Trip planning input / help request

[Ranger431]

We're looking at planning a big trip for this coming summer and I was hoping to solicit some feedback about campgrounds or other things to see or do. We've done some long trips before - from TN to Ft. Wilderness, or TN to Canada, but nothing like what we're considering here.

A couple of things about us - my wife and I have 6 kids, but our oldest is in college and likely won't be with us. The others are 4 daughters (16, 10, and 7 yo twins) and a 13 yo son. We have 2 dogs as well, so we'd like to limit the legs of the trip to 8-10 hours max, and will have 1.5 - 2 weeks, probably going to take 2, but it depends on work.

We're looking at starting on I-40 and heading west to start out at the Grand Canyon. This first leg is by far the longest, so I'd like to find somewhere nice \ convenient along the way. If there is something interesting, that'd be a plus. Any recommendations as to where to stay at the GC, or things out of the norm to see?

Next leg is to head north to Yellowstone. I was thinking of a stop for a night (or two) in the middle - maybe near Salt Lake?? Any recommendations as to camp grounds near Salt Lake or Yellowstone?

After Yellowstone we'd like to swing by Mt. Rushmore - would like to get recommendations where to camp therAnywaytoo.

Not real sure where to stop between Rushmore and home, maybe north of Kansas City?

Anyway, I know these are very broad questions, but we're very early in the process (obviously) but want to get advice from others who have "been there, done that". Also want to try and get sites reserved as soon as possible.

Thanks!

[Busskipper]

Ranger431 wrote:
Ive been doing a bit more research and planning and have made some adjustments. I don't have the specific overnight campgrounds, but will add them later.

Day 1, leave on Friday after work drive for about 5 hours and stay in MO.

Day 2 Make it to the far side of Nebraska. About 8 hours of driving.

Day 3 - go a little out of the way, but stay at Devils Tower. Ever since seeing Close Encounters as a kid I've wanted to see it.

Day 4 - stay put, see Devils Tower,

Day 5 make it to Colters Bay in the Grand Tetons

Day 5-7 Enjoy the Grand Tetons

Day 8 head to Fishing Bridge / Yellowstone around lunch

Days 9-11 Yellowstone

Day 12 - Head home, make it to mid Nebraska

Day 13 - Almost there,Missouri.

Day 14 - back home.

Was debating whether to skip DT and spend an extra day at GT or Yellowstone, but it just seems too neat not to see it. Maybe even spend the morning of day 4 there and drive to Rushmore for the afternoon since its only 2 hours and I wouldn't be towing.

This should have all "driving days" at 8 hours or less, I think 1 day is between 8&9 hours.

Started to try to dissect the route and your planning but like others have said it's your trip, you need to be comfortable in what you decide. Couple off good pieces of advice that I'd emphasize - coming from West Tennessee it's a "ROAD TRIP" and leaving on Friday and really pushing it the first two days will buy you some time on this "17 DAY" trip - Select the Mission/destination, and get there, then after you accomplished the mission add your stops heading home. These will likely not require the hard reservations that are needed in YNP and GTNP. Put Devils Tower and Rushmore on the route home then you will be able to have some flex in the Schedule. Keep Cody in mind and the Beartooth, as exit areas. This group did similar trips and loved it so you really have a lot of time, and best of all you are "young" so you will be BACK, like more than once.

17 days is a good amount of time so enjoy it.

BOL,

[littlemo]

2gypsies wrote:
Personally, I wouldn't go out of your way for Devil's Tower. Yes, it's a neat landmark but unless you're a rock climber, there's not a lot to do there. You could save it for another trip to the Mount Rushmore area. Add the time to the Tetons or Yellowstone.

Route yourself coming into Wyoming and taking I-80 and then 287 at Rawlins into the Tetons. Both are good for RVs.

Otherwise, your new plan is great!

This is such good advice. The drive on 287 from Rawlins through Lander (stop and see Sinks Canyon) as you head on up 287 through Togwotee Pass you will be hypnotized as you watch them grow from many miles away!

You can always go by Devil's Tower on the way home.

[chris_in_pa]

Ranger431 wrote:
Ive been doing a bit more research and planning and have made some adjustments. I don't have the specific overnight campgrounds, but will add them later.

Day 1, leave on Friday after work drive for about 5 hours and stay in MO.

Day 2 Make it to the far side of Nebraska. About 8 hours of driving.

Day 3 - go a little out of the way, but stay at Devils Tower. Ever since seeing Close Encounters as a kid I've wanted to see it.

Day 4 - stay put, see Devils Tower,

Day 5 make it to Colters Bay in the Grand Tetons

Day 5-7 Enjoy the Grand Tetons

Day 8 head to Fishing Bridge / Yellowstone around lunch

Days 9-11 Yellowstone

Day 12 - Head home, make it to mid Nebraska

Day 13 - Almost there,Missouri.

Day 14 - back home.

Was debating whether to skip DT and spend an extra day at GT or Yellowstone, but it just seems too neat not to see it. Maybe even spend the morning of day 4 there and drive to Rushmore for the afternoon since its only 2 hours and I wouldn't be towing.

This should have all "driving days" at 8 hours or less, I think 1 day is between 8&9 hours.

I agree you should go for it. My cousin did a month with 8 kids in a van covering your original route. Your new route above is doable. I also agree about leaving the dogs at home. A friend took ours when we did GC, GT and Yellowstone. It was nice to not have to worry about them. Your kids are a great age to really appreciate what they are seeing. Sure it would be great to have more time, but it's a lot better than not doing it at all.

[SDcampowneroper]

Dear Ranger431., OP,
I think your original itinerary is too broad. To even scratch the list of your to do list, you need a month or 2. The west is too big and fickle weather wise to plan such a tour without leeway.
Otherwise, it will be a chore, not an adventure. I would not want to be the Dad or Mom for a such a whirlwind trip.

[littlemo]

Ranger431 wrote:
Would you suggest Grizzly RV park over Fishing Bridge?

Yes, it will be quite a bit to squeeze in, and I've thought about trimming some out, but its hard to pick what not to do / see.

Definitely pick FB. It is centrally located and you can pick a different quarter of the park daily to drive to. If you have to drive from West Yellowstone each day it will be a LONG, Long day. You will need at least 3 days to even skim over YNP.
By the way. In my opinion 1 day in Grant Teton is plenty. It is beautiful but I would spend more of my time in Yellowstone.
Where ever you have to "skimp" on time I wouldn't do it in Yellowstone. It is beautiful.

Hope you have a great time!

[Flapper]

DT is pretty cool, and the KOA there has an awesome view, plus plays "Close Encounters" every night. But the road to and from is longer/slower than you might assume. As something to see - the drive in and out from the Interstate takes longer than you might spend there! We did it last year as an overnight stop, but we skipped the Black Hills, having been there a lot over the years. If you've never been, skip DT, and concentrate on a night and a full day for some of the Black Hills sights. Even then, you'll have to make some tough decisions as to what to see, and what to miss!

[wbwood]

Ranger431 wrote:
Ive been doing a bit more research and planning and have made some adjustments. I don't have the specific overnight campgrounds, but will add them later.

Day 1, leave on Friday after work drive for about 5 hours and stay in MO.

Day 2 Make it to the far side of Nebraska. About 8 hours of driving.

Day 3 - go a little out of the way, but stay at Devils Tower. Ever since seeing Close Encounters as a kid I've wanted to see it.

Day 4 - stay put, see Devils Tower,

Day 5 make it to Colters Bay in the Grand Tetons

Day 5-7 Enjoy the Grand Tetons

Day 8 head to Fishing Bridge / Yellowstone around lunch

Days 9-11 Yellowstone

Day 12 - Head home, make it to mid Nebraska

Day 13 - Almost there,Missouri.

Day 14 - back home.

Was debating whether to skip DT and spend an extra day at GT or Yellowstone, but it just seems too neat not to see it. Maybe even spend the morning of day 4 there and drive to Rushmore for the afternoon since its only 2 hours and I wouldn't be towing.

This should have all "driving days" at 8 hours or less, I think 1 day is between 8&9 hours.

If you leave on that Friday and count that as "Day 1", then you will have 17 days, if you go all the way until Sunday at the end of the two weeks. Not sure if you can, but 14 days will put you coming in a Thursday.

I'm gonna go against the grain here and say go for it. You might wanna slim down some things. But we are in the same boat as you. We have limited time for vacation and want to get a lot in. I would consider this a road trip and not a destination trip. A destination trip to us is to get to where we want to be and stay put. Then leave and go home. We are considering a two week whirlwind road trip as well, from NC. Right now, we are considering the Southwest. Furthest point being the Los Angeles area. We would love to spend a week or so there (California), but that's being unrealistic. Unsure of route there and back. Considered I-10 towards Phoenix. At one point, even had us going from LA to Grand Canyon, Colorado, etc...But it was going to limit the time in Los Angeles, which we may revisit that trip on planning again.

I've also considered heading northwest towards Mt Rushmore and see where we can go that way. Another trip was up towards Michigan, maybe Chicago and some other places. Another idea was Maine, Niagara Falls, etc.. Still looking at it, but it will be leaving in the evening of a Friday and coming back home either the Saturday or Sunday at the end of two weeks. Around 16 days long. I will take that Monday off. My daughter will be on summer break. My wife will be the only one having to work that Monday, more than likely. But she won't be the one driving, so she will be able to rest up. I will take care of things (laundry, etc) that Monday when we get home.

Like I said, this would be a road trip and not a destination trip for us. The only place we would want to spend more than a couple nights would be California, if we go that way, or all the way out there.

But you know how far you are willing to drive at a time. Some don't like to drive 2 hours, never the less 12 hours. I've driven the road between Augusta, Georgia to Southern California 3 times. Each time there were only 2 overnight stops. Little Rock, Arkansas and Albuquerque, New Mexico. I take that back..One of the trips did include a couple nights in Las Vegas. We even drove to the Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest/Painted Desert. Spent enough time (30 minutes - 1 hour) to see the wonders along the way. Decide your trip and plan it. It's your trip and no one else. Do it the way you want to do it.

[HeresLucy]

IMO - This is too much for one trip. The drive alone will take much longer than you realize. Are you familiar and comfortable driving in the mountains? Mountains out West are more significant than the East. They will slow you down. Must factor in the weather too. Earlier this year we had significant rain across the entire country. What impact will El Nino have next Spring/Summer? Just some things to consider.

Also -- re: driving thru SD, MT and Wyoming (via interstate) while less traffic there is wind and still some grades. When we got to Yellowstone earlier this year my husband was very tired from the long drive to get there and then the very long drives touring the park. Several days in a row of 2-3 hrs. It's a massive park. They say get there before the middle of July to avoid the peak tourist season. The more people, the longer it will take you to get to each place.

Please keep your kids in your sights - follow the rules about staying on the boardwalk in the hot springs areas. And keep them close on some of those lookouts. Google Yellowstone accidents. There are some really crazy people who get seriously hurt by not following the rules. I read some other replies - about hiking. You have some young children. Perhaps you are avid hikers, but either way be aware this place can be dangerous. This happened in 2014.

Hiking death.

Some of these sightseeing stops require extra care and attention for the little ones. During our trip we saw a little boy running up and down the boardwalk @ Mammoth Springs. He was about 5. His Dad was around, but not paying any attention to him. There are signs everywhere to remind people to stay on the boardwalk.

Another stop we pulled into a parking space near a restroom and their was a Bison right there. Way too close. But you'll read all kinds of visitors who would see this as a great "Selfie opportunity". So keep an eye on your kids at all times.

I'd recommend Grizzly CG in West Yellowstone over Fishing bridge. Really nice place. Nice town to get essentials.

Anyway - I'd do these trips in in 2 years.

Trip 1 - Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Badlands (if interested), Devils Head, Wall Drug; Battle of Little Bighorn, Yellowstone. Some down time to let mom and dad relax and the kids swim.

Perhaps take a different way home to add interest. eg. Have you been to FIeld of Dreams? Or Amana Colonies?

This is a really nice CG in Amana. Not a lot for kids to do, BUT if you happen to camp here over the 4th of July your kids will love it. They had spectacular fireworks that you can see from your campsite. It was really something. We stopped here unexpectedly largely because we were on our way to IL and decided to take an extra day to get there and could not find anything else on the 4th of July since we had not planned it. The main town is very quaint and a lovely day to walk around and have a bite to eat. So a suggestion for you to consider someday on this trip or another. Especially over the 4th.

http://www.amanarvpark.com/amenities.html

Trip 2 - Grand Canyon. Perhaps take a Southern route out -coming up thru Tuscon and take in Old Tuscon and see a gunfight. Then drive up to the Canyon via Sedona. You can't miss Sedona while in AZ. It's really something to see. You'll think you've seen it all but then you'll see the Grand Canyon.

Enjoy!

PS - Consider buying this... It will give you tips about the different routes off the interstate. Might come in handy as you plan your driving routes. Mountain Directory Book (West)

There is an East version too.

[rexlion]

Figure on 1-2 hours to see Devil's Tower, then move on. Plenty more to see and do around Tetons and Yellowstone. I wanted to get back to the Tetons this past summer but never made it. Maybe next summer...

You are right to leave Grand Canyon for a different trip. It is better to combine GC with some of the Utah sights (Zion, Bryce, Arches) and maybe some time in the CO mountains. Those right there deserve at least 2 weeks, without anyplace else added in!

Don't figure on pushing too far the first day, leaving after work. No use wearing yourself out right off the bat, and besides that it seems like Murphy's Law can kick in and make the departure day pretty hairy.

[TenOC]

When you get back, please post a summary. I plan to do the same trip in 2017(?).

[2gypsies1]

Personally, I wouldn't go out of your way for Devil's Tower. Yes, it's a neat landmark but unless you're a rock climber, there's not a lot to do there. You could save it for another trip to the Mount Rushmore area. Add the time to the Tetons or Yellowstone.

Route yourself coming into Wyoming and taking I-80 and then 287 at Rawlins into the Tetons. Both are good for RVs.

Otherwise, your new plan is great!

[Ranger431]

Ive been doing a bit more research and planning and have made some adjustments. I don't have the specific overnight campgrounds, but will add them later.

Day 1, leave on Friday after work drive for about 5 hours and stay in MO.

Day 2 Make it to the far side of Nebraska. About 8 hours of driving.

Day 3 - go a little out of the way, but stay at Devils Tower. Ever since seeing Close Encounters as a kid I've wanted to see it.

Day 4 - stay put, see Devils Tower,

Day 5 make it to Colters Bay in the Grand Tetons

Day 5-7 Enjoy the Grand Tetons

Day 8 head to Fishing Bridge / Yellowstone around lunch

Days 9-11 Yellowstone

Day 12 - Head home, make it to mid Nebraska

Day 13 - Almost there,Missouri.

Day 14 - back home.

Was debating whether to skip DT and spend an extra day at GT or Yellowstone, but it just seems too neat not to see it. Maybe even spend the morning of day 4 there and drive to Rushmore for the afternoon since its only 2 hours and I wouldn't be towing.

This should have all "driving days" at 8 hours or less, I think 1 day is between 8&9 hours.

[Busskipper]

4runnerguy wrote:

Ranger431 wrote:
Think I'll look at paring down the trip down a bit and focus on Yellowstone and GT this year, maybe follow up with separate trips the the GC and 4 surrounding areas & Rushmore / Custer for future stops.

Good move! It's a long trip west and your kids will get more out of it if they're out of the truck and in the outdoors. One can easily spend all of the time you have (6-10 days?) in GTNP and YNP. So very much to see and do. My mother worked at one of the curio shops near Old Faithful for 10 years and always found something new to do every year.

Definitely split the camping between the two parks, as "commuting" every day would eat big time into every day.

At GTNP, take the boat across Jenny Lake and do some walking up Cascade Creek. Look for moose in the evening in marshy areas. I would split my time 1/3 GTNP, 2/3rds YNP (or more).

At YNP, stop at the Visitors Center at Old Faithful and look at the predicted eruption times for some of the major geysers and plan your day in the geyser basins around those times. Take a hike down into the canyon and view the falls from there. Check out the trout swimming below Fishing Bridge. FB CG is the only one with hookups in the park, and staying in the park means less driving every day. But another option is to stay at a CG w/o hookups but with showers (Canyon or Grant Village). That way you can shower when needed. You won't need electricity for a/c, as it just doesn't get that warm there. You also may find you don't spend much time at your campsite, as there as so many things to see and program and hikes to do.

I would also agree with leaving the dogs behind. They can't go on any of the trails and you wouldn't want to leave them behind in the trailer and have to go back in the middle of the day to let them out.

X2 -- Great advice - and If at all possible get someone to watch the dogs at home - they will be happier and in YNP they would really not have fun sitting in the Trailer.

[4runnerguy]

Ranger431 wrote:
Think I'll look at paring down the trip down a bit and focus on Yellowstone and GT this year, maybe follow up with separate trips the the GC and 4 surrounding areas & Rushmore / Custer for future stops.

Good move! It's a long trip west and your kids will get more out of it if they're out of the truck and in the outdoors. One can easily spend all of the time you have (6-10 days?) in GTNP and YNP. So very much to see and do. My mother worked at one of the curio shops near Old Faithful for 10 years and always found something new to do every year.

Definitely split the camping between the two parks, as "commuting" every day would eat big time into every day.

At GTNP, take the boat across Jenny Lake and do some walking up Cascade Creek. Look for moose in the evening in marshy areas. I would split my time 1/3 GTNP, 2/3rds YNP (or more).

At YNP, stop at the Visitors Center at Old Faithful and look at the predicted eruption times for some of the major geysers and plan your day in the geyser basins around those times. Take a hike down into the canyon and view the falls from there. Check out the trout swimming below Fishing Bridge. FB CG is the only one with hookups in the park, and staying in the park means less driving every day. But another option is to stay at a CG w/o hookups but with showers (Canyon or Grant Village). That way you can shower when needed. You won't need electricity for a/c, as it just doesn't get that warm there. You also may find you don't spend much time at your campsite, as there as so many things to see and program and hikes to do.

I would also agree with leaving the dogs behind. They can't go on any of the trails and you wouldn't want to leave them behind in the trailer and have to go back in the middle of the day to let them out.