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Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park are both near the Bitterroot Valley.
If you’re heading this way and have the time to see these national treasures, you should consider it.
This article highlights Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park, and the route that connects them through Montana’s scenic Bitterroot Valley.
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How Far is the Bitterroot Valley From Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks?
The Bitterroot Valley is located midway between Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park.
According to Google Maps you can drive the 464 miles from Glacier to Yellowstone in just over 8 hours, driving through the heart of the Bitterroot Valley.
Google Maps shows you can drive the 182 miles from Hamilton to Glacier National Park in 3 1/2 hours.
Google Maps shows you can drive the 280 miles from Hamilton to Yellowstone National park in 4 1/2 hours.
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Glacier National Park
If you’ve never been to Glacier National Park during the summer months, you don’t know what you’re missing.
Once the snow melts and the roads are cleared, the Going to the Sun Road will be one of the most spectacular things you’ll ever see.
Glacier National Park Views / Bitterroot Info
With the towering peaks of the Rocky Mountains above, and the rushing glacial streams and beautiful lakes below, Glacier National Park is a visual overload.
Abundant wildlife, scenic views, and the park’s unforgettable hiking, camping, biking and rustic lodge experiences await your arrival.
Yellowstone National Park
It’s hard to describe Yellowstone National Park to someone who has not experienced it for themselves.
It’s much bigger than most people think, and it’s filled with some of the country’s most scenic places.
Yellowstone National Park Views / Bitterroot Info
It’s impossible not to see wildlife as you circle the park on Grand Loop Road — where else are you going to see hot pots, geysers and bison on the same day.
If you haven’t been to Yellowstone National Park, and you’re visiting the Bitterroot Valley, this is your chance.
Glacier to Yellowstone is an Unforgettable Drive
The driving routes from Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks to the Bitterroot Valley will take you through some of the most scenic places Montana has to offer.
The route between the Bitterroot Valley and Glacier NP passes by Flathead lake, a 27 mile long lake surrounded by towering ranges of the Rocky Mountains.
Bigfork, Polson and Whitefish Montana are terrific tourism communities with lots to see and do all summer.
Bison grazing in Yellowstone Park / Bitterroot Info
The route between Yellowstone NP and the Bitterroot Valley will take you through the Big Hole Valley, one of our favorite places to find ourselves in Montana.
Wisdom, Jackson, Bannack, and the Big Hole Battlefield are all on this route, and give you a peek into days gone by in this part of the state.
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Can You Make a Day Trip of It?
People ask if you can head out to the parks for a day trip from the Bitterroot Valley.
Our opinion is no, not really.
With 8 hours of driving time just to get to a park and back, there’s not enough time left to spend in the park.
Geysers in Yellowstone National Park / Bitterroot Info
And if there’s road construction, which is common all summer in Montana, you could really run short on time.
If you can, we recommend you spend a night or two near the parks so you can take in all they have to offer.
A Few Tips for Visiting the Parks
Here are a few tips about visiting Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks from the Bitterroot Valley.
✓ Assume there will be a lot of traffic in June, July & August — add drive time to your plan.
✓ Assume there will be road construction — add drive time to your plan.
Bison walking down the highway / Bitterroot Info
✓ Assume there will be a line at the park entrances — add drive time to your plan.
✓ Assume the parks will be crowded during June, July & August — add more time in the park to the plan.
✓ If you can visit the parks before Memorial Day and after Labor Day things are quieter — and colder.
That’s a Good Question
According to Google Maps, it’s 183 miles from Hamilton, MT to Glacier National Park
According to Google Maps, it’s 281 miles from Hamilton, MT to the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park.