Thinking about a Montana Trip

[Goodman4]

Looks like the trip is going to happen. I've got vacation already approved and have been talking to family and doing trip planning. I'm going with the consensus here and taking quick routes into Wyoming and then starting the real touring from Cody on. If we push hard going and coming back, we may have 5 days to visit and tour western Montana. I definitely will be doing Beartooth and Going to the Sun road in Glacier. I've got Big Sky's book and am enjoying that a lot, but it's making me want to ride all over the place.

So I've got two questions.

We'll likely be getting to the Yellowstone area on Tuesday August 26th. That's the week before Labor Day. I know it'll still be crowded even though it's not a weekend. Do you think that is worth driving through since we're there? I'll probably never have the chance again. Or should I stick to the Northeast side and just ride up Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and head back West to get to Philipsburg?

And for main drive, I'm thinking of going through Nebraska through North Wyoming on the way which is the shortest to Cody, and come back through South Dakota. Other options include going through Cheyenne and coming up through more of the Western Wyoming are or even Kansas / Colorado and then come up. I guess my goal for this part is making good time but not getting bored out of my mind on the long straights. I haven't done Kansas on a bike but in a car, I love going to Colorado except for driving through Kansas.

Advice?

 

[Spud]

Looks like the trip is going to happen. I've got vacation already approved and have been talking to family and doing trip planning. I'm going with the consensus here and taking quick routes into Wyoming and then starting the real touring from Cody on. If we push hard going and coming back, we may have 5 days to visit and tour western Montana. I definitely will be doing Beartooth and Going to the Sun road in Glacier. I've got Big Sky's book and am enjoying that a lot, but it's making me want to ride all over the place.
So I've got two questions.

We'll likely be getting to the Yellowstone area on Tuesday August 26th. That's the week before Labor Day. I know it'll still be crowded even though it's not a weekend. Do you think that is worth driving through since we're there? I'll probably never have the chance again. Or should I stick to the Northeast side and just ride up Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and head back West to get to Philipsburg?

And for main drive, I'm thinking of going through Nebraska through North Wyoming on the way which is the shortest to Cody, and come back through South Dakota. Other options include going through Cheyenne and coming up through more of the Western Wyoming are or even Kansas / Colorado and then come up. I guess my goal for this part is making good time but not getting bored out of my mind on the long straights. I haven't done Kansas on a bike but in a car, I love going to Colorado except for driving through Kansas.

Advice?

Answer to Q No 1: IMO, you would be crazy to NOT go through Yellowstone if you're there and haven't seen it before. From Cody heading west, the ride is just fantastic. You go into the Park, up over Sylvan Pass. Yes it will be busy, but the scenery is spectacular. I've seen bears right on Sylvan pass, other big critters too... Then you ride the edge of Yellowstone Lake. Just know you're there to cruise (sometimes pretty slow) and enjoy the sights and smells... Head north to Canyon in the park, do the hike off the bike to "Brink of the Lower Falls" and prepare to be amazed:

https://mms.nps.gov/yell/features/canyontour/brnklowf.htm

Going back out the NE entrance of the park through Lamar Valley is actually nice riding, and not as congested. Check out Cooke City MT just out of the park--great place to stop for lunch....

As for your trip out and/or back, I'd highly recommend trying to work in Highway 14 in Wyoming west from Sheridan--up and over the Bighorn Mountains--it is fantastic.

West out of Cody---that pink-colored pavement down there shows you---big 180 degree turns smooth and grippy--fantastic ride up a huge climb.

 

[Pterodactyl]

Careful!!!! If you ride through the Bighorns you just may never leave.

 

[Goodman4]

Looks like the trip is going to happen. I've got vacation already approved and have been talking to family and doing trip planning. I'm going with the consensus here and taking quick routes into Wyoming and then starting the real touring from Cody on. If we push hard going and coming back, we may have 5 days to visit and tour western Montana. I definitely will be doing Beartooth and Going to the Sun road in Glacier. I've got Big Sky's book and am enjoying that a lot, but it's making me want to ride all over the place.
So I've got two questions.

We'll likely be getting to the Yellowstone area on Tuesday August 26th. That's the week before Labor Day. I know it'll still be crowded even though it's not a weekend. Do you think that is worth driving through since we're there? I'll probably never have the chance again. Or should I stick to the Northeast side and just ride up Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and head back West to get to Philipsburg?

And for main drive, I'm thinking of going through Nebraska through North Wyoming on the way which is the shortest to Cody, and come back through South Dakota. Other options include going through Cheyenne and coming up through more of the Western Wyoming are or even Kansas / Colorado and then come up. I guess my goal for this part is making good time but not getting bored out of my mind on the long straights. I haven't done Kansas on a bike but in a car, I love going to Colorado except for driving through Kansas.

Advice?

Answer to Q No 1: IMO, you would be crazy to NOT go through Yellowstone if you're there and haven't seen it before. From Cody heading west, the ride is just fantastic. You go into the Park, up over Sylvan Pass. Yes it will be busy, but the scenery is spectacular. I've seen bears right on Sylvan pass, other big critters too... Then you ride the edge of Yellowstone Lake. Just know you're there to cruise (sometimes pretty slow) and enjoy the sights and smells... Head north to Canyon in the park, do the hike off the bike to "Brink of the Lower Falls" and prepare to be amazed:

As for your trip out and/or back, I'd highly recommend trying to work in Highway 14 in Wyoming west from Sheridan--up and over the Bighorn Mountains--it is fantastic.

Thanks! I think I'll hit Bighorn on the way back and go through South Dakota and the Badlands. I am now thinking I'm going to go through Yellowstone. I am tentatively staying in Dubois, WY and will ride the park on a Tuesday and then stay in Cody which will let us still drive up Chief Joseph and the east part of Beartooth on the way to Philipsburg.

Do you think I've got a good route coming in from the east on 26, going up 287 and then going back east on 20/16 to Cody? That's 200 miles, so I'm not sure if that leaves time to go 30 miles south from Moran to Jackson Hole in the Tetons. Or if I should go a little farther west in the center of the park on 287 and see Old Faithful and that area before headed back east. I'm thinking we may need to allow more time for sight seeing and traffic so we should keep it shorter, but I want to make the most of it.

Also, any advice on whether to come through Wyoming through Cheyenne on I80 to Rawlins and up 287 to Dubois or come across my original plan of 26 through Scottsbluff and Casper?

 

[zzzzip]

The route the wife's family always took goes through St Louis, Kansas City, Sioux Falls and Rapid City before driving all the way across Montana on 212 and then I-90. Having never done that I don't know if it's going to be like Kansas Interstate or if it is interesting. Also, I could go through Des Moines and see my niece one night.

I-70 to I-29 to I-90 is the route which you speak. If a stop in Des Moines is desired may I suggest Your deviation be to turn north after St. Louis onto 61N (Ave. of the Saints), this connects St. Louis to St. Paul.

I took that route a few weeks back. Then take US 34W / 63 / 163 to Des Moines. It will add only 20 miles or so to your ride. Leaving Des Moines, the options are I-35 N (To #20 or I-90) / I-80 W to I-29.

The stretch of I-29 running up to I-90 is loaded with deer, and in September … careful riding is advised even in the daytime. I-90 across Dakota will usually mean strong winds.

I had a much more scenic route in mind but then realized getting there (Montana) was the goal with fewer miles ridden.

I-15 in Montana has some nice sweepers in stretches and around most of them is a view worthy of a jigsaw puzzle… Love Montana!

Have a great ride, and if you go through Ottumwa, IA :

A Nice Day In Iowa - Ride Reports - FJRForum

The Canteen is a treat. Make sure you have a Breaded Tenderloin in the Des Moines area too!

And for the wife's knees,"Aleve" some pain.

Good advice on the route north from St. Louis via US61 into Iowa--- that's the route I take from my home near Hannibal, MO to DM. It will break up your interstate time. If you have a problem, I'm on the list and within a half mile of 61.

Also, FWIW-- when I go to Denver, I take US 36 from Hannibal to Denver-- only adds about an hour to the ride and is no I/S. US 36 across MO is all 4 lane divided to KS with light traffic, and then 2 lane with light traffic and small towns with no lights but places to stop and take a break-- at least as far a Norton KS.

Good luck.

 

[Goodman4]

Looks like I'm not going through Des Moines but am going across Nebraska on the way out and across S Minnesota on the way back. Then down 380 and 218 to 61. Here's the maps with the detail of Black Hills separate. I have a couple rides planned while in Montana, too, including Going to the Sun Road and maybe Lolo Pass (but only the Montana side due to time). Thanks for the help! Let's hope for good health and weather.

 

[Goodman4]

I plan on this thread ending and future posts being a TRIP REPORT! Yay! We're leaving in a day and a half. Already sent a box of extra clothes for the 5 days in Montana to where we are staying.

Thanks so much to all the people who helped me plan it and Fred for giving us pictures of what to expect in his as-you-go trip report. I can't post pics from the road, so I won't compete with that, but I hope to have some to share afterward. I apologize that they will have a Goldwing in them instead of my FJR.

I think our weather is going to be tricky. 98 here when we leave and a Heat Warning in St. Louis Fri and Sat. That means a hot ride for two days and then by Wyoming the high looks to be 65 one of the days with some rain. It's the adventure, right?

We've ridden in 100 heat on our Ky to Virginia trip a couple years ago, so we know what we're getting into I think. We have our cooling vests and ice in bandanas around the neck for those hot days.

I'm chomping at the bit to get going already. If you wanna check on us, the SpotWalla track will be Paul and Tam's Montana Trip.

 

[Fred W]

You will enjoy it, that I can guarantee.

And if this is a competition, then it is one like the Special Olympics, 'cause everyone that participates wins.

Have fun.

 

[Goodman4]

Fred, I see your FJR changed colors since before my trip. Wish mine would do that. You were right - the trip was great.

I posted the trip report as promised.

 

[Fred W]

Fred, I see your FJR changed colors since before my trip.

Wish mine would do that. You were right - the trip was great.
I posted the trip report as promised.

Yes, and it was all the fault of having done that trip. We had so much fun it put me back in the market for a replacement FJR when we got home. I had been considering switching gears to a big ADV type bike (s10 or BMW GS). Not that the '05 really needed to be replaced, but... well... I'm sure you understand.

Now, off to read your RR...