Do not bring fresh fruits and veggies across into the United States from Canada. We were not forewarned and we had some food confiscated. We were confused since there were giant signs about other items you cannot bring in the USA (guns, drugs, etc.).
Cell phone service is spotty near the National Parks in the west, especially once you get away from the highways. If you are in a caravan with other cars, think about using walkie talkies to communicate while driving and while hiking.
On this trip, I visited four national parks (The Badlands, Yellowstone, Glacier, and Theodore Roosevelt). Here are a few suggestions I have after my visit.
Read the paperwork that you are given when entering the park. There’s a ton of interesting information in there!
Beware of wildlife and respect the distance guidelines the parks have set for visitors!
Carry bear spray when hiking and know how to use it. We hiked a lot of popular trails and visited the parks in July and we still saw fresh bear scat on the trails and heard of a handful of bear sightings while we were hiking.
Ask the park rangers all of your questions and ask for suggestions on things to do or see in the park. They are the most knowledgeable people on the subject.
Glacier National Park has been a priority for my husband Kyle and I for a couple of years so we are so ecstatic that we could visit this summer. Originally, we wanted to camp in Many Glacier but when we tried to book the campsites 6 months in advance (which is as far out as they allow), we found that it was already completely booked. What we didn’t understand at the time was that the opening date for booking campsites is actually 6 months plus two weeks because you can book nights going forward two weeks. If we would have been traveling alone, we would have arrived at Many Glacier first thing in the morning (think 5a.m.) to try and snag one of the first come, first served campsites. But because we were a group of nine, we opted for booking a group site in Apgar at the south end of Lake McDonald. The group site at Apgar was really large as they accommodate between 9 and 25 people per site. The only down side to our location was being so close to the road. There was so traffic noise but nothing we couldn’t handle.
While at Glacier, we took full advantage of the hiking opportunities.
The Highline Trail starts across the street from the Logan Pass Parking lot in the middle of the Going To The Sun Road. The first part of the trail is along a steep cliff with no guard rails. There are some chains on the side to grab onto if you have issues with heights. After that, it opens up to a fairly open area where you have the best chance to see wildlife. We did not see much beyond ground squirrels and chipmunks, but others were much luckier. From there, we ascended a little ways to a snow covered area called Haystack Butte. After that, we walked a along an area called the Garden Wall and had the choice to either climb the wall or head to the Granite Park Chalet. The walk up the wall was very steep and went for almost a mile depending on how far you want to go. At the top, you have a nice view of the Grinnell Glacier and Upper Grinnell Lake. This was the main point of the hike and was worth the seemingly unending climb. Then it was back down from the Garden Wall and over to the Granite Park Chalet. There, they had bathrooms, tables, and snacks. Electricity was only available for powering the one refrigerator full of bottles of water and Gatorade. There was no kitchen on the premises, so your snacks options were limited to chips, candy bars, and Clif Bars. After the Chalet was the worst part of the hike; four miles downhill in an area that had burned down a number of years ago. There was no cover from the sun and very little to look at. The entire hike (with the Garden Wall addition was about 14 miles). From Apgar Campground, we took the earliest shuttle possible since parking at Logan Pass fills up quickly. Also keep in mind that the Highline trail is not a loop. It is a semi-circle that ends nowhere near Logan Pass. There is a shuttle pick up at the end of the trail but the shuttle’s last pick up is around 7p.m. So if you have not completed the hike by then, you are on your own.
We also took the shuttle to hike to Avalanche Lake. This trail starts at the end of Trail of the Cedars, a short half-mile boardwalk that has a lot of plaques about the surrounding nature. At the back end of the Trail of the Cedars loop, the Avalanche Lake trail starts. It’s a moderate hike with some elevation but nothing too difficult. The pay off when you reach the lake is well worth it. This is one of the shorter hikes in Glacier so it is pretty popular. I would recommend going early or late in the day.
One morning we woke up early and drove the 2.5 hour drive (one way) to Many Glacier to hike to Iceberg Lake which starts behind the Swiftcurrent General Store. We read that the parking lot fills up quickly but there is a lot of parking available so I wouldn’t worry about it. The trail started with a quarter mile climb, but flattens out for the rest of the way. It winds through a pine forest where we got a glimpse of the Ptarmigan Falls. Shortly after that, we crossed a bridge that acted as a good place to rest and drink some water. Just after the bridge, there was a split in the trail that offered the choice of Iceberg Lake or Ptarmigan Tunnel. We chose Iceberg Lake, but heard that Ptarmigan Tunnel offered a good view of some glaciers and would have been a good addition if we felt like doing 15 miles that day (we didn’t). The Iceberg Lake trail opened up and gave a good view of Ptarmigan Wall which is the backdrop for the lake. Right before we reached the lake, there was a large wildflower field and a smaller runoff pond. It was considerably cooler near the lake so keep that in mind when preparing for this hike. We sat on some rocks and had a quick lunch then headed back. It was a busy trail but still well worth our time. And even with all the hikers, we kept hearing that others were spotting bears. We were glad to have bear spray with us even though we didn’t need to use it.
We kayaked on Lake McDonald one morning as well using the outfitter based in Apgar village. The kayaks they offered were in good shape and were more varied than what they offered on their website (sit atops as well as sit-ins). Instead of using the website (since cell phone service was spotty), I drove to Apgar village to talk to them. The transaction was easy and I was able to reserve a few boats for the next morning. Keep in mind that the outfitter is located away from the water and while they give you a kayak cart, you are expected to get your boat to and from the water on your own. This definitely cuts into your time on the water. We had a lovely time on the water and two hours was enough for our group to enjoy the bald eagles nesting nearby.
We did a lot of research on this park. Here are a few of the sites that helped us plan.
http://www.hikinginglacier.com/highline-loop.htm
http://www.hikinginglacier.com/avalanche-lake.htm
http://www.hikinginglacier.com/iceberg-lake.htm
Here are some other hikes that we looked at but didn’t have time to complete.
http://www.hikinginglacier.com/siyeh-pass.htm
http://www.hikinginglacier.com/pitamakan-pass.htm
On route to Yellowstone, we stayed a night in the town of Cody, Wyoming to break up the camping. We booked an apartment at the Big Bear Lodge. What we didn’t understand until we arrived was that our apartment was not at the location with the large wooden bear sculpture out front (also where the free pony rides are offered), but about 3 miles away, which happened to be much closer to the town center. As a group, we had mixed feelings about this. On one hand, we were happy to be closer to bars and restaurants. And on the other hand, the hotel location did have laundry, pony rides, and live music at night. So while I would recommend staying at Big Bear, I would make sure you know which location you will be at (and which one you prefer).
From Cody, we drove to Yellowstone and took the scenic tour down from the northwest entrance towards Tower Junction and down the main road. There wasn’t a lot of traffic but there was a lot more wildlife in the north of the park than we saw in the southern part of the park. Had we known this, we would have taken more time in the north.
We camped in Grant Village for two nights which we had to book one year in advance. When you book your campsites at Yellowstone, they do not assign them until a few days ahead of time. Also, as we needed three camping sites, our sites were not next to each other but were in the same loop.
We spent most of our time in Yellowstone driving around and visiting the scenic overlooks and taking small hikes. One day, a few of us hiked the 10-mile loop hike of Dogshead Channel and Lewis Lake. The trail was relatively flat and mostly well marked. We visited two lakes, Shoshone Lake and Lewis Lake, and hiked along the river that connected the two lakes for a while. The day we were on the trail, we saw more kayaks and canoes than other hikers.
One thing I would recommend is talking a park ranger about less visited sites like geysers and thermal pools. We visited the Grand Prismatic Spring. And while it was beautiful, it was also very crowded and parking was a nightmare.
We also visited the Upper and Lower Falls of Yellowstone. We stopped to see the Big waterfalls and wanted to get a better look by doing that staircase hike, but it was closed.
Below is a link that helped us plan our trip. There’s also a link to an amazing company selling t-shirts and other National Park inspired items. They donate 4% of their proceeds to support “America’s most wild and historic places.” Check them out. I bought a t-shirt and have been very happy with my purchase.
https://www.trailguidesyellowstone.com/yellowstone_hikes/yellowstone_day_hikes.php
We didn’t originally plan on visiting the small town of Kobarid but I am so happy that we did. We rented an apartment in the city center which included a parking spot, wifi, and a washing machine. For $65USD per night, the three bedroom apartment was more than we needed but was the same price as some of the hotels in town. We took advantage of having a kitchen and a grocery store across the street to save some money.
We explored the surrounding area as well as the town itself. We walked and then hiked to Slap Kozjak. This is one time that I was happy to have other hikers on the path as finding the waterfall was a little confusing.
We also visited the Tolmin Gorges. The visit to this gorge involved a lot more climbing and hiking than the Vintgar Gorge but was just as stunning. Sadly, due to the climbing, I did not take any photos to share. But once again, the €5 entrance fee was worth the chance to explore this stunning area of Slovenia.
While in town, we visited the Kobarid Museum, (Kobariski Muzej). The place is packed with photographs and mementos from battles fought nearby during World War I. There is a short video presentation which is offered in multiple languages. I am glad we stopped by and learned more about this incredible area and it’s history.
Also while in town, we did what we do best; eat. We visited a few of the local restaurants but none stood out like Hisa Polonka. We actually ate here twice in three days. The dishes vary in size so beware of ordering to little or too much. The food was delicious and the service was friendly and inviting. Both times we ate there, our bill averaged around €45. This included drinks, appetizers, and entrees.
We also enjoyed a local food and art festival while in town. The food options (mussels, pastas, stews, etc.) were all tasty and flavorful though not as affordable as one would expect in such a small town. We ate lunch and grabbed a few local beers and glasses of wine and spent a total of €42. There were local musicians and singers performing for the crowds which we really enjoyed. We had a wonderful time in Kobarid and I would recommend a visit to this charming town.
– In general pedestrians do not have the right of way unless you have an actual green walking man symbol.
– The bus system in Costa Rica runs less frequently and is less reliable that the bus systems in other Central American countries AND the cost is higher. One would hope that if you were going to pay more you would actually get more out of the situation. Sadly, this is not the case in Costa Rica. If you’re traveling with multiple people or plan to visit several locations during your trip, especially if remote, consider a rental car as a transportation alternative just know that you will end up paying more than the advertised price (see my other blog entry regarding this issue). For a week’s rental from Nu Rental Cars, we ended up paying $231USD but were told that it would cost less than $50USD for the rental.
– Know that any transportation that you undertake will take longer than you were expecting. Plan accordingly and add about 50% to your travel time.
– Uber does operate in San Jose but under the radar of the government. Sit up front with the driver to avoid issues with police. Use caution when using Uber though as we had a 50% rate of the drivers trying to take us the long way to charge us more. This is the same complaint I have read about regarding the taxis that do not have or use a meter.
– Bring your own alcohol as it can get expensive. You can legally bring in up to 5 liters of alcohol per person if you are over 18 years old.
– There were a lot of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options in the towns I visited. Enjoy the alternative-diet friendly atmosphere.
– Most hotels and hostels that I stayed at during this trip did not have A/C so it’s prudent to consider reserving rooms that have fans.
– I visited at the tail end of the dry season, which made most of the access to trails, rivers, etc. very accessible and in some cases, even just possible. Conditions are likely much different during the wet season and in some cases we were told that some trails (and even roads) become impassable.
– If you speak Spanish and are on a budget, I would recommend going to Nicaragua instead. You will save a lot of money and can see a lot of the same natural wonders. If you do not speak Spanish, do your research and try and save yourself some money in Costa Rica.
We said goodbye to El Castillo and headed north to Rio Celeste. The drive was smooth sailing which surprised us. The roads were in good condition and we didn’t encounter any traffic or other issues. We stopped off at a roadside soda and had some of the most delicious food including pan fried tilapia.
We stayed two nights at Hotel Catarata Rio Celeste and visited the National Park Volcano Tenorio during the day. We booked two nights in anticipation of being muddy after the hike. With hindsight, we could have stayed only one night but it was good to have some down time after hiking.
The following day, we drove up to the park entrance, paid about $1USD to park and $12USD per person. We arrived just after it opened to beat the crowds and to have the hiking trail to ourselves. We hiked in about 30 minutes and then took the stairs down to see the waterfall. It was very impressive and stunning. We were happy to have arrived early and have the place to ourselves for awhile.
We then ascended the staircase and continued the easy hike further into the park where two rivers meet and the water turns a celestial blue. While seeing this sight was interesting, it definitely was a let down compared to the waterfall. If you are not an avid hiker, I would recommend skipping the hike and just marvel at the waterfall.
Swimming in the park is not allowed but there are many points on the river outside the park that you can access. Just park on the side of the road and hop in the water. The water is cold but can be very refreshing after hiking.
frugaltravelbug 