Yellowstone, Badlands, Mt Rushmore? From Cincinnati

[acritzer]

Any suggestions, advice, or experience with the suggested trip? We really want to head west early this summer. Never been that direction before. Only thing I've heard is that getting into Yellowstone from the East is "rough"?

We'll be towing a 29 foot TT.

[Rovin__Bones]

If you come across I-90 through Minnesota, take a slight northern detour to Pipestone National Monument. From I-90 head north on US 75 27.8 miles to Pipestone, MN. Travelling I-90 you'll also pass in close proximity to the Laura Ingalls-Wilder Museum in SW Minnesota, which is another nice heritage site. From I-90 head north on US 71, then head West on US 14 into Walnut Grove, MN (61.7 mi. from I-90) 🙂

[Rangerman40]

acritzer wrote:
I can't remember if I confirmed this plan with anyone from this forum.

Coming west on 90...I think I read somewhere that I should avoid 14 heading through the Bighorn National Forest? It's better to head south on 16, catch 20N and then join back up with 14W.
Can anyone second that plan?

That's the way I went! I'm from Dayton btw!!

[2gypsies1]

Red Eagle wrote:
From I-90, take hwy l6 from Buffalo to Worland, then hwy l6-20 to Greybull, then hwy14-20 to Cody and continue to the east entrance to Yellowstone.

This is the easiest route from Buffalo.

[acritzer]

I can't remember if I confirmed this plan with anyone from this forum.

Coming west on 90...I think I read somewhere that I should avoid 14 heading through the Bighorn National Forest? It's better to head south on 16, catch 20N and then join back up with 14W.
Can anyone second that plan?

[Rangerman40]

RGar974417 wrote:
We were just in Yellowstone in May.I would head to Yellowstone first. We took I-70 to I 72 and then I-74 to Missouri Rt36. This is a great alternative to I-70 across Missuori. It's 4 lane and 65mph. We stayed at Pershing State Park which is right off Rt36. It has electric hookups and was $19 a night. From 36 we hit I-29 north to I-80. The next night we stayed at Lake Olagalla Recreation area. This is a beautiful campground under tall trees on a lake with electric hookups.The showers need some work but the park itself was nice.$18 with electric. The next day we got off I -80 at Rawlins and headed up 287/26. That night we stayed in Dubois at the Longhorn Ranch and RV Park. $49 a night for full hookups. Very nice campground on the Wind River. The bath rooms were about the nicest we ever saw. Each one was like your bathroom at home with toilet,sink and shower. From there we stayed at Madison in Yellowstone. It's nice and centrally located but no hookups. We spent 4 days in the park. We should have spent 2 more. Yellowstone is huge and you will do alot of driving.The Inn at Old Faithful is beautiful. We ate dinner there. Good food and the prices weren't bad.From Yellowstone I would head out the Cody entrance and work my way over to I-90 which will take you into South Dakota. We stayed Rafter J campground. Very nice full hookup. But if I did it again, I would stay in Custer State Park.They now have electric hookups and there is so much to see in the park. While there hit Mt Rushmore. We also liked the Cosmos and Bear Country USA. Then head east to the badlands and Wall Drug. Bandlands has a campground with electric hookups. From there head back to I-29 and retrace your route back home.

Did you seriously drive right through the Grand Tetons and not stop for a stay?

[ppine]

Relax. don;t over plan. At first the West is all new and different. Yellowstone is your only "must see." Don't get anxious about trying not to miss something. It takes a lifetime and multiple trips just to get the highlights.

[RGar974417]

We were just in Yellowstone in May.I would head to Yellowstone first. We took I-70 to I 72 and then I-74 to Missouri Rt36. This is a great alternative to I-70 across Missuori. It's 4 lane and 65mph. We stayed at Pershing State Park which is right off Rt36. It has electric hookups and was $19 a night. From 36 we hit I-29 north to I-80. The next night we stayed at Lake Olagalla Recreation area. This is a beautiful campground under tall trees on a lake with electric hookups.The showers need some work but the park itself was nice.$18 with electric. The next day we got off I -80 at Rawlins and headed up 287/26. That night we stayed in Dubois at the Longhorn Ranch and RV Park. $49 a night for full hookups. Very nice campground on the Wind River. The bath rooms were about the nicest we ever saw. Each one was like your bathroom at home with toilet,sink and shower. From there we stayed at Madison in Yellowstone. It's nice and centrally located but no hookups. We spent 4 days in the park. We should have spent 2 more. Yellowstone is huge and you will do alot of driving.The Inn at Old Faithful is beautiful. We ate dinner there. Good food and the prices weren't bad.From Yellowstone I would head out the Cody entrance and work my way over to I-90 which will take you into South Dakota. We stayed Rafter J campground. Very nice full hookup. But if I did it again, I would stay in Custer State Park.They now have electric hookups and there is so much to see in the park. While there hit Mt Rushmore. We also liked the Cosmos and Bear Country USA. Then head east to the badlands and Wall Drug. Bandlands has a campground with electric hookups. From there head back to I-29 and retrace your route back home.

[Red_Eagle]

Agree with 2Gypsies. From I-90, take hwy l6 from Buffalo to Worland, then hwy l6-20 to Greybull, then hwy14-20 to Cody and continue to the east entrance to Yellowstone. Last year, we stayed several days in Gardiner & visited the northern part of Yellowston, then stayed several days in West Yellowstone to visit the southern part of Yellowstone. Both locations are just outside the park. We camped at Jackson Lake campground to visit Grand Teton N.P. Reservations are definitely needed early if you want to stay within the park. MANY things to see in Yellowstone. Have a great trip.

[russkerri]

Hi,
We had an amazing time doing that trip this summer (except coming from SW MO). There's so much to see. I've been blogging about our trip. You can find links to my posts with lots of photos, campground reviews, and suggestions here: Road Trip. I haven't covered Yellowstone yet, but I will be doing it soon.

We did enter Yellowstone at the east entrance. If you are going into Cody, WY, the part of the trip that you need to pay attention to is through the Big Horns. There are 3 routes--one isn't recommended for RVs, one is adventurous but doable, and one is relatively easy (that's the one we took--Highway 16). The part from Cody into Yellowstone is no problem at all.

Have fun trip planning!

[Rangerman40]

2gypsies wrote:

Rangerman40 wrote:


That second day was a bit of a bear. I think I drove like 14hrs that day with two kids under 5.... unfortunately I only get so much vacation a year so I had to make the drive count.

It's the kids I feel sorry for! Wow!! We've taken 2-week vacations but the kids were older so they could remember the trip. This is a case where the wife should know how to drive to relieve you if you feel you need to cover that many hours on the road.

14hrs driving is nothing for me. We stopped plenty to walk around and take breaks. The kids had plenty of entertainment to keep them occupied. Believe me, you don't want my wife pulling our fiver lol.

[2gypsies1]

Rangerman40 wrote:


That second day was a bit of a bear. I think I drove like 14hrs that day with two kids under 5.... unfortunately I only get so much vacation a year so I had to make the drive count.

It's the kids I feel sorry for! Wow!! We've taken 2-week vacations but the kids were older so they could remember the trip. This is a case where the wife should know how to drive to relieve you if you feel you need to cover that many hours on the road.

[Rangerman40]

acritzer wrote:

Rangerman40 wrote:

acritzer wrote:
Is Fishing Bridge the site that says "no soft side camping"...because of the bears? I teased my wife about that detail!

That's the place!! I saw a few Brown Bears in the vicinity when we were there!! It really is the most convenient campground for Yellowstone. Lots of people will tell you to stay in West Yellowstone, but the amount of driving in and out every day is just not worth it. When planning your trip realize it takes a good 5 days to properly explore the Black Hills area, and I'd say a minimum of 4 just to hit all the hot spots and complete the loop in Yellowstone.

Thanks! We're planning to sit down soon and really get planning. I want to make sure we cover all of the must sees. Thankfully we should have 2-3 weeks if we really want to.



Any suggestions on a stopping point 1/2 from here to there? Driving with the kids, I probably won't want to do much more than 8 hrs. a day.

Leaving from Dayton and hopping directly on 70 at around midnight on a Friday night I stopped just over the border outside of Danville IL on 74 at a rest stop for the night. The next day we started fairly early and I stayed on 74 until I hit 80 west and stayed on there to just outside Omaha where I hopped on 29 and on up to 90. That day I made it to another rest stop on 90 somewhere near White Lake SD. The next day we enjoyed the drive and rolled into Custer State Park in the early afternoon. That second day was a bit of a bear. I think I drove like 14hrs that day with two kids under 5.... unfortunately I only get so much vacation a year so I had to make the drive count. Luckily for me I don't mind driving all day. I missed a few things on the drive out I would have like to have seen like The Bridges of Madison County, Amana, and the Corn Palace in Mitchell SD.

Just a side note, but somewhere out on 29 the speed limit goes up to 80 for the rest of the way and it feels like you are the slow guy in the Indy 500.

[Busskipper]

acritzer wrote:

Rangerman40 wrote:

acritzer wrote:
Is Fishing Bridge the site that says "no soft side camping"...because of the bears? I teased my wife about that detail!

That's the place!! I saw a few Brown Bears in the vicinity when we were there!! It really is the most convenient campground for Yellowstone. Lots of people will tell you to stay in West Yellowstone, but the amount of driving in and out every day is just not worth it. When planning your trip realize it takes a good 5 days to properly explore the Black Hills area, and I'd say a minimum of 4 just to hit all the hot spots and complete the loop in Yellowstone.

Thanks! We're planning to sit down soon and really get planning. I want to make sure we cover all of the must sees. Thankfully we should have 2-3 weeks if we really want to.

Any suggestions on a stopping point 1/2 from here to there? Driving with the kids, I probably won't want to do much more than 8 hrs. a day.

Suggested Route you and only you will know when you are going to stop. Might suggest that you start on a Friday right after work just to get a jump on things, as it is a good drive to get to the Rockies and start the trip, and the Friday start just gets you closer and will make the trip just a little easier.

I also took the liberty to run you through Colorado - Will give you a chance to just drive through areas you might enjoy later - And coming in from the South just allows you to take the "EASY WAY" in.

Hope this is some help,

[acritzer]

Rangerman40 wrote:

acritzer wrote:
Is Fishing Bridge the site that says "no soft side camping"...because of the bears? I teased my wife about that detail!

That's the place!! I saw a few Brown Bears in the vicinity when we were there!! It really is the most convenient campground for Yellowstone. Lots of people will tell you to stay in West Yellowstone, but the amount of driving in and out every day is just not worth it. When planning your trip realize it takes a good 5 days to properly explore the Black Hills area, and I'd say a minimum of 4 just to hit all the hot spots and complete the loop in Yellowstone.

Thanks! We're planning to sit down soon and really get planning. I want to make sure we cover all of the must sees. Thankfully we should have 2-3 weeks if we really want to.

Any suggestions on a stopping point 1/2 from here to there? Driving with the kids, I probably won't want to do much more than 8 hrs. a day.