Traveling to Badlands/Yellowstone, would appreciate advice!!
May 1st, 2011, 11:45 AM
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Traveling to Badlands/Yellowstone, would appreciate advice!!
I am planning a trip for the first 2 weeks (or less) in August and would love some advice on a few things. The starting point is Minneapolis, what I would like to include in the trip is:
*Badlands
*Custer State park
*Mt.Rushmore
*Devils tower
*Yellowstone--old faithful
*Grand Tetons
I am wondering from those who have taken the trip whether or not to add Big Sky, Wall drug and Jackson. Or any other suggestions on things not to miss. Our kids 13 and 19 years old will be with us.
We would like to do horseback riding, see some hot springs and do white water rafting and would appreciated advice on the best places to do these.
Also I would love input on places to stay overnight at--I know at some you need to reserve ASAP and I will be unable to get into a few of them anymore. I am trying to keep the cost as low as possible, but willing to pay to stay at a clean, safe place. I have a friend who never made reservations, just found what they could along the way...but I am more of a planner than this.
Which roads would be best to take there and back and which entrances are best to go into Yellowstone?
Thank you so much!!
*Badlands
*Custer State park
*Mt.Rushmore
*Devils tower
*Yellowstone--old faithful
*Grand Tetons
I am wondering from those who have taken the trip whether or not to add Big Sky, Wall drug and Jackson. Or any other suggestions on things not to miss. Our kids 13 and 19 years old will be with us.
We would like to do horseback riding, see some hot springs and do white water rafting and would appreciated advice on the best places to do these.
Also I would love input on places to stay overnight at--I know at some you need to reserve ASAP and I will be unable to get into a few of them anymore. I am trying to keep the cost as low as possible, but willing to pay to stay at a clean, safe place. I have a friend who never made reservations, just found what they could along the way...but I am more of a planner than this.
Which roads would be best to take there and back and which entrances are best to go into Yellowstone?
Thank you so much!!
May 1st, 2011, 12:57 PM
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I'd say to skip Big Sky. We stayed there a night on our last trip - it's probably really nice during sky season, but when we went (early September) most things were closed and the place was dead. Ok for a place to sleep, but otherwise just blah.
May 1st, 2011, 01:15 PM
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You can stay in Wall to visit the Badlands. Wall Drug is incredibly hokey, but my boys (ages 18, 16, and 10) enjoyed it, although the older ones probably wouldn't admit it. You will probably want to schedule your visit to the Badlands so that you can be there in the early morning or evening. The colors are much better, and it will not be so hot. Your children might enjoy the prairie dog colony there.
You can enter YNP via the Beartooth Highway (NE Entrance) or via Cody (E Entrance). Both are beautiful, but I think the Beartooth is more spectacular. If at all possible, stay inside YNP and GTNP. You will save lots of time driving, and there is a completely different feel to the parks in the morning and evening when people have cleared out for the night. Keep checking back for cancellations.
Our family enjoyed riding horses out to the Roosevelt cookout, but be sure to call ASAP to make reservations as it fills up quickly. It's rather expensive, but my boys still remember it as a highlight.
We have found Jackson to be fun as a one night visit back into civilization after being in the parks--better restaurants, cell phone service, and TV. However, if I were pressed for time, I would eliminate it.
You can enter YNP via the Beartooth Highway (NE Entrance) or via Cody (E Entrance). Both are beautiful, but I think the Beartooth is more spectacular. If at all possible, stay inside YNP and GTNP. You will save lots of time driving, and there is a completely different feel to the parks in the morning and evening when people have cleared out for the night. Keep checking back for cancellations.
Our family enjoyed riding horses out to the Roosevelt cookout, but be sure to call ASAP to make reservations as it fills up quickly. It's rather expensive, but my boys still remember it as a highlight.
We have found Jackson to be fun as a one night visit back into civilization after being in the parks--better restaurants, cell phone service, and TV. However, if I were pressed for time, I would eliminate it.
May 1st, 2011, 02:34 PM
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I think I will skip Big Sky and Jackson.
Thank you Digbydog for the insight on the time of day to visit places as well--I didn't think of that. I am writing all this good information down. Thanks.
Thank you Digbydog for the insight on the time of day to visit places as well--I didn't think of that. I am writing all this good information down. Thanks.
May 1st, 2011, 04:28 PM
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"sky season" - lol! Sorry, I think you know I meant "ski season." If you want to drop down into Jackson for a visit to the shops or to eat, you can stay in GTNP and still be pretty close. I gave you one suggestion on your other thread.
If cost is prohibitive for staying at an in park lodging, and camping is also out, you might look at West Yellowstone. We usually stay there; although we use timeshare, there are plenty of hotels. The drawback is that it is a drive into the heart of the park. Even though we could see the park entrance from our unit, it still is an hour or so to get to most places we wanted to see.
If cost is prohibitive for staying at an in park lodging, and camping is also out, you might look at West Yellowstone. We usually stay there; although we use timeshare, there are plenty of hotels. The drawback is that it is a drive into the heart of the park. Even though we could see the park entrance from our unit, it still is an hour or so to get to most places we wanted to see.
May 1st, 2011, 05:10 PM
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We did that exact trip, in reverse, in 2008. The only part I was not entirely thrilled with was Jackson, and that was because of the accommodation prices. Even the Super 8 motel was $200+ a night. We stayed in a B&B for about $300, and it was nice but nothing special. A day trip from Yellowstone to Jackson is probably enough, that gives you time to see the GTs and do a rafting trip. Park HQ at Moose is terrific, more like an art gallery.
I would NOT advise staying in West Yellowstone for long; just long enough to see the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center (1 night). It's quite a distance from there to the best areas of the park, and a winding, awkward 2 lane road so you would have to allow time to and back each day. If you are content with a Western Cabin at Lake Lodge you will pay less than in West Yellowstone, at least for Stage Coach Inn, where we stayed. Much nicer, but you can't drive at night in the Park or you will dodge deer and bison for at least 42 miles of winding road each night. That makes for a too-short day. (At least for us, our speciality is Kangaroo-dodging).
We tried to observe a strict 'no driving at night' rule but even so had a deer hurdle our hood and a bison appear out of nowhere in the night. We were glad to get back to our cabin at Lake Lodge! Our trips cost us about $4,000 a week all up (airfares, SHOPPING, food etc) and we come for at least 8 weeks at a time, so the $65 Frontier cabin and cheap food at Lake Lodge was great. We stayed a full ten days.
The Bighorn Canyon road between Cody and Sheridan is very curvy but the scenery is unmissable. We called in to Little Big Horn from Sheridan and spent hours at the Buffalo Bill Museums in Cody, even though there was a big wildfire between Yellowstone and Cody that was clearly visible from Cody.
Your kids will adore Wall Drug - LOTS of opportunities for photos sitting on giant Jackalopes etc.
If you go to Rushmore, see Crazy Horse as well; amazing. I have to keep pointing out to fellow Aussies who have never heard of it, that the tiny yellow dot in his armpit is a huge bulldozer! Devils Tower is worth a look but unless you are into climbing there's no need to stay there. We DID, but you have to stop someplace, and we came a lot further than you. (Sydney-Honolulu-Seattle-Glacier Park etc).
We flew Rapid City to Minneapolis; I was annoyed because I wanted to check out the Corn Palace on the way but my hubby could only get a bit over 8 weeks of paid leave, so time had to be limited.
Whatever you do and wherever you go, you will enjoy it. USA is a wonderful country and it worries us that you all seem to undervalue it. It's our favourite destination and we just keep coming back. We were scheduled to go to Europe next year but looked at each other yesterday and said "Nah, USA again!"
So, we'll be there again in 2012!
I would NOT advise staying in West Yellowstone for long; just long enough to see the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center (1 night). It's quite a distance from there to the best areas of the park, and a winding, awkward 2 lane road so you would have to allow time to and back each day. If you are content with a Western Cabin at Lake Lodge you will pay less than in West Yellowstone, at least for Stage Coach Inn, where we stayed. Much nicer, but you can't drive at night in the Park or you will dodge deer and bison for at least 42 miles of winding road each night. That makes for a too-short day. (At least for us, our speciality is Kangaroo-dodging).
We tried to observe a strict 'no driving at night' rule but even so had a deer hurdle our hood and a bison appear out of nowhere in the night. We were glad to get back to our cabin at Lake Lodge! Our trips cost us about $4,000 a week all up (airfares, SHOPPING, food etc) and we come for at least 8 weeks at a time, so the $65 Frontier cabin and cheap food at Lake Lodge was great. We stayed a full ten days.
The Bighorn Canyon road between Cody and Sheridan is very curvy but the scenery is unmissable. We called in to Little Big Horn from Sheridan and spent hours at the Buffalo Bill Museums in Cody, even though there was a big wildfire between Yellowstone and Cody that was clearly visible from Cody.
Your kids will adore Wall Drug - LOTS of opportunities for photos sitting on giant Jackalopes etc.
If you go to Rushmore, see Crazy Horse as well; amazing. I have to keep pointing out to fellow Aussies who have never heard of it, that the tiny yellow dot in his armpit is a huge bulldozer! Devils Tower is worth a look but unless you are into climbing there's no need to stay there. We DID, but you have to stop someplace, and we came a lot further than you. (Sydney-Honolulu-Seattle-Glacier Park etc).
We flew Rapid City to Minneapolis; I was annoyed because I wanted to check out the Corn Palace on the way but my hubby could only get a bit over 8 weeks of paid leave, so time had to be limited.
Whatever you do and wherever you go, you will enjoy it. USA is a wonderful country and it worries us that you all seem to undervalue it. It's our favourite destination and we just keep coming back. We were scheduled to go to Europe next year but looked at each other yesterday and said "Nah, USA again!"
So, we'll be there again in 2012!
May 2nd, 2011, 03:41 AM
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I stopped at many of those places on a road trip with my daughter in August 2009. We had only 9 days to get from Michigan to California but we still managed to see a lot.
I would skip Wall Drug, we thought it was a waste of time. We loved Mt. Rushmore and also really liked driving the Needles Highway in that area. We liked this hotel near Mt. Rushmore a lot: http://www.kbarslodge.com/
Between Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone we enjoyed staying here: http://www.occidentalwyoming.com/
The rooms there only accommodate 2 people so you would need 2 rooms.
You can see a full trip report if you click on my name.
I would skip Wall Drug, we thought it was a waste of time. We loved Mt. Rushmore and also really liked driving the Needles Highway in that area. We liked this hotel near Mt. Rushmore a lot: http://www.kbarslodge.com/
Between Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone we enjoyed staying here: http://www.occidentalwyoming.com/
The rooms there only accommodate 2 people so you would need 2 rooms.
You can see a full trip report if you click on my name.
May 2nd, 2011, 07:49 AM
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Don't give up on getting in-Park lodging. There are always people who reserve early for a trip and have to later cancel for one reason or another. These rarely make it to the website, so keep calling. Weekly is probably often enough at first if that's all the time you have to do it, though every day or two is better. As time for the trip gets closer, call daily. I've found the people at Xanterra to be very friendly and helpful so ask what time of day is the best to call to try to snag a canceled place.
One August, when checking in at Mammoth, we were able to change some of our Mammoth nights for nights at Canyon due to cancellations. Just make reservations you can cancel without a penalty, for somewhere in West Yellowstone or Gardiner (these are the closest places to the Park) so you will be assured of a place to stay if nothing opens up in the Park.
Best advice I can give you for Yellowstone is to get up and be out by daybreak. You'll have geyser basins pretty much to yourselves, have the best light for photos, and see more animals. Do less strenuous things during the heat of the day. The animals aren't so dumb - that's when they rest. We sometimes caught a short nap after lunch. Also, that's when all the tour buses are disgorging their loads at every must-see spot. Then head back out for more fun a few hours before sunset. Again, more animals, fewer people, and better lighting for your photos. We also found that if we'd just get a bit farther away from the overlooks, or main viewing areas, we had fewer people.
There's a great loop hike along the rim of the Yellowstone Canyon from the parking lot at Uncle Tom's that a ranger told us about. We did the stairs to see the falls first, then hiked the canyon rim to Artist Point. (Lots of beautiful views.) From there we returned to Uncle Tom's by hiking past Lily Pad and Clear Lakes, a smoking thermal area and through an Alpine meadow.
The rangers and others who work at Yellowstone are wonderful sources of info. Be sure to utilize them. They know where the construction delays are - and how to avoid them, if possible. Where various animals have been sighted. And can tell you about walks/hikes that aren't necessarily on the various handouts you get.
Everyone we've met who works or volunteers at the Parks we've been to, love the places and are eager to share what they know so that you have a wonderful visit. Take "advantage" of that wealth of free info to make your trip as memorable as possible.
You're going to a beautiful part of our magnificent country. We'll be heading that way ourselves in September. This time in our first RV and we can hardly wait. It will be our first visit to some places but our third to Yellowstone.
Have a fabulous trip.
Fran
One August, when checking in at Mammoth, we were able to change some of our Mammoth nights for nights at Canyon due to cancellations. Just make reservations you can cancel without a penalty, for somewhere in West Yellowstone or Gardiner (these are the closest places to the Park) so you will be assured of a place to stay if nothing opens up in the Park.
Best advice I can give you for Yellowstone is to get up and be out by daybreak. You'll have geyser basins pretty much to yourselves, have the best light for photos, and see more animals. Do less strenuous things during the heat of the day. The animals aren't so dumb - that's when they rest. We sometimes caught a short nap after lunch. Also, that's when all the tour buses are disgorging their loads at every must-see spot. Then head back out for more fun a few hours before sunset. Again, more animals, fewer people, and better lighting for your photos. We also found that if we'd just get a bit farther away from the overlooks, or main viewing areas, we had fewer people.
There's a great loop hike along the rim of the Yellowstone Canyon from the parking lot at Uncle Tom's that a ranger told us about. We did the stairs to see the falls first, then hiked the canyon rim to Artist Point. (Lots of beautiful views.) From there we returned to Uncle Tom's by hiking past Lily Pad and Clear Lakes, a smoking thermal area and through an Alpine meadow.
The rangers and others who work at Yellowstone are wonderful sources of info. Be sure to utilize them. They know where the construction delays are - and how to avoid them, if possible. Where various animals have been sighted. And can tell you about walks/hikes that aren't necessarily on the various handouts you get.
Everyone we've met who works or volunteers at the Parks we've been to, love the places and are eager to share what they know so that you have a wonderful visit. Take "advantage" of that wealth of free info to make your trip as memorable as possible.
You're going to a beautiful part of our magnificent country. We'll be heading that way ourselves in September. This time in our first RV and we can hardly wait. It will be our first visit to some places but our third to Yellowstone.
Have a fabulous trip.
Fran
May 2nd, 2011, 08:06 AM
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I went to Mt. Rushmore in 2007 with my boys and sister and her family. We loved it so much! We stayed in Custer State Park at the State Game Lodge one night in President Eishenhower's room. I think they have really gone up on their prices though at the Lodge, but they also have cabins and other lodging in the park you may want to try to get a different experience than a hotel. We also spent the night inside the Badlands at a campground type place in the middle of nowhere that offered horseback riding. I'll have to google it to see the name. Now, it is not a luxury experience at all, but my boys loved it. It is run by a couple that lives on the land. Riding horses in the Badlands made us feel like we were in a John Wayne movie!
Also, Spearfish Canyon was beautiful on the way to Devil's Tower. I agree that the Mammoth Cave was worth a trip, just because you can't see things like that everyday! I used the AAA book and focused on the places they highlighted as "gems" in the area. Bear Country was fun in Rapid City.
Have a great trip!
Also, Spearfish Canyon was beautiful on the way to Devil's Tower. I agree that the Mammoth Cave was worth a trip, just because you can't see things like that everyday! I used the AAA book and focused on the places they highlighted as "gems" in the area. Bear Country was fun in Rapid City.
Have a great trip!
May 2nd, 2011, 08:16 AM
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Okay, I just checked and the place we stayed in the Badlands was called "Badland Ranch and Resort". It is not getting the best reviews in TripAdvisor though! Says the management has changed hands..so..you might want to check out Cedar Pass Lodge which was not available when we went. We did hike near this place and it the scenery is amazing nearby. http://cedarpasslodge.com/
May 2nd, 2011, 08:24 AM
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Forgot to post the other link to Custer State Park lodging..http://www.custerresorts.com/
May 2nd, 2011, 08:39 AM
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The hike at Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone that Floridafran mentions is our favorite hike at YNP. However, I would start at Artist's Point. That way you are hiking towards the falls (with views of the falls) the entire way.
May 2nd, 2011, 04:32 PM
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I have spent the last 3 hours reading all your comments and checking into all the places you have suggested. Plus I am transferring all posts into a file in my documents to look over again. Thank you all for taking the time to write back, I really appreciate it...I am learning a lot.
