Mt Rushmore-Yellowstone

[ShadDad]

New to RVing. Looking at a 2 week trip from Houston to Mt Rushmore and then to Yellowstone this summer. Any info or advice on routes, overnight stays, and fuel a availability when off the main roads would be appreciated. Also campground suggestions for each location.

[lushy]

We stayed at the Palmer Gulch KOA while at Mount Rushmore. Very nice place and great views.

Palmer Gulch Link

Here is a view of the CG. That was our site by the black Tahoe with our previous TT.

[WA7NDD]

If you go in September, I hope your furnace works. It will be in the 30's in the mornings, possibly even snow, and the park will still be crowded.

[Uncle_Grumpy]

With that time span I would not try to do both places. Go to Yellowstone first and then to the Black Hills in the future. Both have a lot to see and you will be spending too much time traveling and not enough experiencing. If you go or come back 3-4 hrs south of the park on hiway 191 is Highline Trail RV park in Boulder WY. Great spot. Just S of Pinedale that has a lot of attractions. Worthy of a day or 2 or 3.

[TOMMY47]

MT Rushmore area--Federal campground called Horse Thief Lake. 2-3 miles from Rushmore. NO hookups. Nice campground very close by. Under $25 unless senior. Then around $11.

[Thom02099]

ShadDad wrote:
Thanks everyone for good info. We are planning our trip around the 3rd week of Sept. Want to see the Elk rut in Yellowstone and maybe the Aspens turning colors.

Personally, I like vacationing/RVing in September. Keep in mind that a lot of CG/parks close mid-September, usually around the 15th, depending on where it falls on the calendar. I know that Rafter J Bar in Hill City SD is open until October 1; the park itself should be colourful, since there's lots of trees there, of varying types.

If you're going to do both, check for closing dates on some of the places you'd like to stay.

[2gypsies1]

For the 3rd week of September you might want to try Mammoth campground in the park. It is open year-round but doesn't accept reservations. It is right in the midst of the elk. They'll be walking through the campground. Stay nearby the previous night and pull in the morning as folks are leaving. We've always gotten a site there.

[kknowlton]

Third week in September some of the CGs inside YNP will already be closed, though not all. (Fishing Bridge should be open, but Canyon, for example, will be closed.) If you need hookups, FB is your only option in the park, as others have mentioned. Otherwise, I'd recommend Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone, as it's only a few blocks from the park entrance, very nice & clean, more elbow room than Fishing Bridge has, and offers FHUs, laundry, and proximity to town should you want to eat out or shop. Also as others have said, get reservations NOW, especially for inside the park.

If we don't get a cold fall, that time of year is a nice one to be in Yellowstone.

[ShadDad]

Thanks everyone for good info. We are planning our trip around the 3rd week of Sept. Want to see the Elk rut in Yellowstone and maybe the Aspens turning colors.

[WA7NDD]

You will most likely go to Deadwood. Have not been there in a few years, but the streets were so narrow the larger RV's parked out of town in a lot, and you would walk in. Our Class C was small enough we drove on though to Mount Moriah Cemetery to see the grave of Wild Bill. The in town residential road to the Cemetery was very steep. When our class C struggled to the top there was a sign that said our RV should not be there. Went to the grave. The markers made to impress the tourist, well taken care of and painted. Wild Bill and Jane buried together. I looked at the web site and they have now added a big bronze statue. Just like Jackson Hole, which we live close by, designed to get every tourist dollar before you leave town.

[Thom02099]

bdecker wrote:
Just remember the first full week of August is the official time for the Black Hills Motorcycle Rally. The whole area you're vacationing in will be busy during that time.

+1 on this. The dates are August 3-9. Also keep in mind that this is the 75th Anniversary of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and the expectations are that the crowds will be the largest ever. Pretty much all of the campgrounds/RV parks/resorts will be filling up quick, and the prices will likely be a premium.

Also, 2 weeks to do both is really pushing it. On you searches here, you will find many recommendations/comments to allow for extra time when trying to do both. Also factor in your travel time from Houston north, how many days of actual travel you'll be doing to get to your first destination.

Another vote for Rafter J Bar as a place to stay in the Black Hills.

Here's a MapQuest link that shows what is probably the best route. I've done bits and pieces of this, notably from Oklahoma north, and it's a good route at least from that point north. Once you get to Nebraska, going from I-80 north on US 26 and US 385 is a good drive, roadway is good, not overly taxing. You'll also go through the Nebraska State Forest, which is a bit of a surprise to encounter on the High Plains.

Houston to Black Hills

[bdecker]

Just remember the first full week of August is the official time for the Black Hills Motorcycle Rally. The whole area you're vacationing in will be busy during that time.

[D_E_Bishop]

Several years ago we drove our then 15 to 18 year old Bounder over the Buckhorns to Cody and we were pulling the Suzi Sidekick. We came from Mt Rushmore and we stayed at Crooked Creek Campground which is about a 1/4 mile closer to Hill City than Rafter J. It's a small campground but less expensive than RJ and easier to get in at the last moment. We couldn't get reservations at RJ so had to look elsewhere. Doing it again I'd stay a Custer.

Being self contained we didn't need full hookups at Yellowstone and Fishing Bridge was full. The DW got us a space by calling the Park rather than the reservation website. The gal she talked to got us three nights in the same site when the website said there were no spaces available. We wanted to stay an additional day and for that we did have to move to another campground.

The journals we keep are in the garage in boxes while we refurbish our S&B so I can't give the names of the campgrounds, all I know for sure is it wasn't Fishing Bridge and the access road around the loop was very narrow and getting in and out caused a traffic jam no matter what day or time of day.

Have fun and let us know how it went.

[ewarnerusa]

Both Hwy 14 and 16 over the Bighorn Mountains are beasts, be prepared. Looks like you're using a big truck though.

[TexasShadow]

Rafter J or Custer State Park (Game Lodge campground) for Rushmore visit
highway 16 west to I 90 to Buffalo and 16 on west across the Bighorns...several national forest campgrounds along that route...
small rv park in Ten Sleep on the west side of town...
Ponderosa RV park in Cody is a good one if you're planning to do the Bill Cody Museum. Otherwise, Buffalo Bill State Park about 7 miles and 15 miles west of Cody. And further out, there are a couple national forest campgrounds with elec. Wapiti and Rex Hale...if you want to get closer to Yellowstone's entrance gate.
In Yellowstone, Fishing Bridge in the only one with full hookups.
Bridge Bay is about 2 miles away with water and dump station.
Madison is on the west side of the park with water and dump.
Reservations NOW for any of these parks except the one in Ten Sleep or national forest campgrounds.