magnoliamomof2

We are planning a road trip from Seattle to Yellowstone. I know it is late for accommodations in the park. Looking for suggestions on a route. Wanting to find good "home bases", plan to stay 2-3 nights in one location and explore and then move on. Would be interested in lodges that include meals and have activities. Total nights out will be 8. Kids are 10 and 11. Also wondering if trying to add on Mount Rushmore is crazy??

Appreciate your thoughts!

starrs

8 nights for the total trip?
Seattle to West Yellowstone, MT is an 11 hour drive. If you do that in 2 days, that's 2 days to drive out there and then 2 days to drive back. That gives you 4-5 days for Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks.

Day 1 - 475 miles to Missoula, MT (7 hours of driving).
Night 1 - on the way, hotel in Missoula MT
Day 2 - 265 miles to West Yellowstone (4 hours of driving)
Night 2 - West Yellowstone
Day and Night 3 - seeing Yellowstone
Day and Night 4 - seeing Yellowstone
Day and Night 5 - drive to Cody and see Cody - maybe a rodeo
Day and Night 6 - Grand Teton NP - Jackson WY
Day and Night 7 - Grand Teton NP - Jackson WY
Day 8 - start the drive back
Night 8 - on the way back*
Day 9 - finish drive back
* maybe a different route back
Jackson to Boise ID - 410 miles = 7 hours
Boise to Seattle - 553 miles = 9+ hours

That's a possible routing -
2 days there - (night 1)
2 full days seeing Yellowstone (nights 2, 3 and 4)
1 day going across Yellowstone to Cody (night 5)
1 day in Cody and on to Jackson (night 6)
full day in Grand Tetons (night 7)
2 days driving back (night 8)

starrs

Mount Rushmore would add 16 hours of driving.
I would not recommend more than 500 miles a day.
That would mean 3 days of driving to include Mt. Rushmore.
I wouldn't do it, at least not in an 8 night road trip.
2 days out + 2 days back + 3 days to see Mt Rushmore = 7 days of driving
9-7 = 2 days to actually BE somewhere and enjoy seeing and doing stuff.

marvelousmouse

Definite no on Mt Rushmore. I'm not sure why you would try to combine that with Yellowstone. (But then again, it may be something you've always wanted to see, and I've done plenty of crazy detours).

If you've never been to Northern Idaho, Priest Lake and the St. Joe area would be a good home base. Did you say when you were doing this trip? That might impact locations- I prefer northern Idaho in July, because swimming in the lakes and hiking is the real attraction for me.

Missoula is a very pleasant town. Before Missoula, there's the Hiawatha bike trail which was a unique, scenic experience for me last summer. Saw a lot of kids that age on the trail having a blast (it's a long trail but most people ride it one way downhill and take the shuttle back up to the parking lot).

Keep in mind that I don't like one nighter stops or 6+hour drives. So that's my bias.

But you could do:
2 nights Sandpoint or Priest Lake ID area.
Drive to Missoula. 1 night gives you time for Hiawatha and local attractions for the kids. Great carousel and river floating, as well as good food downtown.

Drive to Yellowstone. 4 nights for this area if you really like hiking. Maybe two days in Yellowstone and one day for Grand Tetons or another local attraction? I'd probably do Cody for that third day over Grand Tetons with kids that age. How much nature can they take? That would be sort of the detox period You could also just do Yellowstone, and that would be my choice especially if you can stay in the park.

There is also Silverwood, a western themed amusement park near Couerdalene ID that they'd love. It has a waterpark and terrific coasters. I haven't found anything similar in Seattle area- actually, my neighbor told me his kids' school does a yearly silverwood trip lol. So maybe leave early your first day, so you have the afternoon to swim or hike in the Priest Lake area. Then the next day go to Silverwood, which is easily a full day if you haven't been. Then hit the road early the next morning for Missoula.

Your base in Idaho really depends on your budget- I'd stay at Hills Resort at Priest Lake for 2 nights (my favorite place in area, but admittedly it's been at least 6 years since last visit). Couerdalene Resort if walking to dinner is attractive and if you're modern resort types (Couerdalene Resort is very big with all the modern amenities, which is not my thing, but it's basically built next to shopping district). Camping if you are cheap like me. I like Sandpoint more than Couerdalene, and I think it would be a little more central- but I've only camped up there so wouldn't be any help hotel wise.

That leaves one night break between you and Seattle, which is just about right (if my counting is correct). If you choose the southern route through Boise, you could do an overnight stop in Baker City (Oregon trail museum for the kids), Pendleton (rodeo stuff and woolen mills) or even Walla Walla (very nice town; wine tasting is the chief attraction). So that's night 8- and then you have either a 6 hour (BC), 5 hour (P) or 4 hour drive back to Seattle. If you want to do a half day "last fling" thing, I'd choose baker city, because I like the Oregon Trail museum.

If you choose to go back the way you came (north) stay the night downtown Spokane somewhere (if you like historic hotels, I recommend the Davenport) and then you've got a nice and easy straight shot on I90 the next day. Riverfront Park in Spokane is worth visit for a few hours with the kids.

happytrailstoyou

Yes, adding Mt. Rushmore is crazy. It's a long drive there and back to see what is there.

HTtY

tomfuller

I agree with starrs and mm. If you wanted to add anything to Yellowstone it would be to go the northern route to Bonners Ferry ID (night 1) then to East Glacier MT via Going to the Sun Road (East Glacier night 2). From East Glacier go to Gardiner MT at the north entrance of Yellowstone this is guessing you can't get lodging in the park.
Use Gardiner or Mammoth as your 3 night base (nights 3,4,5).
Night 6 is in West Yellowstone MT.
Leave West Yellowstone on US20 and go through Idaho Falls and Craters of the Moon to night 7 in Baker City or Pendleton. Head for home from there.

magnoliamomof2

Many thanks for the replies. This is my first time on this forum and it is great! It is making more sense now. Time to get things booked. The kids loved the Hiawatha trail idea. Plan to stick with 3 home bases...I also do not like to move every night.

Thanks again!

happytrailstoyou

If I were taking this trip with two young children, I would break it up with a stop at a place such as Silver Rapids Waterpark in Kellogg, Idaho.

The total driving time is the same as Seattle-Missoula-West Yellowstone.

Seattle to Kellogg (347/5:12) and Kellogg to West Yellowstone (264/4:09).

I believe something such as this would make a more joyous start to your family vacation.

HTtY

PS Cody is fun for children and so is Jackson Hole. The Buffalo Bill Center of the West, in Cody, is one of the most stop-worthy museums in the US.

marvelousmouse

HTtY- you know, I've been to Kellogg, and didn't even know that existed, I'm going to have to check that out thanks. Indoor waterparks are great in the winter!

I'd go with Silverwood instead, though, because there's boulder beach, which I like- but there's also the roller coasters for the more adventurous.

marvelousmouse

And forgot to mention: just in case you travel with your bikes- Hiawatha is doable on a town style bike, but mountain bike is recommended (the website does not stress this enough, one companion had a town bike and if we had done it again, I would have rented a mountain bike for her from the Hiawatha people. Last bit has gravel which is not fun at all without wider tires and suspension).

kureiff

Another possible stop along your way: Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park.

It's about 2 hours east of Missoula and an 1 hour west of your turn off to West Yellowstone about 10 miles from I-90.

http://www.visitmt.com/listings/gene...tate-park.html

It's a great stop for kids (and adults). Tours take about 2 hours.