Glacier or Yellowstone?

[erinag99]

My husband and I are headed out on vacation at the end of the month. The plan has been to spend all 8 days in Glacier, but I'm wondering if we shouldn't hit up Yellowstone instead/as well? Thoughts?

Thanks!
Erin

[pjt72611]

We did Teton/Yellowstone last year and then did Teton/Glacier/Arches this year. It was so hard to be near Yellowstone and not go through it, but our focus was to get to Glacier NP. From Texas it is an extra day of driving each way to get to Glacier. That is two more days you could spend in Wyoming. I am glad we have been to both now with our kids. If you haven't been to either I would recommend spending more time in Teton/Yellowstone.

Edited recommendation. Sorry for the oops!

[Doc4659]

Erin,

I grew up in Western Montana and am always looking to go back for a visit.
Going to any of the parks you'll be happy.
The biggest difference is Yellowstone has more wildlife than scenery and Glacier is more senic with less wildlife.
Teton is only about 10 miles South of Yellowstone.

I have a trip planned to Yellowstone on Sept. 10th and then down to Teton.

Have fun no matter where you go!!

If there's any info that I can help out with shoot me a email.

Dave

[pjt72611]

+1 on the wildlife in Yellowstone.

[jeffclow]

I have been to both earlier this year.

Glacier - long drives between photos spots, but when you get to Two Medicine Lake, Many Glacier and Sun Point (hike the easy 1/3 mile trail to the Point), you'll be so VERY glad you went to Glacier. No other topography like it exists in the USA.

It is also a long drive from Glacier to Yellowstone - I think you could do it in a eight day window, but you'll be in the car a lot.

Yellowstone has more wildlife - as has already been noted - but Glacier has much better landscape views and photo locations.

And if you're going to do a trip to Yellowstone, devote at least a day or two to Grand Teton National Park - it has some really special landscape locations.

[jeffkohn]

Don't try to do both, you'll spend too much time driving and will be rushed. Choose one now (actually two if you count Yellowstone/Grand Teton), and save the other for a future trip. You can easily spend a full week at Yellowstone/Grand Teton and not see everything, and I'm sure the same is true of Glacier (haven't been there yet myself).

[erinag99]

Thank you all! I think we'll end up in Glacier. We'll be driving up, hitting SE ID to make a quick visit with friends and to drop off dogs for them to dogsit. We made the same trip back in 2002, swinging through Teton/Yellowstone on the way up and I absolutely adored the whole region.

I'm relatively new to learning photography but hopefully I've learned enough to get some decent photos.

[venchka]

kINDA HARD TO GET TO gLACIER WITHOUT AT LEAST DRIVING THROUGH (SLOWLY) the Tetons & Yellowstone. Scehedule a month sometime and "do" all 3 and a few other spots in the neighborhood.
Once upon a time I rode a bicycle through Eastern Idaho as part of a Salt Lake City-Tetons-Yellowstone-Salt Lake City trip. Very nice. Off the beaten track. Stay away from the Interstate system if you can help it.
The west side of Glacier is the wet, rain forest side. Giant trees. Hanging valleys. Waterfalls.
Schedule another month sometime for the Canadian Rockies. Glacier is a just a warm up for Canada.
Have fun.

[CaptainG]

Why not press north to Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper? Incredible scenery for mile after mile. Mt Robson, entering Jasper from the west is like the Materhorn. Way fewer people and traffic is very light on weekdays. Glaciers everywhere.

Last month.

[venchka]

That's what I said in the previous post. Everything you see in the U.S. is just a warm up for Canada. Long trip from Houston. A month minimum.

ps: The first picture above is my favorite mountain. Mount Robson west of Jasper in Mt. Robson Provincial Park. Stunning!

[erinag99]

Thanks All. As much as I would love to spend a month on the road, work won't let me off for that long for some crazy reason.

[venchka]

Quit work.

[erinag99]

If only I could!