South Dakota itinerary?
Aug 7th, 2005, 09:47 AM
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South Dakota itinerary?
Please I need some advice!!! This will be in September, after Labor Day. Will the weather be horrible? the crowds? Should we make reservations ahead of time?
Please give me some suggestions about this itinerary. We don't hate driving and seeing new scenery.
Day 1 - Fly into Billings, Montana. Drive to & see Little Bighorn. Stay near Little Bighorn.
Day 2 - On to Custer, Keystone South Dakota. See Crazy Horse Memorial & Mt. Rushmore. Stay somewhere nearby.
Day 3 - Wall Drug & Prairie Homestead. See Badlands. See the sights in Deadwood,spend night in Deadwood.
Day 4 - See Deadwood & Devils Tower, Spend 2nd night in Deadwood.
Day 5 - Go to Teddy Roosevelt National park in North Dakota.
Day 6 - Teddy Roosevelt Nat. Park & Drive back to Billings.
Day 7 - Fly home.
Any suggestions?
Please give me some suggestions about this itinerary. We don't hate driving and seeing new scenery.
Day 1 - Fly into Billings, Montana. Drive to & see Little Bighorn. Stay near Little Bighorn.
Day 2 - On to Custer, Keystone South Dakota. See Crazy Horse Memorial & Mt. Rushmore. Stay somewhere nearby.
Day 3 - Wall Drug & Prairie Homestead. See Badlands. See the sights in Deadwood,spend night in Deadwood.
Day 4 - See Deadwood & Devils Tower, Spend 2nd night in Deadwood.
Day 5 - Go to Teddy Roosevelt National park in North Dakota.
Day 6 - Teddy Roosevelt Nat. Park & Drive back to Billings.
Day 7 - Fly home.
Any suggestions?
Aug 7th, 2005, 11:45 AM
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This is obviously just my oppinion and you may hear from others who disagree, but I think you're trying to cram too much into too short a time.
First of all, you're talking about a pretty large area. While I don't doubt that it's possible to cover it in the time you've allotted, you're not going to have much time to really check out the attractions to which you're driving. And, unless you really love driving, this looks to me much more like rushing from one place to another than like an enjoyable vacation.
There have been many threads on this board about the Black Hills and the Badlands. You might want to try doing a search and looking over some of them.
I always recommend staying in Custer State Park and at Cedar Pass Lodge in the Badlands. But, if you're talking about this September, it's proabably too late to get reservations in either place.
First of all, you're talking about a pretty large area. While I don't doubt that it's possible to cover it in the time you've allotted, you're not going to have much time to really check out the attractions to which you're driving. And, unless you really love driving, this looks to me much more like rushing from one place to another than like an enjoyable vacation.
There have been many threads on this board about the Black Hills and the Badlands. You might want to try doing a search and looking over some of them.
I always recommend staying in Custer State Park and at Cedar Pass Lodge in the Badlands. But, if you're talking about this September, it's proabably too late to get reservations in either place.
Aug 7th, 2005, 12:42 PM
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I would suggest skipping Teddy Roosevelt park in N. Dakota. Day 2 should really be extended another day--honestly, when you get up there, you'll wish you were staying longer.
Are you taking I-90 south from Little Bighown to South Dakota? If so, I would stay at Sheridan, Wyo. the first night. It's not too terribly far from Custer's Last Stand and there will be plenty of hotels to choose from.
Other than including T. Roosevelt, your itinerary is very doable--have fun!
Are you taking I-90 south from Little Bighown to South Dakota? If so, I would stay at Sheridan, Wyo. the first night. It's not too terribly far from Custer's Last Stand and there will be plenty of hotels to choose from.
Other than including T. Roosevelt, your itinerary is very doable--have fun!
Aug 7th, 2005, 12:53 PM
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I agree with CAPH52, that it is a lot of driving and lots of things to do and see for such a short time. World-wind tour is more like it, but many people like that kind of trip. I have no idea of crowds or weather for this time of the year.
On Day 2 you will be driving approx 360 miles that will take approx. 6 1/2 hours of driving with a lot of places to see.
On Day 4 you will be driving back to Devils Tower so that really adds about 120 miles and two hours hours that you could avoid.
I would rearrange your schedule. On Day 2 I would drive from Little Bighorn area, see Devils Tower and spend the night somewhere near Devils Tower or go all the way to Deadwood and spend one night there. See Deadwood and move on to the Rapid City area. I would pick one area like Custer State Park if you can get lodging for a couple of nights to see Mt. Rushmore, Badlands, Custer, etc.
Utahtea
On Day 2 you will be driving approx 360 miles that will take approx. 6 1/2 hours of driving with a lot of places to see.
On Day 4 you will be driving back to Devils Tower so that really adds about 120 miles and two hours hours that you could avoid.
I would rearrange your schedule. On Day 2 I would drive from Little Bighorn area, see Devils Tower and spend the night somewhere near Devils Tower or go all the way to Deadwood and spend one night there. See Deadwood and move on to the Rapid City area. I would pick one area like Custer State Park if you can get lodging for a couple of nights to see Mt. Rushmore, Badlands, Custer, etc.
Utahtea
Aug 7th, 2005, 02:51 PM
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I think the Theodore Roosevelt Park is amazing. We are heading that way for the third time in a few weeks. It is very different than the SD Badlands. You can see wild horse herds there. South Dakota has more "sights" but the badlands in ND are really wonderful.
Aug 7th, 2005, 03:04 PM
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We were in Teddy Roosevelt park three weeks ago and the Northern section is much more impressive than the southern. I'm glad I scheduled it in on our way to Glacier NP. As we were driving through the northern part we saw a big old bison ambling along a trail on our left, the big head swinging from side to side. We pulled over to watch him, and he crossed right in front of us on his way down the embankment on the right.
Aug 7th, 2005, 09:23 PM
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We just returned from a trip to the Rapid City area and were surprised at how much there was to see. We included some stops that I had not seen on other people's lists. Unless you are interested in doing a lot of gambling I would not stay in Deadwood. We spent three nights at the Rapid City Ramada Inn which was right off of I90 and it was very convenient. I booked the room through the AAA website and got a good price ($30 less than what they were quoting in the hotel. Be sure to have a copy of your quote).
Here was our itinerary - Day 1 - Badlands and Wall Drug, Ellsworth Airforce Base museum and tour of Minute Man Missle Silo. (This was a good tour but it was not the one of the actual Minute Man control center. That tour is run by the National Park Service and requires advance reservations). Day 2 - Since we are from the East Coast and my hubby is into hunting, we ventured to Sidney, Nebraska to visit Cabela's. On the way we stopped by Carhenge in Alliance, NB(a Stonehenge replica made of old cars painted silver - add to my list of weird places to stop). Day 3 - Headed back north stopping at Scott's Bluff NP and Hot Springs Mammoth Site. Even if you have no interest in doing the Nebraska thing, the Mammoth Site is in SD not far from Rapid City and is interesting. Day 4 - Gray Lines Bus tour of Black Hills including Borglen Museum, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse, Mt. Rushmore, Needles Highway. (Hit lots of spots we probably would not have on our own and I didn't have to drive). Day 5 - Started our day with a visit to Cosmos (the strange place where gravity is distorted, or so it seems. Another wacky place to visit but the fee is $8). Deadwood tour to Mt. Mirah Cemetary, lost a couple of $ in a casino and headed out of town. We stayed that night at Spearfish Canyon Resort. The road to there was scenic and the resort was relaxing (we did a few short hikes along the creek - or it may actually be called a river in that part of the country). Visited the fish hatchery in Spearfish. Day 6 - Headed back to Rapid City and stopped at the Ft. Meade Museum (a good museum for the low price of $3 per person) and then the motorcycle museum in Sturgis. We finished the day with a tour of the Black Hills Gold factory in Rapid City. Watching them handmake the jewelry was actually interesting and since my hubby purchased his souveniers at Cabela's I purchased mine here. We found a great Italian restaurant on historic Main Street in Rapid City. It was a trip we both enjoyed.
Here was our itinerary - Day 1 - Badlands and Wall Drug, Ellsworth Airforce Base museum and tour of Minute Man Missle Silo. (This was a good tour but it was not the one of the actual Minute Man control center. That tour is run by the National Park Service and requires advance reservations). Day 2 - Since we are from the East Coast and my hubby is into hunting, we ventured to Sidney, Nebraska to visit Cabela's. On the way we stopped by Carhenge in Alliance, NB(a Stonehenge replica made of old cars painted silver - add to my list of weird places to stop). Day 3 - Headed back north stopping at Scott's Bluff NP and Hot Springs Mammoth Site. Even if you have no interest in doing the Nebraska thing, the Mammoth Site is in SD not far from Rapid City and is interesting. Day 4 - Gray Lines Bus tour of Black Hills including Borglen Museum, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse, Mt. Rushmore, Needles Highway. (Hit lots of spots we probably would not have on our own and I didn't have to drive). Day 5 - Started our day with a visit to Cosmos (the strange place where gravity is distorted, or so it seems. Another wacky place to visit but the fee is $8). Deadwood tour to Mt. Mirah Cemetary, lost a couple of $ in a casino and headed out of town. We stayed that night at Spearfish Canyon Resort. The road to there was scenic and the resort was relaxing (we did a few short hikes along the creek - or it may actually be called a river in that part of the country). Visited the fish hatchery in Spearfish. Day 6 - Headed back to Rapid City and stopped at the Ft. Meade Museum (a good museum for the low price of $3 per person) and then the motorcycle museum in Sturgis. We finished the day with a tour of the Black Hills Gold factory in Rapid City. Watching them handmake the jewelry was actually interesting and since my hubby purchased his souveniers at Cabela's I purchased mine here. We found a great Italian restaurant on historic Main Street in Rapid City. It was a trip we both enjoyed.
