Heading on GDMBR July 2nd start in Eureka for 6 weeks

[tdelker]

We are headed out for 6 weeks. Starting July 2nd in Eureka and heading south as far as we can get. Hoping to make it to Yellowstone. Four of us out there (Myself, wife, 14 year old son, almost 12 year old daughter who will have a birthday on the trail!). Wish us luck!

Anyone have feedback on lodging challenges this year? Hopefully we will find places. Was considering warmshowers.org if we get in trouble with finding commercial, but suspect that will be tough with 4 of us.

Keeping a blog if you want to follow: https://www.ruggedfamilyadventure.com/

Thanks!

Tom

[Iowagriz]

Bringing tents I hope...

Eureka could be a problem given the Jily 4th weekend.

Whitefish to Bigfork could be a problem (tourist overflow from Glacier).

Word is nothing in Seeley Lake due to worker housing shortage.

Lincoln,  Helena and Butte should be ok.

Not much for lodging beyond that. The occasional lodge, but with summer tourist season in high gear I wouldn't count on it.

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[CMajernik]

Please go to our online map updates and corrections pages to check about services along the Great Divide. For example, Seeley Lake does have lodging available, and the places are noted there, though the 2 motels listed on the map are closed.
https://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/adventure-cycling-route-network/map-updates-and-corrections/

[tdelker]

Lodging has been expensive and scarce so far. In big fork tonight at timber motel. Wish the map/info was more clear about if there are biker/hike sites at some campgrounds. Would have stayed at whitefish campground if we hd known

Next stretch is hard. Holland lodge is full for rooms and restaurant  but we are going to try for the campground there. Hope they don’t turn us away!

Probably camp in seeley too unless we can find a room when we get there. Dont want to book without knowing we can make the next set of tough miles.

[ray b]

I'm about 20 y past you. Only now do I enjoy memories of camping trips I took with a 14 and 12 year-old.

Family trips with adolescents are always a challenge and a lesson in how the best laid plans oft go awry.... If you do it right, your children will enjoy if not relish in your moments of miscalculation and hopefully learn from your subsequent, good-natured example of flexibility and adaption. The fact you didn't draw a line in the sand and a definite terminus to your trip tells me you have great instinct.

Interactions with locals should be less touristy/crowded and more human once you get past Seeley Lake.

Hope all goes smoothly for you from here on.
 

[BikeliciousBabe]

Too late now, but Wayfarers State Park in Bigfork is one of the Montana state parks that has the nice hiker/biker sites with all the amenities. And it has a no-turn-away policy if the tent pads are full. Placid Lake and Salmon Lake have the same amenities but don't know about their policies.

Be careful in that area and around Ovando. A woman on a cycling trip was attacked and killed by a Grizzly around 3:30 am the other night. Happened just outside of Ovando. Authorities have been searching for the bear to destroy it.