Summer trip to Rapid City to Grand Canyon

Mannashine, US20 and I-15 to SLC is a fine road. We drive it all the time. :) Nice scenery west of Yellowstone down to Ashton, and again from Pocatello to the Salt Lake Valley. Expect traffic to pick up dramatically once you get to Ogden, Utah, as SLC is a major metro area. Do not feel you have to keep up with the 80 mph speed limit on 15! :) (We generally tow about 60 mph.)

I've heard so much about the road to Red Lodge and the sites and scenery. Is it worth a day trip from Cody to Red Lodge without the trailer? At what point do I stop and turn back to Cody?

Thanks in advance.

Yes, John, it's definitely worth it. You can go all the way to Red Lodge but it makes for a long day if you go on from there to I-90 and back down thru Cody. Stop for lunch in Red Lodge & go back over Beartooth again into the park - that's what I'd do. (And have done in the past.) Thanks for the info on the US 310 construction. You just never know, year to year, about that out here.

Mannashine,

I took 90 to Laurel, MT; then south on US 212 to US310, MT 72 to WY 120. There was about a 5 mile section of 310, just after I got off 90, that was a gravel surface and road under construction. A couple of flagmen stopping traffic. Probably didn't go faster than 10-15 mph. Pretty rough...thought I was going to loose a filling or two...bounced around pretty good.

After that, a relatively smooth pavement into Cody. It was an easy drive with rolling hill scenery along with a pretty good, 15 minute thunder storm.

I'll let you know how I did going to Yellowstone and Fishing Bridge.

Thank you all so much for the great advise about traveling around Yellowstone, you folks are lifesavers. We will definitely stay on l-90 and head south from Laurel down to Cody, we'll feel much safer. And, we do plan on staying in the yellowstone area for 4 or 5 days each side. We're giving ourselves 2 months to make this trip, no rush to get back home.
JohnG4706 would love to hear back from you as to what you thought of the roads heading to W.Yellowstone from Cody and Fishing bridge. After W.Yellowstone our plan is to take route 20 into l-15 heading down to Salt Lake City, is that a good road?

kknowlton wrote:
That said, if you don't want grades, don't go over the Bighorns to Cody, but go around. You could take 90 to Laurel MT, then south on a combination of US & state routes to Cody from there; nice easy drive and pleasant scenery. (US 212 to US310, MT 72 to WY 120) You will encounter some grades & winding road from Cody to YNP, but nothing extreme. The driver just has to forego ogling the scenery. :)

I'm in Hardin, MT tonight and will take your advice: take 90 to Laurel and then South to Cody. I'll be in Cody 4 days before going on to Fishing Bridge for 5 nites and then to Colter Bay for 4 nites before going further West.

I've heard so much about the road to Red Lodge and the sites and scenery. Is it worth a day trip from Cody to Red Lodge without the trailer? At what point do I stop and turn back to Cody?

Thanks in advance.

Get the two directories; Mountain Directory East and MD West to help plan the route.

I'm with the other posters on this. Its one thing to drive through the Bighorns in a car or truck. It's beautiful. Altogether different being pushed downhill by a 5er. I'm a flatlander from Cincinnati, OH. Driving thru the Bighorns, even on the easiest route, 16, I was uncomfortable on a road that has designated pullouts to check your brakes before you reach the next descent.

kknowlton wrote:
The driver just has to forego ogling the scenery. :)
)

that's the reason I went I-90/89. I wanted to ogle the scenery. why can't the driver enjoy the trip?
bumpy

You are planning to spend several nights in/around Yellowstone, right? I sure hope so. It would be a shame to just drive through the park - you'd miss almost all the highlights.

That said, if you don't want grades, don't go over the Bighorns to Cody, but go around. You could take 90 to Laurel MT, then south on a combination of US & state routes to Cody from there; nice easy drive and pleasant scenery. (US 212 to US310, MT 72 to WY 120) You will encounter some grades & winding road from Cody to YNP, but nothing extreme. The driver just has to forego ogling the scenery. :)

Red Lodge would not be a good base camp to visit YNP - you'd have a long mountainous drive to get in & out of the park each day. IMO, the best base camp if you aren't camping inside the park is West Yellowstone - easiest way in & out of the park and a wide choice of CGs there. DO make reservations; July is peak season in the park. I recommend spending a minimum of 3 nights in West Yellowstone or in the park itself (if you need hookups, your only option in the park is Fishing Bridge RV Park.)

I stayed on I-90 from Buffalo and took 89 down to yellowstone. no big hills to climb/descend. an easy haul.
bumpy