Western States Vacation Recommendation?

[OriginalOscar]

Southeast Utah and southwest Colorado.

2-3 nights in Moab. Canyonlands NP, Arches NP and more areas you could explore in a lifetime. Rafting, mtn biking, jeeping, hiking.

1-2 nights in Durango. Ride the train to Silverton. Go hiking in the amazing San Juans.

2 nights in Cortez. Do a full day in Mesa Verde.

1 night in Bluff, UT. Explore Monument Valley, Goosenecks, Mulie Point.

2 nights in Escalante. More hiking wilderness areas.

Wild, wild areas that you will have time to unwind.

 

[Bambistew]

Southeast Utah and southwest Colorado.

2-3 nights in Moab. Canyonlands NP, Arches NP and more areas you could explore in a lifetime. Rafting, mtn biking, jeeping, hiking.

1-2 nights in Durango. Ride the train to Silverton. Go hiking in the amazing San Juans.

2 nights in Cortez. Do a full day in Mesa Verde.

1 night in Bluff, UT. Explore Monument Valley, Goosenecks, Mulie Point.

2 nights in Escalante. More hiking wilderness areas.

Wild, wild areas that you will have time to unwind.

Yep... Love that area.

My first choice would be Alaska. YNP and GNP is pretty sweet, but pales in comparison to anything up here. Not sure what your budget is, but for a few grand in bush flights you can see what's left of the wilderness in the US. All the stuff down south can be seen when you're old and can still drive an RV.

Kobuck NP, Gates of the Arctic, Denali NP, Wrangell, St. Elias, etc... You could loose your mind in a month up here.

I grew up in MT, go back often, and spent a lot of time in WY, NV, ID, ND, SD, ID, UT and CO. None of those places are even close to AK... Come up here while you're young and can handle the "cold" summer.

Most of these places are within hiking distance from a road. Oh, and come between August 10-Sept 10.

 

[TheJason]

My wife and I spent two weeks in Alaska for our honeymoon. We went up in right before Labor
Day. Rented a car and drove all over, did a lot of fishing. Had a blast. The colors in Denali were awesome, would like to go back someday.

 

[2rocky]

August in Rocky Mountain National park was cool. We drove through on the way back from an antelope hunt. Go for a Ride with Sombrero Ranch or do a hike on your own.

If you like rafting and Kayaking Rapids, Central Idaho is pretty awesome in the Summer.

If you go to Yosemite in CA, the Valley is CROWDED! We stayed up out of the valley near Tuolumne Meadows. They get big money for staying at the high sierra camps. I think it is doable on your own...

 

[RUT JUNKEY]

If you take a road trip. . Badlands, Wall Drug,Black Hills, Custer State Park, Mt. Rushmore, Devil's Tower, (and Sturgis, Deadwood,etc) are all reasonably close together. Rocky Mt Park is beautiful in the fall too. Yellowstone is very pretty, but like many have said, sometimes you are the minority there. . .but can get away from that by hiking a short distance. I was out there in October and we saw tons of wildlife including my first grizz not far from the Old Faithful Lodge. Im sure you will have a great trip no matter where you go.

 

[genesis273]

I really do appreciate all of the advise given on here! I knew you guys were the ones to ask!
I want to first say...Bambistew...I officially hate you! You`re a very lucky man! Pics were absolutely increadible! Alaska is at the top of my list, but for some reason it`s just a little intimidating to think about driving around up there.
Videos were awesome too Dustin and shootist!
You guys have really opened my mind to alot more since I oringinally posted just 2 days ago. No way I`m going to short myself with just one location. We are definetly going visit a few. I have the time to do it, why not! May never go over there again.
Now my next question is:
How long would you plan on spending in one location if I were to go to Glacier, Yellowstone, etc. Kind of what Dukes_daddy mentioned. Would 2-3 days at Glacier be enough, or would I need to plan to stay longer? I just don`t want to short myself. Heck, I might just wing it at each location.

 

[deer_shooter]

Wing it! More fun that way. My wife and I did a very similar road trip to the great video Dustin posted years ago. We made no real plans other than general direction and stayed where we felt like. It was a great trip and we took about 17 days to do it. Do yourself a favor and take a fly rod. License' for a couple days are not that bad. 2-3 days in YNP was enough. Haven't made it to Glacier yet.
It may be best to knock out the lower 48 trip now cause once you go to AK, you're ruined for life.! :hump:

 

[hardwoods]

Lots of great ideas. Definitely after labor day like lots of others mentioned. Banff/jasper alberta is an awesome area. Been there 3 times. Lots of hiking and great places to eat and stay. Wherever you go im sure you will have a blast. Enjoy

 

[MNElkNut]

I will throw my 2 cents in for Rocky Mountain Natl Park. The elk rut there is nothing short of fantastic. watching them fight and run around bugling and herding is awesome. The hiking is great too....from easy to hard hikes. The kids loved it last August and cant wait to go back.

 

[bennett454]

My wife and I did a a loop in Southwest Colorado to Northeast Arizona and went Southeast Utah and back to CO lots of stuff to see and beautiful country

 

[pa mt man]

It may be best to knock out the lower 48 trip now cause once you go to AK, you're ruined for life.! :hump:

Did a western auto vacation 4 times since 2000. Last year we went for a month. Loved all the trips!
But went to Alaska for a three weeks in 2009 and if it wasn't for kids and a grandchild on the west coast it would be Alaska every year. I was like you. DON"T be afraid to drive up there.Did a cruise up and rented a camper. Drove down to the Kenai and caught a 40 lb king. Drove up to Denali. Bought the park bus pass and took it to the end on the first day. Next two days we packed a lunch and got off where we saw lots of animals and hiked in a ways and ate our lunch. Catch the bus anywhere along the road back.
Got a lot of good advise from guys on here. Cruises are cheap. We paid 750 each and last summer the same cruise was 550.Showed it to my wife and she said too bad she going to see the granddaughter.

 

[Fj40mojo]

I recommend an outfitted float trip on the main Salmon or Middle Fork. A relaxing adventure in real wilderness. My wife and I did a 5 day trip on the main Salmon after we were married, closest thing to a honeymoon we got. It was a great trip. We did a self guided trip with close friends, 3 boats and a total of 9 people. Had a ball, great scenery, great food and fun.

 

[kansasdad]

While "winging it" has great appeal, it also comes with some downsides. Try finding lodging in Cheyenne when Frontier Days are going on and see what "no vacancy" signs look like. I have been told that the lodge at Old Faithful books up nearly a year in advance.

The whole trick to a trip like this is to make sure that your middle name is "flexible". Looking forward to the report when you get back.

 

[What Map]

Hire the boat shuttle service at Bridge Bay in YNP to take you two and your boats to a back country camp on Yellowstone Lake. I think they limit you to three nights. You will leave everyone behind except the widlife including griz. The service will come pick you up after three nights. Then hike or move your boat camp to another back conutry site. Build the rest of your vacation around your back country camps.

 

[Goldtip]

I grew up in Montana and would agree with Drathaar, if it's animals you want to see, then it's YNP. If it's crazy beautiful scenery, then it's Glacier all the way. If you want both, go to Alaska, fly into or over scenery that is second to none. Take one of the bus tours through Denali and see more animals than you can count. Hike to places where you will hear nothing, well MAYBE an occasional bush plane. You wil spend more than going to fairly comparable places in the lower 48, but you will see and experience far more of both.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

dont forget to save time for the jackson hole area just south of ynp.

 

[OriginalOscar]

After reading all these suggestions why would anyone go to Europe?

The West is the Best

 

[TheJason]

While "winging it" has great appeal, it also comes with some downsides. Try finding lodging in Cheyenne when Frontier Days are going on and see what "no vacancy" signs look like.

Or about any summer night in Cody. The wife and I slept in a Toyota Corolla one night because we rolled into town late with no reservations.

 

[huntme]

My wife and I will be celebrating our 25th anniverary in little over a year. We want to go somewhere that we`ve never been, and do something we`ve never done. We want this to be special. You know, that once in a lifetime trip.

We both enjoy hiking, kayaking, being outdoors, and anything that`ll help us stay in shape while having fun.
I have only been on the left side of the Mississippi twice, and those were on business trips, and she`s never been anywhere remotely out west, but wants to go.
One place that we both thought about and we think we would enjoy tremendously, is going hiking in Yellowstone NP or somewhere that could compare to the beauty. An Alaskan Cruise has been brought up too, but we`re actually leaning toward Yellowstone.

Questions, since most of you guys have probably been there, are:
1. Are there opportunities to hike in Yellowstone (or other NP with comparible beauty)?
2. If so, what time of year would you recommend (temps and crowds)? We do not necessarily need to be there on our actual anniversary.
3. Would there be any disappointments that I may face, things that I`m not aware of, ie crowds?
4. If Yellowstone ends up being the place to go, are there towns near by that have nice hotels and places to eat?
5. Also, if YNP is picked for a week+ of hiking, would you recommend a hiking guide or is it relatively easy to do on your own? Also, are there opportunities to kayak in YNP?

Any other recommendations are welcome and appreciated, ones that include the western states, mountains, hiking/kayaking, and a nice hotel w/ tv nearby (not much for camping)!

Also, a hunting trip was mentioned and shot down! She enjoys hunting, but said..."not on this trip"!

if yellowstone is in your plan,go see the tetons first,some time in june.

 

[huntme]

I really do appreciate all of the advise given on here! I knew you guys were the ones to ask!
I want to first say...Bambistew...I officially hate you! You`re a very lucky man! Pics were absolutely increadible! Alaska is at the top of my list, but for some reason it`s just a little intimidating to think about driving around up there.
Videos were awesome too Dustin and shootist!
You guys have really opened my mind to alot more since I oringinally posted just 2 days ago. No way I`m going to short myself with just one location. We are definetly going visit a few. I have the time to do it, why not! May never go over there again.
Now my next question is:
How long would you plan on spending in one location if I were to go to Glacier, Yellowstone, etc. Kind of what Dukes_daddy mentioned. Would 2-3 days at Glacier be enough, or would I need to plan to stay longer? I just don`t want to short myself. Heck, I might just wing it at each location.

in yellowstone,2 or 3 days no more,grand tetons,at least 2 days,and if you go to the badlands,you will want at least 2 days there as well,and dont pass by custer last stand,now i thought mt rushmore was boring after about a hour of being there,but you could spend a month easy,and neaver get boared going west,and if you make it as far as my stomping grounds here in oregon,crater lake is a sight to see allso.