HannahKay

Hi all! My family (husband and I, and kids 10 and 16) are planning a trip to this area of the country in the summer of 2017. Is this itinerary realistic?

Day 1: Fly into Jackson, Wyoming
Day 2: Grand Tetons
Day 3: Grand Tetons
Day 4: Yellowstone
Day 5: Yellowstone
Day 6: Yellowstone
Day 7: Yellowstone
Day 8: Drive to South Dakota (from Gardiner, MT, stopping at Cody, Buffalo and Devils Tower)
Day 9: Wind Cave NP, Custer SP, and Mt. Rushmore
Day 10: Badlands
Day 11: Badlands
Day 12: Drive to Medora in the morning, explore TRNP in afternoon
Day 13: TRNP in the morning, drive to Bismarck and fly home

Any input is greatly appreciated! Thank you so much

MidwestHiker

It doesn't look crazy. You've given yourself a reasonable amount of time in the parks and for the drives. Day 9 might be a bit hectic, but you could push Mt. Rushmore to the following morning (or do it at the evening lighting ceremony).

Are you set on visiting Cody? and flying out of Bismarck? You could save a few hours of driving if you went from Gardiner to Medora, then visited Devils Tower, finishing with the Badlands and Black Hills and flying home out of Rapid City. It's just a question of how important Cody is, and how much flights are from either airport.

HannahKay

Thank you! My daughter is very interested in the museums in Cody, so I think we'll stick with that path. Glad to hear the trip sounds doable!

bjgchi

One day is plenty of time to spend in the badlands (you can also tour the nearby minuteman missle silo).
Ideas: hike Harney's peak, take a rock climbing class near sylvan lake, go horse back riding/atv, see mount moriah cemetary and a shootout in deadwood, explore spearfish canyon, go trout fishing.

tomfuller

If a car drop off fee is a problem, begin and end the trip at Rapid City, SD. One day at Badlands is enough IMO.