Grand Teton, Yellowstone, WY, MT advice needed

[Dirtstiff's F6B]

Road to the sun and Bear tooth are very different passes.
Although Bear tooth will have snow drifts remaining in July.
Either way, prepare to be baptised at least once a day.

Jim

[choptop]

Last year was my first time ever to Yellowstone, Beartooth Pass, both coming and going was awesome as was Yellowstone and the whole trip. I want to go back and ride the Going to the Sun road.

[Necanefan]

That's Beartooth Pass, not the Going to the Sun!

Here's a link for the road I rode:
https://home.nps.gov/applications/gl...roadstatus.cfm

Haha, yes they are very different passes. That's what I get for sneaking in a post while I should have been working: embarrassment. Either way, both roads are now on my bucket list.

[Dirtstiff's F6B]

Last year was my first time ever to Yellowstone, Beartooth Pass, both coming and going was awesome as was Yellowstone and the whole trip. I want to go back and ride the Going to the Sun road.

I'd wait until late July or early August if you can plan it.
Good snow pack year last year could mean a late opening.
Better riding weather, less bugs, less roadwork...

[royr]

Grand Teton, take the inner park road. Motels in West Yellowstone +$100 a night.

[Necanefan]

I'm looking to book my rooms for the first part of the trip. I'm looking at arriving Saturday night June 18th. My thought is to stay Saturday night in Dubois, WY, then explore Grand Teton NP on Sunday, travelling through Yellowsone and ending up in Cody. Cody seems like a good place to stay for the next two nights to continue to explore Yellowstone, Chief Joseph Hwy and Beartooth Pass. That brings me to needing to figure it up the trip from Tuesday evening on. Based on current pictures and condition, I would not bet on Going To The Sun Road being open in Glacier NP. I could head up to Shelby, MT to the east of Glacier, or to Kalispell to the west of Glacier and hope for the best. My questions to those familiar with the areas:
Would you suggest staying on the east or west side of Glacier?
What rides (1-2 days) would you recommend near or in Glacier?
Is there a destination other than Glacier that you would recommend?

I'd like to get back to Omaha Friday or Saturday.

[Dirtstiff's F6B]

Much prettier on the west side. You can go in and out of the park to the closed portion of the RTTS, then come back out and stay in Kalispell or Whitefish. The east side dumps you back into Helena. Some neat old silver mining towns and history around Helena that are worth seeing. Towns people in all the little burgs heading south, are great - Agusta, Chouteau. .

Check out the Ram's Horn Inn while in Dubois.
Cody is a neat base camp. Book your stay at Buffalo Bill's Hotel called The Erma. Neat old historic place with good food. You can ride north into Sunlight Basin or west, back toward Cody resevoir and Yellowstone or south east into Sheridan, Wyoming and cut east to Nebraska, while checking out all the little cow towns on the way.

That's part of my route planning for another trip in July.
Ride safe and look out for animals.

Edit: The Dirty side or the east side of Glacier going south, as described by locals, is also wide open, warmer to hot, compared to mtn travel.

J

[royr]

Cody is not cheap. Check the room rates. You maybe able to stay closer for a little more $$. Last time I was in that area I stay in Columbus on I-90 north of Red Lodge.

[Necanefan]

I booked the 19th and 20th in Cody, WY and the 21st and 22nd in Kalispell, MT. I had enough reward points stored up with Choice hotels to cover the 4 nights. I've still got to book the 19th in Dubois. The return trip home I'll just figure out where to stay depending on when I get tired.
It's a long way home from Kalispell, MT to Omaha, NE.

[Necanefan]

As of today, Going To The Sun Road in Glacier National Park is not yet open for the season. If it is not open before I leave on my trip on Friday, I need to make a back up plan for a couple of days. I've heard good things about Lolo Pass. Has anyone ridden this? Would you suggest a different ride in the WY/ID/MT area?