We are in the very early stages of planning a too brief trip to Yellowstone for this summer. It will be my husband and myself and our three boys (7,6,6). We will be meeting up with my parents and their gargantuan RV at the tail end of their summer journey through Canada/Montana/Wyoming. As their RV will not fit at the one RV park in YNP, we will be all be staying outside the park. So, this is my plan...we will be driving from the Twin Cities.

Day 1 arrive West Yellowstone
Day 2 Yellowstone
Day 3 Yellowstone
Day 4 Yellowstone
Day 5 Cody
Day 6 Rapid City/Mt. Rushmore
Day 7 Badlands to Mitchell
Day 8 back to TC

Does that sound okay? I am starting to plan stuff for each day. For instance, I am sure my guys would love the Roosevelt cook-out in the Park and the rodeo in Cody.

Other thoughts or ideas?

Thanks
taitai

taitai,

I can only comment on the YNP and Cody parts of the trip and those sound fine. As you already know, you aren't going to be able to see and do everything you might want to in YNP, especially since you'll be driving in and out each day from West Yellowstone.

My best advice is to get into the Park as early in the morning as you can; you'll see more animals and fewer people. When we were there on our first trip, we were up before dawn, saw a ton of stuff early, went back to our room/cabin during the hottest part of the day and caught a nap, then went back out again in the late afternoon. The animals rest in the heat of the day, but start appearing again toward twilight. The tour buses don't get to the Park really early and have to leave before it gets too late, which helps cut down on the number of people during all but the middle of the day.

I'm trying to remember what the drive to Cody was like and I mostly recall it was quite curvy. Are your parents going to be driving that, too? Since they know their RV won't fit into the campground, I assume they've checked to see if they would have a problem driving the road to Cody.

There are tons of people here who know more about YNP than I do and I'm sure some of them will jump in to help you.

It's an amazing place. Enjoy your trip.

Florida

Thanks so much for commenting on my trip. I have actually made some adjustments. While my parents won't make it into the park (I actually think the RV will fit but don't think my mom can live without her satellite tv for 4 days), I decided that it makes the most sense for us to stay in the park. Too much driving for my guys otherwise. So, I have two nights reserved at Canyon Cabins and one night at Old Faithful Inn. Then, we will head to Cody and all the rest.

Now, I am just trying to figure out what to do with our days. Yellowstone days are easy. So much to do. It is Cody, Rapid City, etc. that I worry about.

Oh, I have also decided that it makes sense to come in via North Dakota and then drop down into Red Lodge and the Beartooth Highway. We will depart via South Dakota.

Any advice? I would love to hear it.

Taitai

Cody has the Buffalo Bill Museum, which is worth a couple hours. Its a western museum with lots of guns. Haven't seen the night rodeo, but that would fill up the rest of the day in Cody.

Between Cody and Rapid City, you'll pass through Gillette, the sharpest little town in the west. Not much to do there. You could also swing by Devil's Tower.

In and around Rapid City, there is plenty to do besides Mt. Rushmore. You can go visit caves (Wind Cave and Jewel Cave), Custer St. Park, ride on a train between two smaller towns there (one is Hill City).

The Badlands can be done in a couple hours en route from Rapid City to Mitchell.

On the way through South Dakota, Wall Drug and the Corn Palace are classic tourist traps that you have to stop at because there is nothing else.

taitai,

I'm so glad you'll be staying inside the Park. You'll have a much easier time getting up and out early. It can be hard enough for adults to manage it. I can only imagine trying to get 3 boys of that age up, dressed, and organized for the day - as well as getting yourselves ready too.

If you get up early the morning after you spend the night at Old Faithful, you'll have the pleasure of watching it erupt with very few other people. Far different than it will be later in the day when there will be hundreds of people waiting. Just check the predicted times the night before so you can time it right.

Your boys would probably enjoy the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody which Moai12 mentioned. But be warned, it very big. I got tired when we went and I imagine the boys will, too. There are lots of different exhibits there. As I recall they had "maps" and descriptions of the various things to see. If I were you, I'd take a few minutes to look that over when you get there and start with the exhibits you think the boys would enjoy the most. We also stopped at the dam between YSNP and Cody. A good place for the boys to burn off some energy and for all of you to stretch your legs a bit. It was interesting, too.

I'm sure you know this, but it doesn't hurt to mention it here. Please be mindful of the dangers to you and your boys that exist in Yellowstone. There are plenty of areas where they can run free and play, but many require keeping them close at hand. When we were there we saw people letting their children run ahead on the boardwalks, or along the Canyon paths. We even saw one child, about 5, pushing a baby in a stroller along in front of them as they ran down a boardwalk with thermal features on each side. Falling into a thermal area or over the canyon edge could be deadly. I guess people forget this isn't a theme park, with its imaginary dangers.

I don't say this to frighten you or discourage you from making the trip. My children were about the ages of yours when I took them to the Grand Canyon - another place with potential danger. Common sense is all that's needed for this to be a trip you'll all talk about for years to come. YNP is an amazing place and I can hardly wait for my grandchildren (2 years old and 2 weeks old) are old enough for me to take them out there.

When ever possable get out of the car and enjoy the short walks around the different attractions. Staying in the park will allow you to take in the fireside ranger talks in the evening I am sure that both the adults and kids will be impressed with them. the Beartooth Pass hwy is also a must do. The cody museum can take a lot of time to take in all it has to offer. I am in Billings if you have any further questions I might answer.

If you have time to go up to Deadwood, SD they always have a band of re-enactors on the streets doing gun fights and they shoot Wild Bill Hickok in the saloon several times daily then hold a trial that uses audience members for the jury in the evening. It was loads of fun. Great old west feel in Deadwood where lots of effort has been put into restoration.

We made this trip last year. I booked 2 days in Cody at some very nice cabins - very pleasant - but I think we could have just spent one night in Cody. We did the Buffalo Bill Museum - but my tween/early teen girls were NOT into it. It's an interesting museum - but definitely something we would not have done in hindsight. If you aren't going to a rodeo anywhere else on your trip - go to the one in Cody. We went to one in MT - and I found out I love a good rodeo! One of my favorite things at Old Faithful was going on the free tour of the Inn. It was so interesting! I went solo (everyone else opted to sleep in) - but highly recommend.

The Roosevelt Lodge cookout was a H-I-T! We loved that part of the park - so much wildlife.

You need to allow a little more for drive time for the trip especially in and around Yellowstone. Allow for pit stops as well. You have three youngsters with you that will need some attention... You will be doing a lot of slow mountain driving on two lane roads once you leave the interstate and the going will be slower. Cody to Rapid City is near a days drive and will not leave you with much time for Rushmore or the Black Hills.. You could drive to Mitchell from Rapid City/Black Hills with a stop/drive thru of the Badlands NP in one day. A look at the Corn Palace in Mitchell is not all that time consuming either.

Thanks for all this advice. RedRock...I think you helped me with Sedona last year. The guys did terrific on all the hikes we did there so I am hopeful they will be okay on the hikes in Yellowstone. We will do lots of short ones which will work best.

I continue to tweak the trip. Still have two nights at Canyon and one at Old Faithful Inn. I am on the fence regarding the Roosevelt cook out. It looks great but my guys are too young to ride horses and I wonder how much fun being in a covered wagon will be, really, for them. Horses would be better. Looking into renting a fishing boat one morning for a Lake Yellowstone fishing excursion. The boys would love that as would my parents. Might just send the five of them and go on a long hike that morning with my husband.

I think I have convinced my parents to stay inside the park at Fishing Bridge. It won't be luxurious but it will be much, much more convenient.

In terms of Cody, I think our days will be full. Get there late afternoon and hit Buffalo Bill, dinner and the rodeo. Next day do a float trip and then more Buffalo Bill (believe it is a two day pass) and the Irma Hotel shoot out. The next day drive to Keystone and see Mt. Rushmore at night. Get up the next day and get as far as we can across South Dakota with a stop in the Badlands. Will put my kids in my parents RV for the journey from Cody home to Minneapolis. That way they can move around a bit and play games and watch tv and eat and not be confined to the mini-van. We will also have plenty of gloves and balls with us so that they can run around and play catch at rest stops along the way. They do okay on long drives (we do at least one Chicago and one Boundary Waters trip a year and they can handle the 7 hours or so of driving like pros) so I think we will be okay.

I am not too concerned about missing the other highlights in South Dakota. The guys have a fall break each October and we were thinking of bringing them to Custer Park for that this year. So, anything we miss this trip, we can see in October.

Any other thoughts on activities or lodging, please let me know. I think, due to Sturgis, that I should definitely lock in something in Rapid City. Seems like K Bar something and the Roosevelt are the most popular. Thoughts?