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Not even sure why I'm getting into this, I agree with most of what Mike says, but if going north than south to get to Jackson bothers someone then just go north.
Go 30 east through Lava Hot Springs, then 34 north into WY 89, then go north into Jackson and jump on 191.
And if you go through Idaho falls, instead of heading up to Ashton and circling south, head east to Swan Valley via 26 then 31 into Victor and then over Teton Pass in the the Hole.
But this is all I wall add. Most of the time, people need to just plan their own trip from what friends have told them.
Like I say, Jackson is called a hole for a reason. Some nice restaurants to visit in the winter when very limited tourists, but during the warmer months when the YNP crowd is hanging around, I always make sure to take the truck bypass to keep as from from downtown as possible.
I'm with the others, I'm no more attracted to Jackson Hole than I am Beverly Hills, CA. I tend to go the alpine route on 26 as I havea friends that live in WY across from the elk refuge. I'm more comfortable driving to their place, visiting, playing with the dogs,having a BBQ and watching the wild life than going into town.
I do love the drive up through Island Park when we go to West Yellowstone, MT. If it's something you would be interested in, there's an awesome place for trail rides on horseback just before getting into West.
Listen to banjomike,of he told me to get my snowshovel out on a 70 degree day, you know I would!!!
In defense of Jackson Hole: for a tourist looking for the experience of a hip, popular Western town, Jackson (pre-COVID, anyway) is a lot of fun. Great (overpriced) Western-outfit and Western fashion stores, impressive (overpriced) Western art galleries, fun town layout with antler sculptures, and a general upscale Western fashion magazine ambiance. Yes, bad restaurants and snooty hotels, but day trips around Jackson Hole are easy and mind-blowing. The elk refuge, the old postcard barns, a self-guided movie location tour (talk with the Chamber of Commerce), the lake, the rivers, and the fantastic views of the Tetons and the Gros Ventres.
Come on, for a visitor to the West, Jackson has a lot to offer. Those of us who feel that we are a part of the West, it may seem phoney and a rip-off, but I have to say that even though I was well aware of the touristy stuff when we visited some years ago, I had fun, and got myself a spectacular Gus style cowboy hat and an oil painting of the Gros Ventres that I look at every day. You just have to allow yourself to experience Jackson with a forgiving smile on your face...
Last edited by Clark Fork Fantast; 02-25-2021 at 08:38 AM..
In defense of Jackson Hole: for a tourist looking for the experience of a hip, popular Western town, Jackson (pre-COVID, anyway) is a lot of fun. Great (overpriced) Western-outfit and Western fashion stores, impressive (overpriced) Western art galleries, fun town layout with antler sculptures, and a general upscale Western fashion magazine ambiance. Yes, bad restaurants and snooty hotels, but day trips around Jackson Hole are easy and mind-blowing. The elk preserve, the old postcard barns, a self-guided movie location tour (talk with the Chamber of Commerce), the lake, the rivers, and the fantastic views of the Tetons and the Gros Ventres.
Come on, for a visitor to the West, Jackson has a lot to offer. Those of us who feel that we are a part of the West, we see the phoneyness and the rip-off, but I have to say that even though I was aware of the touristy stuff when we visited some years ago, I had fun, and got myself a spectacular Gus style cowboy hat and an oil painting of the Gros Ventres that I look at every day. You just have to allow yourself to experience Jackson with a forgiving smile on your face...
Actually, if we do go into town, Sidewinders is an awesome place to eat and people watch. That's not in the center of town so it still keeps us from going deep in to the thick of things.
coming in late with a bit of a different perspective. Not sure if it fits into your plans, and not sure where you'll be starting/where you need to end, but 93/75 from Missoula thru Stanley, Ketchum, etc. is one of the nicest drives in the country, IMO.
Its the wrong way for you, but hwy12 (beartooth highway) discussed as one of the best roads in the nation, as well.
coming in late with a bit of a different perspective. Not sure if it fits into your plans, and not sure where you'll be starting/where you need to end, but 93/75 from Missoula thru Stanley, Ketchum, etc. is one of the nicest drives in the country, IMO.
Its the wrong way for you, but hwy12 (beartooth highway) discussed as one of the best roads in the nation, as well.
I checked out 93/75 and it looks like this is more the central part of the state correct?
And Beartooth highway. It looks like it starts at the top of WY & ventures into Montana to Missoula? Is that correct? Just want to make sure we are on the same page. That actually isn't out of the question which is another reason I want to make sure I'm looking at this correct.
One thing I did notice is they have symbols on google maps saying the road is closed at the beginning of Beartooth? ANy idea why? Weather?
I checked out 93/75 and it looks like this is more the central part of the state correct?
yes.. if you're coming from SLC you'll go N on 84 towards Boise, but cut north at Twin. Stay overnight (or longer) in Ketchum/SV then head north to Stanley, then keep going to Missoula. You then have the option of going West on 12 or heading further north to Kalispell / Glacier NP.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Statz2k10
And Beartooth highway. It looks like it starts at the top of WY & ventures into Montana to Missoula? Is that correct? Just want to make sure we are on the same page. That actually isn't out of the question which is another reason I want to make sure I'm looking at this correct.
One thing I did notice is they have symbols on google maps saying the road is closed at the beginning of Beartooth? ANy idea why? Weather?
I checked out 93/75 and it looks like this is more the central part of the state correct?
And Beartooth highway. It looks like it starts at the top of WY & ventures into Montana to Missoula? Is that correct? Just want to make sure we are on the same page. That actually isn't out of the question which is another reason I want to make sure I'm looking at this correct.
One thing I did notice is they have symbols on google maps saying the road is closed at the beginning of Beartooth? ANy idea why? Weather?
The Beartooth is so high, steep and twisty it's closed until late spring, and then opened through the summer months.
It begins just outside of the Yellowstone boundary, at the edge of Cooke City, Mt. Cooke City is only accessible through Yellowstone during the winter months. And that's only when the highway is plowed. There are times when a snow machine would have to be used for transportation for anyone who lives in Cooke City.
It's not a long drive, but it goes right over the top of a few Rocky Mountains and then down the other side of them. At one point, the roadway is at the tippy-top of a ski hill, above the turnaround for the chair lift.
It's a wonderfully scenic drive, but not one to be taken at normal highway speed. If time is pressing, a driver would be better off to leave Cooke City headed for the northern entrance to the park, and exiting out at Gardiner, Montana.
From there, it's a straight shot up the Paradise valley to Livingston, where I-90 can be picked up. The Beartooth will dump a driver out at Red Lodge, and I-90 can be picked up from there, more eastward than in Livingston.
I-90 can also be picked up at Bozeman, Belgrade, or at Logan before it goes over the Centennial Pass into Butte. It can be picked up just northwest of Butte from I-15. This exit lies just outside the Butte city limits.
I-15 to I-90 is always one of the fastest routes. All of them are fairly scenic, but the Beartooth is truly a spectacular drive, though not for the faint of heart.
If you have't been to Jackson, go to Jackson. Yes, its touristy but it's still a very cool place to visit... along with the drive along the Tetons, either on the ID or WY side is spectacular.
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