We are planning an extended road trip in June with 3 generations. Flying into Rapid City, SD. We have reservations at Custers Park, Blue Bell hotel the first night and Reservations in Yellowstone at Mammouth Hot Springs Resort the third night. Then we are staying in the Tetons for the rest of the week. The drive from Rapid City into Yellowstone is much too long for one day. I need suggestions for which route to take from Rapid City into Yellowstone, where to overnight and stops for children.

Thanks
AHK

Wow. I guess my first question is why you are flying into Rapid City? Seems really far if you are heading to GTNP. Will you be flying out of Rapid City, too?

Will you have any time at all to explore Mt.Rushmore and Crazy Horse? By the time you arrive, get your car, etc? Seems really rushed. I guess my first suggestion would be to rethink this portion.

A good route to Yellowstone from RC is via Devils Tower with an overnight in Cody. There is a lot to see in Cody but if you are only spending one night in Yellowstone, I guess you need to push on.

Why Mammoth? It is in the opposite corner of the park from where you will be entering coming from Rapid City. Staying at Canyon or Lake would be better.

Only one day in Yellowstone? That really is not enough. I guess you need to decide what you want to see. Animals (then definitely stay in Canyon or Lake or Roosevelt) or thermal features (Old Faithful Inn). Mammoth really doesn't get you anything but a whole lot of driving.

I guess this whole itinerary seems super rushed. I would try to find another airport to fly into and I would consider at least one or two more days in Yellowstone.

Good luck!

I'd go up through Lead and Sturgis to Deadwood and then I-90 west stopping for the night in Sheridan, WY. There are several historic areas in and around Sheridan. You could also detour at Deadwood to Devil's Tower Nat. Mon. on Route 24 which will loop you back to I-90.
The next morning it's a short drive on 90 to Little Bighorn Battlefield. Backtrack after that to Route 14 that will take you into Cody, WY, Buffalo Bill Museum & more and then into Yellowstone.
Not a short day, but doable.

One day in Yellowstone? Not good. One day in Black Hills? Not good. Allow 3-4 days in each place at a minimum. That doesn't even include the Tetons. That deserves another 2-3 days.

Mammoth is by far my least favorite spot in Yellowstone.

I have reserved two nights in custer, one night in yellowstone and have house in tetons for next 5 nights. Just need to get to yellowstone from custer.

Thanks

The children wanted to see Rushmore, Black Hills, Caves, and Indian museum. We were planning on two days at custer, drive to yellowstone, one night in yellowstone and then have a house rentd in tetons for next 5 days.

I then realized that the distance from custer into yellowstone is too long for one day and want to only spend one night at Blue Bell, one night maybe Cody or Sheridan and then on to Yellowstone. Thanks for the suggestion where to stay in Yellowstone. Still need suggestions for trip from custer to Yellowstone.

Annette

Take the detour off I-90 to see Devils Tower in the NE corner of Wyoming. (US 14 and rt. 24) If you don't like the Interstate the whole way, you can go from Devils Tower north to US 212 and take that west to Crow Agency to get back on I-90 west.
Your route to Mammoth takes you through Livingston Montana.
Your lodging choice is anyplace between Billings and Livingston.
The return from the Tetons should go through Cody and Sheridan on US 14. (Guessing you are returning the rental @ Rapid City).

Another option would be to just skip Yellowstone. It really doesn't fit into your plans. It seems as if there is a lot you want to see in Rapid City so maybe stick around there longer and then head strait to the Tetons.

We did this trip this past summer from Minnesota with our young kids and their grandparents. It was a wonderful time but a LOT of driving.

Have fun.

We're doing a similar trip this summer, but in reverse: atarting in Grand Teton/Yellowstone, and then driving back through Wyoming to Rapid City. We have a 7-year old. I grew up in RC and we go to the Black Hills just about every summer.

As of this moment, we plan on driving in one day from Yellowstone to RC, stopping briefly to see the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody and Devils Tower in Wyoming. Haven't been to Devils Towers since I was a boy, but I remember thinking it was pretty cool.

So if you do our trip in reverse it would be: take I-90 from Rapid City to Devils Tower. 2 hours, per Google Maps -- which is about what I remember. Google Maps says it takes about the same from Custer, but driving through Newcastle, WY. My wife really wants to see Devil's tower, and I want to show my son.

From Devil's Tower to Cody is about 5 hours 20 minutes, per Google Maps, if you take I-90 up through Sheridan, and then U.S. 14 to Cody. No idea whether this is the prettiest route. To be honest, and no offense to my Wyoming friends, as I recall driving across Wyoming isn't going to be terribly pretty no matter what route you take. It's very empty, and that is pretty in its own way. But I don't know that it really makes any difference.

I've heard the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody is neat, so we're trying that.

I figure the drive from Cody to the Canyon Lodge in Yellowstone is about 2 hours. (It would be longer to Mammoth Lodge.)

So for us the trip will be about 9 1/2 hours, not including stops in Cody and Devil's Tower. BUT the the trip is broken up pretty well. The 5-hour stretch is the longest. Hard but not impossible. And you can always pull over for a few minutes if it becomes unbearable. I figure we just need to stock up our iPod Touch with lots of good programs for our son to watch -- and maybe get some books on tape to listen to. Famous last words, eh?

If I had two days in the Black Hills, the things I would consider seeing would be: Mt. Rushmore (naturally), Crazy Horse, Jewel Cave National Monument (best cave in the Hills, in my opinion, though Wind Cave is very good), Custer State Park (look into the jeep buffalo safaris -- REALLY fun), Needles Highway (make sure you get out and climb around -- my son goes nuts for this), Iron Mountain Road (US 16A) -- beautiful drive), and Lead/Deadwood (we really enjoyed the Broken Boot gold mine this last summer). Spearfish Canyon in the northern Hills is a pretty drive, and Roughlock Falls is a great place for a picnic. Sturgis isn't much to see. Rapid City has some great sights -- the Journey Museum is excellent. Rapid City has some great parks; one of my son's favorite things is to go wading in Rapid Creek. Consider stopping at some cheesy tourist attractions, like Cosmos, Reptile Gardens, Bear Country, and the like -- great stops for kids. The Purple Pie Place in Custer has GREAT pie. The Alpine Inn in Hill City has good lunches -- always packed. A buddy of mine and his wife own Prairie Berry winery in Hill City; fun for a quick visit. Free tastings, I think. Also in Hill City is the 1880 train -- also a fun thing for kids. Don't waste time in Keystone -- it's full of schlock.

Have a great trip!

sorry, I just don't get it. Why only one day in Yellowstone? Having been to 26 National Parks, I rank it as #2 and wife ranks it as #1.