Montana: Big Sky Country — Yellowstone & Glacier National Parks (Self-Launched)
10 days · Montana, USA
Collette charges £5,400
No-markup version: ~£1,130 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 10-day independent version of Collette's Big Sky Country tour, running from Bozeman to Missoula via Yellowstone's two loops, Helena, Gates of the Mountains, Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road, Whitefish and Flathead Lake. Without a coach and tour manager you'll drive yourself (or use a mix of regional buses and park shuttles) — the cowboy cookout, vintage red bus and narrated trolley become self-bookable equivalents. Costs are rough backpacker/budget estimates in GBP and assume 2 people sharing a car and motel room (costs rise sharply for solo travellers in this car-dependent region).
Day-by-day
Arrive in Bozeman — gateway to Big Sky
Bozeman, MT
Fly or arrive into Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN). Pick up a rental car — book weeks ahead, as summer rates are steep and one-way fees apply if you drop in Missoula. Check into a downtown hostel or budget motel, then walk Main Street: the Emerson Cultural Center, Montana State University campus and a craft brewery. Stock up on groceries and a cooler for Yellowstone (food inside the park is expensive).
🚌Airport shuttle or taxi to downtown (~£12); rental car pickup ~£35–45/day
🛏Downtown Bozeman hostel or budget motel (e.g. a dorm bed or simple double)
- →Explore Bozeman Main Street and Museum of the Rockies ($20 entry)
- →Buy groceries and a cooler for park days
Yellowstone southern loop — Grand Prismatic & Old Faithful
Yellowstone NP / Chico Hot Springs
Drive ~1.5 hours south on US-191 into Yellowstone's West Entrance (buy the $35 America the Beautiful week/annual pass or $35 Yellowstone 7-day pass). Hit Grand Prismatic Spring early (the 20-minute hike to the overlook is essential and free), then follow the boardwalks to Old Faithful for an eruption — check predicted times at the visitor centre. Overnight south of the park at Chico Hot Springs (day-use soaking pool ~£12) or a cheaper Gardiner motel.
🚌Self-drive ~200 miles round trip; fuel ~£20
🛏Gardiner or Emigrant budget motel / hostel cabin (Chico Hot Springs is mid-range)
- →Grand Prismatic Spring overlook hike
- →Old Faithful geyser and boardwalk loop
- →Optional Chico Hot Springs soak
Yellowstone northern loop — Mammoth & the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Yellowstone NP / Gardiner
Head north to Mammoth Hot Springs for the travertine terraces and boardwalks, keeping an eye out for elk on the lawns. Continue east over Dunraven Pass to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone — walk the Brink of the Lower Falls trail and viewpoints at Artist Point. Return via Tower-Roosevelt and Lamar Valley if you have time; it's the best wildlife spot in the park (dawn and dusk for bison, pronghorn and wolves).
🚌Self-drive ~120 miles with stops; fuel ~£15
🛏Gardiner budget motel or cabin
- →Mammoth Hot Springs terraces
- →Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone overlooks
- →Lamar Valley wildlife drive
Paradise Valley to Helena — DIY cowboy cookout
Helena, MT
Drive north on US-89 through Paradise Valley with the Absaroka-Beartooth and Gallatin ranges on either side — free scenic driving, plenty of pullouts. Break the drive in Livingston for a coffee and a look at the old railroad depot. In Helena, swap the tour's wagon cookout for a steak dinner at a local ranch-style restaurant or a Wyoming-style cookout experience bookable via GetYourGuide/Airbnb Experiences (~£40), then wander Last Chance Gulch in the evening.
🚌Self-drive ~180 miles; fuel ~£18
🛏Helena budget hotel or motel on the outskirts (cheaper than downtown)
- →Paradise Valley and Gallatin Range scenic drive
- →Livingston historic downtown
- →Optional guided cookout / steak dinner experience
Helena trolley and Gates of the Mountains boat cruise
Helena, MT
Start with a self-guided walk past the Cathedral of St. Helena and the Montana State Capitol, or take the Last Chance Tour Train (~£12) instead of a private narrated trolley. In the afternoon drive 20 minutes north for the Gates of the Mountains boat cruise on the Missouri River (~£18–22, book direct with the operator) — the same trip Lewis and Clark described, with bighorn sheep on the cliffs. Evening back in Helena.
🚌Self-drive ~50 miles; fuel ~£6
🛏Helena budget hotel
- →Last Chance Tour Train or self-guided Capitol walk
- →Gates of the Mountains boat cruise
Helena to St. Mary via Great Falls
St. Mary, MT
A long drive north through Great Falls, where you can stop at the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center (~£10) and the C.M. Russell Museum (~£10) — both easy self-guided visits. Continue up the Rocky Mountain Front to St. Mary at the east entrance of Glacier National Park. Book lodging early: St. Mary and East Glacier have limited budget options, so consider a camper cabin or motel in Browning as a fallback.
🚌Self-drive ~230 miles; fuel ~£25
🛏St. Mary budget lodge, camper cabin or Browning motel
- →Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, Great Falls
- →C.M. Russell Museum
- →Rocky Mountain Front scenic drive
Glacier NP — Going-to-the-Sun Road
Glacier NP / Whitefish
Drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road early to beat the queue (or use the free park shuttle from Apgar if you want to avoid the narrow Logan Pass section). Stop at Logan Pass for the Highline Trail's first stretch and mountain goats, Sunrift Gorge and St. Mary Falls. Skip the vintage red bus (~£90+) unless you want the splurge — the drive itself is the experience. Finish in Whitefish, a lively base with hostels and cheap eats.
🚌Self-drive ~130 miles; fuel ~£15
🛏Whitefish hostel or budget motel
- →Going-to-the-Sun Road drive and Logan Pass
- →St. Mary Falls / Sunrift Gorge short hikes
- →Free park shuttle option
Whitefish — rafting on the Flathead River
Whitefish, MT
Book a half-day whitewater rafting trip on the Middle Fork Flathead River direct with a local outfitter (~£65–80) — this replaces the tour's included barbeque and optional rafting. If rafting isn't your thing, a scenic float is calmer and cheaper (~£45). Afternoon in Whitefish: the lake beach, bike rentals or a burger at a local brewery. Self-cater or grab a casual BBQ dinner.
🚌Local driving ~30 miles; outfitter transfer usually included
🛏Whitefish hostel or budget motel
- →Half-day whitewater rafting on the Flathead River
- →Scenic float option
- →Whitefish Lake and town
Flathead Lake, tribal heritage and Missoula
Missoula, MT
Drive south along Flathead Lake — stop at Bigfork or Lakeside for a swim and picnic lunch. On the Flathead Reservation, visit the People's Center in Pablo (~£6) to learn about Salish, Kootenai and Pend d'Oreille culture, and time your trip for a seasonal powwow if one is on. In Missoula, swing by the Smokejumper Visitor Center (free) and take an evening stroll along the Clark Fork. Farewell dinner at a downtown brewpub.
🚌Self-drive ~150 miles; fuel ~£16
🛏Missoula hostel or downtown budget hotel
- →Flathead Lake swim and picnic
- →People's Center tribal museum, Pablo
- →Smokejumper Visitor Center, Missoula
Missoula — depart
Missoula, MT
Morning at the Missoula Farmers' Market area or a riverside walk, then return the rental car and fly out from Missoula Montana Airport (MSO). If you're continuing to another US city, regional buses (Jefferson Lines) connect Missoula to Spokane and beyond.
🚌Airport bus or taxi (~£12); car return
🛏None (departure day)
- →Riverside walk and downtown Missoula
- →Last shopping for Montana souvenirs
Self-launched vs. Collette
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Collette | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,130 | £5,400 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £4,270 per person (79%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Collette-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,130
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Montana: Big Sky Country — Yellowstone & Glacier National Parks (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,130 per person for 10 days in Montana, USA. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Collette?+
Yes — Collette charges around £5,400 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,130 — a saving of roughly £4,270 (79%) per person.
How long is the Montana, USA trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Montana, USA.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, road-trip, hiking trip through Montana, USA, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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