Monday, December 12, 2011

Many Glacier to Red Lodge

I%26#39;ve given lots of advice on these forums but need help myself for one leg of an upcoming trip. After spending a week in Idaho and Glacier National Park, I will doing the long drive from Many Glacier to Red Lodge, Montana, in a single day (after which we have another week in Yellowstone and the Tetons.) Although I%26#39;ve traveled through Glacier, Yellowstone and the Tetons, I%26#39;ve never driven between Many Glacier and Red Lodge. All I can tell from the map is that it is an 8+ hour drive no matter which road I%26#39;m on. So I%26#39;d love some opinions on the best way to go and if there is anything I should stop to see while stretching my legs! Thanks so much.



Many Glacier to Red Lodge


Hey Cathy! I hope all is going well!





I would highly recommend the following route:





Take 89 to Choteau



Take 287 south to I-15



Take I-15 south to Exit 192? and take 12/287 south to I-90



Take I-90 east to Exit 434? and take 212 to Red Lodge





You could stop at Gates of the Mountains along the way!





If you Mapquest a route from Babb, MT to Red Lodge, MT you will get a route that takes you through Great Falls. This is also a nice drive, although I still prefer the first route. I think the first route is very beautiful even if a little longer! I have taken both routes and can recommend both.





Hope this helps!





Sean



Many Glacier to Red Lodge


Thanks, Sean. Hope you%26#39;re doing well. Where are you headed this summer?




My family and I will be spending a week in Flagstaff, AZ the end of May/beginning of June this summer. Planning on spending a couple days hiking in the GC, maybe heading up to Grand Staircase/Escalante for a day or two to hike some slot canyons, and probably check out some local Indian ruins. I%26#39;m also contemplating climbing Humphreys Peak (highest point in AZ). My older brother%26#39;s girlfriend is coming along with us (visiting AZ for the first time) so it should be great for her. I don%26#39;t think she%26#39;ll be doing as much hiking, however. : )





Other than that, I still haven%26#39;t figured out completely what I%26#39;m doing this summer. I may try to get a summer job in the Smokies. However, just as a heads-up...I%26#39;m going to try to be in Glacier NP working next summer. I%26#39;m excited!




Have you hiked to Calf Creek Falls before? If not and you find yourself near Escalante, definitely check it out. Red rock, petroglyphs, a dip in a pond beneath the falls. An easy 6 miles round trip (little elevation gain but sandy.)Hope you have a good time in Flagstaff! I%26#39;ll be in Bryce/Escalante the first week in May to do a little hiking myself.




I think I would take the route through Choteau, Great Falls, Hobson, Big Timber, Columbus and Absarokee.





I like the little towns of Montana. No need to worry about rush hour!





Try to get to Absarokee (pronounced Ab-Zor-Kee if you were wondering) by daylight because the view as you approach Red Lodge is beautiful.







FYI, Choteau is pronounce Show-Toe. No need to attempt a french pronunciation on any place name here.




We are staying at Blue Sky Cabins near Luther/Roscoe for a couple days, so I will definitely be going through Absarokee. Thanks for the pronunciation tips!




Hi Cathy,



I also like the route following US 89 %26amp; US 287 down to Three Forks, then I-90, %26amp; I%26#39;d exit at Columbus.



When you come down from Many Glacier, around the Helena area, you should be able to look back toward the north/ northwest to see the mountain they call the ';Sleeping Giant'; - it really looks like a guy laying on his back, snoring! You should be able to get a good look at it from US 287 as you%26#39;re leaving Helena - just past the Wal-Mart, in that area. There are places along the Missouri River near Helena where one can dig for sapphires, but I don%26#39;t know if you%26#39;d want to take that much time out. Like Sean suggested, Gates of the Mountains area is very pretty.



You may really enjoy a stop at the Wheat Montana store/deli at the Three Forks exit - great sandwiches, soups, breads, sweetrolls, pastries. We usually buy stuff there to take into Yellostone with us. There are a few sites to see around the Three Forks area if you have time - Missouri Headwaters State Park, where the Gallatin, Madison %26amp; Jefferson Rivers join to form the Missouri. The Headwaters Heritage Museum is on Main Street in Three Forks. Just south of town a few miles on US 287 is the Parker Homestead. They have a couple picnic tables set up in the yard under the big old cottonwoods.



From Livingston to Columbus, the interstate pretty much follows right beside the Yellowstone River. Quite scenic. Have a great trip!




Montana, Thanks for all the suggestions, especially the Three Forks deli... that%26#39;s right up my alley, as I love local places with good food! It%26#39;s been a hundred years since I was in Helena... used to drive through in the back of a station wagon from Idaho to Havre to visit my great-aunt as a child!




Thanks for asking Cathy as we will be doing the exact same route this summer if I can manage to get up to Many Glacier to visit my son who will be working there this summer.



So it has been good to read the different routes.



I was looking at the Hobson to Big Timber route, but the history behind Three Forks may sway me.



So ainwa,,,what about the Hobson route would you say is better?




Kbec, I hope you are able to get up to Many Glacier to see your son. He must be excited... what a wonderful way to spend your summer ';vacation.';

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