sammie76us
My family an I are planing a camping trip in late July. We have 6 children they are 12,10,9,8,3 and 1. We camp in a tent and love to hike. Last year we went to Glacier and we all loved it. We took the kids on a 12.8 mile hike on the high line trail they did awesome. We have been camping and hiking with them since they were very little. Any way my mother-in-law keeps suggesting that we go to Yellowstone this year. So my question is we love to hike and we also don't like tons of people. Which is a better fit for us??? Thanks
Answer
I've been to both parks and have plans to visit both again in late June. Like you I enjoy hiking and dislike crowds. Glacier is one of my favorite parks and I've been to 37 of our 58 national parks so far. In my opinion if you and the kids have seen Yellowstone before and would prefer the solitude of the mountain trails, then skip it and go to Glacier. However, if you haven't been to Yellowstone before, don't knock it until you've seen it. Why not split your time and spend two or three days in Yellowstone before going to Glacier to escape the crowds.
Yellowstone is a one of a kind national park and certainly worth a visit. I'm sure the kids will appreciate seeing the various thermal features (hang on to the little ones when on the boardwalks) and Yellowstone Falls. The crowds will be concentrated around the more accessible sites but you can get away from a lot of that by going to the more remote locations or those that require some effort to get to. As an example, you'll probably find tons of people at the lower Yellowstone Falls viewpoints scattered along the northern rim of the canyon but if you drive over to Artist's Point you'll find it less crowded. And, if you hike down to the lower viewing platform you'll find much, much fewer people there because of the effort required to get there and back. The same can be said of the Geyser Hill trail overlooking the Upper Geyser Basin where Old Faithful is located. To get away from the crowds, hike out to the Lone Star Geyser or up to Mt Washburn. There are ways of escaping the crowds even in a heavily visited park like Yellowstone. Pick up a book on Yellowstone trails and you may decide to spend your entire week there.
If it turns out that you don't enjoy your time in Yellowstone, at least you can tell grandma "been there, done that." Whatever you decide, have fun.
I've been to both parks and have plans to visit both again in late June. Like you I enjoy hiking and dislike crowds. Glacier is one of my favorite parks and I've been to 37 of our 58 national parks so far. In my opinion if you and the kids have seen Yellowstone before and would prefer the solitude of the mountain trails, then skip it and go to Glacier. However, if you haven't been to Yellowstone before, don't knock it until you've seen it. Why not split your time and spend two or three days in Yellowstone before going to Glacier to escape the crowds.
Yellowstone is a one of a kind national park and certainly worth a visit. I'm sure the kids will appreciate seeing the various thermal features (hang on to the little ones when on the boardwalks) and Yellowstone Falls. The crowds will be concentrated around the more accessible sites but you can get away from a lot of that by going to the more remote locations or those that require some effort to get to. As an example, you'll probably find tons of people at the lower Yellowstone Falls viewpoints scattered along the northern rim of the canyon but if you drive over to Artist's Point you'll find it less crowded. And, if you hike down to the lower viewing platform you'll find much, much fewer people there because of the effort required to get there and back. The same can be said of the Geyser Hill trail overlooking the Upper Geyser Basin where Old Faithful is located. To get away from the crowds, hike out to the Lone Star Geyser or up to Mt Washburn. There are ways of escaping the crowds even in a heavily visited park like Yellowstone. Pick up a book on Yellowstone trails and you may decide to spend your entire week there.
If it turns out that you don't enjoy your time in Yellowstone, at least you can tell grandma "been there, done that." Whatever you decide, have fun.
Who has been to Glacier National Park?
madhawk78
I am thinking of doing a hiking/camping/backpacking trip to Glacier NP this summer. Anyone out there have any advice, tips on such a trip? Is it worth the trip or are their better places to go. I was in Yosemite and Rocky Mountain NP last year, so any comparisons would be nice as well.
Answer
I have not actually been there yet myself, but am doing a week-long backpacking trip there this summer and did a lot of research in preparation.
By many accounts, Glacier NP is one of the best hiking and backpacking spots in the country. In fact, it routinely ranks at or near the top of Backpacker Magazine's annual survey. That is one of the reasons that my friends and I decided to make it this year's big backpacking trip.
I would highly recommend that you get the National Geographic Trails Illustrated map of the park which shows all the trails, camp spots and roads. I also got a couple of trail guides entitled "Hiking Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks" by Erik Molvar and "Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park" by Vicky Spring. Both are quite good, but if I were to get just one I would lean a little more toward Molvar's as a little more practical and easier to use. For general sightingseeing guides to the park and area, I got the travel guides by both Moon Publications (Becky Lomax) and the Insider's Guide (by Susan Olin). The Moon guide was quite helpful and detailed, while the Insider's guide was little more than a local business directory.
A couple of things about hiking and backpacking there...
It can be challenging to find good loop backpacking trips. Most will end up being out and backs or point to point requiring some sort of shuttle. The one exception is the famous 'Northern Circle' loop in the center of the park (starting near Swiftwater).
You must have permits to camp overnight in the backcountry. Although they always reserve some walk-up permits, most spaces can be reserved in advance by faxing a request. Note that the reservation period started on April 15 and so it may now be difficult to get popular spots between June and August. We sent in ours before the deadline and are waiting to hear if we got our intinerary.
Glacier is famous for bear country - both black and the grizzly. While attacks are comparatively rare, the park website has a video on what to do about bears and there are very tight restrictions in the backcountry around storing food and eating in a special designated 'eating spot' away from the tent spots.
Aside from hiking and camping, a few of the other things that Glacier is famous for...
Historic Lodges - In or around the park are some of the most historic and famous lodges in the US park system. The lodges at McDonald Lake, East Glacier and Waterton Park (Canada) are particulary grand and well known.
Going to the Sun Road - The famous road that bi-sects the park and is considered one of the most scenic drives in the country.
Lake Tours - Many of the larger lakes have historic tour boats that take you out on scenic cruises.
Whatever your choice, have fun!
I have not actually been there yet myself, but am doing a week-long backpacking trip there this summer and did a lot of research in preparation.
By many accounts, Glacier NP is one of the best hiking and backpacking spots in the country. In fact, it routinely ranks at or near the top of Backpacker Magazine's annual survey. That is one of the reasons that my friends and I decided to make it this year's big backpacking trip.
I would highly recommend that you get the National Geographic Trails Illustrated map of the park which shows all the trails, camp spots and roads. I also got a couple of trail guides entitled "Hiking Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks" by Erik Molvar and "Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park" by Vicky Spring. Both are quite good, but if I were to get just one I would lean a little more toward Molvar's as a little more practical and easier to use. For general sightingseeing guides to the park and area, I got the travel guides by both Moon Publications (Becky Lomax) and the Insider's Guide (by Susan Olin). The Moon guide was quite helpful and detailed, while the Insider's guide was little more than a local business directory.
A couple of things about hiking and backpacking there...
It can be challenging to find good loop backpacking trips. Most will end up being out and backs or point to point requiring some sort of shuttle. The one exception is the famous 'Northern Circle' loop in the center of the park (starting near Swiftwater).
You must have permits to camp overnight in the backcountry. Although they always reserve some walk-up permits, most spaces can be reserved in advance by faxing a request. Note that the reservation period started on April 15 and so it may now be difficult to get popular spots between June and August. We sent in ours before the deadline and are waiting to hear if we got our intinerary.
Glacier is famous for bear country - both black and the grizzly. While attacks are comparatively rare, the park website has a video on what to do about bears and there are very tight restrictions in the backcountry around storing food and eating in a special designated 'eating spot' away from the tent spots.
Aside from hiking and camping, a few of the other things that Glacier is famous for...
Historic Lodges - In or around the park are some of the most historic and famous lodges in the US park system. The lodges at McDonald Lake, East Glacier and Waterton Park (Canada) are particulary grand and well known.
Going to the Sun Road - The famous road that bi-sects the park and is considered one of the most scenic drives in the country.
Lake Tours - Many of the larger lakes have historic tour boats that take you out on scenic cruises.
Whatever your choice, have fun!
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