We have a family reunion in Alabama at the end of July where we will need our RV. So, the DW says, let’s leave next month and go back out west. Two years ago we went to Sedona & the Grandcanyon, Bryce, Zion, RMNP. Let’s go to Yellowstone and Mt Rushmore. OK......that’s 10 weeks before we need to be in Alabama! :E. We will have 10 weeks to explore. Cool. Im glad she’s willing to break away that long. She said she wants to be in Yellowstone before the crowds get too thick. I agree. But this is last minute. So we found a full hookup site in Yellowstone West for 5 nights the last week in May (we prefer full hookup). But from there.....where? And how long? We will have 6 weeks or more, after Yellowstone, before we have to drive towards Alabama. Suggestions?

Don’t miss Devils Tower, Deadwood, the missile silos near Rapid City, Little Bighorn, Glacier NP. Salt Lake area, and Sandy UT to see Kennecott largest copper mine in the world. Further south to Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak. Then Ride the train out of Durango to Silverton for a trip back into a truly western town.

OK May is a bit early, especially with the winter that they've been having so expect snow in Yellowstone. Glacier is out that early. So (and we've done this multiple times) Head to South Dakota and the black Hills/Badlands, around there hit: Rushmore, Badlands National Park, Wall Drug, Custer State Park (Bison and Prairie Dogs), The two national caves. Some folks like the Crazy Horse Monuments, others think it's a rip off. There is a great Mineral Museum on the University Campus in Rapid City. Camp in Custer if you can get in otherwise there are many nice commercial CG in the area. We liked the KOA in Scenic SD which is handy for the Badlands but not for the Black Hills.Going west is Devil's Tower. Then the Little Big Horn Battleground. If you go thru Cody there is a Rodeo and I think the Buffalo Bill museum. Then Yellowstone and Tetons. YNP is at 6000-8000 feet and will be colder. The main CG is closed for renovation so you'll probably be camping outside the park if you can get reservations.This may not fill 10 weeks considering the weather. I'd take my time on the way out. Have you been to Mammoth Cave?, that's worth several days. Our preferred route is north of St Louis and cross the Mississippi at Keokuk Iowa, then cut across Iowa. There are some old federal forts on the way. We usually cut thru Nebraska and go up into South Dakota into the Sioux Reservation below the Badlands. We generally avoid Interstates as boring.Going south you'll hit Dinosaur NM, Salt lake City and Colorado National Mon. Then all the towns and parks in southern Colorado. Mesa Verde, The Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Great Sand Dunes to mention only a few plus very spectacular roads.

Check out Adventure Caravan's tour of the Great Western Parks to see what they include in their itinerary that takes the entire month of September.

I agree with all the other suggestions, but I would add one more. We loved the Grand Tetons actually in some ways more than Yellowstone. We spent a week there hiking and would live to go back.If you go to Rapid City, check out Rafter J as a potential campground. Wonderful campground and great hosts. Our old truck acting up there and we ended up staying longer than planned. They went out of their way to accommodate us. If you spend time in South Dakota, you may want to check out the Corn Palace in Mitchell SD. Good for a couple hours.

I would hate to be a FHU to FHU camper and all the advanced reservations that requires. We will do 2+ months out West this summer without reservations BUT we are fully self contained...7-8 days before needing to resupply. It could be June before the south entrance of Yellowstone is open so doing the Rushmore area first...OH wait, you already have reservations end of May at W Y. Like I said, being FHU limits us to much. OP, you need to learn how to dry camp by buying a generator and a couple more batteries...5 days at WY costs what $300? I stay at Bakers Hole USFS CG 3 miles north of W Y for $6/night. No, it does not take reservations but not a problem getting in if you arrive before noon.There are hundreds of USFS CG that do not take reservations...our favorite and not a problem getting in on Monday but near impossible on Friday. 10 weeks of FHU will be $2-3000. My 2 months will be half that. Looked up my post on 58 days and my CG costs...less than $700 and less than 50 hours of generator time...25 gallons at $3 so another $75.

FL to Yellowstone 10 weeks out west what to do?

Allworth
Explorer II
May 24, 2019
I'm getting in this late, but while in the Yellowstone area (one of the world's truly great places) don't miss Dinosaur. Plan 2 nights at Vernal.
richclover
Explorer
May 23, 2019
tragusa3 wrote:
Thanks for the update! I'm excited for you! When you're from the south, it can be hard to fathom Memorial day not being warm enough. Glad to hear it isn't slowing you down.

Right, according to KSL news, Salt Lake City, several of the more popular area high elevation roads and camping areas won’t be open until mid-June or later. Too much remaining snowpack.

In fact it’s 31degF and snowing heavily along I-80, SW WY, again this morning.

Lucky for the OP the highways are just wet. Forecast for Jackson Hole through the weekend calls for highs in the 50’s, lows in the 30’s. Showers every day through 5/29.

Sorry, but don’t shoot the messenger!

http://www.wyoroad.info/highway/webcameras/I80BearRiverDr/I80BearRiverDr.html
tragusa3
Explorer
May 23, 2019
Thanks for the update! I'm excited for you! When you're from the south, it can be hard to fathom Memorial day not being warm enough. Glad to hear it isn't slowing you down.
Gulfcoast
Explorer
May 23, 2019
Hey OP... what a great trip, please keep us updated. Thanks
FLGup
Explorer
May 23, 2019
OP here. The trip is going great!
We beat streets across the plains to avoid all the tornadoes. I-40 was so rough it about beat us to death, but we made it from S. FL to Santa Fe NM in 5 days. So we got to spend 4 nights in Durango and took the train to Silverton .... and drove to Mesa Verde the day before the snow shut the roads down. Fantastic train trip.... but temps did dip in Durango to 20s at night with light snow. Brrrrrr.

We are in Moab now (much warmer) but headed towards Jackson WY tomorrow. Weather calls for rain and colder, but not freezing. Memorial weekend reservations at Jackson with town activities should be fun, then on to Yellowstone.

Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions. We will play post-Yellowstone (early June) by ear as we monitor the weather. So much to see......so little time.
richclover
Explorer
May 22, 2019
flguppie wrote:
OP here! Thanks everyone for the wonderful suggestions and itineraries. All great suggestions. We leave soon and have reservations near Jackson WY near the Grand Tetons in 12 days. That’s 12 days to drive there (should be about 7-8 days driving time with a few days to stop along the way...12 days should make it easy.). After Grand Tetons, we are booked in West Yellowstone first week of June. After that the world is our oyster. We did booka place near Sturgis and Spearfish and the Black Hills for the week of July 4th as we travel back towards an Alabama reunion end of July. Other than that, it’s open season. If weather permits, after the first week of June (Yellowstone week) we may head to Glacier or over to Craters of the Moon. We will have about 2.5 weeks before Sturgis and Black Hills area. What about Ketchum and Sun Valley? Other ideas?

32degF here this AM. A few inches of snow but not sticking to the pavement. Must be springtime in the Rockies!

How goes the trip?

Our house, elevation 7020' MSL, a little south of I-80, SW WY:
fanrgs
Explorer
May 09, 2019
richclover wrote:
Be prepared for weather changes. We consider June 1st the “safe” date for no more hard freezes, but we’ve seen snow in June. In fact, it’s 30 degrees F now. Light snow, but not sticking to the pavement. Back in the 60’s in a few days.
It has been snowing at our house in Denver (elevation 5,900'), since last night and more is predicted for the middle of next week. And we have had snow in Denver on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends during my 56 years in Colorado. So, I am with those who suggest staying either in the Southwest or delaying higher elevation camping until June, unless you really enjoy winter camping!

If you need some route, campground, or sightseeing info for Colorado, see my blog HERE.
Roy_Lynne
Explorer
May 09, 2019
How about Glacier and the Tetons, a week at each might be enough time see all. Then from Yellowstone, if your interested just south of Cody Wy is a small town called Thermopolis and if your interested in fossils/dinosaurs, the Wy Dinosaur Center is there and they offer tours of digs that is really interesting.
You could blow a couple of weeks in South Dakota and still not see everything. Would suggest camping in the town of Custer, as it is right in the center of things. 20 minutes to Wind Caves, Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, etc.... and then the Badlands cant be missed and if you like touristy stuff, Wall Drug will make you smile. And then there is Utah. You could spend a year in Utah and not see it all/
richclover
Explorer
May 09, 2019
flguppie wrote:
OP here! Thanks everyone for the wonderful suggestions and itineraries. All great suggestions. We leave soon and have reservations near Jackson WY near the Grand Tetons in 12 days. That’s 12 days to drive there (should be about 7-8 days driving time with a few days to stop along the way...12 days should make it easy.). After Grand Tetons, we are booked in West Yellowstone first week of June. After that the world is our oyster. We did booka place near Sturgis and Spearfish and the Black Hills for the week of July 4th as we travel back towards an Alabama reunion end of July. Other than that, it’s open season. If weather permits, after the first week of June (Yellowstone week) we may head to Glacier or over to Craters of the Moon. We will have about 2.5 weeks before Sturgis and Black Hills area. What about Ketchum and Sun Valley? Other ideas?

Be prepared for weather changes. We consider June 1st the “safe” date for no more hard freezes, but we’ve seen snow in June. In fact, it’s 30 degrees F now. Light snow, but not sticking to the pavement. Back in the 60’s in a few days. The Mirror Lake Scenic Highway, route 150 south of town, isn’t open yet given the 150% snowpack this winter. I’m having my morning coffee about 2 miles south of I-80, SW WY.

Have fun!
klr650goldwing
Explorer
May 09, 2019
Park the trailer for this one; Bear Tooth Pass. Begin in Red Lodge, Montana and head towards Yellowstone NP. In addition to being an RVer, I'm also a biker and this road is ALWAYS listed in the top 10 biker roads in the country. I try to go over it every year.