Washington - Idaho - Montana - Wyoming

Hello,

Myself and my wife are flying into Seattle in late May (22nd). We'll stop a
night or two there, then we're going to rent a car for 10 days. We intend
to drive to Yellowstone, spend 2-3 days there, then drive up to Glacier
National Park for a few days. We'll then drop the car off back in Seattle
and fly to Chicago for a few days before heading back to the UK (there's a
reason for the Chicago leg - I realise it's a bit of a detour). Questions
I've got:

1. If the Going to the Sun road is closed (which looks likely at that
time), how much of it is likely to be closed? Is it still worth the trip to
Glacier?

2. I'm looking at staying in Whitefish. Is it an OK town for a few days?

3. Is there anything worth a stop or a detour en route from Seattle to
Yellowstone, or Glacier to Seattle, given that we've only got 9-10 days,
and I don't love driving enough to spend 9 hours a day in the car?

4. I've never been to Canada before, so I fancy crossing the border, purely
to say I've been there (and it makes my "Countries I Have Visted" total a
nice round 30). How does that generally affect the car rental? I'm not so
bothered I'll pay any extra (no offence to any Canadians, obviously).

Thanks very much for any input.

"Devoto" wrote in message
.134...
Hello,

Myself and my wife are flying into Seattle in late May (22nd). We'll stop
a
night or two there, then we're going to rent a car for 10 days. We intend
to drive to Yellowstone, spend 2-3 days there, then drive up to Glacier
National Park for a few days. We'll then drop the car off back in Seattle
and fly to Chicago for a few days before heading back to the UK (there's a
reason for the Chicago leg - I realise it's a bit of a detour). Questions
I've got:

1. If the Going to the Sun road is closed (which looks likely at that
time), how much of it is likely to be closed? Is it still worth the trip
to
Glacier?


Its mosy likely going to be closed from just West of Lake McDonald
over Logan Pass to Lake MacDonald


2. I'm looking at staying in Whitefish. Is it an OK town for a few days?


Sure, I stayed there this year but I dont think I'd recommend the
side trip to Glacier NP with GTS road closed especially
when you only have 10 days

There's some pretty spectacular mountain scenery
around Seattle such as the Mt Rainier thats going to be
much easier to fit in to your trip as well as more accessible.


3. Is there anything worth a stop or a detour en route from Seattle to
Yellowstone, or Glacier to Seattle, given that we've only got 9-10 days,
and I don't love driving enough to spend 9 hours a day in the car?


I'd make it a circular route.

Outbound spend a say or two near Mount Rainier, its spectacularly beautiful
and an easy first drive after the transatlantic flight. There are few better
places to recover from jet lag. I spent 4 wonderful days in cabin
just outside the Longmire entrance in June, it was great.

From Rainier head East along I-90 through Spokane , Missoula etc
and enter Yellowstone through the Northern entrance at Gardiner.

You'll want to make an overnight stop along the way but there
are scads of Motels to pick from just off the interstate and its
quite a scenic drive.

On the return leave by the Southern Route and take in Grand Teton NP
and then head to Idaho falls before picking up I-84 through Boise
driving through the Columbia River Gorge to Portland before heading
back up to Seattle. The Columbia River Gorge is heartbreakingly
beautiful.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/columbia/home.htm
http://www.gonorthwest.com/Oregon/co...mbia_River.htm

If you have time and the road is open take a side trip to Mount St Helens
on the drive back north to Seattle from Portland

4. I've never been to Canada before, so I fancy crossing the border,
purely
to say I've been there (and it makes my "Countries I Have Visted" total a
nice round 30). How does that generally affect the car rental? I'm not so
bothered I'll pay any extra (no offence to any Canadians, obviously).


Its not a problem with a rental car , providing the company knows about it
but its a pretty big detour and with only 9 days you are already covering a
lot
of ground.

Keith

4. I've never been to Canada before, so I fancy crossing the border,
purely to say I've been there ...

Glacier National Park (the US one) has a sort of twin national park
on the Canadian side of the border, called Waterton Lakes. I know
nothing about its attractions, but they don't make national parks for
nothing, so you might like to check it out. (Do not confuse it with
the Glacier National Park that's in Canada; that's a different place.)

How does that generally affect the car rental? I'm not so bothered
I'll pay any extra (no offence to any Canadians, obviously).

Check with the specific rental company. The major companies don't
mind, but you should tell them when you rent the car. Discount
companies may prohibit you taking the car out of the country -- or
even out of the state where you rented it.

Canadian residents aren't allowed to drive cars rented in the US into
Canada, but that obviously doesn't affect you.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto "I'm not a lawyer, but I'm pedantic and
that's just as good." -- D Gary Grady

My text in this article is in the public domain.

"Devoto" wrote in message
.134...

4. I've never been to Canada before, so I fancy crossing the border,
purely
to say I've been there (and it makes my "Countries I Have Visted" total a
nice round 30). How does that generally affect the car rental? I'm not so
bothered I'll pay any extra (no offence to any Canadians, obviously).

I've known visitors from other countries to have trouble getting back into
the US
after going into Canada. However, that was a while ago. You might want to
check this out before going.

Marianne

You've already received four responses. I challenge nothing said.

I recommend visiting Dry Falls in Eastern Washington, Craters of the
Moon in Idaho, The Powder Rive Pass and The Black Hills of South
Dakota (and Mount Rushmore). I find three days too few for
Yellowstone.

At the inland end of the Columbia Gorge, the Washington side of Bridge
of the Gods, is Maryhill and its world class Maryhill Museum of Art
that I cannot recommend highly enough. Don't miss it! Also in Maryhill
is a full-size replica of Stonehenge. On the same side of the river, a
bit West of Maryhill, there's a small town with the world's largest
collection of Rosaries that's endlessly fascinating. I highly
recommend that, too.
__________________________________________________ ___________
A San Franciscan who's visited 49 of 50 US states
http://geocities.com/dancefest/ http://geocities.com/iconoc/
ICQ: http://wwp.mirabilis.com/19098103 IClast at SFbay Net

It seems to me I heard somewhere that Icono Clast wrote in article
:

You've already received four responses. I challenge nothing said.

I recommend visiting Dry Falls in Eastern Washington, Craters of the
Moon in Idaho, The Powder Rive Pass and The Black Hills of South
Dakota (and Mount Rushmore). I find three days too few for
Yellowstone.

And I'd hate to go through Yellowstone without seeing the Grand Tetons
from Jackson's Hole. At least one more day needed.
--
Don

I would suggest taking I90 to I82 I believe to I84 thru Boise, Craters
of the Moon to yellowstone and the Tetons. If going to the sun road is
closed, you can take hiway 2 along the south edge of the park. These is
a classic lodge along the road, I believe it is operated by the park
service.
From Glacier, you can either take 93 toward Missoula. At St Ignatius is
an old (1910) Catholic mission church which is absolutely stunning
inside. Nearby is the National bison Range which you can drive thru.
Take hiway 200 west to 135 and a beautiful 25 mile drive along the Clark
fork river to St. Regis where you can pick up I90. At Wallace Idaho exit
at exit 62 drive thru the town and return at exit 61. The entire town is
on the national register of historic place. The Cataldo mission (exit
41) is the oldest building in Idaho(1850's). Avoid Coeur d'Alene, it's a
big tourist trap.

The other alternative from Glacier is hiway 2 thru Libby, Sandpoint ID
to Spokane & I90. It's a pretty drive but watch out for deer. Stop at
the city beach in Sandpoint for a view of Lake Pend O'Reille.


Devoto wrote:
Hello,

Myself and my wife are flying into Seattle in late May (22nd). We'll stop a
night or two there, then we're going to rent a car for 10 days. We intend
to drive to Yellowstone, spend 2-3 days there, then drive up to Glacier
National Park for a few days. We'll then drop the car off back in Seattle
and fly to Chicago for a few days before heading back to the UK (there's a
reason for the Chicago leg - I realise it's a bit of a detour). Questions
I've got:

1. If the Going to the Sun road is closed (which looks likely at that
time), how much of it is likely to be closed? Is it still worth the trip to
Glacier?

2. I'm looking at staying in Whitefish. Is it an OK town for a few days?

3. Is there anything worth a stop or a detour en route from Seattle to
Yellowstone, or Glacier to Seattle, given that we've only got 9-10 days,
and I don't love driving enough to spend 9 hours a day in the car?

4. I've never been to Canada before, so I fancy crossing the border, purely
to say I've been there (and it makes my "Countries I Have Visted" total a
nice round 30). How does that generally affect the car rental? I'm not so
bothered I'll pay any extra (no offence to any Canadians, obviously).

Thanks very much for any input.

Don Kirkman wrote in
:

And I'd hate to go through Yellowstone without seeing the Grand Tetons
from Jackson's Hole. At least one more day needed.

Thanks to all who replied for the suggestions. I think we're decided now,
we're going to spend 3 nights in Yellowstone to start with (it's my wife's
birthday, so I left it down to her), which would take us to about May 26th.
If the Going to the Sun road is open by then, which seems unlikely, we'll
head up there, otherwise I think we'll head back to Seattle via Grand
Teton, Craters of the Moon, Boise, then Mt Rainier. Our flight to Chicago
will be the afternoon of the 31st, so that should be possible, I'd think.