We are planning a multi state, national park tour for next summer with our kids and grandkids, 7 people in all. We will have a motorhome with a Jeep towing and a large SUV for this road trip. Each national and state park along the way, we will want the ability to hook up the motorhome to electricity and have available water and a dump site on property (we and our two grandkids will stay in the motorhome AND have small cabins for the adult kids.We will do a loop from Oklahoma to South Dakota to Montana to Wyoming and back to Oklahoma. While in Montana, we want to go to Little Big Horn and to Glacier. Questions:1 What accommodations would you recommend near LBH as described above?2 What accommodations would you recommend near Glacier as described above?3. If we do the Canadian side of Glacier, what accommodations would you recommend as described above? Everyone has passports, what else is required if we have a dog? What arrangements can we make for our self defense weapon we always carry when traveling?4 Any particular advice for us as we plan like must dos or must sees? Favorite restaurants or shops?Thanks in advance for getting us started.

Do a Google search for `______ tourism' and read what the experts recommend for their area. Some Road Atlases have listings of highlights in the front of their books.Oh! and get a good gps for the trip.

Also check rvparkreviews.com to narrow down your search for good RV parks in each place you wish to visit. It's pricey, but we enjoyed our stay a few years ago at West Glacier KOA. They have sites for all sizes of RVs with a variety of hookups (we had a pull-thru full-hookup one) and they have cabins. However, you may find that cabins are already booked for when you want to go - so do get on your search SOON. I had to book a cabin the other day at a campground in a much smaller (and somewhat less popular) spot than Glacier, and they had only 1 or 2 left. Remember that national park campgrounds, and many state park ones, generally have no hookups. So you will be limited to private campgrounds nearby, or will need to have a generator and/or solar panels. Canada is very strict on weapons. You will be best off checking their tourism or immigration websites, and may need to call, to get details of what you need to know.

“Each national and state park along the way, we will want the ability to hook up the motorhome to electricity...”Why? And you won’t be able to do so. Better to be able to dry camp when a great campground appears. Prepare for it...solar and a backup generator.

Thanks for the quick replies. I know the campgrounds and cabins fill up fast but it is really overwhelming getting started. So many options...We have camped in Yellowstone before and it was so difficult to have the 8-8 generator use rule. We were completely out of sync during that whole week.

I'd say your best bet at LBH is the KOA in Hardin. LBH is worth a day as a historical site.We've crossed the border several times with the pup. We've only been asked once to show his health certificate although we always have it. I believe that was due to the training of a new agent or so it seemed as we never had two agents do a Q&A.

Beginning stages of planning Natl & State summer trip

Dick_B
Explorer
Oct 04, 2018
Do a Google search for `______ tourism' and read what the experts recommend for their area. Some Road Atlases have listings of highlights in the front of their books.
Oh! and get a good gps for the trip.
kknowlton
Explorer II
Oct 04, 2018
Also check rvparkreviews.com to narrow down your search for good RV parks in each place you wish to visit.

It's pricey, but we enjoyed our stay a few years ago at West Glacier KOA. They have sites for all sizes of RVs with a variety of hookups (we had a pull-thru full-hookup one) and they have cabins. However, you may find that cabins are already booked for when you want to go - so do get on your search SOON. I had to book a cabin the other day at a campground in a much smaller (and somewhat less popular) spot than Glacier, and they had only 1 or 2 left.

Remember that national park campgrounds, and many state park ones, generally have no hookups. So you will be limited to private campgrounds nearby, or will need to have a generator and/or solar panels.

Canada is very strict on weapons. You will be best off checking their tourism or immigration websites, and may need to call, to get details of what you need to know.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Oct 04, 2018
“Each national and state park along the way, we will want the ability to hook up the motorhome to electricity...”

Why? And you won’t be able to do so. Better to be able to dry camp when a great campground appears. Prepare for it...solar and a backup generator.
David_and_Deb
Explorer
Oct 04, 2018
Thanks for the quick replies.

I know the campgrounds and cabins fill up fast but it is really overwhelming getting started. So many options...

We have camped in Yellowstone before and it was so difficult to have the 8-8 generator use rule. We were completely out of sync during that whole week.
stickdog
Explorer
Oct 04, 2018
I'd say your best bet at LBH is the KOA in Hardin. LBH is worth a day as a historical site.
We've crossed the border several times with the pup. We've only been asked once to show his health certificate although we always have it. I believe that was due to the training of a new agent or so it seemed as we never had two agents do a Q&A.
gbopp
Explorer
Oct 04, 2018
I like to use Roadside America when traveling.
Maybe you can find something interesting along your route.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Oct 05, 2018
The necessity of needing plugin electricity when AC is not essential, is perplexing to me.

“I know the campgrounds and cabins fill up fast but it is really overwhelming getting started.” This may not be the mode of travel for you. Try motels?
kknowlton
Explorer II
Oct 05, 2018
We had stayed at the Hardin KOA some years ago & found it decent. I couldn't remember if it has cabins, but I just checked and it does - I think 3 of them. One is a 3-BR with kitchen & bath!
jolooote
Explorer
Oct 05, 2018
I don't think there is any way to take a weapon into Canada. VERY strict.
4runnerguy
Explorer
Oct 05, 2018
First be aware that having a dog with you greatly reduces the opportunities in our national parks. They are prohibited on almost every trail.

On the US side of Glacier/Waterton International Park, the east side and the west side are really quite different. The east side is more rugged and is our favorite, but with a lot fewer facilities outside of the park. (None of the CG's in the park have any hookups). The KOA at the park entrance is the only game in town on the east side and they do have cabins that will sleep up to 10 or 11 people.

The east side is more forested higher up (its the wetter side), although forest fires, including one this summer, continue to reduce the forest. There are a couple of private CG's near West Glacier and more as you head west on US 2.

Remember that to get from East Glacier to West Glacier with your rig, you'll have to take US 2 all the way around the southern end of the park. Going to the Sun Road is length restricted to vehicles less that 21'.

As far as the Waterton portion of the park, be advised that a significant portion of that park burned a year ago and nearly half of it is still closed (they may open up some more next year, but expected many square kilometers of burned forest). See the map of the closures here: Waterton Closures.

You can check on the Canadian Customs webpage for required vaccinations and paperwork for the pets. One can get a firearm into Canada, but there are a number of hoops to get through. Go to the Canada section of this forum and do a search on guns and you'll find lots of posts about this subject.

Are you planning on visiting the Black Hills on your way through South Dakota? If so, be aware that reservations for Custer State Park have already opened up. Some of the CG's have hookups and cabins to rent.