We will be driving with three kids from Texas towing our rv for our family vacation in late August. We were going to do both of these parks, but have decided it is too much driving in addition to getting there. So do we spend all week at Custer State Park with side trips to the Badlands and other things in that corner of the state? Or do we spend the week in Yellowstone/Grand Tetons area? Too many choices, too little time! The children are 10,8, and 3 if that makes a difference. The older boys enjoy the junior ranger type programs.
Christine

I'll vote for Yellowstone/Tetons! Beautiful and educational!

I've been to both parks. Since the boys are still young I would vote for the Custer State park. Many nice creeks & lakes within the park. The night time show at Mount Rushmore is quite nice. The stars are brillant from there. There are buffalo at both parks so if the boys want to see them either park will fit the bill.

I vote for Custer State Park, Yellowstone is great but in South Dakota you'll see Mt Rushmore, Badlands, plus near by is Deadwood, Devil's Tower,other things children will enjoy.

My choice would be Yellowstone/Grand Tetons. There is no other place like it! The two older children will remember this very special place. If you wait for the 3 year old to be old enough to remember, then the two older ones might be out of the house. Take a stroller and walk around the geyser areas. Lots of wildlife and scenery.

Utahtea

We did both last August toward the end of August with our 10 and 13 y.o. kids. Yellowstone is beautiful, magnificent even, but overwhelmingly big. We'd love to go back and "do" Yellowstone again when we have more time, at least two weeks. Custer State Park was by far the biggest and most pleasant surprise of our whole trip and the place our kids talk about returning to. We all wished we could have stayed there for a week,instead of 2 nights. We saw many more kinds of animals there than in YNP, and CSP was not very crowded at all, while YNP was. We tent camped at the Game Lodge Campground, which was beautiful, and had the best camping bathrooms and showers of our whole trip, and a laundrymat. We had a shaded site right by the creek and it was really nice. CSP has several nice restaurants in a variety of price ranges and Mt. Rushmore is a nice drive from the park and very well done (we expected it to be tacky). For just a week, I'd have to vote for CSP. It's magnificent in it's own right. Have a great, safe trip!!

I think we have decided on Custer. What was the weather like? Thanks for the suggestion!! I tried to e-mail you, but couldn't figure out how! Thanks.
Christine