Dallas to Gramd Tetons - best route and stops?

[GoneG8tor]

Hi

New to this site and will be traveling from Dallas to Grand Tetons for a total of 9 days round trip.

Any suggestions on routes and campgrounds on the trip?

Thanks

[GoneG8tor]

Thanks all

Great advice!

A few points:

1 We will add a few days
2 There are two drivers

Keep the suggestions coming

[kknowlton]

Agree with others who feel this is an awful lot of miles for such a short time. That said, some CGs we have felt were decent (at worst) to very nice (at best) that would be along the two (so far) specific routes people have recommended:

Cheyenne KOA: nice & clean, some sites for bigger rigs, some tent sites, lots of "in-between-size" sites, most pull-through, full-hookup or electric-water. The grounds are almost entirely river rock, which is a bit of a workout to walk in, but isn't dusty or muddy. Road/RR noise not too bad. We have stayed here a couple times & would again.

Rock Springs - again the KOA. Basically a gravel parking lot with hookups, but facilities are clean and it's a fairly easy on-off from I-80. Road noise not too bad, and the redrock bluff behind the CG is scenic.

For the Tetons, you DO have reservations already, don't you?? If not, you will probably not want to pull in too late at night, as you won't likely find a site. Haven't camped at Gros Ventre or Colter Bay (both NPS CGs, mostly no hookups) but many do seem to like them. Colter Bay RV Park if you need hookups - by far the best choice for the Tetons, IMO. BUT you DO need reservations.

Three days for the Tetons isn't actually a bad timeframe to visit; however, since you're right next door, especially if you haven't been to Yellowstone, you should spend one of those days visiting YNP. Spend a full day, drive the south loop in YNP - covers Lake, Old Faithful, Hayden Valley (buffalo), Canyon (waterfalls), and a host of other thermal features, potential wildlife sightings, etc. The other 2 full days you can spend enjoying the Tetons, and take a "side trip" into the town of Jackson. If you are towing a trailer or driving a large motorhome, do NOT try to visit Jackson (the town) with that rig - use your tow vehicle for that.

[padredw]

I cannot disagree with others who feel this is too much trip for the time, but I will give the possibility I see:

Day 1: Dallas to Dumas, TX, 410 miles, 8 driving hours. There are a couple of commercial campgrounds in Dumas and a free city park where we have stayed. It has electricity and water available but not hooked up.

Day 2: Dumas to Cheyenne, WY, 455 miles, close to 9 hours driving. We have never stayed in Cheyenne, but there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.

Day 3: Cheyenne to Colter Bay, Grand Teton N.P., 411 miles, 8 hours driving time. We will be camping there on September 11-15 for the second time. But you will have only 3 days, because . . .

It will take the same hard driving days back to Dallas. If my math is correct 3 + 3 + 3 = 9 -- the days you say you have.

This is not the trip I would recommend, but it is a trip that I think is possible. I do sometimes drive 400 miles in a day, especially across northwest Texas, but those are hard days and three in a row would do me in. But then I will be 84 years old in October! You may be younger and have someone to help drive.

[Ivylog]

Would help if we knew what rig you have and how many drivers of it.
I hope you live north of Dallas.
I hope your tires are capable of 70 mph in hot weather.
If only one driver I hope you are capable of 700 miles per day.
I would leave Friday evening, not Sat morning stopping north of any large city to sleep.
Hope you have a generator large enough to run a AC assuming a summer trip.
Gros Ventre campground north of Jackson is a favorite of many... No reservations needed.
I would do at least a one day drive through of Yellowstone assuming you have not spent time there before.

[Busskipper]

GoneG8tor wrote:
Hi

New to this site and will be traveling from Dallas to Grand Tetons for a total of 9 days round trip.

Any suggestions on routes and campgrounds on the trip?

Thanks

The advice is to try to get more time - Possibly starting Friday after work and driving 6-8 hours, as you have a lot of miles to cover this will buy you an additional day. Stay in a Wal*Mart/or similar and do it all again. This could with two long Days get you Well into Colorado, but still a good ways to go. If the milage worked I would likely go thru Salida - Buena Vista - to Dino NM - Flaming Gorge - then on to the Tetons, then the drive Home would just be a run back. But as all have said its a good bit of a drive so........... not going to allow much on the way up or back other than a beautiful drive through The Colorado Mountains.

Best of Luck,

[southernsky]

2gypsies wrote:
You will have approx. 1300 miles one-way so it will probably be 3 days with a RV - 6 days of driving round trip, and 3 days in Grand Teton Nat'l Park. Plus, you're right next door to Yellowstone and you might want to do 1-1/2 days in each - not a lot of time.

The fastest would be 287 to Amarillo then 385/87 to Raton, NM.

Then pick up I-25 north to 287 to Laramie, WY

Then I-80 west to Rock Springs, Wy and 191 north through Jackson and into Grand Teton.

To get to Yellowstone just continue north through Teton NP into Yellowstone.

Good luck!

X2
or 287 to 26 is a nice ride.

[2gypsies1]

You will have approx. 1300 miles one-way so it will probably be 3 days with a RV - 6 days of driving round trip, and 3 days in Grand Teton Nat'l Park. Plus, you're right next door to Yellowstone and you might want to do 1-1/2 days in each - not a lot of time.

The fastest would be 287 to Amarillo then 385/87 to Raton, NM.

Then pick up I-25 north to 287 to Laramie, WY

Then I-80 west to Rock Springs, Wy and 191 north through Jackson and into Grand Teton.

To get to Yellowstone just continue north through Teton NP into Yellowstone.

Good luck!