Brian Smith's Photos

This trip was delayed a week and we had to change around some of the accommodation due to wildfires and smoke. It all worked out pretty well in the end, but it would have been nicer to have had the original stay in Yellowstone itself, rather than having to really just do a drive through in a day as we couldn’t rebook the lodge. Ah well, it was an amazing trip still. Glacier National Park, then Yellowstone, Grand Teton, some hot springs in Idaho and fun in the Bittersweet mountains South of Missoula.

Back to the beginning, and the first stop was Sandpoint, a very fine breakfast the following morning at Pack River Store, which we have returned to again more recently, then down and back up to Whitefish, taking in some Bison on the way.

Whitefish was the base for a trip into Glacier National Park. It wasn’t open right through, but still an amazing place to visit.

Next day it was back down to Missoula via Flathead lake and by Swan Lake, then the following morning we headed down through Yellowstone. Amazing place! Quite late by the time we arrived in Colter Bay Village, ready for Grand Teton.

The following morning we spent time at Jenny’s Lake looking at the Tetons, before heading East across to Idaho. Some great scenary, but Idaho Falls to Atomic City sticks in our mind as an area to stay away from! Devils Orchard was a good hike for the end of the day, before arriving in Sun Valley and Hotel Ketchum – and the Sawtooth Brewery just over the road served up pretty good fish and chips (and beer…).

Back North to Missoula the next day – getting strange looks in Challis at the Tea Cup Cafe for wearing masks – in a shop! The following day we came back down the valley for some Bittersweet hiking.