We are driving from Southern California to Montana (near Bozeman) at the beginning of June. We have to be at our destination in Montana on a certain day. We have 4 days to get there. After, we have 5 days to get back home. Looking for recommendations on where to stop there and back. My husband is looking at places to fly fish. We are getting a truck camper installed at the Montana destination, so hotels driving up there, but campgrounds are a possibility driving back. We’ve never been to Yellowstone, so I think we will try to go through there on the way back.
I’ve never done that trip so I have no advice about where to stay. However, I did do a trip from Madison WI to Seattle (1,900 miles) with S2. Just make sure that your mileage each day is doable. S2 wanted to make our trip in three days, and I realized we’d have to drive over 600 miles each day to make that happen. I knew that was not realistic, so we added a day and did it over four days. Still unpleasant, but doable without killing ourselves.
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Yellowstone is simply spectacular, but the traffic can be a nightmare, esp in the height of summer visitor season. Lots of backups.
Tons of great fly fishing in Yellowstone. Some locations are pretty easily accessible from the main roads, though the best fishing requires a hike in. Yellowstone requires a National Park fishing license.
Most of the rivers around Bozeman (Madison and Yellowstone, in particular) have good fishing.
D2 caught some spectacular lake trout in Yellowstone Lake the summer she worked at West Thumb in Yellowstone. She wasn’t flying fishing but using spinners from dinghy the summer employees shared. She had a freezer filled with trout at the end of her first month there. Her BBF worked at Fishing Bridge and said the fishing around the bridge area was excellent too. Lots of fly fishing the Yellowstone River north of Fishing Bridge.
Which way are you planning to drive back from Bozeman and Yellowstone–westwards out through Idaho then south through Provo? Or south through Jackson, Green River, and Vernal, UT?
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We’ve driven three round trips AZ-ME and wouldn’t be without the AAA TripTik app. It will get you anywhere you want to go based on your parameters. For example, after entering our starting and ending locations, we indicated we didn’t want to drive more than eight hours a day (no night driving), and we needed to stay in Hilton properties. It mapped out the entire trip in perfect segments with appropriate hotel recommendations and was spot on for arriving at our hotels each day before dinner. You can also request shortest route, most scenic route, etc.
In any case, the app will keep you on schedule so there are no surprise driving marathons.
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Camper owner here…have been to Yellowstone 3 times in the last 7 years…for Yellowstone in June, you MUST get campground reservations now. Even spaces outside the parks will be limited, but if you can camp mid week, you might have more flexibility.
Route advice: if you have never driven up 395 in eastern CA, I can’t recommend that drive enough. Way WAY better than I5.
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Yellowstone is super busy in June, super large (huge!) and super spectacular. I highly recommend 3 nights/4 days minimum. It’s just so big you can’t just “drive through” and see much of it.
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Not sure of the exact route yet. That’s one of the things we are trying to decide.
I remember the paper maps from AAA my parents would get for road trips. Of course they have an app now! I didn’t even think to look there for planning. Thank you!!
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We live on the eastern side of the southern Sierra, so the 395 is in our back yard and we have driven it to Mammoth, Tahoe, etc. many times. You are right, it is spectacular!
For this trip, I was thinking the 15 would be most efficient while also seeing new territory. I’ve never been on it north of St. George.
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I love that whole drive! Spent some time in and near Lee Vining a couple years ago too. Wow. Lucky you!
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Thanks for mentioning AAA app. We’ve been members for decades, but I did not know the printed triptiks had an online replacement. The first time we drove back East (a few years ago… before retirement we flew) we printed out Google Maps directions. Will explore the online triptik.
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I still get paper maps from AAA, as well as state welcome centers. I appreciate a larger view than the phone when planning travel.