I think the Badlands are the outliers here. And if you flew in and out of Denver it could be a nicer loop with fewer long days of driving.
Lot of time in the Sand Dunes.
What other interest is along this route--rodeos?
Not nearly enough time at Mesa Verde.
Why so much at Lake Powell?

You need to list what your main interests and must-see items are to get the best advice. Otherwise we're just guessing as to what to cut and what to leave.

I'll try though - cut out Craters of the Moon, Lake Powell, and a couple days from the Grand Canyon. That's about a week saved. Then if you completely cut out everything from the time you leave Yellowstone until you get to Great Sand Dunes, you'll save another 8 days. That takes you down to about 24 days or so. After that its relatively easy, cut a day from Sand Dunes, Bryce and consolidate Moab into 3 days instead of 4. That brings you down to 21 days.

I think with more info from you, we can give you more suggestions and fine tune it more than what I did above.

what time of year would make a difference too. Camping or lodging?

Over all National Parks seems to be the theme, right?

Another second to cut out Craters of the Moon. It is nice, but when you have so much it is definitely the bottom of the list. Save a day, just drive straight to Tetons.

3 full days in Yellowstone would be great... don't be tempted to cut back there.

While in Cody don't leave out the best reason to go there--- the Buffalo Bill museums. Fantastic.

If you can push on to stay in Hill City or somewhere near there it would be better than stopping near Devil's Tower. But if you need to not drive that far then Sundance is a good place.

I personally didn't think Badlands NP itself was very interesting. I'd skip it. Just do Custer State park and Mt Rushmore.

Cheyenne,,, okay to sleep there, skip the day there.

I haven't been to Great Sand Dunes, though I am hoping to one day. But it seems to be another outlier and less interesting to me than some of the others. You might be able to substitute Rocky Mt NP for it which would help with the flow.

Leave out the rodeo and full day in Durango.

Unless you are renting a boat and heading out onto the lake for over nighters three days at Lake Powell might be too much. A day for the fun things in Page.

Which rim at the Grand Canyon? While I think three days there would be minimum, you might be able to skip a day there.

You have four days for Canyonlands/Arches. Stay in Moab for both of them, cut a day.

However...You really have two trips here. Cut out one or the other.

Either start in Denver do Yellowstone/Black Hills, Rocky Mt and Sand Dunes. And leave the Utah/AZ parks out.

Or do the Utah / AZ parks and leave out Black Hills and Sand Dunes. You could maybe add in Yellowstone to a southern Utah / Grand Canyon in a three week period.

I would go from Cody to Mesa Verde. That cuts out one of your weeks.

I'd go from Mesa Verde to the Grand Canyon and ONE of the SW parks. You pick.

That should be about three weeks.

I haven't had a chance to absorb some of your suggestions but I thought I would at least answer questions. We don't have much in the way of specific goals - just a family trip to see these incredible parts of the country and natural wonders, including short walks/hikes, some fun clambering for the kids, and a few 'experiences' e.g. rodeo, rafting, etc. Yellowstone and Grand Canyon are must-see. Also probably Arches and Powell. Different family members have expressed specific interest in Craters, Sand Dunes and Badlands, but no promises have been made ; ) Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!

Bag the Badlands.

Close to Durango - you might also consider Telluride ski area - or for they great natural hot springs - check out Ouray.

Would also take a look at including Monument Valley - and if you want an easy shot to see more cliff dwellings - the Navajo National Monument is just west of there. http://www.google.com/search?q=Map+for+Monument+Valley+-+4+corners&hl=en&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=xLcaUZL3GeGmigKczYG4BQ&ved=0CEIQsAQ&biw=1253&bih=658

If I wasn't that clear - if you left Mesa Verde early - you could easily pass through 4 corners - and then visit to the Navajo National Monument (30 minutes beyond/west of Kenyata - the southern entrance to Monument Valley) - if you wanted to see some more Cliff Dwellings.

But you may have seen enough by then, so you could just drive into Monument Valley for the afternoon - and decide if you wanted to stay for sunset (or leave before then and complete the two and half hour drive to the Grand Canyon)

Even if you stayed for sunset - you could either stay there/Kayenta overnight - or finish the relatively straight/easy drive over to the Grand Canyon that evening.

Sorry - forgot to add - from Monument Valley - you could also pull into Page for the night - and do a half day river rafting the next morning - and then continue on to the GC.

All up to you.

hanks SO much for the wise words. Based on family talks and feedback here and elsewhere, here is what we have cut down to so far. We are still a couple of days over. Do you see anywhere we can thin? Or, anywhere we are on the wrong track? Also, if anyone has any addl rec's for specific campgrounds, experiences, etc. I think we are about ready to start feeding those in to the plan... Finally, we ARE camping. should we camp IN the parks or at KOAs?

1. Arrive Denver
• Hotel
• Car/Gear
2. Wake up Denver
• Drive 7 hours to Badlands
• Tent
3. Awake in Badlands
• Badlands Park
• Tent
4. Awake in Badlands
• Drive 2.25 hours to Bear Country
• Drive 45 min to Jewel Cave
• Tent
5. Awake in Black Hills
• Drive 6 hours to Cody
• Rodeo/Cliff Jump?
• Hotel
6. Awake Cody
• Cliff Jump
• Drive 2 hours to Yellowstone
• Tent
7. Yellowstone
• Tent
9. Yellowstone
• Tent
10. Yellowstone
• Tent/1 hour to Jackson Hotel?
11. Awake in Yellowstone/Jackson
• Grand Teton
• 9am snake river trip
• 6pm shootout in Jackson
• Hotel
12. Awake in Teton
• Drive 9 hours to Capitol Reef
• Hotel
13. Wake up Capitol Reef Hotel
• Tent
14. Wake up Capitol Reef
• Bryce Canyon?
• Drive 6 hours to Grand Canyon
• Tent
15. Grand Canyon
• Tent
16. Awake Grand Canyon
• Drive 3 hours to Lake Powell
• Tent
17. Awake Lake Powell
• Boat
• Tent
18. Awake Lake Powell
• Drive 5 hours to Moab
• Hotel
19. Awake Moab
• Canyonlands
• Tent/Hotel
20. Awake Moab
• Tent/Hotel
21. Awake Moab
• Drive 5+ hours to Denver
22. Fly home

at Lake Powell the best place to camp is on the beach at Lone Rock Beach .. great bath house and camp right next to lake .. can be very sandy in areas, just follow the tracks of others .. I have seen those huge RV buses on the shore line to tents

You are going to have to cut something out. Whatever it is will hurt a little. Since you are so sparse everywhere and many of your stops are needed because everything is so far apart it might have to be Yellowstone, Grand Tetons or Moab which are about the only ones you have more than one day in.

Having said that though if it were me I'd probably leave out Cody. It really is minor compared to some of the other places you'll be. If you could cut out that night, you might be able to cut a night from Yellowstone without really losing any time there.

Definitely stay and book campgrounds in all of the parks you can (Yellowstone, Grand Canyon). The problem you'll have at Badlands is no reservations are accepted. Since you'll be getting there late it might be better to have somewhere else planned for that night. (though I tried to find somewhere last year and ended up in a hotel).

And I realize Capitol Reef is your halfway stop between Yellowstone and Grand Canyon, and it is one of my favorite parks, but you could cut out the second night there as well. It is a deceptively easy park to see. Either you spend days there, or you drive through in about half a day.

Wahweap marina is the campground by the Lake Powell marina where you would pick up any boating tours or rentals. You can reserve it.

Some of the most beautiful campgrounds in the Moab area are in the parks. I especially enjoy Devil's Garden in Arches and the State park at Dead Horse Point. Both of which can be reserved. The problem with both of them is that they are great for seeing the parks they are in but not so great for visiting the other parks in the area. If you are willing to move those two nights I would suggest one night in each of those places. Otherwise it might be better to stay in one of the commercial places in town which are more central to everything and have showers.

With the pace of your trip you need to camp in the parks whenever possible. You simply don't have time to waste driving back and forth, especially in Yellowstone.

Bryce and Badlands have camping very near the main entrance. In fact, the town of Interior is less than half a mile from the visitor's center of Badlands, so at least in that park it makes no difference whether you're inside or outside as long as you're either in Interior or in the park campground. The campground in Arches is at the far end of the park so I'm not sure if it's better to stay in Moab or Arches, probably Moab.

If you need to cut some time, maybe you should have just one overnight at Capitol Reef and Grand Canyon instead of 2 apiece. Also, I would allocate an overnight at Badlands and 2 in the Black Hills - as is all you have in the Black Hills is Bear Country and Jewel Cave (no Mt Rushmore or Custer State Park and you'll want some time for those). And at least make a stop at Devil's Tower on your way to Cody.

The replies are SUPREMELY HELPFUL. Thank you SO much -- we would be truly lost without all the experience you all share on the forum. Please -- keep the tips coming and I'll keep you posted as we re-jigger and confirm.

I have a question for OP what is the cliff jumping in Cody? Is this safe for families?

what is the cliff jumping in Cody... Best thing I did

UGH! I tried to cut and instead I added! I'm 2 days over again : (


1. Arrive Denver [7/24]
• Car/Gear
• Hotel TBD

2. Awake in Denver [7/25]
• Drive 5 hours to ???
3. Awake in ??????
• Drive 3 hours to Badlands
• Tent @ Badlands KOA or Cedar Pass NP Camping Ground

4. Awake in Badlands [7/26]
• Badlands Park
• Drive 2.5 hours rushmore, custer, Jewel Cave
• Tent @ Custer KOA or at Rapid City KOA

5. Awake in Black Hills [7/28]
• Drive 6 hours to Cody
• Rodeo
• Hotel @ Sunrise Motor Inn or Best Western; OR Tent @ Cody KOA

6. Awake in Cody [7/29]
• Cliff Jump/ buffalo bill
• Drive 2 hours to Yellowstone
• Tent @ Yellowstone KOA or Norris NP Camping Ground

7. Awake in Yellowstone [7/30]
• Tent @ Yellowstone KOA or Norris NP Camping Ground

8. Awake in Yellowstone [7/31]
• Tent @ Yellowstone KOA or Norris NP Camping Ground

9. Awake in Yellowstone [8/1]
• Tent @ Yellowstone KOA; OR Hotel @ Golden Eagle Inn in Jackson (1 hour drive)

10. Awake in Yellowstone/Jackson [8/2]
• Grand Teton
• 9am snake river trip (Mad River Tours)
• Jackson Alpine Slide
• 6pm shootout in Jackson
• Hotel @ Golden Eagle Inn

11. Awake in Teton [8/3]
• Drive 4.5 hours to superior
• 1.5 hours to Flaming Gorge
• lodging?
12. Awake in Flaming Gorge
• Swim
• Drive 4.5 hours to arches,
• Tent
13. Awake in Arches
• Arches/Canyonlands
14. Awake canyonlands
• Drive to capitol reef
• Tent @ Fruita NP Camping Ground
15. Awake Capitol Reef
• Drive 3 hours to Bryce Canyon drive-thru?
• Drive 3 hours to
16. Awake Bryce
• Drive 3 hours to Grand Canyon
• Tent @ North Rim NP Camping Ground
17. Awake in Grand Canyon [8/6]
• Drive 3 hours to Lake Powell
• Tent @ Wahweap Camping Ground
18. Awake in Lake Powell [8/8]
• Boat
• Tent @ Wahweap Camping Ground

19. Awake in Lake Powell [8/9]
• Drive 5.5 to silverton

20. awake Durango
• soaring treetops tour
• drive to 3.5 to sand dunes
21. Awake in sand dunes [8/12]
•
22. Awake in Sand Dunes
• Drive 4 hours to Denver
• Hotel TBD
23. Awake in Denver
• Fly home

Well the problem was that you didn't cut stuff out, you added stuff-both Vernal and Durango.....

You can't do it all. And what you have listed is all great, though you are definitely trying to fit in EVERYTHING....

To tell you the truth Grand Canyon is the one that doesn't fit into this scenario. It is hard enough to do both it and Yellowstone in the same 2 week trip with Salt Lake City as the entry point. But you are trying to add in South Dakota and Denver and now southern CO as well.

Please please decide which it is going to be: Grand Canyon, or Badlands.

If Badlands win then leave out Grand Canyon, Bryce and Capitol Reef.

If Grand Canyon wins, then leave out Badlands, and Denver and fly into and out of SLC.

And btw if it were up to me I would always skip the Badlands. I've been everywhere in the west and never cared to go there. Finally last summer it was on the way home from DeSmet so we stopped. Was not impressed. Have no desire to go back. Grand Canyon is 10 times the park that it is.

I don't think Great Sand Dunes is a 2day/night stop. Also, you aren't really spending much time in Capitol Reef, so just continue on to Bryce for that night.

I think you need to step back and think about what's really important on this trip. Take a couple days and just mull it over and simplify, you're making this too complicated.

Drive from Denver and camp 3 nights in the Black Hills. Take a day trip to Badlands instead of an overnight, it will simplify your life not having to take down and set up camp in another location.

Or you could skip Badlands completely as InSandy suggested, that and cutting a day from Sand Dunes gets you back down to 21 days. I've been to Badlands twice, spent 5 days camping there in November and I'd definitely go back, but its not for everyone. It will be quite hot in July so keep that in mind.

I have been to (almost) all of these locations. All are beautiful and worthwhile in their own, varied, ways. However, for definite WOW factor, I wouldn't go any farther east than Denver on this trip. In fact, I'd stick with your SLC entry point and, after visiting Yellowstone and Tetons, would stay west of the Continental Divide. Last fall we did a circle tour of parks from Las Vegas via Zion, Bryce, Arches, Durango, Mesa Verde, Monument Valley, Page and North Rim in two weeks. The two fantastic Wyoming parks would bring you to three weeks, busy but doable.

Hope you have a great trip! Drink lots of water!

I'd skip both nights at the Sand Dunes since it will be HOT in August. The creek is my favorite part and it will be long gone. You can make a quick stop on your drive from Durango to Denver and walk around for a couple of hours if you want, but since you are cutting out nights, I'd start there.

Do you have a back-up for the Fruita Campground. I've wanted to stay there for years, but I've read that it can be difficult to get a campsite. So I'd spend several hours in Capitol Reef but skip the overnight and head directly to Bryce. Not saying Capitol Reef isn't worth it, but just a suggestion to take out a night.

Okay. Thanks for all your firm and wise words. We made some cuts, left in other things. I think we have a plan we can stick with. Here is where we settled:
1. Arrive Denver
2. Awake Denver Hotel [7/25]
• Drive 4 hours to Lusk, WY
3. Awake Lusk Hotel
• Drive 2.5 hours to Rapid City KOA
• Custer State Park , Rushmore
4. Awake Rapid City
• Day Trip to Badlands (Pinnacle entrance)
5. Awake in Rapid City [
• Jewel Cave
• Drive 6 hours to Cody, Rodeo ?
• Hotel OR Tent @ Cody KOA
6. Awake in Cody
• Drive 2 hours to Yellowstone
• Tent @ Norris NP Camping Ground
7. Awake in Yellowstone
8. Awake in Yellowstone
9. Awake in Yellowstone
• Yellowstone/Tetons
• 1 hr Drive to Jackson, hotel
10. Awake in Jackson
• Grand Teton Mad River Tours)
• Jackson Alpine Slide?
• 6pm shootout in Jackson
11. Awake in Jackson
• 5 hours to Salt Lake City, hotel
12. Awake in Salt Lake
• Morning on lake?
• 3.75 hours to Capitol Reef
• Tent at Fruita NP Camping Ground
13. Wake up Capitol Reef
• Explore Capitol Reef
• Drive to Bryce Canyon? Or straight to Grand Canyon
14. Wake up Bryce/Grand Canyon
• Explore GC North Rim
• Tent at NP Camping Ground
15. Awake Grand Canyon
• Drive 3 hours to Lake Powell
• Tour of Dam
• Tent @ Wahweap Camping Ground or Lone Rock Beac
16. Awake in Lake Powell
• Rent Boat
17. Awake in Lake Powell [8/9]
• Drive 5 hours to Moab
• Explore Canyonlands, tent at Willow Flat or Squaw Flat
18. Awake in Canyonlands [8/10]
• Explore Canyonlands – boating?
• Head to Arches, Tent @ Devils Garden NP Campground in Arches
19. Awake in Arches [8/11]
• Explore Arches
20. Awake in Arches [8/12]
• Drive 5+ hours to Denver
• Hotel TBD
21. Awake in Denver
• Fly home

Thanks for all your help!!!

Yup, Looks like a plan that will work and still get in most of what you were hoping to.

In Lusk we loved our stay at the Covered Wagon Inn. I was very surprised to get something that nice in a little town in the middle of nowhere like Lusk. Highly recommended.

On your day 11 when you have stay in SLC but the next morning see the lake. I'm assuming you mean the Great Salt Lake. Really the best place to see this would be from Antelope Island which is an hour north of SLC. So I have a couple ideas for you there.

First you could come south from Jackson via 89 to Montpelier and Bear Lake then through Logan to Brigham City where you'd meet up with I-15. This is a beautiful drive and would be the way I would go if I wanted to enjoy the drive. Since you will be leaving Jackson in the morning you could easily stop off and see the lake that afternoon before arriving in SLC. (exit is near Layton/Syracuse). And I would suggest staying in the south end of the Salt Lake Valley like Sandy, so you wouldn't have as much morning traffic to deal with through town. (though don't arrive in town between 4 and 6pm or you'd have evening traffic to deal with.)

Then the next morning (day 12) just drive straight to Capitol Reef, where you could enjoy the afternoon seeing the park (and hoping to get there in time to get a spot at the Fruita campground).

Then on Day 13 you would be able to enjoy the drive south along fabulous hwy 12 and spend some time at Bryce before heading to Grand Canyon. I think you really need to be at the Grand Canyon those two nights to get the most from your visit there. I love the North Rim campground. Look for the Kaibab Squirrel. It would be the end to a couple very long driving days but you would have a chance to breath for a night before packing up and moving again.

Also, Squaw Flat campground is in the southern (Needles) portion of Canyonlands. This is a great section to visit but there is certainly no boating there. If you are serious about taking a raft trip on the Colorado then you'll want to be at a place in Moab. Even Willow Flat CG (being in the northern section- Island in the Sky) is out of the way for a river trip. Since you'll have done the scenic float in Jackson I'm not sure another raft trip is what you want. Maybe try a canyoneering trip, or do a biking trail. Anyway. I'd probably skip the boating and stay at Squaw Flat, and explore Needles section on day 18 before heading up to Arches. But if you want to do something else (like boat or bike or canyoneer) then I'd skip the Needles section and just drive into Moab and stay at one of the commercial sites there. There are some BLM campsites along the river or in the Sand Flats area that would be okay as well.

And last, be sure to take the hwy 128 out of Moab back to Denver. Beautiful drive, and great for a last impression before your trip is over.

InSandy -- those all sound like TERRIFIC suggestions. Thank you!

You are welcome. It will be a trip to remember for sure.

I'd do it differently...

I'd fly into Vegas. Visit Hoover Dam. Drive to Grand Canyon (north rim). Head to the parks in southern Utah. Work my way north. Hit Jackson Hole, yellowstone, Devil's Tower, Badlands (I LOVE them). Then continue south and fly home from Denver.