Glacier to Yellowstone: The Ultimate Montana & Wyoming Road Trip- Grizzlies, Wolves, Elk, and Moose!

Last year we traveled west hoping to finally see a grizzly bear. We never imagined we would see FOUR of them... and then witness a wolf pack take down a young bison in Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley. Our unforgettable Montana and Wyoming adventure began when Nikki and I flew into Bozeman, Montana and headed north toward Glacier National Park. We spent the next several days surrounded by some of the most incredible mountain scenery in America. We hiked the legendary Highline Trail along Glacier’s Garden Wall and made our way to Granite Park Chalet. This beautiful area also holds a dark and important piece of national park history. In August 1967, 19-year-old Julie Helgeson was fatally attacked by a grizzly near the chalet. Another 19-year-old woman, Michele Koons, was killed by a different grizzly miles away on the same night. The tragedy became known as the “Night of the Grizzlies” and ultimately changed the way the National Park Service manages bears, food and garbage throughout America’s national parks. We also managed to secure the difficult access needed to hike to Grinnell Glacier. It was one of the tougher hikes of our trip, but the views waiting for us at the top made every step worth it... We even saw a HUGE bull moose and a couple cows. From Glacier, we drove south to Yellowstone National Park, rented a camper van and began what became the greatest wildlife experience of our lives. We saw massive bull elk, bison and more wildlife than we could have imagined, but the biggest moment was finally finding the animal we had searched years to see: a wild grizzly bear. By the end of the trip, we had seen FOUR grizzlies. One night we camped near Yellowstone’s Northeast Entrance at Soda Butte Campground, where only hard-sided campers are permitted. That rule followed a terrifying incident in July 2010, when a mother grizzly accompanied by three yearling cubs entered three separate tents. Two campers were seriously injured and one man, Kevin Kammer, was killed. Camping there in a van, surrounded by some of the wildest grizzly country in America, was an experience we will never forget. Then, on our final day, Yellowstone gave us one last unbelievable moment. While watching a wolf pack in Lamar Valley, we witnessed the wolves pursue and take down a yearling bison. It was raw, intense and one of the rarest things we have ever witnessed in the wild. This trip had everything: breathtaking hikes, glaciers, camper-van life, incredible wildlife, four grizzly bears and a front-row seat to nature unfolding in Yellowstone. It truly was the adventure of a lifetime. If you enjoy national parks, wildlife, hiking, camper-van adventures and unforgettable road trips, subscribe and come along with us! Which moment would you want to witness most: the four grizzlies or the Lamar Valley wolf hunt? #YellowstoneNationalPark #GlacierNationalPark #GrizzlyBear