Tips for traveling from Va to AZ-NM north to Yellowstone.

Unless you mean late May then you most likely will run into snow on the ground and still falling. Some of the YNP aren't scheduled to be plowed until mid June this year. Most high altitude parks down really open until some time in June and when we were out to Crater Lake a couple years ago around the 4th of July they still hadn't plowed half the roads. Depends on what happens in the winter.

Your order of site visits, is probably out of order. Seems you would see Silver City, then GC, up to Mountain Home ID, and while in this area go to Craters of the Moon and stay at their campground. It's quite the experience and that time of year, the weather will be cold but you should have some sun. Make sure to visit EBR 1, near Craters of the Moon and Arco. From there, take HWY 75 East from Challis to Stanley. Between Challis and Stanley is a nice little RV park right on the Salmon River, called Torrey's Burnt Creek Inn and RV park. Worth an overnight or two stay. You can continue heading West and visit Sunbeam Dam right off the highway. The first dam in Idaho breached for the salmon migration. There is a road that leaves the highway and leads you to Yankee Fork and Bonanza - two ghost towns open for tours complete with a Boot Hill. Lots of dispersed camping in this area. Continue on to Stanley, gateway to the Sawtooth's. Continue on to Sun Valley and Ketchum which will loop you back to Shoshone, home of the Shoshone Ice Caves. After visiting this area, hook on I-84 and continue East to Idaho Falls on I-15, taking 26 past Swan Valley. Just below the Palisades Dam is a campground, but further down the road is a large dispersed camping area before you get the Alpine Junction. Take Alpine Junction to Jackson, Wyoming and the Grand Tetons and on up to Yellowstone. There are numerous campgrounds along the way here and within the park. Once you've finished touring GTNP and YNP, take the East Yellowstone entrance to Cody. There's a great wild west show in Cody that's worth watching there. They hold it in the street near the Irma Hotel. The Irma Hotel was built by Buffalo Bill for his daughter Irma and he imported the bar from Europe. It's amazing and not to be missed. The food is pretty good too. From there we went to Greybull and took Shell Canyon up to Burgess Junction, then down the other side to Sheridan and on to Devil's Tower. We stayed at the Devil's Tower KOA and on another trip we stayed at the campground within the park. We then took 90 into Rapid City. We stayed at Mt. Rushmore KOA. One of the prettiest we've stayed at. We visited Wind Cave Nat'l Park and the Crazy Horse Memorial. Oh! just north of Spearfish, S.D. is the Geographic Center of the U.S. You bet we stopped. We also stopped at Little Big Horn in southern Montana, just north of Sheridan. East of Mt. Rushmore is the Badlands. Near Mt. Rushmore is the Needles district - beautiful spires and winding roads but there's a tunnel that your TC most likely won't fit in. Anyway, just a few ideas of some areas we've been to. Enjoy your planning and eventually your trip.

Thank you Renee G. I didn't look at a map before posting just knew I anted to see the Grand Canyon and needed to visit my brother in Silver City. My son just moved to Mountain Home Idaho, from Florida, and we are planning on camping with them for Memorial weekend. we will try and stay at Craters of the Moon campground. My son has a pop up so any other suggestions for them would be great. hanks again,
Connie
T

After Memorial Day most of the roads will be open except the high mountain passes. You'll probably want to enter Yellowstone via the west gate (West Yellowstone, ID). You don't mention how much time you have, but I'd normally leave Yellowstone through the east gate to Cody, maybe plan on a day in Cody, then take Hwy 16 over the Bighorns to Buffalo where you'd pick up I-90 to Rushmore.

If you like FS campgrounds, there are several nice ones in the Bighorns, or if you want hookups, Buffalo has some nice private campgrounds. Devils Tower National Monument, north of Moorcroft, is an interesting side trip and has a nice little park campground inside the monument borders or a good KOA just outside the entrance. From there you're only 2-3 hours from Rushmore and the SD Black Hills.

The Black Hills will be in full swing by then with everything open for the tourist season. I'd recommend at least visiting Custer State Park (incl. the Wildlife Loop), Jewel Cave, Crazy Horse Monument and several others, depending on your interests. Google it for ideas.

Leaving the Black Hills, plan a little side trip to SD Badlands NM an hour east of Rapid City and just off I-90 at Wall, SD. While at Wall, you should plan a stop at Wall Drug for any souvenirs you might want. It's the granddaddy of all tourist traps. I really think it's worth a stop -- breakfast, lunch, snack... whatever. I've found their prices reasonable for Black Hills Jewelry, wallets, even blue jeans, boots, etc., and cheap souvenirs of all kinds.

Not sure how you are planning to enter NM via I 40 or 10 but if you have the time there are some interesting sights off of the main interstate. There are two or three good ways to get to the Grand Canyon from Silver. Decide if you want to use the interstate or drive through the hills. May could be windy particularly along
I-10 in West Texas and NM. Dust storms occasionally close the road in the spring.

dukenurse wrote:
Thank you Renee G. I didn't look at a map before posting just knew I anted to see the Grand Canyon and needed to visit my brother in Silver City. My son just moved to Mountain Home Idaho, from Florida, and we are planning on camping with them for Memorial weekend. we will try and stay at Craters of the Moon campground. My son has a pop up so any other suggestions for them would be great. hanks again,
Connie
T

I would suggest Bruneau Dunes State Park near Mountain Home but it can get really windy out there. We stopped camping there because of that. It was so windy, we often brought our slides in and rocked and rolled all night, and not the good kind! Three Island Crossing State Park would be better and there is a fabulous Oregon Trail Interpretive Center there worth seeing. There is also Carmella Winery within walking distance to visit for some great wines and they have a restaurant. Better make your reservation now if you want to stay at Three Island Crossing State Park for Memorial Day. Either level - upper or lower, is good.

Thanks to everyone for your tips/pointers. We don't have any time constraints and prefer off the beaten path travel.
Safe Travels,
Connie

Then you'll enjoy the drive through the Badlands. It only adds 20 miles to your trip. The land is rugged, but the road is fine and there are several turnouts to stop to explore and take pics. Every time I drive thru, I wonder what the first pioneers thought when they got there. End of the world, maybe?