm a bit of a history buff. I love anything about my locale.
My favorite books are about American Indians (specifically Lakota), WWII, biographies, US history, etc...

The Ken Burns documentary on the National Parks was excellent.