This trip is my graduation gift to my son Will, who just finished high school and will be attending DePauw University this fall.
I promised him that I would take him wherever he wanted to go (within reason), and he elected to go see the sights in Montana.
We will spend a couple of days in the car, driving around beautiful southwestern Montana. But the bulk of the trip will be spent outdoors, in and on the rivers. We will be learning to fly fish on the Gallatin and then wetting a fly in the Madison and Bitterroot Rivers. We will also be rafting the Gallatin River in the Gallatin Canyon just north of West Yellowstone, and also rafting Beartrap Canyon on the Madison River. I've attached links to some interesting sites that will give you an idea of what we'll be seeing and doing.
One of our two days in the car will be spent looking for wildlife in the Lamar Valley of northern Yellowstone Park, and then crossing the Beartooth Highway, one of the highest alpine roads in America. We'll get out and hike around at 11,000 feet, at least until I run out of gas (which shouldn't take long).
Hopefully, Will is going to be able to say he learned how to fly fish, something that he might also be able to do a day's drive north of DePauw University (up in Michigan), if he can find a friend or two who shares the interest.
We are bringing Will's laptop with us, so hopefully at night he'll be able to upload our photos from each day and attach them to this Trip Planner.
You should feel free to comment or drop us a note here.
Bob - Looks like a great trip. I pray for safety and many opportunities for deepening your relationship with Will. I am sure it will be a time to remember and savor for the rest of your lives. Peter Forbes
Bob, what a fantastic idea. Looks like a great trip. It will give you both time to spend quality time with one another. This is so important when we all face so many pressures in our daily lives
Congrats Bob on picking a wonderful trip! I am a native Montanan, born and raised in NW Montana. I know you are enjoying your trip and will certainly enjoy the remainder. I can guarantee you your float trip will be awesome; was just on one myself, two weeks ago, in the Great Bear Wilderness, South of Glacier Park. The Bitterroot valley is absolutely gorgeous. You will see some fires, seems there always is in that area of the state any more but it's part of nature. Anyways, thanks for visiting our gorgeous state (the Western part is gorgeous anyway) and safe travels to you! Tina, Polson, MT
Bob, 5 years ago I was travelling in Montana, had a wonderful time and much enjoyed their beautiful sights, your photos did remind me of it, and I am glad you enjoyed the fun and views as well.
We're having a great time. I've tried to post some notes under each trip entry, but thought I would also post here. Will is having a great time, but his MAC and his IPOD are never far away from him.
So far, from a wildlife point of view, we've seen a grizzly, a wolf, a coyote, more bison than you can count, elk, deer, antelope, mountain goats, a bald eagle, osprey and a pair of grouse. The grizzly was the highlight of the trip, in fact we were near Mount Washburn in the early morning hours and came alongside him near the road. He moved along, paying us little attention, we got ahead of him and parked as he shuffled his way in our general direction. Finally, he had closed the gap to 30 yards (he was also below us on a steep slope) and it was too close for comfort so we got back in the car. I would judge he was an adolescent male, around 300 pounds. He was digging up roots and turning over rocks looking for bugs. We got some good photos of him.
This area is so beautiful. Just hard to believe it is here and I am not living here.
I'm a native of montana. The Big ole Valley is one of the most beautiful places in the US. The Drive from cooke City over the Bear Tooth has no equal any where in the US.
I've lived in Montana all my life and I've never been to a prettier place for outdoors. I think you made a great choice in coming here! I live in SE Montana, where you have to know the country to believe that it's beautiful. It's great that you saw a wolf! I've been going to Lamar at least once a year my whole life, and I've only seen two! Have a great rest of your trip! And congrats and good luck to Will!
Montana is truly the 'last best place'. The drive from Glacier to Yellowstone offers some of the most magnificient scenery in the world. It's no wonder the Montanans are so warm and friendly; they realize how lucky they are to be living there. 'America the Beautiful', you betcha.
I also am a Native Montanan. I grew up near Red Lodge, and I agree that the drive from Cooke City up the Beartooth Pass is one of a kind. I was just there a couple weeks ago for the first time in about 8 years. My Boyfriend was AMAZED!!! Glacier Park is also another Montana beauty. I live in Kansas, and everyone here seems to think that Colorado is teh place to be, and I always giggle, because no one ever thinks of Montana...but when they go...they can never stop talking about it. Pictures definitely do not do The Big Sky justice!!! I LOVE MONTANA!!!
I promised him that I would take him wherever he wanted to go (within reason), and he elected to go see the sights in Montana.
We will spend a couple of days in the car, driving around beautiful southwestern Montana. But the bulk of the trip will be spent outdoors, in and on the rivers. We will be learning to fly fish on the Gallatin and then wetting a fly in the Madison and Bitterroot Rivers. We will also be rafting the Gallatin River in the Gallatin Canyon just north of West Yellowstone, and also rafting Beartrap Canyon on the Madison River. I've attached links to some interesting sites that will give you an idea of what we'll be seeing and doing.
One of our two days in the car will be spent looking for wildlife in the Lamar Valley of northern Yellowstone Park, and then crossing the Beartooth Highway, one of the highest alpine roads in America. We'll get out and hike around at 11,000 feet, at least until I run out of gas (which shouldn't take long).
Hopefully, Will is going to be able to say he learned how to fly fish, something that he might also be able to do a day's drive north of DePauw University (up in Michigan), if he can find a friend or two who shares the interest.
We are bringing Will's laptop with us, so hopefully at night he'll be able to upload our photos from each day and attach them to this Trip Planner.
You should feel free to comment or drop us a note here.
Cheers and blessings,
bob
So far, from a wildlife point of view, we've seen a grizzly, a wolf, a coyote, more bison than you can count, elk, deer, antelope, mountain goats, a bald eagle, osprey and a pair of grouse. The grizzly was the highlight of the trip, in fact we were near Mount Washburn in the early morning hours and came alongside him near the road. He moved along, paying us little attention, we got ahead of him and parked as he shuffled his way in our general direction. Finally, he had closed the gap to 30 yards (he was also below us on a steep slope) and it was too close for comfort so we got back in the car. I would judge he was an adolescent male, around 300 pounds. He was digging up roots and turning over rocks looking for bugs. We got some good photos of him.
This area is so beautiful. Just hard to believe it is here and I am not living here.