Western South Dakota and North Dakota
 

First, thank you to all of you that have already posted trip reports and photos of this area. It's been very helpful to look at these. Two years ago, we had thought of visiting this area and I posted a few inquiries, but unfortunately, the trip had to be postponed.

Now looking at about 2 weeks in the area end of August or beginning of September.
Enjoy seeing new scenery, especially when it's different than the east coast, photography, hiking. Some days most likely just hike and/or relax

Present thoughts:
1. Thinking of basing ourselves in Custer State Park and doing trips out from there--Wind/Jewel Caves, Mr Rushmore, scenic drives with-in and outside of park.

2. Staying in Badlands NP to hike/view scenery

3. Moving up to Spearfish area to explore Lead/Deadwood

4. Heading to Theodore Roosevelt NP.

5. Return to Rapid City for flight home

Questions:
1. With 14 days, how would you divide the days in each place? Should we shorten or lengthen trip?

2. Should we stay in more than one place in Custer State Park or stick with one? Suggestions as to which one?

3. Much difference before or after Labor Day? Heat? Snow?

4. Anything to add to fill in days? Had originally thought of starting/ending in Billings MT so we could drive the Beartooth, but decided that may not give us enough time to explore the western Dakotas.

Any other suggestions or answers to questions we didn't ask are welcome.

Is the "we" 2 people or more? Camping in Custer or are there cabins? August could be quite hot in the Badlands.
When you are staying in Spearfish, take a day trip over to see the Devils Tower in NE Wyoming.
Be aware that there are 2 "units" N&S to Teddy Roosevelt NP.
US 85 takes you through the town of Bowman ND. There is a quite nice museum there. A few miles north of Bowman off US 85 is a butte that is the highest point in North Dakota.
Late August you should be a week or two after the big annual motorcycle rally in Sturgis.
I met many motorcycles on a Sunday morning in early August when I was headed south on 85 to Spearfish.
Don't even try for a hotel/motel room in Williston. The oil boom has caused many problems for that town.

We spent a week in the Black Hills a couple years ago. One day was rainy, so we got online and checked the weather to the west and discovered it was going to be a great day in that direction. So we made a day trip from Custer to the Little Bighorn Battlefield. It was a long day, but we saw some amazing scenery on the drive and the battlefield was fascinating to us. So you might consider a similar trip as a "fill in".

The "we" is two people. DH and me. We will not be camping, but staying in lodges, cabins or B&Bs.

Should we visit both units of Roosevelt NP?

I think I'd settle for the South Unit (near I-94).
If you leave there by the morning of day 11, head west on I-94 and I-90 to Livingston MT. Turn south on US 89 and spend a night in Gardiner. I know it's nearly 500 miles in 7.5 hours, but it will be worth it to see Old Faithful and several other sights in Yellowstone. Leaving Yellowstone, head east on US 14 and spend a night in Greybull. You can easily make it back to Rapid City over the Granite Pass to I-90 north of Sheridan WY.
Yellowstone is one of my 3 favorite National Parks

Thanks for the suggestion, Tom, but we've already spent 2 weeks in YNP and GTNP. They are amazing as you say! The area we haven't seen is Beartooth Highway, but think it's probably too long of a distance to go especially since we can no longer do the longer hikes we loved so much.

We loved the musical at Medora, ND. I believe it ends on Labor Day weekend. We flew into Rapid City. I think it was about 3-4 hours to Medora. The musical is at night, so I suggest spending the night in the area if you decide to go there.

South of Rapid City we toured the wild horse sanctuary. We are horse lovers so we really enjoyed our visit there.

Spent some time in that area two summers ago. There are not that many places to stay in Medora, so that might be one place to reserve. The North Unit highway was closed at about the 12-mile mark, so I can't say anything about that, but hiking was good in the South Unit. I found the oil boom fascinating in N Dakota.
Agree with the comment about Devils Tower, an easy day trip from Spearfish -- nice easy hike around it. Plenty to do S Dakota -- don't miss Badlands.

Am reminded of camping trips with children many years ago. This was in Badlands, Black Hills, Custer St. Pk, Mt. Rushmore, Wind Cave, a parade in Rapid City, over to Devil's Tower, also up to Th. Roosevelt Natl Pk with a rodeo in Medora. Lots to see and do for sure.

Also just in case, let me mention a state park in Nebraska not so far south that we very much liked...Ft Robinson St Pk.

As part of a road trip from the East coast we spent some time in that area 2 summers ago. I loved it. The one area that was disappointing was the Deadwood/Lead are -- real tourist fest. We drove through but did not stay in Spearfish. It looked like a nice town.

In the Badlands be sure to check out the NPS lectures at night. We did a stargazing one that was fabulous. Saw some absoultely incredible skies out that way. If you are interested in a nice, small B&B check out Triangle Ranch B&B. The owners have lived in the area forever and told some wonderful stories. They also offered some down home cooking for dinners. It's a 15-20 minute drive to the Badlands Park, but we enjoyed our stay out there.

Custer Park is easy to pick one place and drive around Its not huge.

Here's what we've decided so far:

Arrive Rapid City 10 PM. Stay in town first night to get supplies next day
3 nights Custer State Park: State Game Lodge
2 nights Badlands: Cedar Pass Lodge
2 nights Spearfish Canyon Lodge
(1or 2 nights) Modora, ND
(1 or 2 nights )Devil's Tower
2 nights Custer State Park: Sylvan Lake Lodge
1 night Rapid City for 6 Am flight home

How should we break up Modora and Devil's Tower? Which place should we do 2 nights and which one only 1 night?

You mean Medora of course and we did enjoy a rodeo there once upon a time. Don't think there is much lodging in Devil's Tower...as I remember it is kind of isolated in a desertlike area. So might not want any nights there. Maybe someone else knows more.

Have already spoken of our enjoyable vacations. One shock was going to beautiful Sylvan Lake campground intending to park a camper there because we'd love it before only to find it was closed...anyone been there? I think Sylvan Lake Lodge would be fine. Highway through Custer Pk. includes Needles Highway which is so scenic. I do think Badlands could be warm late August.

Do Devils Tower as a day trip from Spearfish. Ozarksbill is right.

We stayed at Devil's Tower Lodge right at the tower. I believe there were 1 or 2 other places to stay nearby.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...r_Wyoming.html

We just went to that area in June 2014 and I posted a trip report.

For lodging we stayed
Night 1 - Rapid City (Cambria Suites) this was easy to locate and very close to downtown and we liked in better than when we actually stayed in downtown proper.
Nights 2,3 - Badlands (Cedar Pass Lodge) we really liked these cabins although the restaurant there was horrible. The worst service ever. Be sure to pack a cooler and do picnics or maybe eat in Wall if you are visiting Wall Drug. Otherwise the Badlands was fantastic!
Nights 4,5,6,7 (Creekside Lodge @ State Game Lodge) - we did day trips from here throughout Custer SP and also to Jewel and Wind Caves as well as Mt. Rushmore
Night 8 - Rapid City (Adoba Eco Hotel) this is one hotel from our trip that I would not recommend. We would have much preferred to be back at Cambria which was newer, cleaner and more comfortable.

The one thing we did not do that I regret we were unable to fit in was a trip to Devil's Tower (and with more time really would have liked to visit TRNP in ND). We didn't see much of the Northern area as it was rainy the day we were planning to do it. The one thing that we enjoyed most (although we liked it all) was the Jeep Tour into Custer as my husband really enjoyed the break from driving and was able to see more.

Enjoy planning and have a fabulous trip!

I did read your Trip Report lindsyb and it was very interesting. We will probably do a lot of the same type of traveling.

Good rec to get cooler from what I'm hearing about places to eat in the parks. Good food is always a big plus, but I can deal with mediocre but not long drawn out service.

Does anyone have any "great" restaurants to mention? Heard that Rough Riders Hotel in Medora has a good restaurant. By "great" I don't necessarily mean gourmet, but just good food, nice/local atmosphere and friendly service.