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Crawlfab
Explorer
Jun 27, 2015

Need help/ideas with summer trip.

Hello my name is Jay and I am new here looking for ideas. Every summer we load up in the rv and head out for a few weeks to take the kids on a summer trip (10,13,16yrs). Every year we try to go somewhere new and most of the times just pick a direction with a few key items and wing it along the way. It has been great so far but we are looking for more locations as the last 2 years we have ended up in Key West.

We are from Central Oklahoma and have been far Northeast, All the way out west and back up to pikes peak, and then we have done Key West 2 years now.

What are some of the not on the map things to do when headed to the Yellowstone area? We are into mining towns, scenic campgrounds, old style non commercial attractions and things along that line. I have searched but just have not found a lot up that way. We want to go that way but a just cant seem to find 2 weeks worth of thing to do.

Any help from ones that have been there would be great.
  • Crawlfab wrote:
    Hello my name is Jay and I am new here looking for ideas. Every summer we load up in the rv and head out for a few weeks to take the kids on a summer trip (10,13,16yrs). Every year we try to go somewhere new and most of the times just pick a direction with a few key items and wing it along the way. It has been great so far but we are looking for more locations as the last 2 years we have ended up in Key West.

    We are from Central Oklahoma and have been far Northeast, All the way out west and back up to pikes peak, and then we have done Key West 2 years now.

    What are some of the not on the map things to do when headed to the Yellowstone area? We are into mining towns, scenic campgrounds, old style non commercial attractions and things along that line. I have searched but just have not found a lot up that way. We want to go that way but a just cant seem to find 2 weeks worth of thing to do.

    Any help from ones that have been there would be great.


    Sorry, first I had to stop laughing – I’ll give list of stops that will take you a year to do.
    East to Espanola, NM
    Then north to Pagosa Springs, Colorado
    Creede
    Lake City
    Rent a jeep and do the 4x4 passes to Silverton and the surrounds
    Black Canyon of the Gunnison again 4x4 trails
    Ouray again 4x4 trails
    Red Stone again 4x4 trails
    Marble again 4x4 trails
    Maroon Bells again 4x4 trails
    Glennwood Springs Hot Spring Feed Pool and the Colorado River Rest and resupply
    Rifle Gap SP
    Dinosaur NM and the Green River, Colorado and Utah
    Flaming Gorge NRA, WY I prefer the west side and fishing from the camp ground
    Big Sandy State Recreation Area
    Jackson
    Grand Teton NP
    Yellowstone NP – now I’ve been here at least 10 maybe 20 times and I have never been where I was not just totally amazed at every step I took. EVERY TIME I WENT!
    Drive 600 or so miles in the park then hike another 40 or 50 and see just some of it.
    Now for the trip back – Head out the North exit to the Beartooth Mountains and then to Chief Joseph Highway.
    Now catch Red Lodge then down to Cody
    Thermopolis
    Wind River Canyon
    Shoshoni
    Independence Rock
    Pathfinder Reservoir
    Steamboat Springs
    Grand Lake/ RMNP
    Silverthorne
    Breck
    Leadville Again 4x4
    Independence Pass Again 4x4
    Buenavista Again 4x4
    Salida Again 4x4
    Great Sand Dunes NP
    Back home
    Now just writing this takes me two hours so driving it and Playing in all these spots plus the hundreds not mentioned will take just over two weeks.

    BOL,

    :B
  • How bout NW Montana? From Glacier to the Yaak Valley, beautiful area. Not too commercialized when you get W of the National Park. Yaak Valley is primitive and beautiful. Just an idea.
  • Montana is a great place to explore. What about going to a Dude Ranch, where the kids could actually work on a ranch. I don't know if there are any RV friendly ones but it might be something to explore
  • We spent a full day at the Buffalo Bill Center in Cody and could have spent another day.