Any recommendations for 5 days hiking in Wyoming, Idaho or MT? This is around July 15-20. Not counting on Glacier being open

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uvagohoos

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Looking for specific hike ideas. I am actively researching Beartooths, Sawtooths, Winds, the Bob etc. If anyone has any routes that'd be awesome. Thanks for all the great resources from everyone!

Regarding the Winds, it sounds like mosquitoes will be bad in mid July, but it seems that they'll be bad everywhere in July. So why not embrace it
 
Pretty much anything you choose in those areas will be excellent, world-class backpacking. And filled with mosquitoes :p

If you've never been to any of them, the more well-known routes are a great introduction (Titcomb Basin, Cirque of the Towers, Alice-Toxaway Loop, the Beaten Path, the Chinese Wall), and that's why they're well known. They're great trips!
 
This thread will start you off with some ideas for the Beartooths: https://backcountrypost.com/threads/first-backpacking-trip-in-the-beartooths-early-august.9050/ I'm not aware off the top of my head of any good Beartooth hiking guides, but I'm sure one exists somewhere. The Beartooths are more of an off-trail playground, so if you're good with off-trail, get a map and Google Earth and pretty much pick whatever route suits your fancy. The off-trail hiking is definitely slower than on-trail, but generally speaking you will be able to find a way from point A to B, with few exceptions.

For the Winds, Pallister's guide is good for off-trail ideas. For on trail planning, the Falcon Guide book "hiking wyoming's wind river range" will be helpful if you don't know where to start. Jackson's ideas are good places to start looking.

Big question is, do you prefer to stay on trails, or are you looking to go off trail? The Beartooths are much better suited to off-trail hiking than on-trail hiking. The Winds have more trails, but also have plenty of off-trail opportunities.

Keep in mind that July 15 you will be hitting plenty of snow in the high country in both the Beartooths and the Winds. I haven't checked snow conditions this year, but that's a generally true rule. Passes will have snow in mid July, so factor that in. If you're comfortable with snow/ice travel, things will generally be passable by then, but if you don't have too much experience or risk tolerance in those conditions, plan accordingly. The mosquitoes will be bad. One year we did avoid the worst of the July mosquitoes by getting super high in elevation (11k+) but that came with its own challenges. Bring plenty of DEET and a head net and prepare for them to get into your food (mosquitoes for some reason LOVE to fly into boiling water).

Never been to the Sawtooths or the Bob, so can't comment on them.
 
Jackson said:
Pretty much anything you choose in those areas will be excellent, world-class backpacking. And filled with mosquitoes :p

If you've never been to any of them, the more well-known routes are a great introduction (Titcomb Basin, Cirque of the Towers, Alice-Toxaway Loop, the Beaten Path, the Chinese Wall), and that's why they're well known. They're great trips!
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Since we're flying into Bozeman, I'm thinking maybe two hikes around there as Winds and Sawtooths are both about 6 hours. You ever do camping in Yellowstone? Thinking if they're open then I can snag some permits for a Sky Rim/Gallatin Crest Traverse Loop hike around specimen ridge.

Then, we can drive over to East Rosebud and do three days as well then finish and drive back to Bozeman having parked our car at the end an taxi to the beginning.

Lastly, I think it's likely Glacier will be open just not many high elevation hikes since they'll be behind schedule. So wondering what options we have up there
 
Big question is, do you prefer to stay on trails, or are you looking to go off trail? The Beartooths are much better suited to off-trail hiking than on-trail hiking. The Winds have more trails, but also have plenty of off-trail opportunities.

Keep in mind that July 15 you will be hitting plenty of snow in the high country in both the Beartooths and the Winds. I haven't checked snow conditions this year, but that's a generally true rule. Passes will have snow in mid July, so factor that in. If you're comfortable with snow/ice travel, things will generally be passable by then, but if you don't have too much experience or risk tolerance in those conditions, plan accordingly. The mosquitoes will be bad. One year we did avoid the worst of the July mosquitoes by getting super high in elevation (11k+) but that came with its own challenges. Bring plenty of DEET and a head net and prepare for them to get into your food (mosquitoes for some reason LOVE to fly into boiling water).

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Since we're flying into Bozeman, I am thinking two three day trips might be good around there. We would probably stay on trail. You ever camp in Yellowstone? The gallatin crest traverse, specimen ridge, sky rim hikes look interesting should backcountry permitting open.

For the beartooths, east rosebud trail looks like a great option. How do you like that trail? We will have spikes and picaridin
 
East Rosebud trail is cool, but it's often called the "Beaten Path" because it does see lots of traffic, being one of the few trails in that area. I've only been on the section from East Rosebud TH to Fossil Lake and found it a very nice trail, despite the people. It is very well maintained. Getting a vehicle shuttle from one end to the other can be a sticking point, it's a pretty long drive. It is well worth driving the Beartooth Highway if you've never done it before.
 
Stuff around Bozeman.... Ex pintlers, Lee Metcalf
 
Bob said:
Stuff around Bozeman.... Ex pintlers, Lee Metcalf
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There is a lot of spectacular scenery in the Lee Metcalf. But like the beaten path in the Beartooth's some of it sees a lot of traffic, specifically the Spanish Peaks area. That area is just to convenient to Bozeman and Big Sky. The Hilgard area off Hebgen Lake is a lot less busy and you could do a nice 3 day loop there.

As for the Beartooth's, yes Beartooth 101 is absolutely the beaten path but another option would be to start at Chief Joseph trailhead, take the beaten path to Fossil Lake and the strike off trail towards Rough/Lone Elk, thence to Upper and Lower Aero, and then out Zimmer Creek to Lady of the Lake. There would be a lot of options available along that route and nothing is too difficult.
 
John Goering said:
There is a lot of spectacular scenery in the Lee Metcalf. But like the beaten path in the Beartooth's some of it sees a lot of traffic, specifically the Spanish Peaks area. That area is just to convenient to Bozeman and Big Sky. The Hilgard area off Hebgen Lake is a lot less busy and you could do a nice 3 day loop there.

As for the Beartooth's, yes Beartooth 101 is absolutely the beaten path but another option would be to start at Chief Joseph trailhead, take the beaten path to Fossil Lake and the strike off trail towards Rough/Lone Elk, thence to Upper and Lower Aero, and then out Zimmer Creek to Lady of the Lake. There would be a lot of options available along that route and nothing is too difficult.
Click to expand...
Yep ...... I'd stay south
 
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