Rocky Mountain Trip

[Chris Z]

I figure this forum has quite a few members... lots of experiences... and many willing to share...

I've decided my next trip/vacation will be to the rocky mountains. I need help finding the right place to go. I'm probably only going to visit once so I want to make it a great one.

I googled it, and this is where I want to go... or something close to it. There was no location specified where I found the picture, any ideas...?

Anyone take breathtakingly remarkable trips to the rockies? Where did you go? What did you do? Could you have done better? Or it was pretty damn cool as is?

cz

 

[prandlesc]

I lived in/near the Rockies in Salt Lake City for a few years. One of the best trips we took was to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. I thought both were great, but Grand Teton was breathtaking. We were there in the fall and hiking with the fall colors was awesome. I'd go back there in a heartbeat.

 

[Hammy71]

Rocky Mountain National Park. Beautiful park and nice area of the country. We did the trip last summer. Spent about 6 days around Yellowstone (wow, worth the trip for sure) and 5 around Rocky Mountain National Park. Breath taking views at both, plus a great beer destination. Fort Collins isn't far away with all it has to offer the beer lover.

 

[aygov]

Glacier National Park for sure. It's jaw dropping scenery almost all the way around. If you're willing to do small hikes you can find some stunning stuff.

 

[jafo28]

Rocky Mountain National Park. Beautiful park and nice area of the country. We did the trip last summer. Spent about 6 days around Yellowstone (wow, worth the trip for sure) and 5 around Rocky Mountain National Park. Breath taking views at both, plus a great beer destination. Fort Collins isn't far away with all it has to offer the beer lover.

I second, RMNP.

 

[HBtC]

This thread is making me extremely jealous.

 

[Cyclman]

Gotta smile, I get to view the rockies every day on my commute to work. All of the above are great recommendations. Get a tent / sleeping bag, hike 5 miles in, you'll have your own private heaven.

Oh yeah, CO also has some of the best breweries in the world, stop by DEN for a few days!

 

[goodgodilovebeer]

Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise, Peyto Lake, Columbia Icefields. All within a few hours of each other. Seriously consider Alberta.

 

[bob1852]

I love the drive between Gunnison and Silverton.

 

[ColoHox]

Another vote for RMNP. Also, the Maroon Bells range is supposedly the most photographed area of the CO rockies.

 

[Chris Z]

thanks for the suggestions so far, it helps to have a starting place for looking into this. Every time i just start googling, there is too much out there, and I need a few ideas to focus this down a bit.

any ideas about lodging? particularly cool cabins, hut or anything. I like the hike in and tent idea for a night or two at least, a great remote cabin or something would be awesome also.

 

[Varmintman]

I look out my kitchen window and I can see the Tetons every morning. Yellowstone is overrated in my book but simply because there are so many places that are every bit as pretty that are free.

When you say you want to visit the Rockies you pretty much opened a huge can of worms because there are a lot of Mt ranges in the Rockies. I have lived in the Rockies for most of my life and while I wish I could say have been on every trail around me it is just not possible.

Mesa Falls is a wonderful spot and Bear Gulch has a old rail line you can walk that is very nice. That goes to a bridge where the trout spawn and a old log cabin. All that in one little area

 

[gratus fermentatio]

RMNP is a great place, but living in MT, I'm partial to Glacier National Park:
http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/index.htm

Not far from the National Bison Range:
http://www.fws.gov/refuge/national_bison_range/

There's also Yellowstone National Park, but most of it is in Wy:
http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/index.htm

Quite a few state parks too:
http://stateparks.mt.gov/

If you like fishing, we've got blue ribbon trout streams:
http://www.montanaangler.com/?gclid=CN-Rq7zv-bYCFQtyQgodkVIACg

Plenty of hot springs too (I'm partial to Lolo Hot Springs, the lodge is nice!):
http://visitmt.com/experiences/scenic_adventures/hot_springs_and_pools/

Plenty of breweries & taprooms in MT, though I'm partial to Bitterroot & Big Sky Brewing:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_breweries_in_Montana

Also, if your swmbo likes to shop, Montana has NO STATE SALES TAX!

I should work for the state tourism office eh?
Hope this info helps, and your trip is a great one no matter where you go.
Regards, GF.

 

[Varmintman]

Also to add to GF's list is Big Sky ski hill. They used to have concerts there in the summer and a ton of hiking trails.

If you got money to burn go to Jackson Hole and have a beer in the Silver Dollar Saloon. Drive a few miles and visit Grand Targhee another ski hill but much cheaper than Jackson.

Dang I have been in Truckee Ca another great jumping off point into the Rockies and Garden of the Gods in Co. So many places to go

 

[LLBeanJ]

Another recommendation for RMNP. I don't know what it is, but there is something truly special about that place. Over the years, I've been all over that park and I never get tired of it. A few years back we took a family trip to Yellowstone, since we'd never been. It was nice and we had a great time, definitely a place everyone should see before they leave this world, but we all agreed afterward that it was no RMNP. You could rent a cabin in Estes Park and have nearly unlimited options for hiking/exploring inside the park and around it. Also, there are a few dozen craft beer/microbrew options between FoCo, Longmont, and Boulder, so there's that.

 

[glugglug]

Can't go wrong anywhere in Rockies. I'm sending this from Boulder, CO. So many small, excellent breweries here! But, Jackson Wyoming is on my list of places to visit, Yellowstone, and anywhere in Montana.

 

[Goofynewfie]

Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise, Peyto Lake, Columbia Icefields. All within a few hours of each other. Seriously consider Alberta.

Banff and jasper are amazing. nothing better than sitting in a hot spring looking out over the mountains while some big horn sheep walk by.
then you can drive into Edmonton and stop by sherbrooke liquor store where they stock over 1000 different beers

 

[Schlimly]

As so many have said the Rocky Mountains stretch from Northern Alberta down to New Mexico (and further south if you take some of the smaller ranges connected to them), and there are gorgeous spots all along them.

You can't go wrong with pretty much any place you pick. I'm biased however as I was born and raised all ways having a view of them right out my window.

:rockin:

 

[aygov]

RMNP is a great place, but living in MT, I'm partial to Glacier National Park:
http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/index.htm

Not far from the National Bison Range:
http://www.fws.gov/refuge/national_bison_range/

There's also Yellowstone National Park, but most of it is in Wy:
http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/index.htm

Quite a few state parks too:
http://stateparks.mt.gov/

If you like fishing, we've got blue ribbon trout streams:
http://www.montanaangler.com/?gclid=CN-Rq7zv-bYCFQtyQgodkVIACg

Plenty of hot springs too (I'm partial to Lolo Hot Springs, the lodge is nice!):
http://visitmt.com/experiences/scenic_adventures/hot_springs_and_pools/

Plenty of breweries & taprooms in MT, though I'm partial to Bitterroot & Big Sky Brewing:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_breweries_in_Montana

Also, if your swmbo likes to shop, Montana has NO STATE SALES TAX!

I should work for the state tourism office eh?
Hope this info helps, and your trip is a great one no matter where you go.
Regards, GF.

That's a pretty good summation of MT. As a Montana boy living in Illinois I miss the heck out that place. I would move back in a heartbeat if I could!

If you chose Glacier then definitely hit up Whitefish near by (~ 45 minutes from the south gate). They have Great Northern Brewing and some tasty restaurants. If you have the time then head south to Missoula. It's a college town so the bars are plentiful (I don't know if you can beat the Rhino for tap selection) and it has a good selection of breweries. If I had to pick favorites it would be Kettlehouse and Big Sky but that's like trying to pick a favorite child. Draught Works and Bayern make some tasty brews as well.

I know I'm biased but I don't think you can go wrong with a trip to MT. Heck, if you get adventurous you could easily do Glacier, Yellowstone & Grand Teton (a park pass for Yellowstone will get you in to Grand Teton and vice-versa). I've not been to Grand Teton, but Yellowstone is definitely a place to visit at least once. Neither of those hold a candle to glacier though!

 

[Red_Scooter]

Thanks Varmitman! I'll have to check out some of the areas you suggested. I'm heading to the Tetons/Yellowstone area this summer. I'll be following this thread closely for other ideas too.

We are also spending a couple days in the Black Hills in SD. My wife fell in love with the Hills last year, so we are heading back to visit some spots.

 

[ColoHox]

Just to the NW of RMNP is the Never Summer range, in the Colorado State Forest. There is a sysyem of yurts that you can travel between or rent individually. They are amazing!

http://neversummernordic.com/