California - Wyoming, Montana Meander

Greetings fellow travelers! I am headed to Wyoming and Montana in August, and if the border opens in later August, I may meander my way up through BC to Bella Coola.

But for the U.S. leg of the journey, I’ll be heading East to Wyoming from Lee Vining area after exiting Yosemite. I am meeting family in Yellowstone and then we are heading south to Jackson Hole and the Grand Tetons. Since Lamar Valley is north, I am thinking of heading there first from the eastern entrance, then dropping down to Yellowstone where I’ll meet family, then spend some days with them in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons (six days max) then head north on my own to Glacier NP.

Wondering if my plan is feasible, or if anyone has any input regarding scenic routes. Wanting to avoid interstates as much as possible. My priorities are heavily forested areas, back roads, rivers and wildlife. I disperse camp as often as I can. Primitive campgrounds are ok too.

Hello and welcome back to RTA !

It sounds like an exciting trip, lets hope things take a turn for the better with regards to this pandemic. Going via the east entrance is pretty cool, you get to drive the spectacular Beartooth Highway. Whether your trip is feasible or not will depend on the amount of time you have available for the trip (although you say "Meander" so it doesn't seem thats a problem) and any restrictions that may be in place. You have route options from Lee Vining to Red lodge and one option would put Twin Falls roughly in the middle of a 2 day journey. Its a pretty cool town with the Snake river running through and base jumping a regular thing off Perrine bridge. Not far away is Shoshone Falls and Craters of the Moon if you have a bit more time to spare. It could be tricky finding a place to stay around Yellowstone if you or your family aren't already checked in somewhere and the same could be said of Glacier NP.

The east entrance takes you in from Cody to Fishing Bridge. It's the northeast entrance that takes you over the Beartooth through Lamar Valley. Note that the road over Dunraven Pass from Fishing Bridge to Tower-Roosevelt is closed for construction all year.

If you don't have any time restrictions, the only thing I see stopping your trip from being Feasible is COVID related issues.

First, the odds of the Canadian border being reopened to tourism by August are virtually zero. It's already closed through the 20th, an with cases surging in the US, there's no support in Canada for that to change (even thought that significantly impacts their economy). I frankly will be shocked if it's open before winter.

Even if it does open, I'd fully expect there to be mandatory quarantine requirements still in place that will make a meanadering roadtrip basically impossible. Right now, Canada requires a mandatory 14 day quarantine for those exempt from the travel ban and the fines for breaking those rules start at $1,000 as a few foolish Americans have learned the hard way.

It's possible there could also be similar restrictions in the US. There are already several states requiring similar quarantines, albeit, those are much harder to enforce and I'm going to guess that Wyoming and Montana will not be quick to enact such policies. There could also be further restrictions within parks and forest, particularly when it comes to campgrounds.

The key - as with nearly all trips in the current situation will be to stay flexible, potentially even cancelling if the situation warrants. Of course, when you are traveling, be a good citizen by limiting your contact with others as much as possible, and wear a mask any time you are interacting with others, even if the state or store does not officially require it.