National Forests in Montana & Idaho
David S. Browning
national parks in Alberta, Canada, down to the national parks in
Southern Utah (Arches, Bryce, Zion, etc.). Along the way, we plan to
camp in the National Forests in Western Montana andpossibly Idaho.
I wrote to the Northern Region National Forest Service, and got a map
illustrating the different national forests in the area. Among them
are Kootenai, Flathead, Lolo, Lewis & Clark, Bitterroot, Beaverhead,
Idaho Panhandle, Clearwater, etc. Has anyone been to these areas? I
would really like to hear peoples' experiences and impressions. Any
recommendations? (At $3/map, I want to narrow down my choices!)
We'll be travelling on a motorcycle (a 1983 Goldwing Aspencade), and
it pulls a trailer, so we can't really handle 4WD or unplowed roads.
We will probably get there sometime in October.
The Forest Service also sent me a "Recreational Cabin & Lookout
Directory," which lists cabins & lookout towers for rent to visitors.
Has anyone stayed at any of these? Any recommendations?
Thanks!
David
Frank Evan Perdicaro
|My wife and I are planning a motorcycle trip from Jasper & Banff
|national parks in Alberta, Canada, down to the national parks in
|Southern Utah (Arches, Bryce, Zion, etc.). Along the way, we plan to
|camp in the National Forests in Western Montana andpossibly Idaho.
|
|I wrote to the Northern Region National Forest Service, and got a map
|illustrating the different national forests in the area. Among them
|are Kootenai, Flathead, Lolo, Lewis & Clark, Bitterroot, Beaverhead,
|Idaho Panhandle, Clearwater, etc. Has anyone been to these areas? I
|would really like to hear peoples' experiences and impressions. Any
|recommendations? (At $3/map, I want to narrow down my choices!)
|
Park. Be sure to keep away ( miles away ) from the train lines, as
the trains make a great deal of noise all night.
I'd much rather stay at Lost Johnnie Point Campground on the Hungry Horse
Resivoir. Its free and spectacular, remote, quite and well maintained.
This may be too close to your starting point of Banff, though.
uch...@msu.oscs.montana.edu
two nights ago. And I live in the *South* 8-)
Jonathan K Graham
David S. Browning <brow...@willard.nas.nasa.gov> wrote:
>
>I wrote to the Northern Region National Forest Service, and got a map
>illustrating the different national forests in the area. Among them
>are Kootenai, Flathead, Lolo, Lewis & Clark, Bitterroot, Beaverhead,
>Idaho Panhandle, Clearwater, etc. Has anyone been to these areas? I
>would really like to hear peoples' experiences and impressions. Any
>recommendations? (At $3/map, I want to narrow down my choices!)
I can get them here for 2.25 or 2.50 (7.5 minute) but with the
shipping it might not be worth it.
>We'll be travelling on a motorcycle (a 1983 Goldwing Aspencade), and
>it pulls a trailer, so we can't really handle 4WD or unplowed roads.
>We will probably get there sometime in October.
Hmmmm, might want to bring some heavy winter clothing for we
could have a pile of snow by then. (Side Note: The farmers almanac
predicted a 11-day summer for us and we got around 15 days. It also
predicts a 100-year winter, as in the worst (or best) in 100 years.)
>The Forest Service also sent me a "Recreational Cabin & Lookout
>Directory," which lists cabins & lookout towers for rent to visitors.
>Has anyone stayed at any of these? Any recommendations?
>
I have stayed in the cabin in the southern Bitterroots, the Sula
Ranger Station. We stayed there in mid-January and although there was quite
a bit of snow the road was still plowed to within 50 yds of the cabin.
Something to keep in mind with this though is that it was a cabin and not
a lookout. The roads to the lookouts could be much worse. I would
recommend a cabin in the Kootenai's. I have received the information on
two of the lookouts there and the look as though they would be really nice
to stay in. I can give you (or any one) more detailed info on them or others
if you like. I would recommend coming down through Glaicer (isn't that
where you say you were coming from) on the Going to the Sun Highway from
St. Mary's to West Glaicer (this is all from memory, so I might be wrong).
Then take the Swan River Valley Highway from Columbia Falls to Missoula,
then perhaps on to Drummond (via I-90) and around the Pintlar Scenic Route
through Philipsburg and Anaconda. I can't remember if Highway 38 (I think)
is completely paved all the way or not, but it would be great to go on...
from just south of P-burg (Philipsburg) take a right and head west to
Hamilton. Then down through the Bitterroot valley to Idaho.
Another area, as I mentioned with the lookouts, is the Kootenai
Ntl Forest. There are some great drives up around the Lake Kookanoosa (sp?)
think) to... (drawing a blank here: Montanans help me out, the place with
the White Buffalo and the big Fruit market on 93 North) anyway the
intersection of 93 North and Highway 2 (I could be off on this, I will
correct myself when I can find a map). I could go on, but this post is
getting long as it is... mail me if you'd like more info...
Jonathan
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Jonathan Graham Computer Science
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ant...@selway.umt.edu -> University of Montana
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Bill Martorano
very beautiful (but different) lakes to see. Lake Kootenay on the
Canadian side is gorgeous, with the best camping at the northern
end of the lake. In Montana, Flathead is a long beautiful lake with
summer homes along the highway.. camping is not rugged but there
are a few quaint motels.
Just got back from Zion, Bryce etc.. you are going at a good time.
August was filled with foreign tourists. Canyonlands is great.
Have a good trip.
Bill
Jonathan K Graham
without map when I posted it.
In article <1993Sep3.2...@selway.umt.edu>,
>>
>
>if you like. I would recommend coming down through Glaicer (isn't that
>where you say you were coming from) on the Going to the Sun Highway from
>St. Mary's to West Glaicer (this is all from memory, so I might be wrong).
This would be US Highway 89 to St. Mary's then to West Glaicer
via Going to the Sun Highway.
>Then take the Swan River Valley Highway from Columbia Falls to Missoula,
State Highway 83, for the most part.
>then perhaps on to Drummond (via I-90 E.) and around the Pintlar Scenic Route
>through Philipsburg and Anaconda. I can't remember if Highway 38 (I think)
>is completely paved all the way or not, but it would be great to go on...
Of course a map of Montana makes this much more easy to follow.
Yes this is unimproved/gravelled for the middle half of the road,
including going over Skalkaho Pass (Which is closed during the winter; don't
know of October counts as winter; probably does). I am looking at a '83-'84
map so this could have changed. One thing about the Pintlar Scenic Route
(US 10A) is that about the last 30 miles into Anaconda are posted at 25mph
and patrolled regularly.
>from just south of P-burg (Philipsburg) take a right and head west to
>Hamilton. Then down through the Bitterroot valley to Idaho.
> Another area, as I mentioned with the lookouts, is the Kootenai
>Ntl Forest. There are some great drives up around the Lake Kookanoosa (sp?)
>area. Another is from Sandpoint, Id (I
>think) to... (drawing a blank here: Montanans help me out, the place with
>the White Buffalo and the big Fruit market on 93 North) anyway the
>intersection of 93 North and Highway 2 (I could be off on this, I will
>correct myself when I can find a map).
This would be Sandpoint, Id. to Ravalli on Hwy 200. The first
part was great along the Clark Fork, but I can't say much about the rest
except that it is not a good road to be on in a very bad snow/sleet/slush/ice
storm at night.
>I could go on, but this post is
>getting long as it is... mail me if you'd like more info...
>
>Jonathan
>
Those corrections should be right. Mail me if you would like more
specific info, or map prices, or whatever.
-Jonathan