Rapid City to Yellowstone Route
Jan 30th, 2015, 04:07 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rapid City to Yellowstone Route
Hi Dear Friends,
Need help in the route planning. Never been anywhere in Wyoming except Yellowstone, so to drive from Rapid City to Yellowstone and back is new to us. We want the most scenic route, and a place to spend the night on the way there and back. Would like to take a different route coming and going. I see 287 has the most scenic dots on the map, but where to stop. Then coming back should we take14, 14A or 120, and again, where would be a good place to stay for a night. I want to thank you in advance, Fodorites are the BEST people around.
Need help in the route planning. Never been anywhere in Wyoming except Yellowstone, so to drive from Rapid City to Yellowstone and back is new to us. We want the most scenic route, and a place to spend the night on the way there and back. Would like to take a different route coming and going. I see 287 has the most scenic dots on the map, but where to stop. Then coming back should we take14, 14A or 120, and again, where would be a good place to stay for a night. I want to thank you in advance, Fodorites are the BEST people around.
Jan 31st, 2015, 07:46 AM
#2
Stop to see Devil's Tower on your way to Yellowstone. Get back on I-90 and get off north of Sheridan and take US 14 over the mountain to Greybull.
I'd plan on the last night in Yellowstone and then going back via US 16 through Buffalo to get back on I-90.
Some parts of I-90 have a speed limit of 80mph in Montana.
Speed limit in Yellowstone is 45. If you see an animal you want to take a picture of, pull completely out of the lane of travel before exiting the vehicle. If there is no place to pull off, have someone else take the picture from inside the vehicle. People tend to get too close to animals for pictures. This is what telephoto lenses are for.
I'd plan on the last night in Yellowstone and then going back via US 16 through Buffalo to get back on I-90.
Some parts of I-90 have a speed limit of 80mph in Montana.
Speed limit in Yellowstone is 45. If you see an animal you want to take a picture of, pull completely out of the lane of travel before exiting the vehicle. If there is no place to pull off, have someone else take the picture from inside the vehicle. People tend to get too close to animals for pictures. This is what telephoto lenses are for.
Jan 31st, 2015, 12:53 PM
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
THANK YOU so much, TomFuller!!
Greybull sounds perfect, 3 1/2 hours from Yellowstone. Just found a nice motel..Greybull motel that has great reviews, and even has a washer and dryer. Have you traveled the 287/220//87 route back to R.C? It has sooo many scenic road dots, was wondering if it was worth it to go that far out of the way?
Greybull sounds perfect, 3 1/2 hours from Yellowstone. Just found a nice motel..Greybull motel that has great reviews, and even has a washer and dryer. Have you traveled the 287/220//87 route back to R.C? It has sooo many scenic road dots, was wondering if it was worth it to go that far out of the way?
Jan 31st, 2015, 01:10 PM
#4
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,189
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hwy 26 south out of the Grand Tetons is the Wind River Range and it's a beautiful mountain drive.
From what I remember about 287 it's pretty much high desert and open rolling hills. I think it would be out of your way and not as scenic as 14 or 16.
I'll second the stop at Devils Tower!
Utahtea
From what I remember about 287 it's pretty much high desert and open rolling hills. I think it would be out of your way and not as scenic as 14 or 16.
I'll second the stop at Devils Tower!
Utahtea
Jan 31st, 2015, 04:01 PM
#5
We loved the drive from Cody to Little Bighorn on 14. The drive was gorgeous, through terrain that looked more like Sedona than the rest of what we had seen in Wyoming. I wanted to get out and walk around Shell Canyon, but was overruled.
http://www.wyomingtourism.org/things...al-Forest/7957
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/bighor...telprdb5381850
If you have not been to Little Bighorn, I highly recommend it. It would add 1.5 hours of driving but IMO it would be well worth it. I was mesmerized by the national monument -
http://www.nps.gov/libi/index.htm
Especially the Indian Memorial
http://www.nps.gov/libi/indian-memor...le-bighorn.htm
https://purduenaecc2012.files.wordpr...ig-horn-21.jpg
I also recommend the tiny town of Meeteetse outside Cody. It looks like a western set and has a wonderful local museum and the cowboy chocolatier
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q...se+chocolatier
The Buffalo Bill museum in Cody is absolutely amazing. We returned a second day.
http://centerofthewest.org/explore/buffalo-bill/
The native American artifacts in the basement while we were there were mind-blowing and every exhibit is fabulous, including the guns.
http://centerofthewest.org/2014/05/0...-hawken-rifle/
I'm a huge Jeremiah Johnson fan and wanted to see a Hawken rifle. We pretty much stumbled over Old Town in Cody and I got to see Jeremiah Johnson/ John Johnston's grave.
http://www.livestockweekly.com/paper...ltrailtown.asp
Old Town is a collection of old buildings to recreate a western town and was interesting.
The story of kids in California getting Johnston's body back to Wyoming is interesting too.
Didn't know until I just read that article (link above) that another person in the cemetery died in the aforementioned Shell Canyon and was interred there for 100 years before being moved to Old Town.
We enjoyed the two days in and around Cody a lot.
If you haven't done the Beartooth Highway, consider that with an overnight in Red Lodge.
Happy planning!
http://www.wyomingtourism.org/things...al-Forest/7957
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/bighor...telprdb5381850
If you have not been to Little Bighorn, I highly recommend it. It would add 1.5 hours of driving but IMO it would be well worth it. I was mesmerized by the national monument -
http://www.nps.gov/libi/index.htm
Especially the Indian Memorial
http://www.nps.gov/libi/indian-memor...le-bighorn.htm
https://purduenaecc2012.files.wordpr...ig-horn-21.jpg
I also recommend the tiny town of Meeteetse outside Cody. It looks like a western set and has a wonderful local museum and the cowboy chocolatier
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q...se+chocolatier
The Buffalo Bill museum in Cody is absolutely amazing. We returned a second day.
http://centerofthewest.org/explore/buffalo-bill/
The native American artifacts in the basement while we were there were mind-blowing and every exhibit is fabulous, including the guns.
http://centerofthewest.org/2014/05/0...-hawken-rifle/
I'm a huge Jeremiah Johnson fan and wanted to see a Hawken rifle. We pretty much stumbled over Old Town in Cody and I got to see Jeremiah Johnson/ John Johnston's grave.
http://www.livestockweekly.com/paper...ltrailtown.asp
Old Town is a collection of old buildings to recreate a western town and was interesting.
The story of kids in California getting Johnston's body back to Wyoming is interesting too.
Didn't know until I just read that article (link above) that another person in the cemetery died in the aforementioned Shell Canyon and was interred there for 100 years before being moved to Old Town.
We enjoyed the two days in and around Cody a lot.
If you haven't done the Beartooth Highway, consider that with an overnight in Red Lodge.
Happy planning!
Jan 31st, 2015, 05:10 PM
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you Utahtea and Starrs!!!
Utahtea, we will definitely go see Devils Tower. Your advise about choosing 14 or 16 over 287 is what I needed to hear. I'm surprised at all the scenic dots, but that's why hearing from someone who has traveled it is so important, and so much appreciated!
Starrs, We did see Cody, I remember staying in cabins right next door to Old Town. We did Beartooth about 8 years ago. I forgot all about that darling town at the end..Red Lodge. I remember saying how I would love to have more time there. I think we are going to try to plan to stay there now. Do you think one night will be enough? We are going to put Shell Canyon and Meeteetse on the itinerary. That waterfall looks gorgeous, and I am a sucker for good chocolate. This is so much fun seeing my itinerary come together. I cannot thank you enough!!! Our last visit to that area was short, we had no idea how much there was to see. One visit to Yellowstone is not enough in a lifetime. Again THANK YOU!!
Utahtea, we will definitely go see Devils Tower. Your advise about choosing 14 or 16 over 287 is what I needed to hear. I'm surprised at all the scenic dots, but that's why hearing from someone who has traveled it is so important, and so much appreciated!
Starrs, We did see Cody, I remember staying in cabins right next door to Old Town. We did Beartooth about 8 years ago. I forgot all about that darling town at the end..Red Lodge. I remember saying how I would love to have more time there. I think we are going to try to plan to stay there now. Do you think one night will be enough? We are going to put Shell Canyon and Meeteetse on the itinerary. That waterfall looks gorgeous, and I am a sucker for good chocolate. This is so much fun seeing my itinerary come together. I cannot thank you enough!!! Our last visit to that area was short, we had no idea how much there was to see. One visit to Yellowstone is not enough in a lifetime. Again THANK YOU!!
