Suggested stops from Portland to Glacier National Park

[Christal1664882414]

We'll be flying to Portland, Oregon, in the middle of August. Long story as to

why we're then driving from Portland up to British Columbia via Glacier National

Park and Waterton. (I know this doesn't seem logical, but we must do it this

way). My question is: Can you recommend any worthwhile places to stop between

Portland and Glacier.....also which route would you recommend? Would you

recommend going through Spokane and driving on the main highway or going a

less-traveled route? I have done absolutely no research on this yet, so I'm

hoping to get some advice that will expedite my search. I'm not at all familiar

with this part of the country. I'd be interested in good photo-op places, as

well as places of natural beauty.....or anything you think is worth a stop.

We'll be at leisure to stop and see things along the way. I'd appreciate any

help you can provide.

[SteveH]

In southwest WA state is an area known as "The Palouse," an area of picturesque

rolling hills, red barns, and lots of great rural stuff. Access to this area would be

through Walla Walla and Pullman WA. In doing my trip last year from Ashland, OR I

crossed into Idaho via Lewiston/Clarkston and took US 12 all the way into Missoula.

Highway 12 is very scenic and follows Lewis and Clark's path of discovery. North of

Missoula is the National Bison Range with lots of opportunities for wildlife

photography - bison, antelope, big horn sheep, and smaller critters. This area is

definitely worth a stop. You could do this easily as a 3 day drive to Walla Walla or

Pullman, then a stop in Missoula, then on to West Glacier. Right at the start of your

drive will be the Columbia Gorge with lots of waterfalls and great scenery as well.

Personally I'd skip the interstate as much as possible. Have a great trip.<div></div>

[jim_gifford]

Mount St. Helens (WA)

 

Mount Ranier (WA)

 

Takoma to Ellensburg (WA) through the canyon

 

Cour d'Alene (ID)

 

Wallace (ID) ... tiny. very lovely town underneath I-90.

 

Kalispell (MT) good home base just outside Glacier NP

 

The Prince or Wales lodge at Waterton Lakes

 

 

I'd also recommend Chelan and Grand Coulee in Washington, but they're not really on your way. If you spend time in Waterton Lakes, you can get the same sort of fjord-like setting (even if you're renting a Chevy, not a fjord).

 

The Prince of Wales is a lovely place to stay. Not inexpensive, mind you... but lovely. see it at http://www.nationalparkreservations.com/glacier_princewales.htm

[roseberry guitars]

The most spectacular highway in the Rockies if not the world (IMHO, I grew up in Waterton) is the Going to the Sun Highway. It starts at West Glacier and goes over the mountians to St. Marys.

 

This is ABSOLUTELY the way I would enter Glacier and Waterton. If you want good photo-ops and natural beauty you will not regret this for a second.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Going-to-the-Sun_Road

http://travel.webshots.com/album/410303874AdytsR

http://www.watertoninfo.com/areamap.html

[Christal1664882414]

Steve, Jim, and Scot,

This is exactly the type of info we're looking for. Thanks so much! This gives me a

place to start at least. We have relatives in Portland, so when we've been there in

the past we've mostly just visited with family. However, we did do the Columbia

River Gorge last time we were out there. Thanks for all of these wonderful ideas! If

people still would like to contribute, I'm open to any and all ideas. We'll no doubt be

going out that way a lot more often now, as our daughter's husband just got

accepted to medical school in Calgary. Looks like we're going to be taking a lot

more trips to that neck of the woods, so we can keep some ideas for future

reference.

[jim_gifford]

<<Takoma to Ellensburg (WA) through the canyon>>

 

A very belated correction, sorry: What I meant was not Takoma, but YAKIMA to Ellensburg, through the canyon. Sure, you

can get from Takoma to Ellensburg, and the pass east of Seattle is nice... but that's not what I had in mind. The scenic

route I had in mind was the short and lovely, gently twisty road along the river north from Yakima to Ellensburg. There's a

museum in Yakima that includes a small working 1950s malt shop that makes real, honest, very tasty malts. Get a malt,

head north along the river, stop for pictures... maybe get your toes in the river at a quiet bend. Just a thought.

 

So how and why do you get to Yakima? Well, if the malt shop isn't enough of a draw... I find the rapidly changing climate

on the route east from Mount Ranier to Yakima just mesmerizing. You start with a very wet coniferous forest at

appreciable altitude, and descend into the rain shadow of the Cascades so the climate goes less and less green with

every passing mile, until you're in Washington's dramatically arid midsection at Yakima. So much change in so very few

miles! (The more you look into Oregon and Washington, you see that the story is always water. Too much... too little...

times when mighty walls of water crashed through... rivers and their canyons... orchards and farms... waterfalls and

dams... places where the drizzle is so constant it's a wonder the local people do not have moss on their north sides.)

 

Have fun each time you pick your way across the Northwest... lots and lots to see and to take pictures of.

 

Be well,