Route Recommendations Western ND to Glacier NP

[Bill and Elaine]

I checked on our planned route to the west and it is exactly the same route you took Doris. Thanks for confirming we picked the right roads to make the trip out there from Maryland.
Between you and Jim, we have the route all planned out. Many thanks to both of you for these recommendations.

Bill

[wingnut]

Bill and Elaine,
We were in The DC area and Verginia a year ago this time. When we came back home, we didn't want to go through the Chicago mess again so we turned off of I 70 at Hancock and went west on I 68 to Keyers Ridge. Took US 40 & 43 and picked up I 70 again at Twilight, PA and ran I 70 all the way to Indianapolis where we took I 74 west to Davenport, IA. then I 80 to Iowa City then I 380 to Waterloo. US 218 north to I 35. I 35 catches I 94 in the Twin Cities and we run I 94 all the way to Glendive, MT. The reoads we had along that route last spring were very good. We didn't have and construction.
When we're not sightseeing we make long runs and a lot of it at night, when the traffic is lighter. Most of the time we're just crossing areas we've been through many times before, so all we want to do is cover real estate and get home.

[Bill and Elaine]

Jim,

Thanks for those suggestions. We'll take a close look at that route as we have done the I-70 to Hancock, to I-68 to WV route many times.

Bill

[Bill and Elaine]

Hi Doris,

Thanks for the route recommendations to Glacier. I did map out our route and it looks like I decided on the same route that you took. We are staying in St. Cloud one evening on the way out. We do plan on spending a few nights at Theodore Roosevelt Nat'l park and a day at the International Peace Garden. Then on to Glacier. On the trip back we plan on stopping at the Badlands of SD as well as Mt Rushmore and maybe Devil's tower. We have visited these places years ago but we are taking a route right by them so we will probably stop. I hope to meet you sometime. Enjoy the cold April weather (I guess). Especially after having such a wonderful March! Elaine

[Bill and Elaine]

Jim,

Have you ever been to the International Peace Garden in North Dakota and Canada? If so, what are your thoughts? Thanks either way. Elaine

[wingnut]

Elaine,
Sorry it took so long for me to reply, but was away for a few days. Boys must play
I have been to the International Peace Gardens a few different times, but not recently. I would say that if I just happened to be in the area, say with 50 miles or so, I would stop for an hour or so to see the gardens. They can be very beautiful during the right time of the summer. But I sure wouldn't back track some 330 miles to visit it. I would suggest that you concider visiting the Lewis & Clark National Trail Intrepretive Center in Great Falls, MT.. Also I would highly recommend the Charlie m Russell museum, but then I'm a huge fan of russell's art. I drive out of my way to go to galleries and museums that have his art on display. I'll also add that the Montana state museum in Helena has a lot of Russell works of art.
Was wondering what time frame are you going to be out west?

Jim

[Bill and Elaine]

Jim,

I think we will try and do all of your suggestions. I have scheduled 4 days inTR natl park and 5 in Glacier Waterton. Is that too much time. We will be there late summer. What is the bear situation in Glacier?

Elaine

[doris s.]

Hi Bill,

I have my spot reserved for Thurmont! I can't wait. When is the Ellicott City camping weekend?

Doris

[doris s.]

Elaine,

The bear situation in Glacier is intense. Don't keep your food in the teardrop. Put all your food in your vehicle. There are about 600 grizzly bears in Glacier and we saw some of them and lots of paw prints while we were hiking. When hiking you have to make noise, carry a sitck with bells so the bears hear you coming.

We had two kids with us and we stayed outside the park at the St. Mary's Montana KOA, it's a very nice campground. I didn't want to put the kids at risk so we stayed where it was more populated.

We hiked around many glacier lake and it was beautiful! We saw sheep, bears and snow. It got very cold at night, below 32 degrees, so bring lots of blankets.

Doris

[wingnut]

Bill and Elaine,
I think you could do ever thing you wanted in 3 days and that maybe a little too long. It kind of depends on how much hiking you want to do in the park.
I Have never spent more than 2 days in the TRNP at a time. But I,ve never done a lot of hiking in the park. We have done a couple of the short nature trail loop hikes and done all the loop auto tours both in the south and north units. The most interesting loop hike area for us was the coal vein trail, but the fire went out back in the late 70's, so we haven't done that one sence then. Also part of the road in the north unit is closed, but the campground and hiking trails are still open. But some of the trailheads in the western area of the park won't be accessable by road. The road in the north unit isn't a loop drive like in the south unit. Also the campgrounds in the park do not have showers. The RV park in Medora is very nice. Make a reservation for one of the site by the river. Go to the Medora Musical, it's fun and entertaining. We've seen the one that was running last season and enjoyed it. Not sure how many seasons that ones been running, but awhile anyway.
Hey!
If I was you're tour director, what I would have you do is.
Spend 2 days in TRNP, camping Cottonwood CG in the Park, enjoying the nightly Ranges talk.
Next day depart 8:00 AM , or earlyier,taking MT 200 off of I 94 at Glendive and go to Great Falls. You should be able to make the 410 miles in less than 9 hours. On the way through town watch for the Carl's Jr on your right. Pick up a couple of 6$ Burger combo meals, you'll be tired and not feeling like cooking. Proceed to Dick's, after check in, throw your wash in the laundry and while that's working go hit the showers. Remember that $10 a night TRNP CG had no shower.
Next day spend the morning at the Russell Museum and the afternoon at the Lewis and Clark Trail Intrepretive Center.
Next day make another early start and go to GNP. Get on I 15 north take the Vaugh exit, US 89 north. You should be able to make it even as far as Many Glacier's CG by noon. 3 1/2 hour trip with no stops. Less to the closer ones. St Mary and Rising Sun CG's
I think you can have wonderful time and see and do most of what you'll want in 5 days in Glacier.

[wingnut]

Elaine,
The BEARS! For most trouists that visit GNP, as Doris pointed out,seeing a bear in the wild is VERY INTENSE. When you enter the park you'll get informational handouts, about being in bear country. It will clearly tell you the do's and don't about bears and the other park wild life. As Doris pointed out food odors are one of the big things that attract bears to careless cmapers camp sights.
Making noise as you hike in bear country is a very good idea. The stores in the area like to sell those hiking sticks with the bell's on them. I'm not so sure that they are any better than just carrying on a conversation with your partner as you hike. General a bear that knows you are in the area and isn't surprised by your approach, will avoid you and you probably won't even know it was around. Bears don't like to be surprised at close range if it's a sow with cubs. That situation often leads to an attack. The sows instinct is to protect her cubs.
The CG's in the park are larger, with lots of activity and the bears don't pose any undue risk for the campers that read and fallow the instruction pertaining hiking and camping in bear country.
You will be sleeping in a hard sided camper and I've never heard of and bear breaking into one and getting an individual. They mostly go for the people sleeping in the tents, it's so much quicker and easier for them (bears).
Glacier gets about 2 million visitors are year and probably only few few hundred visitors a year every see a bear. Every once in a while somebody in the back country has an up close and personaly encounter with a bear. It's all part of the excitment of the wilderness experience
The Rangers will close the trails that aren't safe to hike because of bear activity and that can charge from day to day.

Jim

[Bill and Elaine]

Doris,

The September tear jerkers campout is on September 28,29,and 30. It will be held at Patapsco State park. We are not signed up yet, but will later on as it gets closer. Thanks for the information for us to use on our trip. Elaine

[Bill and Elaine]

Jim,

I am going to review our trip to TR Nat'l park, as I really want to go see the Lewis and Clark Interpretive trail. I read McCullough's book about the Lewis and Clark expedition years ago and love history, so learning more about Teddy and Lewis and Clark appeals to me. We do plan on hiking in the area of TR and will put up with no showers and adjust accordingly. I would rather stay inside the parks so that we can be a part of the Ranger talks in the evenings. I had planned on staying two nights at International Peace Gardens but will alter that a bit also and just spend the afternoon.

Thanks for the bear update, both you and Doris. At Yellowstone and Tetons, we saw several grizzlies from a distance and there was a bear outside our tent one evening, with paw prints around the tent. My middle son, who was about 12 at the time, left his bubble gum in his pocket. We were freaked out!!! We were always so careful, leaving alll food stuffs, the dog and even toothpaste and toiletries in a locked car. So we were not happy about the gum in the pocket experience. The ranger came to look at the prints and said it was most likely a black bear, not a grizzly.

We will certainly make noise while hiking and going to the bathroom. We will not be doing any backcountry hiking. Too old for that, ha ha. Elaine

[wingnut]

Elaine,
It does seem that most of the bears that are active around the campgrounds here too are black bears. We've only had one expreience with a grizzly in the CG and that was on our honeymoon in Yellowstone, about 45 years ago. It was caused because the people across the road from use left a bunch of food out on their picnic table when they turned in. So you can imagin the commotion in the middle of the night when Mister Griz showed up. Back then we were tent campers.
I have actually seen more bears in Wyoming than I have in Montana. But it's probably because as I've gotten much older I spend a lot less time in bear habitat. 2005 was last backcountry hike for me.

Jim

[doris s.]

We went to Glacier NP at the last week of June and the going to the sun road was open. We spent about 5 days there. We really enjoyed driving the road. The scenery was awesome. It was cool to see the habitat change as well. The east side of the park is more dry and desert like, but as you drive west over the road the park changes to a pacific northwest habitat. The west side of the park is more wet and lush with lots of pine trees.

The kids also enjoyed the dancing and drumming program that is given by the Blackfoot Nation at the visitor's center in St. Mary's. The hike around Many Glacier Lake is flat and it about a two mile hike. We started at the Swiss NP hotel and ended at the hotel than had lunch there. Their were several other families doing the hike so I wasn't to worried about the bears on that hike but we did see paw prints and tree scratched by the bears.

You are going to have a fantastic trip, Glacier is my daughter's favorite park.

I have't made a reservation for Patapsaco yet but we will probably go to that meet.

Doris