Hello from Missouri.

I did my state report in 5th grade on Montana. I got a taste of the mountains when I visited Colorado back in 2008. Right now it is a toss up between Montana, Wyoming, or Idaho. I am leaning more towards Wyoming or Montana.

I would have about 4 days travel time, 2 there and 2 back. I would like to spend a week where ever I end up, 11 days total when I get my vacation/comp time built up enough to be able to take off that long.

What places should I avoid? I plan on camping out of my vehicle/pitching a tent. We don't have bear issues where I live. A cougar was spotted and killed about 50 miles west of me last year. I don't want to settle in for then night with a hundred or more other idiots either.

How is public land? Do I need any permits? I don't really plan on doing any hunting or fishing. I would like to bring my rifle out and shoot past 1100 yards. I would like to kayak a few rivers, no rapids for me, something easy and peaceful with no bros. We have a river here in Missouri, the Huzzah, that you don't go on unless you want to get shit faced drunk with a bunch of bros from St. Louis. One and only time I went there you could hardly see the water it was so full of rafts and beer cans.

What time of year is best? I was thinking early fall.

I will probably have about $1-1.5k to spend total on the trip. Without a hotel, besides for the trip there and back, I think that will be enough.

WY is a big state, but most of what you seek is in the western side.   No permits necessary to camp on BLM, or National Forest.  If you camp in a formal campground on N. Forest, you have to pay, and there will be lots of people.  Avoid those.  

Near the National Parks you will have lots of people.  


Anytime before July....you could get snow in the mountains.  The weather gets less radical /predictable and calm in Aug- Sept.

Are there any PRS style rifle matches? I tried a search but only found one that is two days in the summer.

JH gun club used to host quarter mile shoots. Not sure if they still do though.

In the state of Montana, you are suppose to purchase a conversation tag to recreate on public lands, even if you don't hunt and fish, It is several years since I camped, hunted or fished in Wyoming other than Yellowstone.

Didn't know that. Thanks for the info

If you like to fish you can come over to Flaming Gorge and camp.

If you want to Kayak you might consider Three Forks in Montana where the Madison, Jefferson, and Gallatin Rivers come together to form the headwaters of the Missouri River.  Lots of public ground for camping. Not much for bears.