Even the first part of Sept is still a good time to travel this area. Your mornings might be a little cooler but the riding will be good. If your 995 miles to El Paso, you must be from the western part of LA.(Baton Rogue?) Another nice avenue is up from El Paso on 25 to Denver. At Denver west on interstate 70 over Eisenhouer Summit(11200 ft) or you can go over Loveland Pass (same hiway) 13000 ft. Go on to Salt Lake City north on Interstate 15 to Idaho Falls and take hwy 26( I think) to Jackson Hole on into Yellowstone. Jackson is a great place to spend the evening. Totally outrageous scenery. I'm a trucker and biker, been on all the roads. All times of the year. Even when I have to put chains on LOL. Good riding.

 

not in red stick,but on the tejas/la border.mom and bruther live in cajun country. we hate crowds so sept is probably going to be it for us. we don't mind cool,but not bitter cold.not enjoyable loose to much function to be riding twistie curvey roads.
ur route sounds pretty good. thanks

 

Red Lodge, Beartooth Pass, that whole area is incredible. I spent a lot of time there as a teen working summers between Roscoe and Absarokee. There's a hotel called Gallatin Gateway Innin Bozeman that is very nice (or it was in '98 the last time I went through there). Expensive, but we enjoyed it. Like they said, lots of great camping. If you go too late or too early in the season it gets really cold at night, though, and I've seen snow in June in that area so be ready for anything.

 

I'm originaly from southern OK. Both of my sisters married fellows from LA. One now lives in Red Stick the other married a fellow from Natchitoches. I rode through Louisiana a couple years ago on a cross-country trip. I had forgotten how hot and humid it gets down there in July and August. Jeez it was "Africa Hot!"

Humidity in the west makes the summer very differnet, so expect about half (or more) of what you're used to. That means the air will cool a LOT quicker, especially after dark. Don't dress for summer like you would in LA, you'll want to be able to layer as you go up and down in elevation. In northern Utah, eastern Idaho, and western Wyoming you can expect the valleys to get into the 90s with humidity in the 15% and up range. At higher elevation (6000 to 11,000) expect temperatures to drop proportionally.

I make a trip to Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and northern Idaho about every other year, and riding this side of the Rockies is GREAT. If you get a chance come up through southern Utah and hit Zion and Bryce national parks before working your way north up highway 89 (stay off I-15 if you can avoid it).

I'm with you on the crowds. If you're tyring to avoid them then late August is better than early. The early August time frame is when families try to get in those last minute vacations before school starts in late August. It also seems that early August is the prime time for the Prune-Platoon in their rolling living rooms trying to get in the scenery before they head south for the winter.

If you hit Yellowstone in that time frame then expect big crowds around the major tourist spots. Old Faithful will draw a couple thousand people at a time to see the eruption. There's lots of benches and spots to sit around the site so it's usually not too bad, but don't expect to be able to do it in a small group. When it blows folks enjoy the show and then disperse pretty quick. Not much to see between shows, and it's not nearly as "Faithful" as it used to be, so waiting times can draw mixed crowds.

Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons have decent roads, most of the time, but there are delays due to road construction or public works projects. Inside the park the roads are 2-lane, and if they shut one side down to repair the other then you'll face waiting times while they clear traffic each way. Longest I've had to wait was just over an hour.

As noted, Beartooth highway is decent, but there's some good roads away from the parks that are just as good. I personally like a couple of the state parks and scenic drives in eastern Idaho as much as those in western Wyoming.

If you want to get away from the crowds and can do some extra travelling then try Lolo National Forest on the Idaho/Montana border.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/lolo/

I highly recommend Highway 12 from Lewiston to Missoula (or visa-versa) ...



Also take a look at Shoshone Falls just south of Yellowstone ...

 

Geaux Tigers!
we have been trying to work our way back north since rita in 05.we took a Major hit right up the sabine(sab-eene) river 5 miles east of us.130 mph sustained winds with twisters mixed in. we want to clear the crowds ,but not get caught in too cold or storms so 1st two ,three weeks of sept is what we will go for. getting away from the heat & humiidty is our salvation and is what we look forward to.of course we like the gumbo,shrimp ,oysters and all that cajun cookin thats here.espically crawfish in season ! thanks for all the info.looks like a three week trip is in order!!!

 

YOU CAN'T MISS BY GOING TO CODY VIA BIGHORN. STAY IN CODY FOR TWO NIGHTS AND USE THE EXTRA DAY TO DO CHIEF JOSEPH AND THE BEARTOOTH TO REDLODGE AND BACK TO CODY. ANYWHERE IN COLORADO IS GREAT..THE RUN FROM DURANGO TO GUNNISON IS FAMOUS AS WELL AS THE INDEPENDANCE PASS...FOR THIS STAY IN LEADVILLE AND GO THRU ASPEN. THE ROCKIES NATIONAL FOREST THRU ESTEE PARK IS BEAUTIFUL. ONE OF THE GREATEST RIDES IS FROM TORREY...GRAND ESCALANTE DOWN TO BRYCE CANYON IN SOUTHERN UTAH. IF YOU DO THIS RUN YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE BURR TRAIL IN BOULDER UTAH AS A SHORT SIDE TRIP. EVEN THOUGH THE ROAD TURN TO GRAVEL AND YOU HAVE TO TURN AROUND ...TRUST ME ON THIS...YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT. MY WIFE AND I ARE FROM TORONTO CANADA HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO RIDE IN 42 OF 50 STATES AND HAVE MEET THE GREATEST PEOPLE ON BIKES AND IN SMALL TOWNS. EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE GREAT PLACES IN EVERY STATE WE HAVE FOUND THAT MILE FOR MILE COLORADO AND UTAH ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO RIDE.....ENJOY YOUR TRIP WHERE EVER YOU GO....IT'S RARELY THE DESTINATION...BUT IT'S ALWAYS THE JOURNEY!!

 

Agree, must see Chief Joseph Hwy and Beartooth, Red Lodge have done this ride several times. Prefer to go in late June(snow possible at anytime), not the fall. Days are longer in June more riding time.

 

I have to agree with jeffbarb17about Colorado. My wife and I were out there this past summer. We rode Bear Tooth pass, Yellowstone, The Tetons and lots of other beatiful places but Colorado really caught our eye. We are going back there and plan on a whole vacation there. IMHO

Jeff

 

a continued thanks to all for the information. we are still planning a 1st ,3 weeks of sept trip. now that 08 is only a few days away and we can pick vacation and asure our time frame for the trip.maybe a week earlier,but definitely no later.
i'll print this tpic and use it as a written reference to plan & schedule off of.

 

Just a few more suggestions - to make it more complicated to decide what to do!!! Not on purpose but surely you want all of your options!. We stayed in Yellowstone park for two nights - One night in the Old Faithful Inn and one night in the Roosevelt Towers Cabins. The Old Faithful Inn is very rusticand ourroom overlooked Old Faithful! While there we went on a cowboy cookout near the Roosevelt Cabins - The food was so delicious, cowboy songs were sung around a campfire, then we saw a bear in the field as we headed out. We did have to book many months ahead of time but I hope to go back this year and will stay in the park again.
In Cody we stayed in the Irma Hotel and there are gunfights out in the street just outside of the hotel each evening.
In Red Lodge, Montana we ate at the BearCreek Saloon and entertainment after we ater was Pig Races. What a hoot.
Good luck!