We are currently in Glacier NP. About 1 out of 3 days have been “productive” because of smoke from both nearby fires as well as some further west. Current plans were to head up to Banff/Jasper area for September and wind up back in Glacier NP in early October for Larch trees. We are concerned that we will be battling smoke issues the whole time. Since we are all ready out here (coming from North Carolina) I want to see about alternatives further south. Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming … doing fall foliage in one of these locations etc. .. we have done SW Colorado a couple times, so would probably prefer something different. Suggestions?
i'm planning roughly the same trip, but not leaving until early september.
my plan b is heading out olympic np and the oregon coast, maybe even northern california. but that's smoky now too. if it's clear i'll hit south dakota for badlands & custer state park, maybe wind cave. i might go to the tetons and up to livingston, mt. or drop down to 80 and go through snowy range in wyoming. just depends on how far south the smoke is.
my plan c is the south west, which currently looks relatively clear. probably great basin np, capitol reef and zion, glen canyon, grand escalante, monument valley, rhyolite ghost town, valley of fire state park, maybe some national parks in california or do sedona and some stuff around there. on the way back i'd hit tucumcari for some old buildings, maybe big bend np or amarillo, new orleans and stop in florida to see my brother before heading up the east coast to go home.
