Is our summer trip out West too ambitious?

Holy Moly !!
You are going to spend your entire vacation driving from one place to another!
Take your time, and spend several nights at one destination.
JMHO

I always read this blog:

http://www.cross-country-trips.com/

It's about a couple from NJ with a Lazy Dayz motorhome and their summer road trips around the US and Canada with their 2 young boys. Not everyone's idea of a good time, but she gives VERY detailed descriptions and maps/routes. It's a good read about what might work and not work for you family. And some people here would just say "OMG, are you kidding? That's what they find fun??" But they obviously had a great time and made great memories.

Some people can (and like) interstate dashes to try and see a little smidgen of a lot of things. They then can go back later and explore more. And some people would be more happy with a relaxed 2 lane blacktop-type trip with numerous multiple day stops. YMMV. Enjoy it however you decide to go :)

Good choice on limiting your vacation. Most importantly, your kids will enjoy it a whole lot more. Places like Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and Glacier are where the kids can get away from all the electronic entertainment and get immersed in a whole world of nature. We take our nieces who are the same age as your kids to our family cabin for 10 days every summer. There's no internet, TV, or even cell phone service. Big deal. They immediately head outside to find birds, bugs, flowers, a stream to dam, a lake to fish. It's the one time all year they don't have some electronic gadget in their hands and they LOVE IT!

As for the 4th of July, it does make it imperative to get reservations NOW. You will already find some places booked solid. I would plan on 30% of your time in the Black Hills, 10% of your time in Cody, and the balance in Yellowstone/Grand Teton. Yellowstone is more than geysers. There's a fantastic canyon, a large clear lake, and wildlife. Getting around the park takes quite some time, as the speed limits aren't fast and you'll often be stopped by "buffalo jams" or other critters slowing your progress.

Some days I just feel like sitting around the campsite, enjoying the smell of the woods and the feel of the breeze. I read a while, get up and ride my bike around the CG, then sit some more and watch the clouds go by. Aaaahhh, vacation! A day like this, interspersed with the sightseeing/traveling days, makes it really relaxing.

Slow down and see some sights. It is called an RV Recreational Veh. not Rush Veh. Enjoy the exerence.

Just to add my opinion -

Any vacation where the traveling is done via interstates is not vacation (to me). The best part is taking all the old highways and seeing the small-town sites and different local cultures.

I know you want to see everything, and I have almost made this mistake myself. Once we got 3 days into the trip, we changed course and decided to just enjoy a few places and not drive so much. We had a fantastic time can't wait to go again. We only drive 200-250 miles a day, and had plenty of time for stops, breaks, walks, whatever we wanted.

It's great to have an itinerary, but that's not a vacation. Just go at a comfortable pace and enjoy everything!

As others have said, way too much driving and not long enough at your stops.

Rather than spending one night at a place -- allow 2 or 3 minimum. After driving all day, let the kids swim at the CG or do something of interest. Set up, so you can sit down outside with a cool drink and relax after driving all day. The next day, get up fresh and do your sightseeing.

Reading your proposed itinerary just makes me feel like I need a nap. LOL

We took our 9 y/o GS along last year on our longest trip ever. 3+ weeks. We left PA - went to a friend's house in VA. Spent 2 nights there. Left and headed for FL. Stopped at South of the Border, for a break. Took GS in to the Reptile Land there - basically just to let him do something other than riding in the MH. He was good with the riding, but that stop did him good. It was not a planned stop - I saw it and just thought it was a good time for a break. Also, I like to allow time that if we see something along the way that looks interesting, we stop to see it.

Drove the rest of the day and just stopped for a few hours of sleep. The next day we made our first destination. Stayed there 4 days. Next destination stayed 11 days. Next destination 5 days. Then headed home.

Our GS did great. But he had enough riding on the travel days. I would not want the entire trip to be pushing for mileage nearly every day. I think the kids will get squirrely.

You want to make good memories that the kids will remember and want to go again in coming years.

Just a tid bit here -- my dad would never stop when we went away. He drove truck for a living and he was in the mindset that you get where you are going. He was all about getting to the destination. We used to do day trips on vacation. We never got to stop if we saw something of interest along the way. You just go.

One of my memories is dad, mom, my brother, me, and my infant son.... we went from PA to Jamestown, VA. We were all packed in a corvair. Had the ice chest with the baby formula, the stroller - and in those days, strollers took up a lot of real estate in a car. Plus the diaper bag.

We went to Jamestown and back in the same day. My mom and I took turns holding the baby. Our arms were about to fall off. We were packed in like sardines. MOm and I kept begging dad to stop and get a room. Nope. I was never so glad to see home in all my life. I don't remember what we saw or did that day but I sure remember the agony of that trip home. That was the last time I went on a trip of that duration with my dad.

Don't do that to your kids..... LOL We laugh about it now, but it sure was NOT fun at the time.

In the 17 days you have allotted I would never get out of the Black Hills and even then I would be moaning the fact that I had to leave so soon. That area alone has so much to offer for the whole family. Scenery on par with the best in the world and it goes from the desolate in the Badlands, to plains, to mountains, and also includes lush forests. Wildlife in abundance, tourist attractions, shopping, National Monuments, museums, lakes and streams .... Truly something for all ages and all tastes. For a first trip you could do no better IMHO.

I personally would save the Utah portion for another trip. Southern Utah is gorgeous and deserves a great deal of time in and of itself. I would concentrate on the Yellowstone/Tetons this trip and save the rest for another year. I know you want to see as much as you can but you also don't want to bore the kids to tears. I was always tempted to cover too much territory when I was still working and only had so much vacation time to use.
Good luck.

I think you're making a great decision to stick with the northern places this time.

When you start planning Utah next time, you'll realize that besides Bryce and Zion, there are more fabulous NPs and State Parks, too, and you'll want more than two weeks down there.

Then CO can be a third.