14 Days Through the Northern Rockies: A Glacier National Park Road Trip Itinerary

This road trip and hiking itinerary rated moderate in skill level traces a long westward drive from Minnesota to Glacier National Park, Montana, by SUV. Along the way, travelers pass through the Black Hills, Devils Tower, Yellowstone National Park, and the Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor before spending several days based near St Mary at Glacier's east side. Highlights include whitewater rafting on the Middle Fork Flathead River, a guided backcountry horseback ride, a group celebration at Sun Point, and a farewell hike to Grinnell Lake. The trip wraps with a multi-day drive back east through Montana, the Dakotas, and Minnesota.

Built stop by stop, not written as an article.

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Days
14
Stops
66
Driving
2,873 mi
On foot
15.5 mi
Overnights
11
Level
moderate

Published by Xploreum · August 2026

ARE YOU XPLORER MATERIAL?

The average Xplorer every year...

  • Sleeps outside 24 nights

  • Explores 1,800 miles

  • Covers 500 miles on foot, skis, bikes, boats and trails

  • Experiences a 120°F temperature difference

  • Discovers 18 new places

  • Does something for the first time 18 times

  • Sees the Milky Way 11 nights

  • Takes 6 people on their first adventure

  • Spends 240 hours away from notifications

  • Creates stories remembered for decades

The shape of it

How the route moves

14 days and 66 stops, covering 2,873 mi of driving, 15.5 mi on foot. Every distance comes from the route records behind this Xpedition.

Route overview map for 14 Days Through the Northern Rockies: A Glacier National Park Road Trip Itinerary: 66 stops from Hayfield, Minnesota area to Hayfield, Minnesota area.

Route overview, not navigation

Start: Hayfield, Minnesota areaEnd: Hayfield, Minnesota area66 numbered stops, in itinerary order© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap

Stops are shown at place level. Each leg is coloured by the travel mode we infer from the stops at either end, then drawn along that network: blue for driving and magenta for walking. The mode is our inference, not a confirmed record of how the route was travelled. A grey dashed leg is one we could not route, shown as a straight overview instead. This is an overview of the route, not a turn-by-turn track, and it is not suitable for navigation.

The itinerary

Day by day

All 66 stops, free to read. Every day is editable once the route is yours.

American bison in the northern Great Plains while driving from Minnesota toward South Dakota on the first day of the Glacier National Park road trip.

Photo by Jon Sailer on Unsplash

Day 1

The Big Push West

  • 514 mi drive
  • Night: La Quinta Inn, Rapid City SD area area total_km_driven:968,

The trip begins with an early 6:30 AM departure from the Hayfield, Minnesota area, kicking off a long day of driving toward the Black Hills. A midday stop in Wall, South Dakota, offers a break for lunch and a look at the town's famous roadside attraction. In the afternoon, the route continues to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, where the carved granite presidential faces rise from the Black Hills. The day wraps with dinner in Rapid City, South Dakota, followed by check-in at a hotel with breakfast and a pool for the night.

  1. Hayfield, Minnesota areaDrive6:30 AM

    Departure from starting location. Early start for a long drive west.

  2. +404 mi along the route

    Wall, South Dakota areaDrive1:00 PM

    Roadside attraction and lunch stop.

  3. +80.8 mi along the route

    Mount Rushmore National Memorial areaDrive3:30 PM

    The iconic presidential sculpture carved into the Black Hills granite.

  4. +26.1 mi along the route

    Rapid City, South Dakota areameal5:30 PM

    Dinner stop in South Dakota.

  5. +3.7 mi along the route

    Hotel in Rapid City arealodge7:00 PM

    Comfortable lodging with breakfast and pool.

Snow-dusted prairie landscape crossing eastern Montana on the drive west toward Glacier National Park.

Photo by Peter Robbins on Unsplash

Day 2

Devils Tower to Cody

  • 356 mi drive
  • 2.6 mi on foot
  • Night: Lodging in Cody WY area area total_km_driven:692.9,

After breakfast in Rapid City, the drive heads to Devils Tower National Monument, the country's first national monument and a striking volcanic rock formation. A 1.3 mile paved loop trail circles the base of the tower, offering close-up views before a picnic lunch back at the parking area. The afternoon drive continues on to Cody, Wyoming, with a stop at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, home to multiple museums covering Western art, Plains Indian culture, firearms, and natural history. The evening includes dinner on Cody's main street and a stay at cabin-style lodging within walking distance of local attractions.

  1. Hotel in Rapid City arealodge7:30 AM

    Breakfast and check out.

  2. +118 mi along the route

    Devils Tower National MonumentDrive10:00 AM

    America's first national monument, a stunning volcanic monolith.

  3. +1.3 mi along the route

    Tower Trail LoopHike10:30 AM

    1.3-mile paved loop trail around the base of Devils Tower with incredible views.

  4. +1.3 mi along the route

    Devils Tower National MonumentDrive12:15 PM

    Return to parking for picnic lunch.

  5. +236 mi along the route

    Buffalo Bill Center of the WestDrive4:45 PM

    Multiple museums showcasing Western art, Plains Indians, firearms, natural history, and regional history.

  6. +1.1 mi along the route

    Cody, Wyoming areameal7:15 PM

    Dinner on the main street in Cody.

  7. +0.6 mi along the route

    Historic cabin lodging in Cody arealodge8:45 PM

    Cabin-style lodging in the Cody area with pool and walking distance to local attractions.

Forested river valley in western Montana as the journey approaches the Rocky Mountains and Glacier National Park.

Photo by Harrison Hargrave on Unsplash

Day 3

Yellowstone Highlights

  • 172 mi drive
  • 6 mi on foot
  • Night: Stage Coach Inn, West Yellowstone MT area total_km_driven:299.8,

This day is dedicated to exploring Yellowstone National Park, entered through the scenic Wapiti Valley at the East Entrance. Early stops include an overlook of Yellowstone Lake, North America's largest high-elevation lake, followed by a visit to Artist Point. A half-mile paved walk here leads to iconic views of the 308-foot Lower Falls and the canyon walls, with a picnic lunch back at the trailhead. In the afternoon, the route continues to the Upper Geyser Basin near Old Faithful, where a 2-mile boardwalk loop passes Old Faithful, Castle Geyser, Grand Geyser, and many more active geysers. The day ends with dinner in the gateway town of West Yellowstone and a night at a hotel with an indoor pool and hot tub.

  1. Historic cabin lodging in Cody arealodge7:00 AM

    Breakfast and check out.

  2. +52.8 mi along the route

    Yellowstone East EntranceDrive8:30 AM

    Enter Yellowstone through the scenic Wapiti Valley.

  3. +23.6 mi along the route

    Yellowstone Lake OverlookDrive9:15 AM

    Stunning overlook of North America's largest high-elevation lake.

  4. +26.1 mi along the route

    Artist Point TrailheadDrive10:30 AM

    Parking for the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone south rim trails.

  5. +1 mi along the route

    Artist Point and Lower Falls ViewHike10:45 AM

    0.5-mile paved walk to iconic views of the 308-foot Lower Falls and the canyon walls.

  6. +1 mi along the route

    Artist Point TrailheadDrive12:30 PM

    Return to parking for picnic lunch.

  7. +39.8 mi along the route

    Old Faithful Visitor CenterDrive2:00 PM

    Arrive at the Upper Geyser Basin, home to Old Faithful and the world's largest concentration of geysers.

  8. +2 mi along the route

    Upper Geyser Basin BoardwalkHike2:30 PM

    2-mile easy boardwalk loop past Old Faithful, Castle Geyser, Grand Geyser, and dozens more active geysers.

  9. +2 mi along the route

    Old Faithful Visitor CenterDrive5:15 PM

    Return to parking and head toward West Yellowstone.

  10. +29.8 mi along the route

    West Yellowstone areameal6:15 PM

    Dinner in the gateway town just outside Yellowstone's west entrance.

  11. +0.3 mi along the route

    Hotel in West Yellowstone arealodge7:45 PM

    Comfortable hotel with indoor pool and hot tub.

Colorful shoreline of a glacial lake in Montana surrounded by crystal-clear water and rugged mountain scenery.

Photo by Sébastien Goldberg on Unsplash

Day 4

Montana Mountains to Glacier

  • 384 mi drive
  • Night: St Mary area, Glacier NP total_km_driven:755,

Leaving West Yellowstone, the drive heads north across Montana, with a lunch and fuel stop in Missoula and a supply stop in Kalispell, the last major town before Glacier National Park. The route enters the park at the St Mary Entrance on the east side, arriving in the late afternoon. The evening includes dinner near St Mary Lake and check-in at vacation rental lodging in the St Mary area, which serves as the base for the days ahead.

  1. Hotel in West Yellowstone arealodge7:00 AM

    Breakfast and check out.

  2. +199 mi along the route

    Missoula, Montana areameal11:30 AM

    Lunch and fuel stop in Montana.

  3. +124 mi along the route

    Kalispell, Montana areaDrive2:45 PM

    Gateway to Glacier, last major town for supplies.

  4. +59 mi along the route

    St Mary Entrance, Glacier National ParkDrive4:30 PM

    Enter Glacier National Park at the east entrance.

  5. +1.2 mi along the route

    St Mary areameal5:15 PM

    Dinner near the lake.

  6. +0.3 mi along the route

    Lodging in St Mary arealodge6:45 PM

    Vacation rental accommodations near St Mary.

Wildflower meadow beneath towering mountain cliffs inside Glacier National Park during a summer hiking adventure.

Photo by David Banning on Unsplash

Day 5

Rafting Day with the Crew

  • 124 mi drive
  • Night: St Mary area, Glacier NP total_km_driven:168,

The day starts with a scenic drive along Going-to-the-Sun Road, crossing the Continental Divide at Logan Pass at an elevation of 6,646 feet. From there, the route continues to a rafting outfitter near West Glacier for a half-day whitewater rafting trip on the Middle Fork Flathead River, running Class II to III rapids along the park's western boundary. After returning to the outfitter for a late lunch, the group stops at Lake McDonald, Glacier's largest lake, for photos and a shoreline walk before heading back to St Mary for dinner together.

  1. Lodging in St Mary arealodge7:00 AM

    Breakfast with full group.

  2. +32.3 mi along the route

    Logan Pass Visitor CenterDrive8:45 AM

    Drive Going-to-the-Sun Road to the Continental Divide at 6,646 feet elevation.

  3. +27.3 mi along the route

    Rafting outfitter area near West GlacierDrive10:00 AM

    Arrive at rafting outfitter.

  4. +7.5 mi along the route

    Middle Fork Flathead River Raftingactivity10:45 AM

    Half-day whitewater rafting adventure on Class II-III rapids along Glacier's western boundary.

  5. +7.5 mi along the route

    Rafting outfitter area near West GlacierDrive2:30 PM

    Return to outfitter base, change, and grab late lunch.

  6. +9.3 mi along the route

    Lake McDonaldDrive4:00 PM

    Stop at Glacier's largest lake for photos and shoreline walk.

  7. +40.4 mi along the route

    Lodging in St Mary arealodge6:15 PM

    Return to lodging for group dinner.

Mirror-like alpine lake reflecting snow-covered mountains in Glacier National Park on the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Photo by Ava Coploff on Unsplash

Day 6

Horseback Riding Adventure

  • 93.8 mi drive
  • Night: St Mary area, Glacier NP total_km_driven:177.1,

Following breakfast with the group, the day heads to a horseback riding outfitter near West Glacier for a 3-hour guided backcountry trail ride through forests and meadows with mountain views. After a late lunch back at the outfitter, the group scouts the Sun Point Trail area along St Mary Lake before returning to the St Mary lodging for dinner.

  1. Lodging in St Mary arealodge7:30 AM

    Breakfast with group before horseback riding.

  2. +46.6 mi along the route

    Horseback riding outfitter near West GlacierDrive9:15 AM

    Meet horseback riding outfitter.

  3. +5 mi along the route

    Glacier Backcountry Trail Rideactivity10:00 AM

    3-hour guided horseback ride through Glacier forests and meadows with mountain views.

  4. +5 mi along the route

    Horseback riding outfitter near West GlacierDrive1:15 PM

    Return to outfitter base and late lunch.

  5. +32.3 mi along the route

    Sun Point TrailDrive3:45 PM

    Scout location on St Mary Lake.

  6. +5 mi along the route

    Lodging in St Mary arealodge5:00 PM

    Return to lodging for group dinner.

Massive glacier and turquoise glacial lake surrounded by rugged peaks in Glacier National Park, Montana.

Photo by Hans-Jürgen Weinhardt on Unsplash

Day 7

Special Event at Sun Point

  • 17.1 mi drive
  • Night: St Mary area, Glacier NP total_km_driven:39.8,

After a leisurely breakfast, the group heads to Sun Point for a special celebration overlooking St Mary Lake with the mountains as a backdrop. The event continues with post-celebration photos and time along St Mary Lake, followed by a celebration dinner back in the St Mary area. The evening winds down at the group's lodging.

  1. Lodging in St Mary arealodge9:00 AM

    Leisurely breakfast and preparation with group.

  2. +6.8 mi along the route

    Sun Point Celebrationactivity12:00 PM

    Special event at Sun Point overlooking St Mary Lake with mountain backdrop.

  3. +5 mi along the route

    St Mary Lakeactivity1:45 PM

    Post-event celebration and photos along St Mary Lake.

  4. +9.9 mi along the route

    St Mary areameal4:30 PM

    Celebration dinner for group.

  5. +0.3 mi along the route

    Lodging in St Mary arealodge7:15 PM

    Return to lodging for evening.

Sunset over mountain peaks and alpine lake during an evening in Glacier National Park.

Photo by Mick Kirchman on Unsplash

Day 8

Farewell Hike and Goodbyes

  • 44.7 mi drive
  • 7 mi on foot
  • Night: St Mary area, Glacier NP total_km_driven:67.1,

The final full day in Glacier starts with breakfast together before heading to the Many Glacier Valley for a farewell group hike. The trail leads to Grinnell Lake, a turquoise glacial lake beneath the Garden Wall, covering about 7 miles round-trip with roughly 160 feet of elevation gain. After the hike, the group returns to the trailhead for lunch and farewells before heading back to the St Mary lodging.

  1. Lodging in St Mary arealodge8:00 AM

    Final breakfast with full group.

  2. +22.4 mi along the route

    Many Glacier Valley parking areaDrive9:15 AM

    Arrive at parking for final group hike.

  3. +3.5 mi along the route

    Grinnell LakeHike9:45 AM

    3.5-mile one-way hike to stunning turquoise glacial lake beneath the Garden Wall. 7 miles round-trip, 160 feet elevation gain.

  4. +3.5 mi along the route

    Many Glacier Valley parking areaDrive1:15 PM

    Return to parking for lunch and farewells.

  5. +22.4 mi along the route

    Lodging in St Mary arealodge3:15 PM

    Return to lodging.

Historic wooden sculptures beside a scenic roadside stop while exploring western Montana beyond Glacier National Park.

Photo by eric diaz on Unsplash

Day 9

The Long Road East

  • 524 mi drive
  • Night: Hotel in Miles City MT area total_km_driven:834.4,

The journey home begins early with a 6:30 AM departure from St Mary. The route crosses Montana with a fuel and coffee stop in Great Falls and a lunch break in Billings. The day continues to Miles City, Montana, for an early dinner before checking into a hotel with a pool and breakfast for the night.

  1. Lodging in St Mary arealodge6:30 AM

    Early breakfast and check out. Begin journey home.

  2. +155 mi along the route

    Great Falls, Montana areaDrive9:30 AM

    Fuel and coffee stop.

  3. +224 mi along the route

    Billings, Montana areaDrive1:45 PM

    Lunch stop.

  4. +143 mi along the route

    Miles City, Montana areameal4:00 PM

    Early dinner.

  5. +1.9 mi along the route

    Hotel in Miles City arealodge5:30 PM

    Hotel with pool and breakfast.

Montana barbecue and local comfort food enjoyed after a day exploring Glacier National Park and the surrounding Rocky Mountains.

Photo by Jacob Stone on Unsplash

Day 10

Crossing the Dakotas Home

  • 419 mi drive
  • Night: Hotel in Fergus Falls MN area total_km_driven:842.9,

Leaving Miles City, the drive continues east with a lunch and fuel stop in Bismarck, North Dakota. The route then enters Minnesota's lake country, arriving in Fergus Falls in the early afternoon for an early dinner and an overnight stay at a hotel with a pool and breakfast.

  1. Hotel in Miles City arealodge7:00 AM

    Breakfast and check out. Continue east toward home.

  2. +242 mi along the route

    Bismarck, North Dakota areaDrive11:00 AM

    Lunch and fuel stop.

  3. +174 mi along the route

    Fergus Falls, Minnesota areaDrive2:45 PM

    Arrive in Minnesota lake country.

  4. +2.5 mi along the route

    Fergus Falls, Minnesota areameal3:30 PM

    Early dinner.

  5. +0.2 mi along the route

    Hotel in Fergus Falls arealodge5:00 PM

    Hotel with pool and breakfast.

Waterfall cascading through a forest canyon on the final day of an 11-day Glacier National Park road trip.

Photo by Daniel Bynum on Unsplash

Day 11

The Road Home

  • 224 mi drive
  • Night: Home in Hayfield MN area total_km_driven:484.3,

The final day begins with breakfast before checking out and continuing the drive home. A coffee and stretch break in Alexandria, Minnesota, is followed by a lunch stop in Rochester. The trip concludes with arrival back in the Hayfield, Minnesota area in the early afternoon.

  1. Hotel in Fergus Falls arealodge8:00 AM

    Final breakfast on the road. Check out and head home.

  2. +46.6 mi along the route

    Alexandria, Minnesota areaDrive9:15 AM

    Coffee and stretch break in Minnesota lake country.

  3. +137 mi along the route

    Rochester, Minnesota areameal11:30 AM

    Lunch stop.

  4. +40.4 mi along the route

    Hayfield, Minnesota areaDrive1:00 PM

    Arrive home after trip.

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Before you go

What this route assumes

Only the fields this route actually holds data for.

Where you sleep

Overnight areas in route order: La Quinta Inn, Rapid City SD area area total_km_driven:968,, Lodging in Cody WY area area total_km_driven:692.9,, Stage Coach Inn, West Yellowstone MT area total_km_driven:299.8,, St Mary area, Glacier NP total_km_driven:755,, St Mary area, Glacier NP total_km_driven:168,, St Mary area, Glacier NP total_km_driven:177.1,, St Mary area, Glacier NP total_km_driven:39.8,, St Mary area, Glacier NP total_km_driven:67.1,, Hotel in Miles City MT area total_km_driven:834.4,, Hotel in Fergus Falls MN area total_km_driven:842.9,, Home in Hayfield MN area total_km_driven:484.3,. Xavier pairs each with live lodging options once the route is yours.

Vehicle

Built as a suv route, road trip and hiking. Xavier adapts it to what you actually drive.

Level

Paced for moderate travelers. Days can be split or merged to change the load.

How this Xpedition was built

Assembled from structured route and waypoint records, not written as an article, and reviewed before publication. Confirm conditions, closures, and permits before you travel.

  • Route structured
  • Distances calculated
  • Reviewed before publication
  • Published August 2026

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