South Dakota & Idaho Info

[Firebee]

We're preparing for a trip to South Dakota (Mt. Rushmore, etc.) and to Island Park, ID (Yellowstone). We're driving from New Mexico.
Any particular routes anyone would recommend or not and good places to stay in SD or ID.

Thanks!

[j3ff9ack]

In Island Park, the best bet is the Henry's Lake State Park - it's a 20 minute drive to the West Entrance of Yellowstone - electric and water. Other options include Red Rock RV Park (on the other side of Henry's Lake) - 35 minutes to the West Entrance and Valley View RV Park - on main highway 20 minutes from the West Entrance. Both have full hookups. If you want to dry camp, lots of FS campgrounds in the area, but most require reservations and are farther away from the West Entrance.

As westernrvparkowner mentioned, if Yellowstone is the destination, there are closer options, but you may have other reasons to stay in Island Park, as there are lots of things to see and do there also. On the Montana side, there is Lionshead RV park and the KOA - both are 10 minutes out, and there are many options in West Yellowstone, with the often-mentioned Grizzly RV Park getting great comments from all. Lost of FS campgrounds on the Montana side also - around Hebgen Lake and down the Madison and Gallatin River drainages.

[zekegb]

We have stayed at Gros Ventre Campground in Tetons, but with a tent twice. Spaces may be a little short for big motorhomes. Not a problem for our Trek. Nice campground for NPS.

Stayed at Bridge Bay CG in Yellowstone twice. Liked it because it is fairly central. Of course, no hookups.

Will be retuning from FMCA convention through Cody and staying at Ponderosa CG. Nice because we can walk to downtown.

[DesertHawk]

Here's a couple old posts, maybe something will help in your plans:
Wyoming Area

Black Hills Area

Not sure you plan on taking in the Tetons or not. We stayed at Colter Bay Campground, the one without hook-ups in mid-June 2010, it was a nice place for such a large campground and close to showers. Our daughter & her hubby needed them, not having showers in their A-Liner. I have heard good things about Gros Ventre Campground...get more animals walking by or close by, etc. Nice views.

If there again, I believe I'd try Gros Ventre.

The Colter Bay Visitor Center and Indian ArtsMuseum by the Colter Bay Campground is really a neat one.

On our 2nd trip to Yellowstone, we went up to Mt. Rushmore & Black Hills, then went to Yellowstone via Cody, WY. Stopped by Devil's Tower & detoured up to see the Little Big Horn Battlefield on the way to Cody. Devil's Tower But entering Yellowstone from the North Entrance might work as well using I-90 to Livingston, MT. Then to South to Gardner & the Entry Gate on up to Mammoth. We enter that route in 2009. Not as much climbing as via Cody.

However, IMHO, One might want to go to Yellowstone/Tetons first, then if time allows head over to the Black Hills.

We've never entered by way of ID. Can't help with that. We've always wanted to be in the park when seeing it. Have never had a reservation, always found a site.

[westernrvparkow]

Why Island Park Idaho for Yellowstone? You are adding a 30 mile one way trip to the West Entrance every day. That's an extra hour on the road each Yellowstone day. Yellowstone is big enough without adding those extra miles. Stay in West Yellowstone if you want the West Entrance.
Fastest route from the Black Hills to West Yellowstone is I-90 to the Belle Fourche exit, Go to Belle Fourche and pick up 212 west (also called the Warrior Trail) take 212 to Garryowen, MT where you pick up I-90. Take I-90 west to US 191 South to West Yellowstone. An alternative is take US 89 off of I-90 to the North Entrance of Yellowstone, that will cut 60 or so miles off the trip to Yellowstone.

[Dick_B]

Refer to Mountain Directory West to help plan the trip.