Road Trip Revival – The Mountains

Located just 32 miles to the northeast of Kalispell, MT is Glacier National Park.

Come and experience Glacier’s pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains, and spectacular lakes. With over 700 miles of trails, Glacier is a hiker’s paradise for adventurous visitors seeking wilderness and solitude. Relive the days of old through historic chalets, lodges, and the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road. Explore Glacier National Park and discover what awaits you.

Source: National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior

Located approximately 67 miles north of Missoula is Flathead Lake.

Recreation on and around the lake includes: sailing, power boating, water-skiing, swimming, fishing, picnicking, and camping. In the summer, roadside stands along the east shore offer a variety of locally grown cherries, apples, plums, and other fruits. The major population centers around the lake are Kalispell, Bigfork, and Polson, all of which offer a complete variety of groceries, supplies, and information.

Source: Montana Office of Tourism

Located just 34 miles northeast of Billings, MT lies the historic Pompeys Pillar National Monument.

It was part of the original 1803 Louisiana Purchase. Pompeys Pillar represents the legacy of the early West and its development. At the Pillar, there is evidence of Native Americans, early explorers, fur trappers, the U.S. Cavalry, railroad development and early homesteaders, many of whom left their history embedded in this sandstone pillar. Captain William Clark, his guide, Sacagawea, her 18-month old son (nicknamed “Pompey”) and a crew of 11 men stopped near the 200-foot-high rock outcropping on the return leg of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. On July 25, 1806, Clark carved his signature and the date in the rock and recorded doing so in his journal.

Source: Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior

Located just under 300 miles to the north of Cheyenne and 110 miles northwest of Rapid City, SD is the drive-worthy Devils Tower National Monument.

The Tower is an astounding geologic feature that protrudes out of the prairie surrounding the Black Hills. It is considered sacred by local indigenous people. Hundreds of parallel cracks make it one of the finest climbing areas in North America. Devils Tower entices us to learn more, explore more and define our place in the natural and cultural world.

Source: National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior

Located just 17 miles southwest of Rock Springs is Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.

Made of spectacular red canyon walls and arid green forest, the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area sprawls across the southwest region of Wyoming in Sweetwater County. The area covers 207,363 acres of scenic landscape and wilderness. The area’s most popular destination is the Flaming Gorge Reservoir, measuring 91 miles long. You can also experience the Green River, separated from the reservoir by the towering wall of the Flaming Gorge Dam. Both the reservoir and the river provide a plethora of water activities to choose from.

Source: Wyoming Office of Tourism

Approximately 185 miles northwest of Rock Springs, WY lies Grand Teton National Park.

Rising above a scene rich with extraordinary wildlife, pristine lakes, and alpine terrain, the Teton Range stands as a monument to the people who fought to protect it. These are mountains of the imagination. Mountains that led to the creation of Grand Teton National Park where you can explore over two hundred miles of trails, float the Snake River, and enjoy the serenity of this remarkable place.

Source: National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior

Located 141 miles south of Bozeman is the famous Yellowstone National Park.

On March 1, 1872, Yellowstone became the first national park for all to enjoy the unique

Yellowstone National Park is as wondrous as it is complex. Established primarily to protect hydrothermal areas that contain about half the world’s active geysers, the park also forms the core of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. At 28,000 square miles, it is one of the largest, nearly intact temperate-zone ecosystems on Earth. It preserves a great variety of terrestrial, aquatic, and microbial life.

Natural processes operate in an ecological context that has been less subject to human alteration than most others throughout the nation—and throughout the world. This makes the park an invaluable natural reserve and reservoir of information.

Source: National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior

Only 8 miles east of Twin Falls, ID are the Shoshone Falls.

Located at the edge of Twin Falls, Shoshone Falls is a natural beauty on the Snake River. At 212 feet, the falls are higher than Niagara Falls. The falls offer a unique blend of recreational facilities, including playgrounds, hiking trails, picnic areas, a boat ramp, swimming area, and a scenic overlook. A picnic in the shaded, grassy areas provides a perfect vantage point for viewing Shoshone Falls.

Source: Idaho Department of Commerce – Tourism Development

Only 104 miles southeast of My Place Hotel-Meridian, ID is the Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument.

Do you know horses evolved in North America? The Hagerman Horse, Equus simplicidens, is the first true one toed horse. It’s the park’s most famous fossil but we have fossil evidence of over two hundred different species. From saber-toothed cat, mastodon, bear, camel, and ground sloth, to smaller animals like rodents and frogs, the scientific study of Pliocene fossils is the key to Hagerman.

Source: National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior

Located 89 miles north of Twin Falls is the Sawtooth National Forest.

The spectacular beauty and solitude of the 217,000 acre Sawtooth Wilderness is experienced by people from all parts of the country. It is exceptional in scenic beauty and is characterized by high granite peaks and narrow glacial valleys. The Wilderness is comprised of hundreds of jagged peaks, 50 over 10,000 feet in height, with nearly 400 high alpine lakes dotting the predominantly rocky terrain.

Also hidden within its boundaries are deep, secluded valleys covered with enormous stands of trees.

Source: Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture