A Journey to America’s North End

August 16, 2025: To the Edge of Glacier

Our trip began in the early hours with two flights—one to Dallas and the next to Spokane, Washington. Spokane, a large city in the eastern part of the state, served as our gateway to Glacier National Park. Before heading into the wilderness, however, we had some essential preparations. Our first stop was Walmart, where we stocked up on instant noodles, chicken pouches, sandwiches, and bakery items that would serve as our lunches in the parks and most of our dinners at motels. But the most critical purchase was a can of bear spray! We picked one up at a local sporting goods store (a reminder that these can’t be taken on a plane for safety reasons!). With our supplies secured, we set off on a four-hour drive to Motel 6 in Kalispell, Montana, just an hour from the park’s edge. Along the way, we made a delightful stop at the St. Regis souvenir store to grab a huckleberry milkshake and snatch up some local gifts for our friends back home.

August 17, 2025: The Majesty of Glacier

We were up at 5 a.m. and reached Glacier’s west entrance by 6 a.m. We immediately started our drive along the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road, a scenic byway that winds through dense pine forests and towering mountains. The morning was foggy, obscuring much of the view, so we drove the entire route to the St. Mary Visitor Center on the east side without stopping to hike—parking spots along the road are notoriously limited!

Our plan was to take the park’s shuttle bus from St. Mary back to Logan Pass, the scenic heart of the route. At the Logan Pass Visitor Center, two trails beckoned. The weather was colder than we’d anticipated, so we bought an extra jacket at the park store before setting off on the Hidden Lake Trail. The path was beautiful and well-maintained, even in the chilly, misty weather. At first, the mountains were shrouded in fog, but as the sun began to break through, the landscape revealed itself in layers of green grass and colorful wildflowers.

The view on the way to the lake overlook was breathtakingly peaceful. Glacier instantly skyrocketed to the top of our national parks list! (Admittedly, I find it more stunning than Mt. Rainier, but that’s just my opinion.) Along the trail, we spotted pikas, chipmunks, marmots, and bighorn sheep!

After our first hike, we embarked on a portion of the Highline Trail. This path requires you to walk along a sheer cliff face, a thrilling and slightly scary experience, though a safety rail is there to grasp. We didn’t hike the entire trail, but we got more than our share of incredible views and thrills! We then caught a shuttle back to St. Mary, bought a souvenir magnet, and began the drive to our next stay: the Jefferson Inn in Whitehall, strategically located on the way to the north entrance of Yellowstone.

August 18, 2025: Geysers and Wildlife at Yellowstone

Another 5:30 a.m. start brought us to the north entrance of Yellowstone National Park within two hours, giving us plenty of time to take a picture with the iconic Roosevelt Arch. Our first stop inside the park was Mammoth Hot Springs, a unique geothermal area where terraces are formed from calcium carbonate, creating otherworldly rock formations.

After a quick stop at the nearby visitor center for another magnet (you can never have too many), we headed to Lamar Valley for some wildlife watching! We arrived around 9:30 a.m., a bit late for peak animal activity, but we were still rewarded with the sight of hundreds of bison and various birds, though no bears.

After a 90-minute scenic drive through the valley, we stopped at the Tower Fall station to see the waterfall and have lunch. Re-energized, we made our way to Artist Point to see the magnificent Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River. This is the very spot where Thomas Moran’s 19th-century painting convinced the U.S. government to preserve the area.

We followed this with two more stops to hike and see the Upper Falls Overlook and the Brink of the Upper Falls. The view from the brink was so close it felt like we could touch the thundering water—truly breathtaking!

The afternoon was dedicated to the park’s main attraction: geysers! We visited the bubbling mud of Artists Paintpots and nearby thermal pools before heading to the Grand Prismatic Spring.

While the close-up view was steamy and colorful, we hiked to the overlook for that iconic, postcard-perfect picture. Our next-to-last stop was for the main event: Old Faithful, the park’s most powerful and famous geyser, which erupted right on schedule.

Around 6 p.m., we drove to Hayden Valley for some dusk wildlife observation. Our high hopes for spotting a bear were unmet, but we did see herds of elk and numerous ducks. By 7:30 p.m., our incredible day was done, and we arrived at the Snow King Mountain Resort in Jackson Hole around 10 p.m.

August 19, 2025: The Grand Tetons

For the first time on our trip, we woke up after 6 a.m.! We enjoyed a leisurely morning in an outdoor hot tub before grabbing breakfast in downtown Jackson Hole.

We stopped at the National Elk Refuge visitor center, where we learned that summer isn’t the best season for wildlife viewing compared to spring or fall. Around 12:30 p.m., we headed into Grand Teton National Park. We made nearly every stop along the scenic drive. Some of the most beautiful spots, located before the official park entrance, offer distant views framed by rivers and trees. I highly recommend the Moulton Barns on Mormon Row, Schwabacher Landing, and the Snake River Overlook. Inside the park, the views become more intimate and even more breathtaking.

The Oxbow Bend Turnout, Moran Overlook, and Cathedral Group Turnout offer stunning close-up perspectives of the jagged peaks. Before leaving, we stopped by String Lake for a quick dip, but found the water a bit murky for our taste, though the mountain backdrop was still stunning.

Our last stop was the bustling Jenny Lake visitor center. We didn’t do the popular boat shuttle this time, but it’s on the list for a future visit! From there, we drove to our stay for the night, Motel West in Idaho Falls.

August 20, 2025: A Trip to the Moon and a Hidden Gem

Today, we visited the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. Located just over an hour from Idaho Falls, we took our time in the morning, arriving around 11 a.m.

At the visitor center, we bought a sticker of “Bob,” a pika in an astronaut suit, which supports a project to improve park accessibility. We also obtained a free cave permit from a ranger. This permit is required not because the caves are dangerous, but to screen visitors and prevent the spread of white-nose syndrome to the resident bat population. Sadly, these are among the last uninfected bat caves in the country.

The monument itself is easy to navigate, with short, accessible hikes at each stop. We recommend the North Crater Lava Flow Trail, the climb up Inferno Cone for a panoramic view, and the walk around the Spatter Cones. The stark, volcanic landscape truly feels otherworldly.

After our lunar adventure, we headed to Stanley, Idaho, to see a hidden gem: the Sawtooth Mountains. The drive itself offered incredible views of the jagged peaks and a glimpse of the beautiful Redfish Lake. We checked into the Mountain Village Resort, located in the heart of the mountain range, and immediately went to our reserved private hot spring.

Soaking in the tub with a direct view of the mountains was cozy and wonderful. We enjoyed it until 7 p.m., then went to the resort’s restaurant for a drink. When we spotted pan-seared Idaho trout on the menu, we couldn’t resist. It was a phenomenal dish—herby, delicious fish served on a bed of creamy Idaho mashed potatoes with perfectly grilled vegetables.

We ended our night with some stargazing. Stanley is part of the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve, and the sky was magical. We saw countless stars and the Milky Way with a clarity we hadn’t experienced since we were young.

August 21, 2025: Hot Springs and a Capital City

We started our day strolling along the creek behind our lodge, taking in what might be the best view of the Sawtooth Mountains anywhere.

We then drove to Kirkham Hot Springs, a short distance from Stanley. We paid the $5 day-use fee via an honor system envelope. The park features natural hot springs flowing into the cold creek, with small pools built from stones to create the perfect soaking temperature. We loved the natural setting and highly recommend it for a quick stop.

Next, we hopped back in our Prius and headed to Boise, the capital of Idaho. The city was clean and very walkable. We had a delicious lunch buffet at Bombay Grill—their variety of curries was excellent, and the chai tea was included. At around $20 per person, it was a great deal! We spent the afternoon walking around downtown, visiting the beautiful rose garden, Trader Joe’s, and a large souvenir shop. Boise was lovely, and we’d love to come back when it’s not quite so hot!

Afterward, we began the long drive to our hotel, the Clover Island Inn in Kennewick, Washington. We made an impromptu stop at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center as we passed through Oregon.

It was a fascinating place to learn some history, and we added an Oregon Trail magnet to our collection. We arrived at the hotel around 7 p.m., ready to unwind before another early start.

August 22, 2025: The Green Waters of the North Cascades

On the final day of our trip, we set out for North Cascades National Park. We had underestimated the drive from Kennewick, so we woke up half an hour earlier. After five and a half hours, we made our first stop at the Diablo Lake Overlook.

The water was a striking, surreal shade of turquoise-green. We paused for an hour so I could attend a TA virtual meeting and we could have lunch with an incredible view.

Afterward, we visited the park’s visitor center, walked the “To-Know-a-Tree” trail, and went to the Gorge Dam, where we took a short hike up to see the lovely Ladder Creek Falls. Our final adventure was dipping our feet and swimming in the chilly, refreshing waters of Diablo Lake near the Thunder Knob Trailhead.

On our way back to Spokane, we stopped in the charming, Old West-themed town of Winthrop. We grabbed a coffee at one of the bustling local cafes and enjoyed the lively atmosphere filled with families. It was the perfect, peaceful end to our grand summer trip. The next morning, we headed home from Spokane, where it all began.