Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Travel Topics > Road Trips
Reload this Page >

Road Trip CT/NY to Yellow Stone National Park

Road Trip CT/NY to Yellow Stone National Park

Old Jun 12th, 2012, 05:35 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Road Trip CT/NY to Yellow Stone National Park

Hey Guys/Girls,

I was planning for a road trip in august for about 10 days and was planning to go from CT(through NY City) to Yellow Stone National Park but was wondering if there are any worthwhile places seeing along the way or if they have any must see places at my destination. I was planning to drive around Mt Rushmore for a day as well.
Any Suggestions is much appreciated.
p.s - Its a RoundTrip

Thank You
NKolhar is offline  
Old Jun 12th, 2012, 06:21 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 82,724
Received 46 Likes on 17 Posts
Have you mapped this to see how long the drive is? If you drove 500 miles a day it would take over 4 days to get there - time to turn around and come back home. 38 hours of driving just to get there. If you drove 10 hours a day = 4 days there and then you head back home. That's a miserable road trip. Check into flights and get closer so you can enjoy the trip more - or plan more than 10 days for the trip.
starrs is offline  
Old Jun 12th, 2012, 07:12 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,304
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My first thought was "that's a really long drive for 10 days" then I saw starrs response with the distances just confirmed my initial impression.

You are way better off to fly to Denver or somewhere close and rent a car. Otherwise 10 days is just not enough time to make the trip realistically.
WhereAreWe is offline  
Old Jun 12th, 2012, 07:20 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Not to mention the amount of traveling you'll do in Yellowstone. Its a huge park, and there isn't a way to cross it easily. You'll do a lot of driving inside the park to see the various attractions as they are located all over the park. Frankly I like the Tetons just as much, if not better. Stayed for 7 days camping in Gros Ventre, going again this Septemer. But either way your driving isn't over once you arrive, so if you're up to driving, have fun. Or, fly to Salt Lake City, rent an RV and really enjoy the park(s).
Barb_CA is offline  
Old Jun 12th, 2012, 07:22 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
PS - Grand Teton webside has some great webcams for you to check out the areas. So does Yellowstone, but they tend to go down. And be prepared for weather changes of all kinds. They've had snow in every month of the year!
Barb_CA is offline  
Old Jun 12th, 2012, 09:33 AM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 5,904
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Once you get past Chicago you can make pretty good time, I think the speed limit is up around 70 or 75 mph on I-90. So doing 700 miles in a day is not hard.

Plan on at least a few hours to go through Badlands NP, before you head down to Rushmore. Rushmore itself should not take more than a few hours to visit.

The trickiest part will be finding lodging in/near Yellowstone, call every day and hope for cancellations.

We did a similar trip a few years ago from CT and I'd spend that much time in a car to go to Yellowstone again in a heartbeat.

We drove south from Yellowstone through Grand Teton and continued southeast to I-80. 80 was much busier with more trucks than 90.
emalloy is offline  
Old Jun 12th, 2012, 09:39 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,764
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yellowstone is about a 10 hour trip from Denver. It might be better flying into Jackson WY, or Billings, MT. Yellowstone and Grand Teton NP's are worth at least 5-6 days on their own. I don't know how long it would take to drive to Mount Rushmore.
When we moved to CO from the Boston area, it did take us around 4 days of driving at approx 4-500 miles a day. There really was't all that much worth seeing on the route we took, unless you took detours. I think it was I 80 we took for the most part.
joto is offline  
Old Jun 12th, 2012, 06:12 PM
  #8  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Ya its a 4 day drive tip up and down but we have around 4-5 Drivers so it shouldn't be much of a problem planning to stop by at one place and then head back straight but was wondering if there are any routes along the way that was worth a visit .. thank you for the info guys looks like I might need just the five days to go around yellow stone itself.
NKolhar is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
kemrit
United States
8
Sep 28th, 2017 04:25 AM
TriptakerJen2009
United States
10
Jul 7th, 2009 06:06 AM
carol222
United States
7
May 7th, 2007 10:12 AM
gina_d86
United States
6
May 9th, 2005 04:11 PM
lyntom
United States
13
Mar 23rd, 2005 04:07 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -