hiking – Page 2

A Weekend in Shenandoah National Park

Published on April 20, 2024January 8, 2025 by Skylar M. Beck1 Comment

Last weekend, Patrick and I visited another national park on the east coast, Shenandoah! We had a weekend to explore the park and made the most out of our time there. We really enjoyed soaking in views along the Skyline drive, hiking to view the stunning Shenandoah mountain range, and much more. Here’s a quick weekend guide to Shenandoah national park and things I’d recommend you do too if you’re planning a visit.

Things to Know About Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah requires a park entrance fee of $30 per vehicle which can be purchased when you arrive or in advance here.
There are a few lodging and overnight options within the park. If you like to camp, there are five campgrounds located within the park:
- Mathews Arm
- Big Meadows (this is the campground we stayed at during our visit, and really enjoyed it!)
- Lewis Mountain
- Loft Mountain
- Dundo group

If you’d prefer other lodging options within the park, Shenandoah offers a few cabin and hotel like experiences:
- Skyland lodge
- Big Meadows lodge
- Lewis Mountain cabins

The skyline drive goes through the park and has several marked pull off areas that offer stunning views of the park.

Things to Do in Shenandoah

Stop at the overlooks along the skyline drive. I’d recommend pulling off whenever you can! My favorite overlooks were:

Range view overlook
Hog back overlook
Mary’s rock tunnel
Buck hollow
Hazel mountain
Thorofare mountain (highlight overlook on the skyline drive)
Crescent rock
The point
Brown mountain overlook

Go for a hike! Shenandoah offers some incredible hikes. Since our time was limited while visiting, we didn’t get to explore many hikes but the ones we did that I’d recommend:

Little Stony Man trail (1.5mi). This trail was pretty easy and gives you stunning views on the shenandoah mountain range!
Hawksbill mountain trail (1.6mi). This trail was steep and challenging at the beginning but the views at the top make it worth it!
Bearfence viewpoint trail (1.4mi). Another great smaller trail that gives stunning views at the top!

Some hikes we also considered that look amazing:

Mary’s rock summit (3.1mi)
Compton peak trail (2.3mi)
Rose river falls (3.8mi)
Dark hollow falls (1.4mi)

Stop by Skyland lodge. Even if you aren’t planning to stay at Skyland, I’d recommend stopping to check out the views, souvenirs shops, and grab some food at the cafe. There’s also a Starbucks located inside if you need a good cup of coffee!

Stop by a nearby town. Shenandoah is nestled between some quaint Virginian towns that are worth exploring! On our way home, we had fun stopping in Sperryville, VA for some coffee and window shopping.

Stopping at overlooks along the skyline drive

24 Hours in New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia

Published on March 19, 2024January 8, 2025 by Skylar M. BeckLeave a comment

This past weekend, Patrick and I took a short and sweet trip to New River Gorge National Park. We left so impressed with how much this national park had to offer and we are already looking forward to a future trip someday. Even though our time was limited, we truly made the most of the weekend and saw some incredible highlights in New River Gorge national park.

Things to Know About New River Gorge

New River Gorge is completely FREE to enter the park!
The closest town to New River Gorge is Fayetteville, WV and it is such a cool little town.
All 8 campgrounds within New River Gorge are also completely FREE which is a huge plus for campers! We stayed at Grand Sandbar campground and really enjoyed it. Keep in mind, the campgrounds are primitive, so no flush toilets, running water, showers, etc. The sites at each campground are also first come first serve. If camping isn’t your thing, there are plenty of hotels within the area as well.

Things to Do in New River Gorge

Check out the bridge overlook near the Canyon Rim Visitor’s Center. This overlook gives you a stunning view of the bridge and it’s an easy walk. There are steps you can also take for an up close view of the bridge, but it is 178 steps so keep that in mind. I’d recommended walking down if you’re able, seeing the bridge a little up close was so cool!
Drive to the grand/ “main overlook.” We weren’t able to do this because we were staying in a different area of the park, but next visit this is definitely on our list!
Take a hike! New River Gorge surprised us with so many incredible hikes. We only had time for two but they were some of our favorite hiking experiences we’ve ever had!
- Endless Wall Trail. This trail is 3.2 miles round trip and it’s technically a loop trail but learn from our mistake, the start and end points don’t connect back to the same parking lot! If you park at endless wall trailhead and hike all the way in a loop direction, you will end at Nuttall parking lot. Thankfully, these parking lots are a 12 minute walk a part but if you don’t want to walk back to your car afterwards, I’d recommend making the hike an out and back style. Regardless, this trail is incredible and gives you stunning views of the wall cliff side and the gorge underneath!
- Long Point trail. This is one of the most popular trails in the park and for good reason! This 3.2 mile out and back trail gives you a stunning view of the new river gorge bridge. I’d say this trail is fairly easy with very little elevation gain.
- Castle Rock trail. We didn’t have time for this hike but it’s on our list for next time!
Spend time in Fayetteville, WV. This is the park’s closest nearby town and it’s such a cool area. We had so much fun walking around, checking out shops, and eating delicious food! Our favorite food stops were:
- Secret Sandwich Society
- Pies and Pints
- Rangefinder Coffee
- Cathedral Coffee

Rainy views along the endless wall trail

Endless Wall hike, be sure to stop by Diamond Point for incredible views

10 Incredible Things to do in Glacier National Park

Published on March 7, 2024January 4, 2025 by Skylar M. BeckLeave a comment

Glacier national park is one of my favorite national parks I’ve been to yet. It has stunning mountain views, incredible hikes, and so many opportunities to see unique wildlife. I visited the park for the first time last summer and was completely blown away! Here are some incredible things I’d recommend doing while visiting Glacier national park.

1. Drive the Going to the Sun Road

This is a must do while visiting Glacier! This iconic road is the main road that connects most areas of the park. It gives you stunning views of the mountains and scenery within the park and offers several pull off areas to stop and soak in the views further. Our favorite pull off area was “Big Bend” which isn’t really marked but it’s the point on the road that really opens up and gives you an incredible view of the mountains. Note, the going to the sun road is typically only open from late June/early July through October. The park posts each year on their website when the road opens for the season and it varies depending on the amount of snow that year.

2. Take a Hike

Glacier has so many incredible hikes! The best part of the hikes within the park is the mountain views you’re able to see from most trails. Some of my favorite that we did include:

The Highline trail
Avalanche Lake trail
Grinnell glacier viewpoint trail
Hidden lake overlook trail

I’d recommend downloading the All Trails app to learn more about these hikes, the difficulty level, length, and reviews from other hikers. There’s also the ability to download a map of the trail in advance so you have a guide while hiking, which is helpful because there’s barely any cell service in Glacier!

The weather was super cloudy and rainy when we attempted the high line trail

Views along the hidden lake overlook trail

3. Visit the Many Glacier Area

This area is located on the east side of the park and is home to the Many Glacier hotel. This area truly felt like I was transported to Switzerland, it was so unique! There’s several incredible hikes to check out here too including Grinnel Glacier overlook trail. Keep in mind, this area of the park requires it’s own timed entry reservation if visiting during peak season which can be purchased on the park’s website.

4. Try Huckleberry Ice Cream

Huckleberry is extremely popular in the Wyoming and Montana areas! It is similar to a blueberry but a more tart and so good! There are so many huckleberry treats within the area and you’ll find it all over the park at every general store. I’d recommend trying the ice cream especially in the summer!

5. Swim in Lake Mcdonald

Take a swim in one of the most iconic lakes in the park. The water is super clear and has beautiful colored rocks to coat the bottom. It’s also possible to kayak in this lake which also seems like a great option!

6. Check out Goose Island

This island can be seen along the going to the sun road, there’s a pull off spot. This island truly looks like a goose! It has become an iconic photo location for visitors and definitely worth a stop!

7. Take a Drive to Polebridge

This area is technically outside of the park but close enough for a drive if you have extra time in your trip. It’s known for the Polebridge general store that has camp goods, foods, coffee, souvenirs and pastries. We stopped and got huckleberry pastries and coffee, it was delicious!

8. Go Fly Fishing

Glacier national park is well known for prime areas to fly fish. Areas outside of the park require a Montana fishing license which can be purchased at a flying fishing store or most general stores. I’d recommend speaking to a park ranger within the park or someone at a fly fishing store to gain more information on certain restrictions and regulations while fishing in the park or just within Montana.

9. Take Photos of the Wildlife within the park

We were stunned with how much wildlife we saw throughout our trip to Glacier! We loved seeing mountain goats, moose, bears, big horn sheep and much more. Most of this wildlife we saw was seen during hikes and drives throughout the park. Be sure to always carry bear spray and bear bells with you while hiking in the park and maintain a safe distance from these animals.

10. Watch the Sunset

Watching the sunset within the park is an incredible thing to do! We loved watching the sunset along the going to the sun road or by Mcdonald lake.

One Day in Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

Published on February 7, 2024January 8, 2025 by Skylar M. BeckLeave a comment

This past weekend, Patrick and I crossed another national park off our list, Mammoth Cave! Mammoth Cave national park is located an hour and a half south of Louisville, Kentucky. It is an underrated park in my opinion, I was amazed with how incredible Mammoth Cave was! We only spent one day exploring which I think was enough to experience the highlights but I’d recommend at least a weekend to fully explore the park. Here’s a quick guide to tips and things I’d recommend checking out while visiting.

Things to Know About Mammoth Cave

Mammoth Cave national park is FREE to enter, there are no entrance fees required to access the park.
Cave tours are the most popular thing to do while visiting the park, tours vary in length and difficulty level.
I’d recommend booking a cave tour in advance. You have the option to buy a ticket on site at the visitor’s center, but even in February, certain cave tours were sold out!
After exiting any cave tour, the park requires you to walk across a station with soap to clean the bottom of your shoes. This is to prevent the spread of White Nose Syndrome which is a fungal disease that has been impacting bat populations across the country.
The park has great lodging options if you desire to stay within the park:
- Sunset Terrance hotel
- Historic Cottages (closed in the winter)
- Woodland Cottages (closed in the winter, these cottages don’t have A/C or heat)
- Camping
  - Mammoth Cave campground
  - Maple Springs campground (10 minutes from visitor’s center)
  - Houchin Ferry campground (20 minutes from visitors center, tent only).
- Airbnb’s and hotels in surrounding areas (Brownsville, KY + Cave City, KY).

Things to Do

Cave tour. When visiting Mammoth Cave, you have to take a cave tour! It’s an incredible experience having the opportunity to explore the caves. The national parks system has done an amazing job making the tours enjoyable and informative. There are several cave tour options that you can learn more about on the park’s website.
- We decided to take the Frozen Niagara cave tour and it was incredible! This tour was an hour and 15 minutes. It’s the shortest cave tour in time and distance, we only walked about .25 mile on this tour.
- Other popular tours many visitors choose include:
  - Historic Tour (2 hours, $20 per adult)
  - Domes and Dripstones tour (2 hours, $21 per adult)
  - Gothic Avenue tour (2 hours, $19 per adult)
- *Starting March 1st, 2024, the park will be increasing the prices of cave tour tickets, learn more on the park’s website.
Visit the visitor’s center. We were surprised with how big the visitor’s center was! For a smaller national park, this was great to see. The visitor’s center had a small museum like feel inside giving visitors information and history on the cave.
Go for a hike. There were surprisingly lots of different hikes within the park. Our favorites were:
- Sunset point trail
- Cedar sink trail
- Floyd Collins trail
- Green river bluff, echo river springs, sinkhole, and heritage trail (combined is 4.3mi round trip)
Stop by the historic entrance. This is an iconic spot in the park to stop by. It is the largest natural opening of the cave and it was originally the first entrance to the cave when it was discovered.
Take a picture at the entrance sign.There are two entrance signs for the park, one if you’re entering from Cave City and one if entering from Brownsville.
Stop by Cave City. We didn’t explore too much here but we’ve heard there are great restaurants and shops in this area.

View of Crystal Lake during Frozen Niagara tour

Changes Within the US National Parks You Need to Know Before Planning a Trip

Published on January 21, 2024January 8, 2025 by Skylar M. BeckLeave a comment

Throughout the last few years, the national park system has changed the way visitors can access certain areas within the parks during peak seasons. Certain parks now require reservations for specific areas to limit crowds and enhance visitor’s overall experience. As of this year, there are 9 national parks that require some type of reservation when visiting.
If you’ve read other national park posts I’ve written, you know I’m frequently recommending planning at least 6+ months in advance, especially for popular parks. While I know this isn’t always possible or convenient, due to the changes with national parks, planning in advance is almost essential if you want to fully access and experience the parks as it’s not possible to purchase these reservations upon entering the park, they must be reserved in advance..

Types of Reservations that may be Required

Timed Entry Reservation. This kind of reservation requires visitors to reserve a ticket for a time period (ex. 6am-4pm). These kind of reservations may give you access to one section of the park, the entirety of the park, a road within the park, etc, depending on the park. If you aren’t able to access a timed entry reservation (if you’re planning a last minute visit) there are ways around this. If the time slot is 6am-4pm, that means if you enter the park BEFORE 6am, you’ll be able to get in. However, if you leave the park at any point before 4pm, you won’t be able to get back in until after 4pm. Similarly, you could access the park after 4pm.
Vehicle Reservation. This kind of reservation may be for a specific area in the park. For example, in Acadia National park, you need a vehicle reservation to drive up to Cadillac mountain.
Hiking Permit. This kind of reservation is necessary if you want to hike a particular trail in the park that requires a permit. For example, Old Rag trail in Shenandoah national park now requires a permit to access.

Parks that Require Reservations

*As of December 2023*

Acadia National Park, Maine– requires a vehicle reservation to access Cadillac mountain if visiting between May-October. This reservation costs $6 and can be purchased on the park’s website.
Arches National Park, Utah– requires a timed entry reservation (7am-4pm) between April-October. This reservation costs $2 per vehicle. Learn more on the park’s website.
Glacier National Park, Montana– requires a vehicle reservation (6am-3pm).
- Due to Glacier’s popularity, the park has split the major areas of the park into three sections that ALL require reservations if you plan to visit. All sections require a reservation between the hours of 6am-3pm during the months of May-October. The sections within the park that all need a reservation include:
- Going to the sun Road
- North Fork
- Many Glacier
Haleakala National Park, Hawaii– requires a vehicle reservation (3am-7am) that costs $1 per vehicle to watch the sun rise above the clouds at Haleakala Summit. Learn more on the park’s website.
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado-requires a timed entry ticket from May through October. RMNP has split the timed entry tickets into two sections:
- Bear Lake corridor, timed entry reservation required to access the bear lake trails + access to the rest of the park, costs $2. Timed entry from 5am-6pm.
- Rest of the park, timed entry reservation for the Rocky Mountains national park, excluding the bear lake trails, costs $2. Timed entry from 9am-2pm.
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia– requires a day use hiking permit if you desire to hike ‘Old Rag trail’ which is one the most popular trails in the park. Reservation required from March-November and costs $1 (each person is required to have a ticket). Learn more on the park’s website.
Yosemite National Park, California– requires a timed entry ticket to access areas in the park and a hiking permit for the Half Dome trail. The park has different types of reservations if you plan to visit this year:
- Horsetail Fall reservation– ticketed entry during the months of February on the weekends of February 10–11, February 17–19, and February 25–26, 2024. Note, this reservation is only required if you plan to visit on the listed days in February. This is a big attraction during the month of February in the park, so the reservations are listed for the weekends. This reservation costs $2 and is per vehicle. Purchase tickets on the park’s website.
- Peak Hour Plus reservation– timed entry ticket valid to enter the park from 5am-4pm and good for 3 conservative days! This reservation is required during the months of April-October. It’s $2 and per vehicle. Purchase tickets on the park’s website.
- Half Dome hiking permit– this popular trail now requires a permit to hike as an attempt to reduce crowds. Learn more about how to obtain a permit through the park’s lottery system here.
Zion National Park, Utah– requires hiking permits for Angel’s Landing, Subway, and the Narrows from top-down.
- Angel’s Landing– the park now requires a permit to hike the entirety of this trail (without a permit you can hike all the way to “scout lookout”). Similarly to Yosemite, permits are selected by a lottery system. It costs $6 to apply and if selected it’s $3 per person to hike this trail. Learn more on the park’s website.
- The Subway- this hike requires a permit if you plan to hike it between the months of April-October and is selected through a lottery system as well. Learn more here.
- The Narrows from top down– the narrows is one of the most incredible hiking experiences within the park! Many visitors hike this from the bottom up (I did!) but if you wish to hike the trail from the top down (16miles total), you’ll need a wilderness permit. Learn more here.
Muir Woods, California– requires a parking reservation to access this national monument. Learn more here.

Tips & Things to Know

Book the reservations as soon as you are able. On the park’s websites, there will be a time when you are able to book. Some parks allow you to book a couple months in advance, and if you miss out, they reopen more reservations 1-2 days before your visit for additional chance. It can definitely be stressful so I recommend logging on to purchase tickets as soon as the window opens (for example, most tickets become available on the park’s website at 10am).
Usually if you book a reservation for a campground within the park, the park counts this as your reservation for timed entry or vehicle reservations, depending on the park. Be sure to check exceptions to purchasing reservation tickets if you have a campground booked in the park.
If you can’t purchase timed entry tickets, find ways to experience the park outside of the timed restrictions (i.e., if timed entry reservations start at 6am, enter the park before then).
Do some research to determine which areas, activities, and hikes you may want to do that require reservations.

My Top 5 National Parks

Published on January 10, 2024January 8, 2025 by Skylar M. BeckLeave a comment

Throughout the last few years I’ve been able to visit several national parks while road tripping within the United States. Although I’ve only been to 13 National Parks so far, I wanted to share my top 5 favorite parks as of now. Of course this may change as I explore and visit more parks, so this is based only on the parks I’ve already been to. Be sure to check out my detailed guides on the parks mentioned if you’re planning a trip anytime soon!

1. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

It was challenging picking my top national park so far but I chose Grand Teton because of the park’s stunning views, accessibility, proximity to a town, and the overall feeling I experienced while visiting. Grand Teton was unlike any other park I’ve been to (so far!), it’s extremely close to Jackson Hole which was a rare perk that offered plenty of restaurants and shopping spots.

Biggest tip: Watch every sunrise in the Tetons during your visit

Favorite experience: Hiking parts of the Cascade Canyon trail

Must do/see: Visit Mormon row and Schwabacher landing for sunrise or sunset

2. Glacier National Park, Montana

Glacier national park is hands down one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to. It’s often called the crown jewel of the continent and is well known for the vast mountain views seen along the ‘Going to the Sun’ Road. Although Glacier is stunning, I gave it number two due to the crowds we experienced while visiting and because of it’s remote location.

Biggest tip: Get to trail heads early to beat crowds!

Favorite experience: Hiking parts of the high line trail

Must do/see: Drive along the Going to the Sun Road

Hiking in the clouds along the High Line trail

Hiking parts of the Grinnel glacier trail

3. Rocky Mountains National Park, Colorado

The Rocky Mountains national park will always hold a special place in my heart. It was one of the first national parks I’ve ever visited and my first experience there was magical. I love where the park is located, right outside the charming mountain town, Estes Park, and the incredible views and wildlife the park offers.

Biggest tip: Drive along the Trail Ridge Road

Favorite experience: Hiking parts of Mount Ida.

Must do/see: Hike the bear lake trails!

4. Zion National Park, Utah

Zion national park truly feels like you’re on a different planet. The mountainous views, desert like feel, and the collection of red and orange rock colors made an impression on me. Zion definitely succeeded all of my expectations. It’s one of those parks that’s always talked about and it did not disappoint!

Biggest tip: If visiting during the summer, find accommodations with A/C! Zion is so hot in the summer, it was not realistic (for us) to camp.

Favorite experience: Watching the sunrise at Canyon Overlook

Must do/see: The Narrows hike!

5. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Bryce Canyon national park is an underrated park in my opinion! It’s on the smaller side with less major hikes and activities to do but the landscape is so incredibly unique, it had to be included on my top 5 list. We only spent one day while visiting Bryce but we were able to see the main highlights.

Biggest tip: Watch the sunrise in the park to see the hoodoos light up!

Favorite experience: Exploring and hiking the Navajo loop trail

Must do/see: Visiting inspiration point to view the hoodoos from above

Views along the Navajo trail feel like a different planet!

Glacier National Park, Montana

Published on January 3, 2024January 8, 2025 by Skylar M. Beck4 Comments

Glacier National Park is one of the most magical places I’ve ever been to. Glacier has been named the “crown jewel of the continent” for good reason. We were able to spend three full days in Glacier national park and experienced some of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen. Here’s a quick guide and overview of our time in Glacier.

Things to Know Before Visiting Glacier

Glacier national park is in the middle of nowhere! The park has done a nice job creating souvenir shops, mini grocery stores, and resturants but it’s limited.
During peak season (May-September), the park requires a reservation pass for four sections of the park. This includes Going to the Sun Road, North Fork, Many Glacier, Two Medicine areas. Learn more on the park’s website.
There are several options if you plan to camp in Glacier. As always, I’d recommended booking these at least 6 months in advance. Glacier was the one park we almost didn’t secure a camping spot due to popularity.
Be prepared to drive. Glacier is a large spread out park and most of the park is only accessible by one road.
Check 0n the park’s website for updates. When we visited there was a lot of road construction and trail closures due to wild life.

Must See Spots in Glacier

Going to the Sun Road

This is the top “must see” in Glacier. The going to the sun road is an iconic road that has several look out points and incredible mountain views that will leave you speechless! Here are some stops along the way:

The Loop– Hair pin turn on the road that allows views of stunning mountains
Weeping Wall– Named after a cliffside that has water dripping from snowmelt onto the road and your car!
Big Bend – Located just after the Weeping Wall, the best spot for photos or to watch the sunset :)
Logan Pass – The highest point on the road, also where the visitor’s center is located
Jackson Glacier Overlook– Pull off area to view Jackson Glacier
Saint Mary Falls – Trail head for Saint Mary Falls starts at this pull off
Wild Goose Island – Stop here to get a photograph of the famous island in the middle of Saint Mary lake!
Rising Sun– Cute area to stop in for a restroom break or snacks

Big bend stop off the ‘going to the sun’ road

Polebridge area

Polebridge is technically a mile outside of Glacier national park, but it’s still a neat spot to add to your itinerary if you have time! The town offers a sweet old fashion western feel and is home to the Polebridge Mercantile. This cute general shop has souvenirs, homemade eats and sweets and is definitely a must stop while driving through Polebridge. I’d recommend trying any of the huckleberry pastries!

Many Glacier area

The Many Glacier area is a quieter side of the park that offers stunning mountain views, wildlife, and iconic spots to see. We spent part of one day exploring this area and it did not disappoint! One of the main spots to check out while visiting is the Many Glacier hotel. The hotel has a swish chalet inspired design that truly allows you to feel like you are in a different country! We spent time exploring the inside of the hotel and the grounds. A popular hike in this area is grinnel glacier overlook. We hiked a portion but unfortunately didn’t have enough daylight to hike the entire trail. It’s still worth attempting even if you can’t finish to the top, the views were incredible! There’s also a boat from the hotel that takes you to various points on the trail if you don’t want to drive over to the trailhead, which also seems like a fun experience.

Must Do Hikes in Glacier

The high line trail

The high line trail is by far the most memorable hiking experience I’ve had in any national park. It’s accessible from the Logan pass visitor center. The high line trail a challenging and long hike but the views make it all worth it. It was surprisingly open when we visited the park in early July, typically it opens mid to late July due to snow melt. We weren’t able to finish the entire hike unfortunately due to weather conditions, we were able to hike about 8 miles round trip. Due to the weather conditions, there were times we were hiking through the clouds— that’s how high the trail is! Definitely be prepared for high elevation and altitude changes. Even if you don’t intend to hike the entirety of the high line trail, I’d recommend hiking part of it just to experience some incredible views!

Avalanche Lake trail

Avalanche lake trail ended up being one of our favorite hikes during our time in Glacier! It’s an out and back 4 mile hike that takes you to Avalanche lake. The trail starts with the trail of the cedars which is a beautiful paved path through the forest. The trail of the cedars can also be a 1 mile loop trail but if you’re going to the avalanche lake trail turn off, you’ll walk about .5 miles to the start of the lake trailhead. This is the one hike we saw a grizzly bear from a distance once we reached the lake, so go prepared with bear spray and bells, and travel in a pack with other hikers if possible.

Grinnel Glacier overlook trail

Grinnel Glacier overlook trail is accessible from the Many Glaciers area of the park. This trail is 11 miles round trip out and back. It’s pretty challenging but the views are incredible! Patrick and I weren’t able to hike the entirety of this hike due to time constraints but we did hike the first few miles and definitely plan to attempt the full hike someday in the future.

Hidden Overlook trail

Hidden overlook trail was the hike I was most looking forward to while researching Glacier! It’s accessible from the Logan pass visitor center. The trail has board walks that take you up a hill in order to see a hidden glacier lake. The views from this trail are some of the best from a short trail. When we visited we were only able to hike to the look out point of the trail and not the last half mile down to the lake due to bear activity. The park monitors wildlife activity and will close trails because of it. Luckily, we were still able to enjoy almost the entire hike! If you plan to hike hidden lake, I’d recommend starting early. The parking lot at Logan’s pass fills up incredibly fast and there’s limited parking. Since hidden lake is a fairly short hike, this is also popular for many visitors.

Other Tips for Visiting Glacier National Park

If you plan to visit several areas in the park, I’d suggest booking different campgrounds. I wish we would’ve done this but while I was researching, I didn’t realize how large Glacier is and how spread out the various sections are from each other. We stayed at Fish creek campground which is close to the main entrance of the park so there were days we drove 1-2 hours each way.
Research any permits or reservations you need in advance. As I mentioned, due to the popularity Glacier continues to have, the park has several reservations and permit requirements for specific areas and trails that aren’t available for purchase on the spot.
Be flexible with plans! The weather changes quickly in Glacier due to the higher elevations and location. It may rain, snow or hail even in the summer!
Always have bear spray and bells. Glacier is grizzly bear country and it’s essential to be prepared on hikes. The park will usually close a trail if there’s a lot of reported bear activity but it is still possible to have a run in with a bear on any trail.
Start early! This tip really applies to any big national park, but especially Glacier. It was one of the most crowded parks we’ve ever been to. By 7am, most trails and roads are flooded with visitors.
Fill up on gas and food. Although some of the campgrounds have lounges with food options, it’s not much so it’s important to be prepared for meals. Similarly with gas, there’s one gas station when you’re about to enter the main entrance of the park. Otherwise, you’ll have to drive 15-20 minutes outside of the park for restaurants and gas stations.

Detailed Itinerary: South Dakota, Wyoming, & Montana Road trip

Published on December 27, 2023January 8, 2025 by Skylar M. Beck5 Comments

Over the summer, Patrick and I explored four national parks within a two week road trip. It was definitely one of my favorite trips we’ve ever taken so I wanted to share the itinerary I created. Of course with any big trip, plans can change so we didn’t get to everything listed on this itinerary, but most! I’m mentioning it here to give various ideas if you are planning a similar trip! We wanted to have options and back up plans which is why some days are packed. Combining these locations across a two week trip is convenient and makes for a perfect road trip! I mention the campgrounds we stayed at for reference and those that I’d recommend. Keep in mind, most campgrounds within the parks book up quickly, typically up to 6 months in advance so be prepared if you plan to camp! We also used the app campendium to find free campsites.

Check out my other blog posts to prepare and plan for a national park trip if you are looking for more tips.

Badlands National Park & Wall Drug Store, South Dakota

day one 🚐

After driving in from the East, we officially started our trip in South Dakota with the intent of spending time in Badlands National Park. We only planned for one full day within the park and while we could stayed for longer, it was doable to see most highlights within a day.

Badlands highlights in one day:

Take a picture at the Badlands national park sign upon entering the park
Stop at big badlands overlook
Hike notch trail (1.3mi) *be sure to get here early if you want to experience this hike with less people!
Hike window trail (.3mi) same parking lot as notch
Hike door trail (.8mi) same parking lot as notch
Stop by visitor’s center
Drive badlands loop road and view overlooks
- yellow mounds
- pinnacles overlook
On the way out of the park, stop by Wall Drug store and check out some iconic historical highlights:
- free ice water
- 5 cent coffee
Drive to Center Lake campground (1.5 hr from wall drug)

🌛Center Lake Campground (Custer state park fee required as well as campsite fee)

Mount Rushmore, South Dakota

day two 🗿

Wake up early and drive to see Mount Rushmore (30 mins from camp) *we got to the monument at 5:30am and had the place to ourselves!
Take a photo at amphitheater/viewing deck
Walk along the presidential trail (.9mi loop)
Continue driving to Grand Teton NP (8hr)
Camp at free dispersed spot

🌛 Upper Teton View – Toppings Lake Dispersed Campsites

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

day three ⛰

We spent four days in Grand Teton national park. This was by far one of our favorite parks we’ve ever been to. Since there’s so much to see and do between the park and the nearest town, Jackson Hole, I’d allow at least three days to fully explore. To save a little money, we stayed at a free campsite for a couple nights before going to a campground. The free campsites in the area are primitive and aren’t reservable so there’s no guarantee you’ll find a spot each night which can add stress, but the benefit is it’s a safe and free place to sleep!

Sunrise at schwabacher landing (wear layers in the early mornings, it’s cold even in the summer!)
Drive into Jackson hole and stop by cowboy coffee for coffee and breakfast
Drive along the Teton park road and see outlook areas for wildlife:
- Oxbow Bend Turnout
- Cascade Canyon Turnout
- Teton Glacier Turnout
- Glacier View Turnout
- *Schwabacher Landing
- Teton Point Turnout
- Snake River Overlook
- Elk Ranch Flats Turnout
Stop at visitor’s center
Spend time exploring Jackson Hole
Dinner in town: hand fire pizza

🌛 Upper Teton View – Toppings Lake Dispersed Campsites

day four 🏔

Watch sunrise at mormon row
Hike to Delta lake (9 mi roundtrip) via lupine meadows access
- We unfortunately didn’t get to finish this hike because Patrick got altitude sickness in the middle of the hike! Learn from our mistake and prep yourself with plenty of snacks, water, and time to adjust to the altitude in the area before taking on a big hike.
Drive along scenic highway and stop at pull off spots
- our favorite was mountain view turnout :)
Sunset at schwabacher landing

🌛 Upper Teton View – Toppings Lake Dispersed Campsite

🚿 Showers are available at Colter Bay, Signal Mountain, and Headwaters at Flagg Ranch.

day five 🥾

Wake up early to hike parts of cascade canyon (we started at string lake)
- Along the way enjoy popular spots like:
  - inspiration point
  - hidden falls
  - jenny lake loop
Watch sunset from Jenny Lake scenic drive area
Check into campground

🌛Jenny Lake campground, tent only

day six 🐻

Hike around taggart lake (4 mi round trip)
Drive into Jackson and spend time exploring and souvenir shopping
Kayak or swim in Jackson lake
Go back to any favorite spot for one last sunset in the park!

🌛 Jenny Lake campground, tent only

Read more:
Things To Do in and Around Badlands National Park
Two Days in Yellowstone 
Grand Teton National Park travel guide
Tips For Planning a National Park Trip

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho

day seven ⛲️

We spent a day and a half exploring Yellowstone. We definitely could have spent much more time exploring, Yellowstone is massive! However, we were able to see some nice highlights throughout our short but sweet time in park. One thing to note about Yellowstone is you will spend a lot of time driving to various spots (especially if your time is limited like ours was) but the views while driving are stunning and worth being in the car!

Drive to Yellowstone NP (2 hr from Grand Teton)
Explore the old faithful area
- See old faithful erupt (you can look up predicted eruption times online) this iconic geyser does erupt every 60-90 minutes!
Walk along boardwalks to see other geysers and pools in the area. Some of our favorites:
- Castle geyser
- Daisy geyser
- Spa geyser
- Morning Glory pool
- Grotto geyser
- Grand geyser
- Beauty pool
Stop by visitor’s center
Drive to grand prismatic spring and hike to overlook (1.5mi)
Drive to camp

🌛 Canyon Campground (showers included in reservation)

day eight 🦬

Wake up early and drive to Hayden valley to watch bison! (our favorite experience in the park)
Drive to see the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and stop by various look out points:
- park in South Rim Rd to see view with Artist Point
- drive to North Rim Rd to see lower Lookout Point
- drive down the road to Grand View
- inspiration point to see a farther view
Drive to Lamar valley to view more wildlife. We unfortunately didn’t see many bison in this area due to the construction occurring in the park at the time.
Drive to see mammoth hot springs to see minerva terrace
Drive to camp for dinner
Catch the sunset back at Hayden valley (we ended up seeing a bison herd commuting to find a place to rest for the night, such an amazing experience to witness).

🌛 Canyon Campground

Glacier National Park, Montana

We ended our two week road trip with our last few days in Glacier national park. This part of the trip offered us some of the most incredible views we’ve ever seen! Glacier is extremely popular and crowded so it requires advance planning to ensure you book vehicle reservations (needed during peak season) and campgrounds. During peak season, the park is separated into four sections that require reservation tickets to enter during designated time periods as an attempt to limits crowds. More information on this can be found on the park’s website. Also, be sure to have bear spray on every hike in Glacier!

day nine 🚐

Drive to Glacier national park (7 hours from Yellowstone)
Check into camp

🌛 Fishcreek campground

🚿 Showers are available at camp

day ten 🏔

Wake up early to hike to avalanche lake
- Walk the trail of the cedars nature trail (1mi loop) continue hiking to avalanche lake (4.5 mi round trip)
Drive and stop along the ‘going to the sun’ road
Stop to see look out points along the way to take pics:
- The Loop– Hair pin turn on the road that allows views of stunning mountains
- Weeping Wall– Named after a cliffside that has water dripping from snowmelt onto the road and your car!
- Big Bend – Located just after the Weeping Wall, the best spot for photos or to watch the sunset :)
- Logan Pass – The highest point on the road, also where the visitor’s center is located
- Jackson Glacier Overlook– Pull off area to view Jackson Glacier
- Saint Mary Falls – Trail head for Saint Mary Falls starts at this pull off
- Wild Goose Island – Stop here to get a photograph of the famous island in the middle of Saint Mary lake!
- Rising Sun– Cute area to stop in for a restroom break or snacks
Get huckleberry ice cream as a reward!
Check into camp

🌛 Fishcreek campground

day eleven 🏔

Wake up early to drive to logan pass visitor’s center to hike the high line trail (parking lot here fills up extremely quickly!)
Hike the high line trail (~14 mi round trip)
- Due to extreme rainy and snowy weather conditions, we weren’t able to finish the entire hike but it was still one of the best experiences we had while visiting the park! We were hiking within the clouds at times! These kinds of weather conditions are typical while hiking in higher altitude, be sure to check the weather before hiking in some areas.
- The high line trail is definitely worth trying even if you only plan to hike for a few miles, the views are incredible!
Stop by lake McDonald and go for a swim to relax after a long hike.

🌛 Fishcreek campground

day twelve 🥞

Sleep in and enjoy breakfast at camp
Drive to Polebridge area of the park
- Explore the area, check out the Polebridge general store (super cute and has amazing pastries!)
Drive back up to the going to the sun road to explore pull off areas
Watch sunset at big bend

🌛 Fishcreek campground

Big bend stop along the ‘going to the sun’ road

day thirteen 🥾

Drive to logan pass visitor’s center to park
Hike to hike hidden lake overlook trail (2.7 mi)
- We were only able to hike to the overlook area and not down to the lake due to bear activity. Be sure to look up park closures in advance before planning certain hikes!
Drive to the Many Glacier area
Explore and stop in the Many Glacier hotel
Hike the grinnell glacier viewpoint trail (10 mi roundtrip)
After a long last day of exploring and hiking, get some huckleberry ice cream!
Relax at camp for final night

🌛 Fishcreek campground