Megatrip to Montana!
I now have the route set starting Sunday July12, 2026 through Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah and back to Colorado to drive two of the most often mentioned spectacular drives in the country, The Beartooth Highway in Wyoming and the Going to the Sun Road in Montana along with some other great connecting roads. We will drive all or part of eight of National Geographic’s “best scenic highways and byways” and over 20 rated by Butler maps as G1, G2 or G3. This will be a seven-day trip using reasonably priced lodging and meals, so other than your fuel, personal outlays and access fees to two national parks there should be no added costs.
Here is the finalized daily plan:
Sunday: Meet at Conoco, 1202 E 58th Ave, Denver, CO 80216 at the north end of Metro Denver on I-25. Drive to Thermopolis, WY with rest stops, lunch and enough time to explore the hot springs and sights when we get there, a day of some 400 miles about 2/3 Interstate driving.
Lodging: Quality Inn Thermopolis, 166 US-20, Thermopolis, WY 82443 (307) 463-4206 or
https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/KB62C3
Monday: This will be a 225 mile day of twists and turns as we drive to Cody, WY for a rest stop, then take the breathtaking Chief Joseph Scenic Byway with a picnic or a stop in Cooke City for lunch enroute to the mighty Beartooth Highway and on toour overnight at Red Lodge, MT.
Lodging: Beartooth Hideaway Inn & Cabins, 1223 Broadway Ave S, Red Lodge, MT 59068 (406) 446-2288 talk to Linda or Robert.
Tuesday: Drive a 400-mile mix of Interstate and twisty 2 lane roads to our overnight at Browning, MT. This will be a long driving day to get to the goal of the trip but with some really good stuff along the way up to there.
Lodging: Going-To-The-Sun Inn, 121 Central Ave, Browning, MT 59417 (406) 338-7572
Wednesday: Our shortest day on the road, this day is all about taking in the entirety of the Going to the Sun Road experience. We will have time to stop at every overlook and gawk or hike every trail, since we only go from Browning to Kalispell, about 112 miles unless you take the alternate which will add 300 miles.
Lodging: Americas Best Value Inn, 1550 US-93, Kalispell, MT 59901 (406) 756-3222
Thursday: We cruise around Flathead Lake, then drive south through the enchanting and scenic Bitterroot Valley of Idaho, just touching the Continental Divide to our overnight in Challis, ID. Today is a 315 mile mix of scenic twists and open two lane with distant vistas. Should be fun.
Lodging: Red Rock Lodge, 610 Clinic Road, Challis, ID 83226 (208) 879-4936
Friday: We will parallel the twisting Salmon River as we head through Idaho Falls to climb into Wyoming along the Snake River that lives up to its name, and down through the Bridger-Teton National Forest through the high desert 400 miles to our overnight in Rock Springs.
Lodging: Best Western Outlaw Inn, 1630 Elk St, Rock Springs, WY 82901 (307) 362-6623 Ask for Tully
Saturday: We will head south to the Flaming Gorge in Utah and a rest stop, then on to a fun lunch place in Craig, Colorado. After lunch we attack two of our old favorites, the Twenty Mile road and Gore Pass, on our way back to our homes in the front range. This will be 380–450 miles, depending on whether you return to Denver or Colorado Springs. It should be a brilliant trip!
Make sure you secure your lodging reservations at the places noted for each day and mention the Ross Robbins Group to get the block rates I have secured. As you might imagine, the discounts are minimal but real during the high season in these heavily travelled communities. There are only 15 rooms in the block so that is all we will have with us on a first come basis. If we have more than 15, the excess will have to find their own lodging. When you have all your reservations complete, email me and I will add you to the trip list. I will have updates throughout the spring and all the final details by June 1, 2026.
The seven days on the road will cover a total trip distance of 2,200 miles, plus your trip to the start and from the finish. I believe that this will be a mighty trip we’ll never forget!
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Ross