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

[Becky Mouse]

We did this a number of years back. Make sure you make your in park reservations as soon as you're able, as they book fast. We ended up staying a 45 minute drive from Yellowstone because 8 months out we couldn't find anything closer.

We spent 3 full days in Yellowstone and could have easily spent 3 more. I would skip Custer State Park, we were not impressed and were sorry we drove out there, we didn't think it was worth the drive.

Grand Tetons are spectacular, I'd plan on spending a couple of days in that area as Jackson Hole was great as well.

If you can, see Mount Rushmore at night, we didn't stay because we had a long drive ahead of us to our next destination. I was shocked at how impressive Mount Rushmore was, it's one of those places where photos don't do it justice. Crazy Horse is also worth the trip.

Definitely don't miss Devil's Tower, you'll have to drive all the way across WY to get to Mt. Rushmore anyway. Be aware, there isn't much interesting to see between Yellowstone and Devil's Tower, it was a long, mostly boring drive.

I second the tip about Devil's Tower. It's out in the middle of nowhere, though. Make sure you have gas, and also, if you're staying overnight, consider the KOA. You can literally see the tower from the campground, which is kind of cool. I believe there are camping cabins at the KOA if you don't have an RV and don't like tent camping.

 

[rajak73]

A few things for you to think about, you can easily spend 7+ days in Yellowstone and 7+ days in SD. We camp so can't help with the flying. If you are interested, there is a Mt Rushmore KOA that has camping cabins, lots of things to do there. Hill City has a excellent winery, (try the Rubarb) Also outside of Hill City is a Chuckwagon Cookout, so much fun. Keystone has a Aerial Adventure Park, Zip line, looked like fun for kids. Also check out Powderhouse Lodge website at Keystone, we had supper there on night, very good, started with the Game Kabobs, Buffalo, Elk and Venison, sooooo good. There's a ton of things to do at both Yellowstone and SD. Have fun and happy planning.

 

[disny_luvr]

I second the tip about Devil's Tower. It's out in the middle of nowhere, though. Make sure you have gas, and also, if you're staying overnight, consider the KOA. You can literally see the tower from the campground, which is kind of cool. I believe there are camping cabins at the KOA if you don't have an RV and don't like tent camping.

We are planning on Devil's Tower. Thanks for mentioning the KOA. I'll check to see if there are cabins. We won't be RVing or have a tent.

 

[Colleen27]

We are planning on Devil's Tower. Thanks for mentioning the KOA. I'll check to see if there are cabins. We won't be RVing or have a tent.

I can help you with that one, because we've stayed there. They do have cabins, both the rustic one-room "kamping kabins", as KOA calls them, and the larger cabins that are more like a micro mobile home with a kitchenette and bathroom. Remember that you do need to bring your own linens when renting a cabin at a KOA. When we're flying and renting a car for a road trip, I've found it easier to stop somewhere like a Walmart or Dollar General and pick up a cheap set that we can wash and donate somewhere at the end of the trip rather than trying to make room in the luggage for sheets and pillows.

As the previous poster mentioned, the view is fabulous. They are also in the nicer "tier" of KOA classifications, which means a bit more in the way of recreational amenities than just a basic campground. They have a pool, which is the thing most important to my 12yo when I'm choosing accommodations, andthey also do nightly outdoor screenings of Close Encounters which is really fun considering the setting (at least for old nerds like me ). We do a lot of KOA stays when we travel because it is an easy shortcut to finding a clean, family-friendly campground with decent shower and laundry facilities, and that's one of the nicer/more memorable ones we've stayed at.

 

[disny_luvr]

Hello, again! OP here.

My husband and I sat down last night and mapped out our trip since we can book the Yellowstone Lodges on June 2nd. Our itinerary is below. Let me know if you think this is doable. We are planning on flying in and out of Denver only because we have SW credits that need to be used by September 7, 2022, so we need to fly into an airport that SW services.

Day 1: Fly from Baltimore to Denver
Overnight in Denver (possibly go to a baseball game if the Rockies are in town)

Day 2: Drive to Keystone, SD (6 hours)
Visit Mount Rushmore/Crazy Horse (Can we do all this in one day? We'd like to see Mt. Rushmore at night.)

Day 3:
Visit Badlands/Custer

Day 4:
Visit Badlands/Custer

Day 5:
Drive to Cody, Wy by way of Devils Tower (6.5 hours)
Go to rodeo in Cody

Day 6:
Drive to Yellowstone/stay at Canyon Lodge

Day 7:
Yellowstone/Canyon Lodge

Day 8:
Yellowstone/Drive to Old Faithful Inn

Day 9:
Yellowstone/Old Faithful Inn

Day 10:
Drive to Jackson, Wy
Rest/explore the town

Day 11:
Grand Teton NP

Day 12:
Drive to Denver

Day 13:
Day in Denver/surrounding area (possibly Garden of the Gods; any other ideas?)

Day 14:
Fly home

Thanks for any help! If you have any ideas of things we should/see do in the areas mentioned above, please let me know.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We used to live in Miles City, MT and made several trips to Yellowstone and Glacier. My husband took his mom, dad and brother to Deadwood for a weekend while I stayed home (I think had work that I needed to finish). They had a great time, drinking and gambling. We stayed in Yellowstone Lodging mulltiple times - Lake Hotel, Mammoth Hot Springs (twice both for winter), Old Faithful Inn (had a renovated room with two beds - but they also had bunkbeds in the older section with the bathroom down the hall), Snow Lodge twice (both for winter), Canyon Lodge Cabins (the old ones now replaced) and Canyon Lodge room, plus a couple of nights in a motel in Gardiner. We'd love to go again for winter in a year or two before it gets too hard for us. We flew into Billings because we wanted to retrace our old route, but would probably fly into Bozeman for a winter trip with most of the park close to car travel.

If you decide to do any tours or events, make sure you schedule them when you book your lodging. And teach your boys to read for entertainment. Or try photography. Bring some cards. Very little television and internet isn't usually available.

 

[Becky Mouse]

Hello, again! OP here.

My husband and I sat down last night and mapped out our trip since we can book the Yellowstone Lodges on June 2nd. Our itinerary is below. Let me know if you think this is doable. We are planning on flying in and out of Denver only because we have SW credits that need to be used by September 7, 2022, so we need to fly into an airport that SW services.

Day 1: Fly from Baltimore to Denver
Overnight in Denver (possibly go to a baseball game if the Rockies are in town)

Day 2: Drive to Keystone, SD (6 hours)
Visit Mount Rushmore/Crazy Horse (Can we do all this in one day? We'd like to see Mt. Rushmore at night.)

Day 3:
Visit Badlands/Custer

Day 4:
Visit Badlands/Custer

Day 5:
Drive to Cody, Wy by way of Devils Tower (6.5 hours)
Go to rodeo in Cody

Day 6:
Drive to Yellowstone/stay at Canyon Lodge

Day 7:
Yellowstone/Canyon Lodge

Day 8:
Yellowstone/Drive to Old Faithful Inn

Day 9:
Yellowstone/Old Faithful Inn

Day 10:
Drive to Jackson, Wy
Rest/explore the town

Day 11:
Grand Teton NP

Day 12:
Drive to Denver

Day 13:
Day in Denver/surrounding area (possibly Garden of the Gods; any other ideas?)

Day 14:
Fly home

Thanks for any help! If you have any ideas of things we should/see do in the areas mentioned above, please let me know.

Garden of the Gods is beautiful, but it's a bit of a drive from Denver. Depending on the day you drive, you can hit bad traffic on the way into Colorado Springs, and it stinks. It could take you an hour and a half to two hours. I also wouldn't say there's all that much to do in Colorado Springs. If you go there, I'd do Garden of the Gods and maybe Pikes Peak.

If you want to travel outside of Denver, a different option would be to go to Boulder. You can do the Celestial Seasonings tour if that interests you, and I'd recommend eating at Dushanbe Tea House. Walk down Pearl Street. Boulder is tucked into the mountains, so you can still see some beautiful natural sites, too.

 

[JimMIA]

Day 2: Drive to Keystone, SD (6 hours)
Visit Mount Rushmore/Crazy Horse (Can we do all this in one day? We'd like to see Mt. Rushmore at night.)

Day 3:
Visit Badlands/Custer

Day 4:
Visit Badlands/Custer

First of all, you have a long drive (6 hours) and then the next two days going in two different directions both days. Badlands NP is East of Rapid City, which is East of Keystone. Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, and Crazy Horse are West or South of Keystone.

So, here's one change I would make:

Day 2: Drive to Keystone, visit Mount Rushmore at night (check schedule and limitations/restrictions)

Days 3/4 (in either order):

• One day driving to and visiting Badlands NP, and Wall, SD -- East of Rapid City. Plan on spending at least 2 hours in Wall Drug -- NOT kidding, and you will not be disappointed.
• The other day visiting Custer State Park (south of Keystone), Crazy Horse (west) and maybe Mt. Rushmore again (also west)

 

[JimMIA]

Second suggestion:
Your drive from Jackson, WY to Denver is a long one -- 8-9 hours. Also, almost no matter what route you take, between Jackson, WY and Denver, you are going to pass by Rocky Mountain NP.

So I would consider a stop, possibly in Loveland, CO, and then visit RM NP the next day when you're rested. I don't think there is any lodging inside RM, but there might be not far outside the park.

I'm not that familiar with the Denver area; it's always just been a fly-in for skiing -- but you have some great suggestions from other posters above.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I was also going to suggest Rocky Mountain NP. It is beautiful there! There are several places to stay in Estes Park, which is right outside. The Stanley Hotel is there (where the movie The Shining is based on), which you can stay in or just explore.

 

[disny_luvr]

We used to live in Miles City, MT and made several trips to Yellowstone and Glacier. My husband took his mom, dad and brother to Deadwood for a weekend while I stayed home (I think had work that I needed to finish). They had a great time, drinking and gambling. We stayed in Yellowstone Lodging mulltiple times - Lake Hotel, Mammoth Hot Springs (twice both for winter), Old Faithful Inn (had a renovated room with two beds - but they also had bunkbeds in the older section with the bathroom down the hall), Snow Lodge twice (both for winter), Canyon Lodge Cabins (the old ones now replaced) and Canyon Lodge room, plus a couple of nights in a motel in Gardiner. We'd love to go again for winter in a year or two before it gets too hard for us. We flew into Billings because we wanted to retrace our old route, but would probably fly into Bozeman for a winter trip with most of the park close to car travel.

If you decide to do any tours or events, make sure you schedule them when you book your lodging. And teach your boys to read for entertainment. Or try photography. Bring some cards. Very little television and internet isn't usually available.

I’m a little worried about no television and lack of internet, but my boys do love being outdoors and exploring. I’m hoping we’ll be busy most of the day to keep them occupied.

 

[disny_luvr]

First of all, you have a long drive (6 hours) and then the next two days going in two different directions both days. Badlands NP is East of Rapid City, which is East of Keystone. Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, and Crazy Horse are West or South of Keystone.

So, here's one change I would make:

Day 2: Drive to Keystone, visit Mount Rushmore at night (check schedule and limitations/restrictions)

Days 3/4 (in either order):

• One day driving to and visiting Badlands NP, and Wall, SD -- East of Rapid City. Plan on spending at least 2 hours in Wall Drug -- NOT kidding, and you will not be disappointed.
• The other day visiting Custer State Park (south of Keystone), Crazy Horse (west) and maybe Mt. Rushmore again (also west)

This is so helpful! Thank you!

 

[disny_luvr]

Second suggestion:
Your drive from Jackson, WY to Denver is a long one -- 8-9 hours. Also, almost no matter what route you take, between Jackson, WY and Denver, you are going to pass by Rocky Mountain NP.

So I would consider a stop, possibly in Loveland, CO, and then visit RM NP the next day when you're rested. I don't think there is any lodging inside RM, but there might be not far outside the park.

I'm not that familiar with the Denver area; it's always just been a fly-in for skiing -- but you have some great suggestions from other posters above.

Great idea! I never even thought of Rocky Mountain NP.

 

[disny_luvr]

Anyone that ever went to the rodeo in Cody, is it a must do?

 

[princesscinderella]

Hello, again! OP here.

My husband and I sat down last night and mapped out our trip since we can book the Yellowstone Lodges on June 2nd. Our itinerary is below. Let me know if you think this is doable. We are planning on flying in and out of Denver only because we have SW credits that need to be used by September 7, 2022, so we need to fly into an airport that SW services.

Day 1: Fly from Baltimore to Denver
Overnight in Denver (possibly go to a baseball game if the Rockies are in town)

Day 2: Drive to Keystone, SD (6 hours)
Visit Mount Rushmore/Crazy Horse (Can we do all this in one day? We'd like to see Mt. Rushmore at night.)

Day 3:
Visit Badlands/Custer

Day 4:
Visit Badlands/Custer

Day 5:
Drive to Cody, Wy by way of Devils Tower (6.5 hours)
Go to rodeo in Cody

Day 6:
Drive to Yellowstone/stay at Canyon Lodge

Day 7:
Yellowstone/Canyon Lodge

Day 8:
Yellowstone/Drive to Old Faithful Inn

Day 9:
Yellowstone/Old Faithful Inn

Day 10:
Drive to Jackson, Wy
Rest/explore the town

Day 11:
Grand Teton NP

Day 12:
Drive to Denver

Day 13:
Day in Denver/surrounding area (possibly Garden of the Gods; any other ideas?)

Day 14:
Fly home

Thanks for any help! If you have any ideas of things we should/see do in the areas mentioned above, please let me know.

SW just added this year service to Bozeman Mt so that can help cutdown some of your drive time, if you fly into there instead of Denver.

 

[EACarlson]

Day 2: Drive to Keystone, SD (6 hours)
Visit Mount Rushmore/Crazy Horse (Can we do all this in one day? We'd like to see Mt. Rushmore at night.)

Day 13:
Day in Denver/surrounding area (possibly Garden of the Gods; any other ideas?)

Day 14:
Fly home

Thanks for any help! If you have any ideas of things we should/see do in the areas mentioned above, please let me know.

I will let you know about about Rushmore and Crazy Horse in a day. I'm going to try it with my two boys in two weeks. We are driving and staying in Rapid City for 5 days.

If you haven't been there before you have to check out Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver, if your boys are into it Dinosaur Ridge was amazing, but my two are much younger. Rocky Mountain National Park is very cool, as is Garden of the Gods, but unless you are driving right by them, it is a ways from Denver. It took me two hours to drive from Estes Park to the airport, and about 90 minutes from Garden of the Gods to the south end of Denver.
I tell everyone that is going to Denver, eat at Tocabe. The second best FryBread I've ever had and probably the best version of Native food you're going to get.

 

[JimMIA]

I’m a little worried about no television and lack of internet, but my boys do love being outdoors and exploring. I’m hoping we’ll be busy most of the day to keep them occupied.

You should also expect a considerable amount of time without cell phone service, especially when on long drives between towns. There are large wilderness areas out west with no cell service.

 

[disny_luvr]

SW just added this year service to Bozeman Mt so that can help cutdown some of your drive time, if you fly into there instead of Denver.

Oh, wow! I had no idea. Thank you for mentioning that.

 

[disny_luvr]

I will let you know about about Rushmore and Crazy Horse in a day. I'm going to try it with my two boys in two weeks. We are driving and staying in Rapid City for 5 days.

If you haven't been there before you have to check out Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver, if your boys are into it Dinosaur Ridge was amazing, but my two are much younger. Rocky Mountain National Park is very cool, as is Garden of the Gods, but unless you are driving right by them, it is a ways from Denver. It took me two hours to drive from Estes Park to the airport, and about 90 minutes from Garden of the Gods to the south end of Denver.
I tell everyone that is going to Denver, eat at Tocabe. The second best FryBread I've ever had and probably the best version of Native food you're going to get.

Thank you for all the tips!

I hope you have a great trip! Please report back. Where are you staying in Rapid City?

 

[disny_luvr]

You should also expect a considerable amount of time without cell phone service, especially when on long drives between towns. There are large wilderness areas out west with no cell service.

Yes, I actually told my husband I think we need to plan on using paper maps instead of using the maps on our phones. I’m not planning on getting much cell service in these areas, which honestly might be a welcome change.