Yellowstone/Grand Tetons/South Dakota (Rushmore/Badlands) Trip Help!

[disny_luvr]

Hello!

My family (myself, DH, 16-year-old twin sons) are planning a trip to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons and South Dakota next summer. From a map, I can tell the area we want to visit in South Dakota is far from Yellowstone/Grand Tetons, but we don't mind driving. We have about 2 weeks for this trip. We have never been out west so this whole area is new to us. I'm a little unsure on an itinerary. I don't know if it is best to start in Yellowstone/Grand Tetons and head back towards South Dakota or do the trip the other way around. I'm looking for suggestions on hotels (although I know we want to stay in some of the lodges in Yellowstone), places to eat, and things to do. Like I mentioned above, our boys will have just turned 16, literally about two days before we leave on this trip, and I don't want them to be bored so I'm looking for things teens would enjoy. Are there any other areas we should consider in or around these areas? Lastly, I'm clueless on airports, so any help there would also be appreciated. We will definitely be flying as we are coming from PA.

Thanks for any help!

 

[luv2cheer92]

Hello!

My family (myself, DH, 16-year-old twin sons) are planning a trip to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons and South Dakota next summer. From a map, I can tell the area we want to visit in South Dakota is far from Yellowstone/Grand Tetons, but we don't mind driving. We have about 2 weeks for this trip. We have never been out west so this whole area is new to us. I'm a little unsure on an itinerary. I don't know if it is best to start in Yellowstone/Grand Tetons and head back towards South Dakota or do the trip the other way around. I'm looking for suggestions on hotels (although I know we want to stay in some of the lodges in Yellowstone), places to eat, and things to do. Like I mentioned above, our boys will have just turned 16, literally about two days before we leave on this trip, and I don't want them to be bored so I'm looking for things teens would enjoy. Are there any other areas we should consider in or around these areas? Lastly, I'm clueless on airports, so any help there would also be appreciated. We will definitely be flying as we are coming from PA.

Thanks for any help!

Custer State Park/Black Hills and Badlands National Park are worth your time in SD. There is so much to do around Mt. Rushmore. We spent less than an hour at Mt. Rushmore and wished we had lots more time for the area around it. Devil's Tower is a little bit out of the way between GT/Yellowstone and SD, but IMO it would be worth the detour. Really cool place.

We drove, so can't help with airports, but Jackson Hole or Cody would be the closest to fly into for Tetons/Yellowstone. Rapid City could be an option in SD. I don't think order really matters too much.

We spent 2.5 days at Grand Teton, staying at a hotel in Jackson 2 nights and camping the last night. Then spent 4 days at Yellowstone, camping throughout the park. I would stay inside Yellowstone if possible instead of going outside the park. The park is so incredibly huge, it's hard to understand how big it really is until you are there. It may be helpful to change locations each night as you move your way through the park, that is what we did. I can add some of my favorite stops in each of these parks if you want.

 

[JimMIA]

A little start, first with airports.

• Closest airport to Grand Teton/Yellowstone-- Jackson, Wy (airport code JAC)
  • Closest major airport to Grand Teton/Yellowstone -- Salt Lake City (SLC) -- about a 5 hour drive
• Closest airport to Mt. Rushmore/Devil's Tower/etc-- Rapid City, SD (RAP)
  • Closest major airport -- Denver, CO (DEN) -- 6 hour drive

Second, I agree with everything @luv2cheer92 said above, with the following comments:

• Custer State Park is well worth a visit. You will see a lot of bison there, but you will also see a lot of bison in Yellowstone (and some in Grand Teton).
• If you are going to Mt. Rushmore, you MUST also go to Devil's Tower. Less than a 2 hour drive from Rapid City.
• If you are going to Badlands NP (strongly recommended) you also MUST visit Wall, SD. Stop in the drug store there for a free bottle of ice water. Plan to spend 3-4 hours in the drug store. (link below).
• Don't miss JACKSON itself! Very cool town, with lots of stuff to do.
• And the National Elk Refuge in Jackson is also worth doing.

General observations:

• Your planned trip is a trip where each site to be visited is VASTLY DIFFERENT from the others. Grand Teton is some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the Rockies. Yellowstone, literally next door, is totally different -- a place with amazing thermal features (Old Faithful and hundreds of others), both mountains and sprawling prairies, beautiful lakes, and amazing megafauna (BIG critters). And a canyon! Mt. Rushmore is Mt. Rushmore -- a national icon. Devil's Tower is both a unique structure, and also has very cool Prairie Dog villages. The Badlands are beautiful desert terrain. Wall Drug is Wall Drug -- nothing like it.
• If you are talking about Summer 2021, you are going to be really pressed to get the accommodations you want. I would stay somewhere in Jackson, WY for Grand Teton, but you definitely want to be INSIDE Yellowstone, and those lodgings fill up very early. For the eastern leg of your trip, I would stay in Rapid City.

Links:

• Grand Teton NP: www.nps.gov/grte
• Yellowstone: www.nps.gov/yell
• Mount Rushmore: www.nps.gov/moru
• Badlands: www.nps.gov/badl
• Devil's Tower: www.nps.gov/deto
• National Elk Refuge (in Jackson, WY): https://www.fws.gov/refuge/national_elk_refuge/
• Wall Drug: https://www.walldrug.com/

 

[Skippy918]

Did you want to fly in and out of the same airport? If so Cheyenne would be your best bet as it’s the halfway point between Yellowstone and badlands.

 

[Skippy918]

Wall drug is awesome! We stopped there on our road trip. It was worth it. Loved all the highway signs.

 

[adkkev]

Devil’s Tower is nice but be prepared to wait at the entrance to get in. We were there in late July 2019 and the wait time was well over an hour. The NPS limits the number of vehicles that go into the park.
Mt. Rushmore is overrated IMHO. We liked the Crazy Horse area and the museum there. You’re going to get the Native American perspective of the Black Hills there.
Wind Cave is worth the visit. The cave is open again.
Accommodations inside Yellowstone NP are pretty much filled up right now. We rented a cabin outside of Gardiner (north entrance) and entered the park there. Be advised that the road between Canyon and Tower will be closed this summer. The Old Faithful area is crazy busy. The Lamar Valley is awesome.
Grand Teton is beautiful. Stop and wander through Mormon Row.
The best parts of these parks are best seen by getting out of your vehicle and walking. Waterfalls, lakes, wildflowers, and so much more without the crowds.

 

[Colleen27]

I drove when we went so I don't have much advise on flying in other than a general principle I've learned from other trips: look at car rental prices as well as airfares when making your choice of where to start, because location can make a massive difference in rental prices even within the same region (Las Vegas vs. Phoenix for a southwestern states trip, for example - the rental would have cost twice as much from PHX than from LAS).

I think boys that age would probably like Deadwood in SD. It is touristy, bordering on cheesy, but in a cool way (faux shootouts in the street and such). Pay attention, when choosing dates, to when the Sturgis bike rally is because that does make everything more crowded. We were there a few days before the official kickoff and the bikers had already begun to arrive en masse. I can't imagine how crowded things are when it really gets going, though maybe then there's less spillover to other area attractions.

The whole Black Hills area is stunning. A lantern-light cave tour at Jewel Cave was one of the unplanned highlights of our trip, and the prairie dogs at Wind Cave were adorable. There's a restaurant in a purple Victorian-looking building in Custer that had the best pie - chicken pot pie for lunch and fruit pies for dessert - and the portions were huge which I know is always a plus with teenage boys. We didn't love Mount Rushmore, though the Avenue of the Flags was a construction site when we were there and I'm sure that detracted from the experience, but we loved that whole area otherwise.

Grand Teton is spectacular and I wish we'd had more time there. We only spent one day, with dinner in Jackson Hole before moving on, and it wasn't enough. Yellowstone was unbearably crowded on the thermal side of the park but lovely in the area around the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Yellowstone Lake. We camped and stayed outside of the east gate of the park in a BLM campground and it was like night and day - packed Yellowstone and then availability at first-come, first-served campgrounds just miles away.

Something else we didn't have time for but that looked cool and might appeal to your boys is the rodeo in Cody. It is a permanent feature all summer, not a one-night event like the rodeos that are associated with county and state fairs here in Michigan (and probably in Penn. too), so you can go whenever you happen to be passing through the area.

And I know it is hard with so much in the area to see and do but try not to overplan. Leave room for spontaneity, because some of the best parts of being in that part of the country are the unexpected animal sightings and the beautiful places you just stumble upon as you go. Have fun!

 

[bcla]

I'd note that Jackson Hole Airport is the only commercial use airport on National Park Service land. It's actually within the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park.

Some fly into West Yellowstone Airport, but the only connection is through Delta Connection or United Express. It may seem rather far away, but Salt Lake City might be better in terms of flights and total costs including rental car. Bozeman, Montana might be an option as there are a lot more flight. Where are you considering flying out of?

Not sure about in the park as it's been a while. It's not necessarily that great in the parks. At Grand Teton we actually headed to Jackson and ate at McDonald's a few times. I did have a decent bison burger at Jackson Lake Lodge. They have a traditional diner.

My coolest meal was at Yellowstone's Roosevelt Old West Cookout. We took the wagon ride from near Roosevelt Lodge.

https://www.yellowstonenationalpark...wild-west-adventures/old-west-dinner-cookout/

 

[JimMIA]

One other thing to consider: the order of visit might matter.

Rapid City is +/- 3,200 feet elevation. Yellowstone is +/-7,500 and up elevation. Last time we visited Mt. Rushmore, another visitor told us they had SNOW in Yellowstone on July 4th!

 

[disny_luvr]

Custer State Park/Black Hills and Badlands National Park are worth your time in SD. There is so much to do around Mt. Rushmore. We spent less than an hour at Mt. Rushmore and wished we had lots more time for the area around it. Devil's Tower is a little bit out of the way between GT/Yellowstone and SD, but IMO it would be worth the detour. Really cool place.

We drove, so can't help with airports, but Jackson Hole or Cody would be the closest to fly into for Tetons/Yellowstone. Rapid City could be an option in SD. I don't think order really matters too much.

We spent 2.5 days at Grand Teton, staying at a hotel in Jackson 2 nights and camping the last night. Then spent 4 days at Yellowstone, camping throughout the park. I would stay inside Yellowstone if possible instead of going outside the park. The park is so incredibly huge, it's hard to understand how big it really is until you are there. It may be helpful to change locations each night as you move your way through the park, that is what we did. I can add some of my favorite stops in each of these parks if you want.

Thank you!

 

[disny_luvr]

A little start, first with airports.

• Closest airport to Grand Teton/Yellowstone-- Jackson, Wy (airport code JAC)
  • Closest major airport to Grand Teton/Yellowstone -- Salt Lake City (SLC) -- about a 5 hour drive
• Closest airport to Mt. Rushmore/Devil's Tower/etc-- Rapid City, SD (RAP)
  • Closest major airport -- Denver, CO (DEN) -- 6 hour drive

Second, I agree with everything @luv2cheer92 said above, with the following comments:

• Custer State Park is well worth a visit. You will see a lot of bison there, but you will also see a lot of bison in Yellowstone (and some in Grand Teton).
• If you are going to Mt. Rushmore, you MUST also go to Devil's Tower. Less than a 2 hour drive from Rapid City.
• If you are going to Badlands NP (strongly recommended) you also MUST visit Wall, SD. Stop in the drug store there for a free bottle of ice water. Plan to spend 3-4 hours in the drug store. (link below).
• Don't miss JACKSON itself! Very cool town, with lots of stuff to do.
• And the National Elk Refuge in Jackson is also worth doing.

General observations:

• Your planned trip is a trip where each site to be visited is VASTLY DIFFERENT from the others. Grand Teton is some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the Rockies. Yellowstone, literally next door, is totally different -- a place with amazing thermal features (Old Faithful and hundreds of others), both mountains and sprawling prairies, beautiful lakes, and amazing megafauna (BIG critters). And a canyon! Mt. Rushmore is Mt. Rushmore -- a national icon. Devil's Tower is both a unique structure, and also has very cool Prairie Dog villages. The Badlands are beautiful desert terrain. Wall Drug is Wall Drug -- nothing like it.
• If you are talking about Summer 2021, you are going to be really pressed to get the accommodations you want. I would stay somewhere in Jackson, WY for Grand Teton, but you definitely want to be INSIDE Yellowstone, and those lodgings fill up very early. For the eastern leg of your trip, I would stay in Rapid City.

Links:

• Grand Teton NP: www.nps.gov/grte
• Yellowstone: www.nps.gov/yell
• Mount Rushmore: www.nps.gov/moru
• Badlands: www.nps.gov/badl
• Devil's Tower: www.nps.gov/deto
• National Elk Refuge (in Jackson, WY): https://www.fws.gov/refuge/national_elk_refuge/
• Wall Drug: https://www.walldrug.com/

Wow! Such great information! We are planning for summer of 2022. I saw today that I can book the lodges in Yellowstone on June 2nd so I’m trying to firm up plans now.

 

[disny_luvr]

Did you want to fly in and out of the same airport? If so Cheyenne would be your best bet as it’s the halfway point between Yellowstone and badlands.

I’m not sure. We didn’t get that far in our planning, but that’s a good idea. Thanks for the tip on Cheyenne.

 

[JimMIA]

Wow! Such great information! We are planning for summer of 2022. I saw today that I can book the lodges in Yellowstone on June 2nd so I’m trying to firm up plans now.

Yes! NPS lodges often fill up by Noon one year and a day out from arrival.

Probably the most convenient place to stay at YELL is Canyon Village. We stayed at Lake Yellowstone (in a cabin) last time and it was okay. Lake Yellowstone is also pretty conveniently located.

Last visit to Grand Teton we stayed in Jackson, but several of the lodges in Grand Teton itself are also nice. (But don't miss Jackson!)

Just for reference, our last visit was for two weeks and we spent it all in Jackson/Grand Teton/Yellowstone. Flew in and out of Jackson on American.

 

[JimMIA]

One other thing about Yellowstone. Be prepared for "Bear Jams" and "Bison Jams."

If you get caught in one, STAY IN YOUR CAR, and keep the windows closed. Both animals can be very dangerous. Last trip we got caught in a bison jam for more than an hour in Hayden Valley. They cross the road when they are good and ready.

Also in the summer, bison are in rut, so they can be more dangerous. Elk, deer, moose, etc are not, so they won't be too touchy -- but give all of them a wide berth. That's especially true of female elk, moose, and deer with young. They are protective, and they are much faster and stronger than you are.

The basic rule is that if any animal changes their behavior in any way -- even just looking up from grazing -- you are TOO close.

 

[ktink]

We just did the same trip but stopped at Devils Tower before heading into the Badlands, Mt Rushmore, & Custer State Park. We were in our RV so I can't help with any hotel suggestions. I would recommend eating at Gun Barrel Steak & Game House in Jackson Hole. This is such a great trip!

 

[jdb in AZ]

We flew into Rapid City and figured we'd get a rental car when we got there. We're accustomed to larger airports where rentals are readily available. um, not in South Dakota. We were lucky to "rent a wreck" for our trip.

I don't think you'll run out of things to do, but we really enjoyed Mammoth Hot Springs in South Dakota. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attract..._of_Hot_Springs-Hot_Springs_South_Dakota.html

In Jackson, your boys will probably enjoy racing on the alpine sleds. https://www.jacksonholewy.net/summer_recreation/alpine_slide.php

 

[disny_luvr]

Yes! NPS lodges often fill up by Noon one year and a day out from arrival.

Probably the most convenient place to stay at YELL is Canyon Village. We stayed at Lake Yellowstone (in a cabin) last time and it was okay. Lake Yellowstone is also pretty conveniently located.

Last visit to Grand Teton we stayed in Jackson, but several of the lodges in Grand Teton itself are also nice. (But don't miss Jackson!)

Just for reference, our last visit was for two weeks and we spent it all in Jackson/Grand Teton/Yellowstone. Flew in and out of Jackson on American.

We were thinking of staying at Mammoth Hot Springs, Old Faithful Inn, and Canyon Lodge. I'm not sure if that's too much moving. We'd probably only be in Yellowstone for five nights.

Yes, we were planning on staying in Jackson while visiting Grand Teton. I guess that's a good idea. I don't really have any idea on time or distance from Jackson to Grand Teton.

 

[disny_luvr]

We just did the same trip but stopped at Devils Tower before heading into the Badlands, Mt Rushmore, & Custer State Park. We were in our RV so I can't help with any hotel suggestions. I would recommend eating at Gun Barrel Steak & Game House in Jackson Hole. This is such a great trip!

I think it would be so much fun to take a trip like this in an RV. We won't be RVing, but I always wondered, how is it navigating the roads, especially roads with a lot of turns, in an RV? We were in the Smoky Mountains last summer and I cannot imagine driving some of those roads in an RV.

 

[disny_luvr]

We flew into Rapid City and figured we'd get a rental car when we got there. We're accustomed to larger airports where rentals are readily available. um, not in South Dakota. We were lucky to "rent a wreck" for our trip.

I don't think you'll run out of things to do, but we really enjoyed Mammoth Hot Springs in South Dakota. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attract..._of_Hot_Springs-Hot_Springs_South_Dakota.html

In Jackson, your boys will probably enjoy racing on the alpine sleds. https://www.jacksonholewy.net/summer_recreation/alpine_slide.php

Yes! My boys would love the alpine sleds. Thanks for sharing!

 

[ktink]

I think it would be so much fun to take a trip like this in an RV. We won't be RVing, but I always wondered, how is it navigating the roads, especially roads with a lot of turns, in an RV? We were in the Smoky Mountains last summer and I cannot imagine driving some of those roads in an RV.

It was really no problem for the most part. It was little nerve wrecking when we were leaving Jackson Hole. It had snowed the night before. It was beautiful though!