Utah/Wyoming - critique this itinerary please
 

Please tell me how this sounds - can probably stay 10 days - mid September:
Fly into Salt Lake City from there to Jackson Hole to Yellowstone to Mt. Rushmore to Pike's Peak to Salt Lake City.
Questions:
1. How long in each area?
2. Things not to miss
3. Good places to stay/eat
Mostly interested in seeing the natural beauty of the area and wildlife.
I posted earlier but have narrowed it down quite a bit, into the general areas we would like to see. Is this pushing it to much for ten days? Thanks, Jean

PS to see these things, would it be better to fly into somewhere else? Thanks

Well, I started to sing that "one of these things is not like the other" song when I saw that you want to go to Pikes Peak. I don't see the attraction in going there when you're going to see lots of mountains along the way. If anything, you'd be better off driving through Rocky Mountain National Park and skipping the drive through Denver and down to Pikes Peak. You'd see a lot more wildlife and scenery.

Is Pike's Peak mostly just the thrill of the ride? we can certainly skip that if that is mostly what there is there. Also, what about the Badlands? Would we be in the direction of leaving Mt. Rushmore, then heading to Rocky Mt. NP?

Yellowstone can't be beat for wildlife viewing. We spent 10 days in that area this past September and could have easily stayed longer. Wildlife was a priority for us, too. The whole area (which to me includes YNP & GTNP) is incredibly beautiful, and offers so much variety in natural beauty. We also went to Cody and drove the Beartooth and Chief Joseph hwys. There are quite a few beautiful drives close to both of these parks. Personally, we wish we would have had more time for Montana and to learn to flyfish.

We haven't done Mt Rushmore, but we've been to Pike's Peak. Were it me, I'd leave those two off my list for this 10 day trip. You will find plenty to do in the YNP/GTNP area, but if you have to add more, I agree with the Weasel, add Rocky Mtn NP.

Badlands is in the opposite direction so you'd be going even further out of your way. I'm not even sure you should be going to Mt. Rushmore if your goal is natural beauty and wildlife and have only 10 days.

I don't know the exact mileage, but I'd guess you're taking one day to drive from SLC to Yellowstone/Jackson Hole, and the trip to/from Mt. Rushmore would eat up most of 2 days. So that gives you a week for everything else, including a day or 2 to drive back to SLC, depending on your route.

You don't have to drive through RMNP, but if your desired route back to SLC is a loop through Colorado, then definitely go through RMNP instead of staying on the interstate through Denver. It might add a few hours of driving but you'll have much better scenery and elk will be plentiful.

Thanks for the good info. We may have to cut out Badlands and Mt. Rushmore. It's so hard to try to see everything you would like to see in one trip - oh for a life of luxury so one could just travel the world over!
Any good places to eat, stay, etc, that you can recommend?

I'm glad to see you're considering dropping Mt. Rushmore & Badlands. I think you should also reconsider Colorado. I ran the numbers for you. Salt Lake City from there to Jackson Hole to Yellowstone to Mt. Rushmore to Pike's Peak to Salt Lake City was just under 2,000 miles and approx. 35 hours driving time. That's a lot of time in a vehicle for just 10 days.

I'd recommend just driving the Beartooth Highway in Yellowstone for mountain views. Spend the 10 days in the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. You will spend 2 days just driving there and back. If you really want to see something different, you might stop at Vernal, Utah on your way back to see Dinosuar National Monument. (Note: The Dinosaur Quarry Visitor Center is closed indefinitely due to significant life, health, and safety issues) but the area is very scenic and there is a temporary visitor center set up.

Utahtea



Utahtea

It's so hard cutting out things you've wanted to see all your life, but I guess one has to do a reality check to see if they want a nice vacation or a push it to the limit rat race that you have everyday in your work-a-world life!
O.K. If it looks like we just need to do Salt Lake City, Jackson Hole, Tetons, and Yellowstone. So now I need to know some things.
1. How much time in each area.
2. Things not to be missed.
3. Should we stay more than one night in SLC?
4. Good places to stay/eat in each of these locations.
Thanks a bunch and Utahtea, thank you so much for bringing me back in track with the mileage/time. That would be like a week at work just driving. Thanks.

Is Jackson Hole, Tetons and Yellowstone in close enough proximity to stay at one location, or should we stay at each place and if so, how many nights would you allow? Also In SLC should we spend more than one night there? Thanks

Still trying to get some info on good places to stay, eat, etc on our route? Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Hi
I can try to help you on Yellowstone a little bit (although I'm not an expert!) The park is HUGE, with much natural beauty to admire, which deserves as much time as you can give it. Having said that, we only stayed for 2 nights and got to see most places (though no wolves or bears!). We also spent 2 nights in Cody.
I think that Yellowstone and Grand Tetons (we only had time for a quick peek at those) are close enough to be able to stay in one place - although, if you can, it would be best to spend a couple nights in the GT region, separately from your Yellowstone days (am I confusing you?!)
Food? Hmm. Well we stayed in the Old Faithful Snow Lodge - which was fine. However, the first night, the restaurant was full and we had to make do with the cafeteria, which wasn't too grand. (Try to bring some food with you for emergencies!) We didn't try the Old Faithful Lodge Restaurant though - too busy watching geysers! :) We did venture out to West Yellowstone the next day - to do the philistine thing of visiting the McD's!!