I am from Northwestern Iowa. I am planning on going to Glacier this coming late July, early August. On the way out I am going to go through the Black Hills. Than fly up through Beartooth Pass. I have been there before but want to go through again. Than I plan on meandering up to Glacier on the east side of the range. On the way home we plan on going through and ending up on the west side of the Pass. I would like to head down to Jackson Hole from here. I am kind of curious what would be the most scenic roads from Glacier to Jackson Hole. I would like to stay in Idaho because I have been through Yellowstone already. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated on the way from Beartooth Pass also. Thanks

 

If you can and you are in Idaho, the Lolo Pass ( Highway 12 ) is really a neat ride.

 

2nd for US 12. You won't be sorry with that choice but from your route it's going to be way on the west side of where you want to be.

 

Ya thats going to be to far west from where I need to be this trip. I was thinking about heading south to Belgrade and than takeing that by Big Sky and south to the west of Jackson Hole

 

The road from Belgrade down to West Yellowstone is in good shape but the scenery was ordinary for that part of the country. Another option is to go across US 14 from Cody, Wyoming to Sheridan, Wyoming across the Big Horn Mountains. You can see pics from that road on my 6800 mile tour thread. You could also do US 16 from Worland, Wyoming to Buffalo, Wyoming. That was how I originally planned to go but went north to dodge some thunderstorms. I think you'd be pleased either way.

 

Yes those are 2 great routes. I have been over those passes already. On the way out there we plan on going over either one again to get to Cody so we can go through Chief Josephs hiway and Beartooth Pass on the way out to Glacier. On the way home I just thought it would be different to go through Jackson Hole and onto Dubois on the way home. Been there, but not on a motorcycle. Doesn't sound like a real great road to get down to Jackson Hole on the Idaho side from Glacier what I understand? I might just pick one and take it and be happy.

 

I was down US 93 as far as the Idaho border this summer before heading east to Wisdom and then back to Missoula. There's a good pizza joint and bar in Wisdom. The road surface is fine and going across the Big Hole Basin you'll see all kinds of deer and antelope. Scenery-wise it's nothing spectacular but it'd still be a good ride. There's NOBODY on those roads.

 

What exactly is ordinary about Gallatin Canyon?

The OP is asking about getting from Glacier NP to Jackson, and you want to send him out to Sheridan?

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Which side of GNP are you leaving from?

I would imagine you are heading from Red Lodge and making your way to East Glacier and entering the Park from that side.

If so, then leave GNP at West Glacier, take US 2 west until you pick up US 93. Take that south through the Flathead Valley. Amazing scenery.

That will spit you out at Missoula, on I-90. From there you have a choice:

1) head south on US 93 into the Bitterroot. At Lost Trail Pass (Continental Divide and ID border), head east towards Wisdom, stop at the Big Hole Battlefield. At Wisdom, head south towards Jackson (different Jackson, not your final destination) and ultimately Dillon. This will take you through the Big Hole, which is pretty amazing. Most tourists never get into that corner of Montana. Take the side trip to Bannack, a ghost town and first territorial capital of MT. Then from Dillon take MT 41 to Twin Bridges. Stop and look at The Beaverhead (a Lewis & Clark site, google it). At Twin Bridges, take MT 287 towards Virginia City, a "restored" ghost town, then ride down to Ennis in the Madison Valley. From Ennis, head south on US 287 towards West Yellowstone. From there, head through the Park to Jackson. If you don't want to do that, take MT 87 south from US 287 to Henry's Lake, ID to US 20, go west and take ID 32 to ID 33 to Driggs, then head over Teton Pass to Jackson, WY.

2) from Missoula, take I-90 east (it is a scenic ride, actually) to Belgrade and take US 191 south through Gallatin Canyon to West Yellowstone. And then either go through the Park or take US 20 west into Idaho, and at Ashton, take ID 32, etc.

SW Montana is my home. If you have any questions about routes, roadhouses, bars, etc., just post here or PM.

 

You didn't think the Big Hole was impressive scenery-wise? (though you really only went to Wisdom and back to Lost Trail.) It's tucked in against the spine of the Rockies, with high mountains on either side, and has one of the best trout rivers in America running through it.

Maybe you should just save up and ride the Swiss Alps or something

 

To each his own I guess. Compared to Glacier itself I didn't think it was anything close. Gallatin Canyon was pretty, not spectacular. The Big Hole Basin was flat...nothing to write home about. As I said I didn't go beyond Wisdom. That area is typical of the other steppe areas out west. Next time I get out there I'll go beyond Wisdom to check out where you're talking about.

Don't get me wrong...it's all VERY good riding and I thoroughly enjoyed every mile. Ordinary Montana is better than a great many places. When I refer to spectacular though I'm talking about roads like Going to the Sun Road in GNP, CA 1 at Big Sur, and US 163 in Utah. The best of the best.