Montana Tacomas

I love it when it snows this time of year....just encourages retired people to stop moving here. haha

 

Hi All,

Need a little advice if possible. I posted about my trip in this forum but maybe I left it too open (requested advise for montana, idaho, and oregon...)

I'm on Montana now (nice up here!), in Missoula to be exact. My plan for the Montana leg is as follows.

Fri / Sat: Glacier National Part
Sat / Mon: Fishing and hopefully horeseback riding towards Bozeman on the Madison. Exact area unknown.

Looking for camp spots in national forest in each of these places. Hopefully by a lake / river, less people the better and I wouldn't mind a little wheeling to get there.

Any places you guys can suggest that are too far out of the route heading from Glaciour to Bozeman?


Thanks

 

I mentioned earlier, but check out the axoltol lakes area outside of ennis and about 20 minutes from the Madison, no crowds, beautiful views, good camping, cool roads, and lots of fish, hard to beat!

 

I will just say sorry now for what may seem like a rude response to your quest. Not meant that way but here goes: Dude...buy a map or two or a good topo GPS. We have A LOT of forest lands to camp on. You are talking about massive amounts of forest and hundreds of camping locations and campgrounds within a mile or two or three of just the 370/400 miles of interstate/highway between East Glacier and Bozeman. There are lakes all over the place of all sizes and roads which many would call 4x4 roads all over the place. Where you might want to camp will have to do with just where you end up. I can give you many camping locations but what good are they if you are not heading in that direction. Oh...Keep in mind that many of our high mountain lakes are still snowbound in many areas. If you can narrow down the area you are asking about you may get a better response. For example I can tell you places around Helena, or Boulder, or Pony, or Lincoln, or Whitehall, or, or.... But to try to list all those just in case you might wander that way is just too much. Others on here are more familiar with areas right around Bozeman and MTGirl is kind of an expert on the Yellowstone area

If you are looking more to fishing, there are some good areas along the Missouri up by Craig. Three Forks gives you some great options too but spring runoff is still a bit high in some areas.

I know I have not answered your question but I hope the advice helps. Sorry I can't do more but what can you expect from a Jeep guy?

 

Lol. No worries, I understand your perspective and I understand it's a bit of broad question. My dilemma is just that - there are so many places and I'm not sure where to begin. I did buy a map and an Atlas though.

My other problem is that I've been here the last few days on business, the vacation starts tomorrow. My work in general keeps me so busy, I did not get a chance to research as much as I wanted to.

Let me try to give a little more info on what I'd like to accomplish. I think the start of the journey will be easiest to plan.

I want to visit Glacier National Forest tomorrow. I'm thinking i will drive up early in the morning and spend the better part of the day at the park. Since it's a pretty good trek to Bozeman, I'm thinking it would be best to camp some place in the park's general vicinity. I'd love for that place to be by a stream or lake where I can wet a line and also preferably outside the park where I can do a little shooting the next day before heading down to Bozeman.

The Bozeman section I'm still unsure of...I need to call the guide and see exactly where he is planning to fish. Wherever that is, it would be nice to have a camp site relatively close by (near water preferred).

I suppose it would be best to concentrate on the first part of it for now.

 

True enough...It is Glacier National PARK though. lol You need to be very careful camping up that way. Essentially I highly recommend ONLY using one of the formal camp grounds anywhere near the park. I know that does not sit well with your desire to be away from people but up in that country there is a lot of private lands, Native American reservation lands and Wilderness. Camping in the wrong spot up that way can cost you BIG TIME. And many of those areas have VERY specific requirements for food storage and such due to bear activities. Fines are hefty for not having a bear proof cooler in those places. Once you get a bit south of there, heading toward Bozo, and as long as your map shows National Forest and BLM boundaries you should be able to go almost anywhere within reason on designated open roads. Most of this area allows you to camp up to 300ft off the road/trail. Odds are your fishing guide will be able to point you in a good direction for a camp. Have fun - stay safe and post pics if you catch a big one.

 

where at im in cda idaho?

 

MTgirl surfaces again! how was the weekend?

 

SO. EPICLY. JEALOUS.

I've get to get a good bull moose picture for my collection. Am not happy about that....

Otherwise it sounds like you did well and saw a little bit of everything you wanted to see! and yes 14A is crazy, imagine driving cross country from Indiana to Wyoming through Iowa and South Dakota on I-90, and then BAM the Bighorns... nice easy drive up the eastern side, and then if you pick 14A... well good luck haha.

 

I'd like that a lot! Thank you!

 

Hey!! I do not get a little cranky when the Jeep is in the shop. OK...I GET A LOT CRANKY!! LOL

On the serious side, I REALLY did not wish to sound rude. ....really. I wanted him to narrow the area in question just a little more than the 2000 square miles or so he seemed to ask about initially. That's all

Hope he had a good time and I am still waiting for the fish pics.

 

Near there, up above the Big Hole, got snowed on both nights up there. The fish didn't care though.

 

im thinking it is lol

 

Moving to Bozeman iin the fall. Would love to go explore, as well!!