need advice/suggestions on MT trip

[eroy2]

New to the forum, just got a 2015 SR5 for the wife. She just left for the east coast for a month and I've got a weeks vacation to ensure I don't go postal at work. It's been that kind of week...

Anywho, I just got back from a weekend camping with the new truck and I'm loving it. I've also just tripped over the break in miles and this thing is going on a trip. I'm coming out of Calgary Canada and my main points of interest are the Tetons and then swinging back to do the Boulder River area in MT. The truck is Stock. Bone stock. I just took it on a test trip yesterday that proved to me the truck is capable as is. I've off roaded before and know my limits and capabilities and as I will be a solo truck I'm not risking anything.

Looking for advice on getting to trails in the Teton area and Boulder River area.
If a good guidebook exists, would be appreciated to know what it is.

Seen some of the pictures that [MENTION=118909]MTgirl[/MENTION] has posted of the Tetons and I've been to Yellowstone but never got that far.

As I said, any help is appreciated.

I'll post some pics of yesterday's trip as well.

 

[eroy2]

 

[MTgirl]

you rang?

when exactly are you coming down? how much time are you wanting to spend in each location? and can I assume you're going to be camping?

 

[eroy2]

Well, not spending much time anywhere really. If I was smart I would have actually made a good plan but loosely its drive to Idaho falls first night and I was hoping to do some shots around the Tetons that next day and still end up in Livingston that second day. Probably too ambitious. The intent was to spend Thursday/Friday in the Boulder area giving me Saturday to haul a$$ back home with a rest day. At this point not meeting anyone at any time so it's pretty fluid but those are the high points. Yes the intent was to camp out near Livingston the one night but if I need to camp out down south to make it a better trip that's cool also.

And I was planning on leaving Tuesday early. I can leave Monday afternoon if I need to stretch timelines anywhere.

 

[wanderMT]

Teton - Yellowstone and surrounding is either National Park or Forest. Park is more restrictive and with all traffic you won't get off-road far. I would inquire at offices. National Park and Forest Service web sites will give you info. Fire danger increasing daily so check ahead. I don't know Boulder well enough to help.
Sturgis is starting so watch for MCs.

 

[eroy2]

thanks for the heads up on the fire danger and Sturgis.

 

[fourwd1]

Moved to OT.

 

[MTgirl]

I would say its a bit ambitious to cover both Teton and Yellowstone in a day. This is the busiest time of year and traffic will be awful - a buffalo jam could set you back a few hours. And part of the roads in Yellowstone are closed at night for construction - from Norris to Mammoth the road is shut down from 11pm to 7am. I would suggest spending two days in the parks and one in the Boulder area.

If you're wanting to do mainly backroads driving and not interested in the main touristy stuff I would suggest heading down to Ashton, ID and then heading east on route 47 to the Ashton-Flagg Rd (might be Grassy Lake Rd on some maps). That will take you on a single lane dirt road that goes inbetween the two parks. Really pretty area back here with lots of camping to be had. Takes about 4 or 5 hours to drive it but its worth it. Its also a sneaky way to get into Teton Park without passing an entrance station so no fees. You'll pop back out onto the highway at Flagg Ranch. In the Tetons take River Road (that's where the pic of my rig was taken) it starts about 2km south of the Signal Mtn area. Thats as close to offroading as you'll get IN the park. Not a bad road, the potholes on the hills can be a ***** though. No camping back here either. If you still have time to kill head to Jackson and at the SW corner of the town square (with the elk antler arches) take a left and follow the street to the end then take another left and you'll be on the Elk Refuge Rd. Follow that until you see forest service (brown) signs for Curtis Canyon. Few roads, trailheads and primitive camping spots back here - usually just locals, not a lot of traffic. There's more forest service roads and primitive camping spots across from the Cunningham Cabin Historic site.
Take the highway back to Moran Junction and then through the northern part of Teton Park into Yellowstone. In Yellowstone Hayden Valley (north of the lake) traffic will be pretty much at a stand still due to people watching the buffalo. Going through Old Faithful/Madison/Norris/Canyon/ Tower will be marginally faster. I would suggest going out the NE gate at Cooke City vs the NW gate at Mammoth/Gardiner. More camping and exploring outside of Cooke City. Check out Daisy and Lulu Passes north of Cooke - cool area, great views. There are camping spots back here just be aware you're in bear country and keep a clean camp!. Then head over the beartooth highway and more exploring to be had at the bottom of the switchbacks on the northern end near the Limber Pine/Greenough/MK forest service campgrounds (if you stop at the Rock Creek Vista on the Beartooth you can see these roads across the valley). Lots of camping back here as well but it usually fills up on the weekends. ONe road follows the valley floor and ends at a trailhead for Glacier Lake, the other climbs up the mountains and ends at the top of hte Hellroaring Plateau. Then head into Red Lodge and then north to the interstate. Take the interstate west to Big Timber and head south out of Big Timber into the Boulder River valley. Make sure you stop at the Natural Bridge Falls area and do the hike around to the far side to the bottom of the falls - so cool. The road into the mountains gets pretty rough, it hasn't been maintained in years, so its pretty slow going. Takes about 3 hours to cover the full distance to the end of the "maintained" road and to the start of hte primitive unmaintained road. I don't think I'd take a stock rig past that point. It gets pretty bad in a few spots. I know I wouldn't take my Runner back there. Plenty of camping along the road too - campgrounds and primitive sites. Busy on the weekends but the further up you go the less traffic you'll see.

All of the places I mentioned above should be on just about any map so pretty easy to find. Also, there are pay showers/laundromats at Colter Bay, Grant Village and Canyon campgrounds. No fire restrictions in/around the parks just yet but it you do have a fire please make sure to have a bucket of water handy and douse it before you leave.

 

[MTgirl]

Pics to show some of the places I mentioned above....in no particular order

Glacier Lake road near Beartooth Highway

Hellroaring Plateau


Natural Bridge Falls

More Beartooth...


From Daisy/Lulu Passes

 

[eroy2]

Thanks for all the awesome info. After some discussion I think I'm going to postpone this trip and do something a little more local but it is still on my radar for sure.

Thanks again.