Touring - Touring from Missoula to Fort Collins

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FCBrian
08-13-07, 03:53 PM
We hit a jackpot!!

My fiance and I have come into the fortune of delivering a car for some friends moving to Missoula this month. We have been trying to decide on a fall tour, so we're planning to drive to Missoula and tour back to Fort Collins (north of Denver) in September.

We're trying to decide on a return route. Glacier NP to Great Falls, south through Livingston and Yellowstone NP seems to be the obvious choice.

Any other ideas? We have around 1.5-2 weeks for the tour, so we need to stay pretty well on track, with the mind to cover 60-80 miles per day, depending on terrain, of course.

Any input, trip reports, advice, etc. is greatly appreciated!

Brian

jamawani
08-13-07, 05:19 PM
Halloo?

Fall is fall is fall - when.
September is nice. October is very tricky.
Plus the days get quite short & cold at the start.

You are looking at 800+ miles if you follow the TransAm route -
http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/transamerica.cfm
From Missoula to Walden - then down Poudre Canyon to Ft. Collins.
You'd be lucky to do this section in two weeks.

Personally, US 89 from Glacier to Yellowstone is one of the nicest rides in the West.
But there is no way you have time to do this - plus make it back in two weeks.
Remember the old adage - less is more.

(Also - I think Going to the Sun Road will be closed after Labor Day for construction.)
FCBrian
08-14-07, 11:24 AM
We realize we'd be crunching. We can catch a ride back south a ways if we don't hit Glacier and we have quite a few friends along the way and may hit fast-forward on the road with them a time or two.

I didn't realize the Transamerica came through that route to Ft Collins. I'll look to AC for more info.

Brian

ken cummings
08-14-07, 12:50 PM
The Trans Am does not go to Ft. Collins. The poster was saying you split form the route in the Walden/Rabbit Ears Pass area. That takes you over Cameron Pass at near 9,000+ feet You go any further south and you have some seriously high roads to deal with. Like Trail Ridge Road which gets near to 12,200 feet and snow in the summer. Plus heavy tourist traffic.
valygrl
08-14-07, 10:14 PM
If you find yourself coming home on 130 from Walcott, a side trip up hwy 130 to the snowy range pass (medicine bow nat'l forest) is a worthwhile detour. easy to do as an out-and-back from a FS campground about 5-8 miles from the main road (intersection of 130 & 230).

I thought Poudre Canyon was nice enough to do it again, so I think I'm gonna.

cheers.