Self-Launched: National Parks of the Northwest U.S. — Seattle to Seattle Loop
15 days · National Parks of the Northwest U.S.
G Adventures charges £2,350
No-markup version: ~£1,690 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 15-day self-launched road trip through the American Northwest's greatest national parks — Mount Rainier, Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Crater Lake — starting and ending in Seattle. Instead of a guided small-group tour with a private vehicle, you rent a car (or join a campervan share), sleep in hostels, budget motels and park campgrounds, and buy an America the Beautiful annual pass to cover park entry. A DIY version of G Adventures' 'National Parks of the Northwest U.S.' (trip code NUSS) that costs a fraction of the original.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Arrive in Seattle at any time and check into a downtown or Capitol Hill hostel. No activities planned — use the evening to grab dinner at Pike Place Market (chowder and doughnuts are mandatory) and pick up your rental car or confirm your campervan. Download the Washington State Ferries and WSDOT apps to check mountain passes before you head out.
🚌Light rail from SEA airport to downtown, ~£2.30
🛏HI Seattle at the American Hotel or Green Tortoise Hostel (dorm £28-38/night)
- →Pike Place Market walk
Seattle to Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
Drive south from Seattle to Mt Rainier (about 2.5 hours). Buy the America the Beautiful annual pass at the park entrance (£65, covers every park on this trip — far cheaper than paying per-park). Hike the Skyline Trail from Paradise (5.5 miles, 1,700 ft gain) or the easier Nisqually Vista and Bench/Snow Lake trails. Camp or sleep in a hostel in Ashford/Packwood.
🚌Rental car, ~110 miles (petrol ~£15)
🛏Cougar Rock or Ohanapecosh campground (~£18/night) or Whittaker's Bunkhouse, Ashford (~£28)
- →Skyline Trail hike
- →Nisqually Vista Trail
- →Paradise visitor centre
Mount Rainier to Wallace, Idaho
Wallace, Idaho
Head east through Washington into Idaho, breaking the drive at Coeur d'Alene for a lakeside wander. Continue to Wallace, a quirky historic mining town with a self-guided walking tour of its old bordello district. This replaces the tour's private-vehicle transfer day with a scenic drive you can pace yourself.
🚌Rental car, ~380 miles (petrol ~£45)
🛏Stardust Motel or Ryan Hotel, Wallace (~£50-65/double)
- →Coeur d'Alene lakefront walk
- →Wallace historic town self-walk
Wallace to Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park, Montana
Drive into Montana and the 'Big Sky Country'. Enter Glacier NP via West Glacier and set up camp at Apgar or Fish Creek campground (reserve on recreation.gov well in advance — these fill up months ahead in summer). Evening by Lake McDonald.
🚌Rental car, ~230 miles (petrol ~£28)
🛏Apgar or Fish Creek campground (~£18/night)
- →Apgar campground evening
- →Lake McDonald sunset
Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park, Montana
Full day in the park. Drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road over Logan Pass to the Continental Divide if it's open (typically late June to mid-October) — check the NPS road status page first. Hike the Highline Trail or Avalanche Lake Trail. Wildlife: keep bear spray handy and make noise on trails.
🚌Rental car / shuttle on Going-to-the-Sun Road (free park shuttle)
🛏Apgar or Fish Creek campground (~£18/night)
- →Going-to-the-Sun Road drive
- →Highline Trail hike
- →Avalanche Lake Trail
- →Logan Pass visitor centre
Glacier National Park to Bozeman
Bozeman, Montana
Drive south to the university town of Bozeman. Check into a hostel or budget motel and enjoy a night out on Main Street — Montana Ale Works is a solid bet. Resupply groceries here, it's cheaper than park stores.
🚌Rental car, ~300 miles (petrol ~£35)
🛏Bozeman hostel or motel (~£55-75/double)
- →Bozeman Main Street evening
- →Museum of the Rockies (optional, ~£16)
Bozeman to Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Drive into the northern section of Yellowstone. The pace is slow — you'll stop constantly for bison, elk and bears on the road. See Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower Fall and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Camp at Mammoth or Norris campground (book on recreation.gov as soon as dates open).
🚌Rental car, ~90 miles
🛏Mammoth or Norris campground (~£18/night)
- →Mammoth Hot Springs
- →Tower Fall
- →Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
- →wildlife spotting
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Second full day in Yellowstone, home to the highest concentration of wildlife in the lower 48. Watch Old Faithful erupt on the Upper Geyser Basin loop, hike to Grand Prismatic Spring overlook, and take short walks at Fountain Paint Pots and Biscuit Basin.
🚌Rental car
🛏Canyon or Madison campground (~£18/night)
- →Old Faithful eruption
- →Grand Prismatic Spring overlook
- →Upper Geyser Basin loop
- →Fountain Paint Pots
Yellowstone to Jackson, Wyoming
Jackson, Wyoming
Morning drive through Yellowstone's south exit into Grand Teton National Park — the Teton range is one of the most dramatic skylines in North America. Continue to Jackson Hole. Afternoon options: hike Jenny Lake or Taggart Lake, browse the town square, or settle into a cowboy bar (Million Dollar Cowboy Bar) for the evening.
🚌Rental car, ~130 miles
🛏The Hostel or Anvil Motel, Jackson (~£45-70)
- →Grand Teton viewpoints
- →Jenny Lake or Taggart Lake hike
- →Jackson town square
- →Million Dollar Cowboy Bar
Jackson to Boise via Craters of the Moon
Boise, Idaho
Head west across Idaho, stopping at Craters of the Moon National Monument — a black lava landscape so odd it was used to train Apollo astronauts. Short loop hikes (Inferno Cone, Devil's Orchard) take about two hours. Continue to Boise for the night.
🚌Rental car, ~430 miles (petrol ~£50)
🛏Boise hostel or budget motel (~£50-70)
- →Craters of the Moon loop trails
- →Inferno Cone climb
- →Boise evening
Boise to Bend, Oregon
Bend, Oregon
Drive west into Oregon, crossing the high desert. Arrive in Bend, consistently rated one of America's best small cities — walk the Old Mill District, sample a brewpub or two, and pick up supplies for Crater Lake tomorrow.
🚌Rental car, ~320 miles (petrol ~£38)
🛏HI Bend or a budget motel (~£45-65)
- →Old Mill District
- →Deschutes riverfront trail
- →Bend brewery visit
Bend to Eugene via Crater Lake
Eugene, Oregon
Leave early for Crater Lake National Park — the deepest lake in the US, and the bluest water you'll ever see. Hike the Garfield Peak Trail (3.5 miles) or the easier Cleetwood Cove Trail down to the water (note: 2028 trail closures announced, check NPS). Continue to the university town of Eugene for the night.
🚌Rental car, ~230 miles (petrol ~£28)
🛏Eugene hostel or budget motel (~£45-65)
- →Crater Lake Rim Drive
- →Garfield Peak Trail
- →Cleetwood Cove Trail
Eugene to Portland
Portland, Oregon
Short drive north to Portland, the funkiest city on the West Coast. Afternoon in Powell's Books, the Pearl District, and the food cart pods (dinner for under £10). Optional evening: a Timbers or Thorns game, or a Mississippi Avenue bar crawl.
🚌Rental car, ~110 miles (petrol ~£14)
🛏HI Portland Northwest or a hostel in the Pearl (~£32-45)
- →Powell's City of Books
- →Pearl District walk
- →Portland food carts
- →Mississippi Ave bars
Portland to Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Drive back to Seattle (about 3.5 hours), or take the Amtrak Cascades train if you've dropped the car in Portland (a scenic, relaxed alternative, ~£30). Spend the final afternoon at the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, or just wander Fremont and Ballard.
🚌Rental car, ~175 miles (petrol ~£22) or Amtrak Cascades ~£30
🛏HI Seattle or Green Tortoise Hostel (~£28-38/night)
- →Space Needle (optional, ~£30)
- →Chihuly Garden and Glass (optional, ~£28)
- →Fremont and Ballard walk
Depart Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Return the rental car and fly home. If your flight is late, a final Pike Place breakfast and the original Starbucks are a fitting send-off.
🚌Light rail to SEA airport, ~£2.30
🛏None — departure day
- →Pike Place Market breakfast
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,690 | £2,350 |
| Duration | 15 days | 15 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £660 per person (28%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,690
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 Self-Launched: National Parks of the Northwest U.S. — Seattle to Seattle Loop cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,690 per person for 15 days in National Parks of the Northwest U.S.. 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,350 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,690 — a saving of roughly £660 (28%) per person.
How long is the National Parks of the Northwest U.S. trip?+
This itinerary runs 15 days, covering 15 day-by-day stops through National Parks of the Northwest U.S..
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, hiking, road-trip trip through National Parks of the Northwest U.S., 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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