driving to yellowstone
Dec 8th, 2005, 08:10 AM
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driving to yellowstone
My wife and I are planning on driving to Yellowstone National Park then down to the Grand Canyon from Georgia. We are planning on camping most of the time w/ the occasional hotel/lodge. We would like to travel as many state highways as possible instead of the interstae. As of now that is all that is planned. Any information, iteneraries, or sights along the way would be a great help.
Dec 8th, 2005, 08:23 AM
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How much time do you have for travel between Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon?
Leaving Yellowstone I'd head down to the Grand Tetons. Then take Hwy 191 and drive right thru Flaming Gorge National Receational Area, take a detour at Vernal, Utah to see Dinosaur National Monument...very scenic! Then at Helper, Utah take Hwy 6 down to Interstate 70. (If you have a few extra days or a week go east on I 70 and down to Moab area and visit Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park) Drive just a few miles west on I-70 and then pick up Hwy 24 and travel south to Capitol Reef National Park. Excellent campground here...I love it! Beautiful setting and lots of shade trees. From Capitol Reef drive west a few more miles to Torrey, Utah and then pick up Scenic hwy 12 and drive to Bryce Canyon National Park. From Bryce head west on Hwy 12 and then take Hwy 89 south. (If you still have time...make a couple day side trip to Zion National Park taking hwy 9) If not keep traveling down Hwy 89 and you will pass right by Glen Canyon National Recreational Area (Lake Powell) Beautiful lake and so much to do in the area. Great 1/2 day float trip on the Colorado River and/or a full day boat tour on Lake Powell to Rainbow Bridge National Monument. After leaving Lake Powell keep traveling south on Hywy 89 to Hwy 64 and enter the Grand Canyon.
After leaving the Grand Canyon you have a lot of great choices on things to see and do. Monument Valley Tribal park on the Arizona/Utah border, Canyon de Chelly National Monument in northeast AZ and Mesa Verde National Park in southwest Colorado as you head back to GA.
Utahtea
Leaving Yellowstone I'd head down to the Grand Tetons. Then take Hwy 191 and drive right thru Flaming Gorge National Receational Area, take a detour at Vernal, Utah to see Dinosaur National Monument...very scenic! Then at Helper, Utah take Hwy 6 down to Interstate 70. (If you have a few extra days or a week go east on I 70 and down to Moab area and visit Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park) Drive just a few miles west on I-70 and then pick up Hwy 24 and travel south to Capitol Reef National Park. Excellent campground here...I love it! Beautiful setting and lots of shade trees. From Capitol Reef drive west a few more miles to Torrey, Utah and then pick up Scenic hwy 12 and drive to Bryce Canyon National Park. From Bryce head west on Hwy 12 and then take Hwy 89 south. (If you still have time...make a couple day side trip to Zion National Park taking hwy 9) If not keep traveling down Hwy 89 and you will pass right by Glen Canyon National Recreational Area (Lake Powell) Beautiful lake and so much to do in the area. Great 1/2 day float trip on the Colorado River and/or a full day boat tour on Lake Powell to Rainbow Bridge National Monument. After leaving Lake Powell keep traveling south on Hywy 89 to Hwy 64 and enter the Grand Canyon.
After leaving the Grand Canyon you have a lot of great choices on things to see and do. Monument Valley Tribal park on the Arizona/Utah border, Canyon de Chelly National Monument in northeast AZ and Mesa Verde National Park in southwest Colorado as you head back to GA.
Utahtea
Dec 8th, 2005, 11:29 AM
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By camping, I assume that you mean tent camping. You should try to find a good guide for public campsites in the states that you will traverse. I have the Allstate Motor Club RV Park & Campground Directory 1991, Western U.S., Western Canada, Mexico, which unfortunately I have not been able to upgrade. It appears that it was the last edition. I mention this because public campsites outside the obvious National Park and State Park campgrounds are often more pleasant than the more common ones. They are found in National Forests, State forests, Bureau of Land Management areas, etc.
To give an example: we once stayed near Silverton, in the National Forest campground called South Mineral. Unless you were on the road between Ouray and Silverton, you would not find the sign for that campground. But the book gives exact directions: from Silverton, 4 mi. NW on US 550, 5 mi. SW on FR 2585.
Such campgrounds are often preferable to the ones on well-traveled roads, but they are not always easy to find.
To give an example: we once stayed near Silverton, in the National Forest campground called South Mineral. Unless you were on the road between Ouray and Silverton, you would not find the sign for that campground. But the book gives exact directions: from Silverton, 4 mi. NW on US 550, 5 mi. SW on FR 2585.
Such campgrounds are often preferable to the ones on well-traveled roads, but they are not always easy to find.
Dec 8th, 2005, 06:28 PM
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Please realize that driving from north Georgia (Atlanta and environs) to Yellowstone is a long jump. Denver in 3 days is reasonable, and from Denver it takes another long!!! day to reach Yellowstone. I would take I 75 to Chattanooga; I 24 to Nashville and on to I 57 then to I 64 and then west to St. Louis. From there I 70 all the way to Denver.
In Denver head north on I 25 toward Cheyenne. Near Fort Collins you have a decision based on the available time.
At Fort Collins you can continue on US highways to Laramie, by passing Cheyenne, and then on to the Tetons by cutting across Wyoming on a long diagonal.
If you have loads of time, continue north through Cheyenne to Casper to the Bighorns and then up and over, camping in the Bighorns, to Cody and Yellowstone.
From Yellowstone south, again it is a question of time. The advice on the Utah National Parks already given is excellent. So is the advice on the South Mineral Campground near Silverton and Ouray.
The campgrounds in Yellowstone tend to be crowded in the summer. Of the reservable onces, I suggest the one near Norris Junction. Lewis Lake is not my choice. I tried it once, and the reason for the large number of vacancies soon became obvious: mosquitoes - swarms of them.
The campground near West Thumb is a good alternative as is Canyon. These are huge areas, full of RVs and pickup campers. They are also popular.
Campgrounds at the South Rim of the GC are also very popular. I like the North Rim even though it does not have the network of overlooks that you will find at the South Rim. The camping area there was in prior years very nice.
One park I recommend in Utah is Capitol Reef. The campground there is very nice and the scenery of the park itself is special. I prefer it to most of the others in that part of the world.
If you want a very special scenic drive, I highly recommend Utah route 12 from Torrey to Bryce Canyon. I fully concur on what Utah Tea says about that particular route. The drive is a stellar attraction within itself.
Returning to Georgia from the GC is a long, not too thrilling drive. I suggest going south to I 40 and heading east. The Petrified Forest is on the route back, but whether or not you detour by Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico is again a function of time.
If you return through Memphis the question arises: Drive via Birmingham to Atlanta? The route from Memphis to Birmingham is better today than it was years ago because much of it has been widened.
Having driven west more than once from where I live in Georgia, I know the problems both of time and distance.
I can understand your desire to get off the Interstates, but they get you there a little faster, and the distances we are looking at are great.
By the time your drive around and visit places and go from Yellowstone through Utah to the Grand Canyon, you could easily log over 6,000 miles.
Figure 2000 miles to Yellowstone from Athens or the equivalent.
About 850 miles to the South Rim via the most direct route.
About 1900 from the GC back to Georgia.
That is close to 5,000 miles direct routing. If you wander around southern Utah visiting various parks, the total could add up quickly.
In Denver head north on I 25 toward Cheyenne. Near Fort Collins you have a decision based on the available time.
At Fort Collins you can continue on US highways to Laramie, by passing Cheyenne, and then on to the Tetons by cutting across Wyoming on a long diagonal.
If you have loads of time, continue north through Cheyenne to Casper to the Bighorns and then up and over, camping in the Bighorns, to Cody and Yellowstone.
From Yellowstone south, again it is a question of time. The advice on the Utah National Parks already given is excellent. So is the advice on the South Mineral Campground near Silverton and Ouray.
The campgrounds in Yellowstone tend to be crowded in the summer. Of the reservable onces, I suggest the one near Norris Junction. Lewis Lake is not my choice. I tried it once, and the reason for the large number of vacancies soon became obvious: mosquitoes - swarms of them.
The campground near West Thumb is a good alternative as is Canyon. These are huge areas, full of RVs and pickup campers. They are also popular.
Campgrounds at the South Rim of the GC are also very popular. I like the North Rim even though it does not have the network of overlooks that you will find at the South Rim. The camping area there was in prior years very nice.
One park I recommend in Utah is Capitol Reef. The campground there is very nice and the scenery of the park itself is special. I prefer it to most of the others in that part of the world.
If you want a very special scenic drive, I highly recommend Utah route 12 from Torrey to Bryce Canyon. I fully concur on what Utah Tea says about that particular route. The drive is a stellar attraction within itself.
Returning to Georgia from the GC is a long, not too thrilling drive. I suggest going south to I 40 and heading east. The Petrified Forest is on the route back, but whether or not you detour by Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico is again a function of time.
If you return through Memphis the question arises: Drive via Birmingham to Atlanta? The route from Memphis to Birmingham is better today than it was years ago because much of it has been widened.
Having driven west more than once from where I live in Georgia, I know the problems both of time and distance.
I can understand your desire to get off the Interstates, but they get you there a little faster, and the distances we are looking at are great.
By the time your drive around and visit places and go from Yellowstone through Utah to the Grand Canyon, you could easily log over 6,000 miles.
Figure 2000 miles to Yellowstone from Athens or the equivalent.
About 850 miles to the South Rim via the most direct route.
About 1900 from the GC back to Georgia.
That is close to 5,000 miles direct routing. If you wander around southern Utah visiting various parks, the total could add up quickly.
Dec 8th, 2005, 07:24 PM
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I too always travel the back roads and US highways and have been to YSNP many times. Get a good set of maps of all the states you would like to go thru. WalMart has a Rand McNally Road Atlas for $4.97, cannot beat the price. If you are a AAA member get the camp books, travel books (inexpensive motels) and maps from them. Also check out the NPS site (www.nps.gov), another good place for all kinds of information is www.recreation.gov, www.fs.fed.us.gov and www.us-national-parks.net. If you are taking young children along with you let them be a part of the planning. There are many places along the way to stop for a hour or so (or a week) and just play tourist. Do your home work before you start out it will be much more fun that way. Everyone travels at their own pace so only you can set your itenerary. Some have mentioned the Black Hills, our favorite there is the CG at Center Lake, Custer State Park. Yellowstone NP, Pebble Creek and Indian Creek CG. If you are on the Million Dollar Highway in CO (US-550) the National Forest CG at South Mineral (elev 9800) that was mentioned cannot be beat.
Jan 7th, 2006, 08:12 PM
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My family did this when I was growing up, and it is still my favorite vacation of all time. We started in Atlanta and alternated some nights of tent camping and some of hotels. No fancy hotels and lots of picnics. Highlights were Colorado Springs (at least drive up to the Broadmoor Hotel and take a walk inside - it is wonderful), Breckenridge, the beautiful winding roads in Wyoming, tent camping in Yellowstone and Rocky Mountain National park. Have a wonderful trip!!
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