Summer Trip..is this too much

[jemek]

The more I research and read up..the more I do not want to do what we did last year...which is put places back on the list...as we must come back..because we did not allot enough time.

What our long term bucket list is...to go to as many of the National Parks as possible.

This year we thought of doing the Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Grand Tetons National Park.

But we only have 13 days to do this in..that includes traveling over there.
Dh hates road time...so he really prefers we limit the travel time to no more then 350 miles...although I have been know to try and toss in a couple 400 or so miles on day one..
I rough drafted it out..
D-1 Bellingham to Spokane
D-2 Spokane to Whitefish area/GNP (we have friends in Whitefish..that will most likely be our tour guides)
D-3 GNP
D-4 Travel day..do not think we can get from Whitefish to Yellowstone in one day.
D-5 Travel-arrive in Yellowstone
D-6 Yellowstone
D-7 Yellowstone
D-8 Dpt Yellowstone to Grand Tetons
D-9 Grand Tetons
D-10 Dpt Grand Tetons- Travel?
D-11 Travel - Boise, Idaho (this is where I am unsure..I know if we just overnight here my extended family would be upset...this is hard for me in a way..as they all know where we live and yet most of the time we are expected to go to them..but if we make it a day layover we have to give up one of the Yellowstone days.)
D-12 Boise to Prosser
d-13 Prosser to home.

Now that I look at it and read then things that there are to do...I am wondering if we would regret...dropping the Grand Tetons and going there another time. I am sure we will want to go to Yellowstone again.

I do not want to put off Glacier National Park too much, as I know the Glaciers are receding...but then again can you see them...or are they only seen on the longer hikes.

[BirdbyBird]

Does sound ambitious but I don't have any experience in those locations or vacationing with a large family. Regarding the family obligations on the way back.... maybe let them know you will be in town for dinner and either have family meet you somewhere for dinner or maybe a family member will offer their home for a family potluck for ONE evening......

[Liz]

I have been to GNP twice...not seen it all. It is beautiful. Both times I was there in June & the "Going-to-the-Sun road was closed due to snow and/or landslides...so I'll go again someday, later in the summer. Don't know your planned route to Yellowstone, but Beartooth Pass is beautiful...but, maybe a little scary for some with the switchbacks & elevation. There's nice a NF cg at Beartooth Lake.

You'll definitely need 2 days at Yellowstone. Haven't been to the Tetons yet, but hope to this summer.

[jemek]

I guess why I am thinking it is too much in too short of time.

We had the big trip last year..we did Bryce, Zion, Coral Pink Sandunes, Grand Canyon. Then once there..we spent enough time in Bryce, but we did not do justice to Zion and would have loved to spend more time there. We should have skipped the sanddunes...I have no idea what we were thinking. We are so use to the coastal sanddunes...I did not think about 104 degrees in the desert..you could not play in the sand at all..we stayed there about 30 min and left. We were going to spend the afternoon and then BBQ.

That is mine concern this time..plus I do not really want to spend more time traveling then vacationing..it is too much work..LOL

From what I have been reading people say to do Yellowstone and Grand Tetons you really need 4-6 days and could easily at a few more for go short trip into Jackson, etc.

[jemek]

Well dang..I found out that the only Campground inside Yellowstone (Fishing Bridge) that has full hookups is being rewired this summer and will not offer any electrical service. Which means we would have to stay somewhere outside the park.

[snowball]

You are going to our back yard!!
was raised in Jackson actually in Grand Teton National Park
and we are work camping at a campground in Island Park ID about 23
miles south of West Yellowstone
yes the Beartooth is beautiful but what will you be in? I wouldn't take a
large motor home over it but then I'm a woose!!!
No matter how you plan your trip you will find not enough time so do this as drive thru
with plans to return Yellowstone is thousands of acres big you can never see all of it anyway
so research and see what you want to see this time unless it has changed there was construction
on the south exit so be aware of that we were delayed a lot but some. again The Tetons have a lot
to do if you are out door people and want to hike or boat or see the interior part are you towing so that
you have other means of travel than your motor home?
And you should get reservations like asap!! did you say when you planned on going? that will affect the chances of getting a place
to stay so do that like now! It really is a doable just know that you will want to return because it will just be a quickie
sheila

[jemek]

we tow a 31 ft Travel Trailer.

After talking with DH we have opted to put this off for 2 summers. (next summer is family reunion year in Lake Tahoe)

We decided we want to spend the entire vacation in that area...Yellowstone/Grand Tetons. That way we will have 5-8 days to spend there and the surrounding area.

What we have opted to do..is #1 take the kids to the place we keep telling them we are going to take them every summer for the last 7 years and never have.

It is right on the way to Glacier National Park...that would be Silverwood Theme Park (2 days)..they have a RV park there also. Then we will go and spend 3 full days in Glacier National Park...tentatively speaking.

[Liz]

Good idea! You will find plenty to enjoy without so much rush at Glacier.

[asirimarco]

Sounds like a better plan - GNP is beautiful - and the Going to the Sun road is a full day excursion to be enjoyed. Just remember that parts of GNP are in Canada - so if you happen to go to those parts you will need your passports to get back into the US - even though you never leave the park. We did that several years ago - just when the whole passport things was starting and never thought about it. We were just driving up the road - knew we crossed into Canada but didn't think anything of it - we never left the park. We got back okay but were stopped at U.S. border for a while and questiioned. Our passports were in the motorhome in the Rv park in Montana. Now that the rules are really being inforced......

[jemek]

Sounds like a better plan - GNP is beautiful - and the Going to the Sun road is a full day excursion to be enjoyed. Just remember that parts of GNP are in Canada - so if you happen to go to those parts you will need your passports to get back into the US - even though you never leave the park. We did that several years ago - just when the whole passport things was starting and never thought about it. We were just driving up the road - knew we crossed into Canada but didn't think anything of it - we never left the park. We got back okay but were stopped at U.S. border for a while and questiioned. Our passports were in the motorhome in the Rv park in Montana. Now that the rules are really being inforced......

Thanks for that reminder...I know I looked at that at first, but then when we thought we would only be there a day or two figured we would not venture that far north, but now with 3-4 days there we might. I will have include that in the to pack list.

[OutandAbout]

Plan B sounds like a much better one. You can really enjoy the area and not feel so rushed and have to plan on going back because you were so rushed. Linda

[Sparkle]

At first I was going to say, don't make plans, just go with the flow, but then I realised I'm retired, I have no time constraints. So yes, PLan B sounds so much better. I know we are all looking forward to your posts on this.

[Bethers]

My problem - how much do you enjoy seeing of the places? I can't imagine seeing all of any of the places in the time you're saying. However, that said, I did Yellowstone in one day - but will go back there someday and spend longer. Like Liz, I couldn't go where I wanted at Glacier because the road wasn't open - so will need to go there again one day. And like you said, I always find some places I could do without - but I don't know that till I go there, as others love those same places. Many people, with the time you're talking about would only go to one place - or maybe two. Why don't you plan as you are, then have a second plan with only 2 of the places - and leave the 3rd for another trip if necessary. No one says your plans can't change. And why make yourself crazy by trying to do too much in the time you have? Enjoy what you can do! My 2 cents.

[carold]

If you go to the Canadian side, you should stop in and see the Waterton Lodge, it's spectacular. There is a boat ride to Goat Haunt. You can also hike and take the boat back or vice versa. The hotel has a great "high tea". We've been there two or maybe three times. GNP stays cold for a long time. August is really the best if you want to be able to see all the parts. (you can check it out on our blog) Have fun planning. No matter how much time you allocate, it never seems enough. carold

[jemek]

At first I was going to say, don't make plans, just go with the flow, but then I realised I'm retired, I have no time constraints. So yes, PLan B sounds so much better. I know we are all looking forward to your posts on this.

Dh has that little thing called a job to come back to...it pays the bills...soon we will be retired and be right out there with you...but that is a little ways away. I look forward to that time.

So this is what Plan B looks like.
Day 1 Travel to Silverwood
Day 2 Silverwood
Day 3 Silverwood
Day 4 travel to Glacier National Park
Day 5-8 Glacier national park
Day 9-10 head home

The other thing is this will also leave DH with about 22 hours of vacation time..so we could sneak in a couple of 4 day weekend trips.