Things feel different here. Vast. Limitless. Pure. I feel different here. Humbled before those immense mountains. Under that endless sky. But also strong. Alive. Inspired. Can't remember the last time I felt so clear-headed - must be the fresh air and exercise - or when we had so much fun together. Look at the kids smile. As they saddle up with cowboys. Swoosh over river rapids. And spot a real live mountain goat. This place redefines "alpine beauty." Puts things into perspective. How deeply one can breathe. How many wildflowers a meadow can hold. How cozy a lodge can feel. How happy a family can be.

Casual Inns

Lake McDonald Lodge (1 night): Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with a large stone fireplace in the lobby and a terrace overlooking the lake.

Many Glacier Hotel (1 night): An early-1900s Swiss chalet-style hotel set on the shore of Swiftcurrent Lake amid the peaks of the Many Glacier Valley.

Prince of Wales Hotel (2 nights): This historic green-gabled hotel offers vistas of the mountains reflected in glacier-fed lakes.

Glacier Park Lodge (1 night): Located on the park's eastern edge in Blackfeet country; immense timbers hold aloft its expansive lobby ceiling. (pool, spa, golf)

Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Day 1

• Levels 1 to 3  3 Route Options Available
• Biking 7, 12, 32 miles
• 750 - 1300 feet elevation gain

Day 2

• Levels 1 to 3 3 Route Options Available
• Walking 3.7, 5.9, 7.1 miles
• 200 - 700 feet elevation gain

Day 3

• Levels 2 to 4 3 Route Options Available
• Biking 21, 32, 50 miles
• 900 - 3000 feet elevation gain
• Horseback Riding (Kids) 2 hours 

Day  4

• Optional Activities

Day 5

• Levels 1 to 4 3 Route Options Available
• Biking 8, 26, 46 miles
• 400 - 3800 feet elevation gain

Day 6

• White-Water Rafting 3 hours

Please note: On this Family Trip, liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary to facilitate our activities and mileage is kept moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.

Routes For All Abilities

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Activity Level	Average Time	Biking Average	Walking Average
Level 1	2-3 hours	10-20 mile	2-5 miles
Level 2	2-4 hours	21-30 miles	5-7 miles
Level 3	3-5 hours	31-40 miles	7-9 miles
Level 4	4-6 hours	41-55 miles	9-11 miles
Level 5	5-7+ hours	56-75+ miles	11-13+ miles

2012 Dates & Pricing*

FAMILY TRIPS

*Prices may change. Once you book your trip, your price is guaranteed.

Recommended Kids Ages

Minimum Ages:

• Recommended minimum age for the trip: 6 years
• Minimum age restriction to ride own bike: 9 years
• Minimum age restriction to horseback ride: 5 years
• Minimum age restriction to raft: 5 years (this may be raised if conditions warrant) 

General Info on Minimum Ages:

We strongly encourage families to join our Family Trips, designed with kid- and adult-friendly features. Please note that we have a minimum age requirement of 1 year for all Inn trips and 2 years for all Camping trips. Other than that, we do not restrict trips to a minimum age except in the rare case of a hotel age restriction. We do, however, recommend minimum ages based on the following criteria:

• 12+ amount of cultural appreciation, difficulty of activities, routes
• 9+ difficulty of activities/activity age restrictions, routes
• 6+ several longer dinners; routes are difficult for pulling a Burley and therefore not appropriate for younger children; difficulty of activities/activity age restrictions

Please note that a trip may feature an activity with an older age requirement than the minimum age recommendation for the trip. Younger kids are still welcome on the trip and while they will not be able to participate in the activity, the leaders will suggest an alternate activity. For safety reasons, children under 7 may not ride their own bikes and are required to ride on a Piccolo or in a Burley. For certain destinations, children must be 9 or older to ride their own bikes.

Guest Trip Reviews

I love Backroads! It is a fabulous way to travel. Backroads takes all the stress out of the word "vacation." Your routes are carefully chosen with very appropriate activity ranges, from the children to the adults. You can enjoy your family, without the stress of wondering where you are going to eat dinner, find a hotel, or how you are going to get to the next event. The itineraries are well thought out. The guides are truly wonderful. They are professional, kind, and do an excellent job of making sure you enjoy yourself, while they take care of all the details. Their knowledge of the area, the routes, even of the menus if so helpful. I don't think I would ever be able to replicate a backroads trip. The experience your company puts into each itinerary is invaluable.

Rachel English - Wauwatosa, WI

The trip exceeded all expectations. We had fun experiencing new activities, i.e., biking, rafting, mountain biking. We loved the games of football, volleyball, Taboo and just talking with and getting to know the group. Our leaders were very informative, fun to be with, and made the whole experience relaxed and organized.

Pamela Cepero - Midland, TX

The entire trip was extremely well organized and the leaders were very efficient in moving things along on schedule, while still allowing some flexibility if needed. I liked that we ended most days in the mid-afternoon with plenty of time to relax and enjoy our accommodations/ surroundings. I truly enjoyed staying in the historic lodges; it lent a great deal to the whole experience.

Susan Oliver - Saint Petersburg, FL

It has been a dream of mine to be in the Rockies for 32 years, and with that came very high expectations. I'm happy to report, the entire family had a FANTASTIC time.

Mark Germano - Arlington Heights, IL

This was one of the best Backroads trips yet. They guides worked fabulously well together. They struck the right balance of biking/hiking for the best athletes to the smallest child. They made us laugh, made sure we were well fed, made us feel cared for, and made the parents feel the kids were safe. They made the trip priceless.

Jordan Busch - Wayland, MA

It was a fabulous trip. Our guides were outstanding, and were particularly great with the children. The biking was amazing, with gorgeous scenery at every turn. It was definitely one of our best vacations, and we're already talking about which Backroads adventure we want to do next year!

Seth Rosenblatt - San Carlos, CA