bk123

We (me, my husband and our 11-year-old daughter) are planning a driving trip that includes Badlands/Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and GTNP in late July. Current route has us going from Rapid City to Cody (overnight stop) to West Yellowstone via the park’s east entrance, but after doing a little more research, it seems a drive on the Beartooth Highway is not to be missed.

Looks like we have two options:
1. Re-map the complete route from Rapid City to West Yellowstone to go through Billings and Red Lodge, MT (staying overnight in or near Red Lodge)
2. Keep the overnight in Cody, but drive up to Red Lodge from Cody, then back down the Beartooth Highway into the park and West Yellowstone

I’d love to hear some recommendations and advice on these options – or others – from folks familiar with the area and the drive. We are Midwesterners who haven’t spent a lot of time out west – anything and everything will be a new experience for us and we’re very excited to see this new part of the country. Our main interests are scenery, wildlife, history and just being somewhere very different from our other travel experiences. To be honest, I’d picked Cody because it seemed like a logical stopping point with some fun things to do/see, but there’s nothing that, in my mind, makes Cody an absolutely necessary stop on this trip.

We were interested in possibly stopping in Deadwood and at Devil’s Tower between Rapid City and Cody, but it seems we could also do those stops between Rapid City and Red Lodge, no? And while I know that either of the new options will add some time to the drive, it doesn’t seem insurmountable.

Full itinerary is this – obviously, because of the flights, we’re somewhat limited in our overall time frame. Flights are booked. All overnight accommodations have been reserved, but can be canceled.

Fly to Denver and drive to Rapid City (2 nights in Rapid City)
Drive from Rapid City to Cody or Red Lodge (1 night in Cody or Red Lodge)
Drive from Cody/Red Lodge to West Yellowstone (3 nights in WY, we have out-of-park lodging reserved b/c in-park was booked, but I will keep calling Xanterra for cancellations)
Drive from WY to GTNP (2 nights at Jackson Lake Lodge)
Drive from GTNP to Denver (1 night in Denver before flying home the next day)

Thanks, in advance, for your help!

Tomsd

Not sure how long it will take you to get to Cody - but from there to the Beartooth drive - is what - a couple of hours - and hey - if you went toward Billings - and then stayed at - or even turned around at Red Lodge - you would get to see the beautiful scenery twice, eh?

Tomsd

Actually - it may only be an hour or so from Cody to the Bearthooth Hiway - 47 miles? For more info - see: http://www.beartoothhighway.com/tripPlanning/index.html

Tomsd

And from Rapid City to Cody is about 400 miles - so you can decide how far you want to go. I drove the Beartooth hiway coming from Billings - and it's from Red Lodge on into Yellowstone that is the most beautiful part - and I went by the turnoff to Cody - but didn't have time to get in to see the Buffalo Bill Museum, which I would liked to have.

http://www.codywyomingnet.com/buffalo_bill/museum.php

Connie

Just be sure you don't just do Cody up Chief Joseph Hwy (296) and then west into Yellowstone. You will be missing the heart of the Beartooth Drive. This section is much lower in elevation and you don't get the beautiful mountain scenery.

Either go up Chief Joseph Hwy (beautiful drive) and go east then turn back west toward Yellowstone OR drive up to Red Lodge and go west.

Beartooth is worth seeing in both directions.

happytrailstoyou

I suggest two nights in Cody so you can visit the amazing and not-to-be-missed Buffalo Bill Historical Center and go to a rodeo: Rapid City (2), Cody (2), Yellowstone (2), Grand Teton (2), and Denver (1). This will be a great trip.

HTTY

bk123

Thanks for the input. Looks like we can (and should) keep the overnight in Cody and still do the Beartooth Highway. HTTY, I will check into your suggestion. Is Cody the only place to visit a rodeo?

Any other thoughts/recommendations for the area would be much appreciated!

happytrailstoyou

Cody is the one I know about and the one I see recommended: http://www.codystampederodeo.com/

HTTY

starrs

We went from Grand Tetons to Old Faithful Lodge to Red Lodge via the Beartooth Highway and then back down to Cody for 2 nights. Not sure that's the "best" routing but we enjoyed it.

When you are at Cody, take a detour for an hour or so to the tiny town of Meteeetse. It looks like it's a Wild West set - and has an amazing chocolate shop run by a rodeo cowboy -
http://www.meeteetsechocolatier.com/

I really like the little town of Red Lodge too. A good place to spend the night and dinner was GREAT at their steakhouse.

jrnjill

The trip you are planning is one my wife and I have done the last 2years in a row. But we drive from NY. Scenery and wildlife are abundant.
While in the Badlands area there is alot to see. For wildlife take a drive thru Custer state Park and a drive the Needles loop. It is amazing. There is also Windcave Natl Park Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Deadwood, and not be missed Wall drug store .
The drive west may get a little boring for and 11 year old. I would stop at devils tower.
Each time we drove from there to GTNP and camped at Jenny lake. Stop here and take a boat ride across the lake and take a short hike to inspiration point. This veiw will take your breath away and it is kid friendly. Then go into Jackson and maybe catch the wild west shoot out held in the center of town. While in GTNP take some drives early evening and you will defintely see elk grazzing. This is one of our favorite places to visit and there is less people then Yellowstone.
If you want to see some wildlife Yellowstone is the place to go last year within about 4 days we saw 5 grizzlies and 2 were baby cubs with there mother. Take the advice of the rangers and keep your distance. The veiws are some diverse from the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone to Old Faithful it can be overwhelming and chances are there will be some crowds at the more famous sites like the hot springs and the aboved mentioned. Be sure to see as much as time allows this place is huge.
My wife and I done all of our traveling by car and the majority of our overnite accommodations are in a tent. It's not for everyone. But its forces us to slow down and appreciate the beauty that most people just drive by. Be sure when entering the parks you get a map and take a min.to decide what places you really want to see. For us there never is enough time to see it all and have spent weeks in these areas.