Planning a trip to Glacier & Yosemite in August. How many days would you recommend for each location?
Thanks for your help.
Wes
Georgia
How many days do you have? Will you be driving around the sites you want to view, or will you be hiking a lot? Camping on-site or staying in a nearby hotel / motel? I live right next to Glacier National Park and have yet to tire of it after many years. If you are driving and staying off-site, pretty much your choice in Glacier is the Going to the Sun Road and the Hidden Lake Trail in West Glacier and Hwy 49 in East Glacier. 2-3 days will generally cover these venues adequately. If you are hiking, there are tons more places to visit and get to, so plan accordingly for that.
Can't really speak to Yosemite, but you won't be disappointed whichever venue you visit the longest...
Quick answer: As many as you can afford!
More to the point, given that you will likely have an itinerary and time constraints, I'd plan on taking lots of memory cards and batteries. If you're up for it, get up before dawn and catch the sunrise. Sunsets can be spectacular, too. In my opinion, you can't even see all of Yosemite without spending five days or more. Take lots of vitamins, enjoy the scenery, and take lots of photos!
Is this on the same trip? Are you flying between them? They are far apart and I'd suggest combine Glacier and Yellowstone instead. I'm going to Yosemite in 2 weeks, (no, not for the Horsetail falls, done that plus this year will probably be dismal) and I've been there countless times, ok, maybe 20 times, I still see new places to photograph.
Thanks for your help. Travel agent is suggesting 4 days. We are staying off property.
She has us a guide lined up for 2 days and then a free day.
Thanks. We will be flying into Fresno and then driving to Yosemite.
Gene51
Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
Bird Dawg wrote:
Planning a trip to Glacier & Yosemite in August. How many days would you recommend for each location?
Thanks for your help.
Wes
Georgia
If you have any plans for the rest of your life - as we say in NY - fuggedabidit . . . You will never want to leave either place!
Would suggest you consider changing your Yosemite visit to mid May. Waterfalls can be magnificent in May particularly Yosemite falls. Temperature in valley can be +80 and ~1/4 mile away at falls base is ~55. Snow melt. There is no snow melt in August. Falls turn into dry gulch. Hiking up the mountains may be better in August though.
Bird Dawg wrote:
Planning a trip to Glacier & Yosemite in August. How many days would you recommend for each location?
Thanks for your help.
Wes
Georgia
Not sure about Glacier but you can spend years roaming Yosemite and the surrounding area and still not see everything.
joecichjr
Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA
PeteWeez wrote:
Would suggest you consider changing your Yosemite visit to mid May. Waterfalls can be magnificent in May particularly Yosemite falls. Temperature in valley can be +80 and ~1/4 mile away at falls base is ~55. Snow melt. There is no snow melt in August. Falls turn into dry gulch. Hiking up the mountains may be better in August though.
Awesome 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Bird Dawg wrote:
Planning a trip to Glacier & Yosemite in August. How many days would you recommend for each location?
Thanks for your help.
Wes
Georgia
30 each if you're in a hurry. And you still won't get all of them.
My wife and I spent four days in Glacier this last September and stayed in the park. The best thing we did was an all-day Red Bus tour. We saw all the scenic locations with time for photos. If you can reserve this for your first day it will give you a great overview of the places you may want to return to and spend more time. The problem with driving yourself is that most of the parking areas fill up very early in the morning with hikers. If you're staying outside the park you will have to reserve a timed entry to drive into the park. It's a beautiful place.
tommystrat wrote:
How many days do you have? Will you be driving around the sites you want to view, or will you be hiking a lot? Camping on-site or staying in a nearby hotel / motel? I live right next to Glacier National Park and have yet to tire of it after many years. If you are driving and staying off-site, pretty much your choice in Glacier is the Going to the Sun Road and the Hidden Lake Trail in West Glacier and Hwy 49 in East Glacier. 2-3 days will generally cover these venues adequately. If you are hiking, there are tons more places to visit and get to, so plan accordingly for that.
Can't really speak to Yosemite, but you won't be disappointed whichever venue you visit the longest...
How many days do you have? Will you be driving ar... (
show quote)
I also live right next to Glacier National Park. Have been here for over 20 years & still find new areas to discover. i'd say a week would give you the best chance to see most of the Park. Judging by the past couple of years, I'd say be prepared for crowds & traffic though.
To tommystrat, not sure if you live on the east or west side of the Park but maybe we know each other. I clicked on your name & got an option to add you to my "buddy list" so I did. Never knew there was a "buddy list" but hey, you're my 1st & only "buddy".
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