Yellowstone and The Black Hills
 

HELP! We are headed west this summer. Flying into Jackson, driving north the next morning thru GTNP and then two nights at YNP (Old Faithful Snow Lodge). We then planned to drive to Rapid City for four nights. We are now thinking we should stay part-way for one night to allow for a bit more time at YNP and maybe hit Devil's Tower on the way. ANY IDEAS?? Thanks

IMHO, one and a half day at Yellowstone is not enought time. I would pend the whole 6-7 day vacation between Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons and forget Rapid City...but that's just me.

Utahtea

I also would spend more time in Yellowstone than in Rapid City. We drove from Yellowstone to Rapid City, stopping for the night somewhere right before Devil's Tower which we visited first thing in the morning before going on to Rapid City (and was very glad we did--I wouldn't miss it since you are there).

I'm a big fan of Custer State Park, the Black Hills, Badlands, etc. But I think that both the Yellowstone/Grand Teton area and the Black Hills have far too much to offer to try to split a relatively short vacation between the two. Do you realize just how large an area you're talking about? I'd strongly suggest doing them as two separate vacations.



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Sounds like an odd itinerary. Jackson Hole and the Tetons are spectacular, Yellowstone is amazing-- then Rapid City after those two places, and for four nights??

I'm not sure where provis is coming from, but we live in the Midwest and whenever we go out west we try to fit as much as we can in since it can be fairly expensive. And there is so much to see. Then if we want to return to a place, hopefully we will be able to, but if not--at least we have seen it once. We wanted to see Mt. Rushmore and decided to go on one of our trips to Yellowstone. It was a little farther then we had anticipated, but the drive was very pretty and went fast. We're glad we went and were much more impressed with it and Custer State Park than we had anticipated, but will probably not go back there again. But hope to go back to Yellowstone again soon. We spent 2 nights in Rapid City and that was plenty for what we wanted to do--also not sure why they wanted 4 nights there.

I would ask if you're bringing a family or if it's just adults. If it's a family, I think you'd be fine in the Black Hills area for four nights. There's so much to do and see for families. If it's just adults, then maybe consider shortening that end a bit.

IMO, GTNP, Yellowstone and a day trip doing the Beartooth Highway and Cody Wy would be ideal for your time frame.