Rapid City, SD heading west to N.California

True Romance wrote:
I am planning our summer road trip for June 2017. Round trip from Northern California area I have a good plan for the first half of our trip out visiting Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Glacier, Mt. Rushmore and other attractions around Rapid City. On our way back home I am stumped for places to visit. Looking for ideas through southern WY, northern UT and central NV. Anything fun you can think of for a family of 5, 3 kids ages 14, 12, and 9.

We are in a 32ft class C with no toad, so places RV friendly are a must.

Thanks in advance for the ideas.

Dinosaur NM would really be fun and educational - Kids love it - Flaming Gorge and the water - Moab - Lake Powell - Colorado River - Rt 128 into Moab. The common theme, is water, IMHO kids love water, not to mention Dinosaurs, where you also have the Green River, with an awesome CG on it in the park.

Salt Lake City was something our kids always enjoyed when they were that age, just soooooo much to see and do in Utah.

If you are short on time just pick a couple but then try to at least drive through the many other sites in Utah so as to pick a route on a future trip.

Best of Luck,

While in the rapid city area...... Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave NM, Needles highway, Iron Mtn Rd, Mt Rushmore, Mammoth site, Wall Drug, Minuteman Missile Silo, Badlands NP, Buffalo Gap National Grassland, Devils Tower NM, and the town of Keystone is pretty cool. You could easily spend a week in that area.

North of Salt Lake City, west of Ogden, is Golden Spike NHP where you can see a re-enactment of the driving of the final spike of the transcontinental railroad. Follow that up with a visit to California Railroad Museum in Sacramento to see one of the actual golden spikes used in that ceremony.

If you're stuck driving on I-80, stop to see the salt flats or even Bonneville. Its amazing how flat it is and how far it stretches. There is a rest stop along I-80 that makes it a quick stop.

There are some scenic areas around Reno along the Truckee River that are beautiful, where exactly I couldn't tell you, only driven along it haven't stopped.

Other than that there isn't much to do or see along 80.

Northeast Utah- Arches NP, Canyonlands NP, and Deadhorse Point SP. All great for most kids.

If you take 385 down to I 80, there is: Mammoth as stated. at Chadron is a very nice state park 7 miles south of town. If you are in that area at the right time of June, Ft. Robinson over at Crawford has an Indian pow-wow (fair) that will be interesting, and that state park is also nice, with a couple of good museums, etc.
Going on south, you will see Courthouse Rock at Bridgeport. Then on to Sidney where you will find a Cabela's campground and two or three eateries. Then 80 towards CA.

The pioneer museum in Montpelier, ID (southeast corner). Some fun participatory exhibits (you can ride in a covered wagon, jolts & all)which help illustrate the settling of the west. Nice KOA near there as well, and not too far from Bear Lake, where the family can get a swim.

X2 on the Mammoth site.

If your kids are into dinosaurs and fossils, you might consider also Dinosaur National Monument in Vernal Utah.

Flaming Gorge in southern Wyoming could also be an interesting place to camp, hike, fish, etc.