Dallas to Yellowstone route suggestions
 

We are leaving for Yellowstone from Dallas on May 30 and plan to arrive at the park June 3.
Does anyone have any tips on a route that would be fairly direct but interesting. We would like to make our first day long (about 500 miles) and make the other days shorter to allow for a little sightseeing. There are six of us, ages 16 to 48, so we need a little something for everyone. Thanks!

Also, has anyone been to any theme parks in the Denver area? Which ones are worth a visit?

We've made this trip many times from the Dallas area and we go through Amarillo, Trinidad, Denver, Rawlins, Rock Springs and up through Grand Tetons.

We believe that is the most direct.

When we want to see great scenery along the way we go from Amarillo to Taos to Durango, Grand Junction, Vernal, Utah, Rock Springs and up.

You can get to Amarillo in 7-8 hours. We usually go about 12 hours the first day and get to Pueblo, Colorado.

Thanks, Connie. How many days do you normally spend getting to Yellowstone and where do you stop?

The trip router software mapped us into Oklahoma on US-287 from Dumas, hitting I-70 and then I-25 in Colorado and then back on US-287 in Wyoming.

I have no idea what this route is like and while I don't want to dawdle, I would like to see some pretty and/or interesting things along the way.

I don't know anyone who goes to Colorado through Ok even though all the map services tell you to.

The quicker you can get west, the quicker you'll get into some mountain scenery.

LIke, I said, we usually stop in Pueblo the first night. If you don't want to go that far, Amarillo is around 8 hours. I got the Holiday Inn for $35 last summer.

From Pueblo, it's around 500 miles to Rock Springs, WY and then around 350 miles into Yellowstone, which puts you there around check in time.

Of course, that's without many stops for sightseeing.

Colorado Springs has a lot of tourism but you might want to save all that for another trip.

You might want to walk around in Jackson.

You can get the best view of the Tetons just driving the highway up to Yellowstone. Driving INTO Grand Teton National Park costs money and your views are not as good. We found it a waste of time and money.

Great info, Connie. Any suggestions for lodging in Yellowstone?

It depends on what you want.

If you want rustic, Old Faithful Inn is the most famous and popular loding and is the epicenter of the park.

If you want newer, more modern, Old Faithful Snow Lodge is right next door.

If you want away from the crowds, the Lake Hotel would be good.

We definitely prefer staying IN the park. It is so large that you will spend a lot of time just getting into the park if you stay outside.

Most importantly, call immediately for reservations. Don't wait. Much later and you will be stuck with whatever is left, if there is any.

OK! I got reservations for three nights at Old Faithful Inn and two at Mammoth.
Now, more questions...
Have you eaten at the restaurant at the Old Faithful Lodge/Inn? Is it worth it, Because I am sure it's expensive... Any other food recommendations inside the park?
Also, did you ever to do the chuckwagon dinner thing where you ride out on horses and there's a singing cowboy, etc? (Also expensive, I know, so I need to weigh it all carefully.)

They told me they will start taking reservations for the dining and the chuckwagon dinner on January 26.

Any other tips on Yellowstone would be welcome and most appreciated!