Trip Planning: The Perfect Family Trip 2016!

[tragusa3]

Hello to all my friends here that have shared in our first, "The Perfect Family Trip". At the time, we thought that may be a one time shot. We are terribly excited to say that we have had a permanent change in our work that will allow us to have repeat after repeat!

Here's the link to the first trip. Trip Report: The Perfect Family Trip

I remember several commenting that the word "perfect" was inappropriate and not synonymous with road trips. Since our first lived up to the word in every way, keeping it in my thread title seemed fitting.

I look forward to having all your input and help in planning our Summer 2016. Reservations are key to us having a stress free trip, so we need to get an itinerary put together soon!

Here's our initial thoughts: Leave SC around June 7th, 2016 and have 6 weeks with a possible 7th if it is needed.

-Badlands
-Hot Springs
-Wind Cave
-Custer SP
-Mt. Rushmore
-Little Big Horn
-Yellowstone
-Tetons
-Glacier (optional...might be too far out for us?)

Looks like about 4500 miles round trip for us. We did 6,000 last summer and were fine with it.

I haven't researched enough to know how much time at each park yet. I'm thinking that Yellowstone is the cornerstone of the trip and deserves about 10 days. If Glacier works in, I think a large block there too, being that it's so far.

Planning with you guys was so much fun, let's start throwing out ideas, suggestions and comments!

[djsamuel]

Definitely add Devils Tower since you'll be nearby. Since you'll be at Mt Rushmore, may as well add the Crazy Horse Memorial as well. We found it interesting. Good for a few hours.

[Matt_Colie]

We did a lot of this last fall.
Notes:
You don't get to go into the Minute Man Silo any more, but a good stop.
Mount Rushmore is worth a couple of hours at best. If you show up there with the TT, you will get parked in BFE.
Wall Drug is just a big tourist trap, but fun to walk through.
Bad Lands is amazing to any of us from flat land.
Yellowstone is worth at least 4 days if you can hike. I was lame when we were there and that cut into possible activities. Be prepared to kill time in a "Bison Jam" or "Elk Lock". Just sit and appreciate.
If you can get to the Museum of The Rockies, it is highly recommended.

Buy Street Atlas with GPS and an inverter to run a laptop in the cab. Your plans will end up changing on a moments notice, so be ready to add a stop and adjust the route.

It does not matter how well you plan, when you get back, you will have missed something.

Matt

[Dick_B]

Search this Forum for each of the locations and read what has already been posted.

[TyroneandGladys]

IMHO a must see stop is The Mammoth Site

[Reader1]

This will be an amazing trip. Yellowstone is an amazing adventure as is Glacier. While in the Mt. Rushmore area I would stop at the Crazy Horse Monument. It is a work in progress and being completed by the family of the original artist. We took similar trips with our kids and now as adults listening to them talk we know that they have amazing memories. Enjoy!

[tragusa3]

Thank you so, so much.

It sounds like not a doubt in anyone's mind that Glacier should be part of this trip? If so, I might save the South Dakota stops for the trip home. That might break up the driving when we're at our worst.

Devil's Tower and the Buffalo Bill Museum added.

I know it is personal taste on how much in each park, but it is helpful to hear opinions. We are hikers, and that can require more time. Actually, let me hear from some true hikers. Based on our last trip, What do we qualify as? Moderate hikers? Heavy hikers? We hiked about 50 miles of trail in 40 days. Longest was 9 miles for "The Narrows" at Zion.

[sdianel_-acct_c]

All of our trips have been perfect! Some are more challenging than others but that adds to the memories. You might consider seeing Little Big Horn on the way home. We loved the Tetons and Glacier the best.
We stayed at the KOA in Dubois WY and drove to the Tetons in one day. Then we went back on Hwy 26 to Hwy 20 to Cody WY. (ditto - don't miss Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody). We stayed at Yellowstone Valley Inn RV Park (not fancy no trees but suited us). Between Cody and about 35 miles to East Yellowstone entrance. If you can get camping reservations inside Yellowstone that would be better. Then you could stay in one of the campgrounds in Cody. We liked the looks of The Ponderosa campground in Cody but they were booked well in advance. I called 2 weeks ahead and they had no spots. For Glacier, we liked Glacier Meadow campground between East and West Glacier. We liked the Native American tour that leaves from East Glacier. Very interesting for the boys.

[sdianel_-acct_c]

If we had to rank we would say: 1. Glacier 2. Tetons 3. Yellowstone.
However you can see Glacier in 2-3 days and the Tetons in one day. Yellowstone 5 days at least.

[kknowlton]

So I'd say 5-7 days in the Black Hills/Badlands/Devils Tower, 10-14 days at Yellowstone GTNP, and 10-14 days at Glacier. With travel time both ways, that takes care of 6-7 weeks pretty quickly.

I like this plan as well. We spent 5 days in the Black Hills some years back and didn't do nearly everything there is to do. 10 days or so in Yellowstone & the Tetons also can allow you to get over to Cody to visit the Buffalo Bill Center (definitely worth a visit!), and I'd second the thought of spending some time at Devils Tower & Little Bighorn National Battlefield - 2 nights each would be sufficient. The KOA at Devils Tower is right under the tower itself, great view, and has hookups (which the park CG does not), and there are a couple decent private CGs near Little Bighorn (take a tour while there - very interesting, and each one is a little different.)
If you like to hike, spend more time at Glacier than we did (4 nights on each side), and if you have passports, be sure to take a day trip up to its adjoining park, Waterton Lakes in Alberta.

[4runnerguy]

While the Black Hills has some interesting places, I'd plan my schedule to make sure I had adequate time in the Yellowstone GTNP and leave a week or more to get up to Glacier. Amazing scenery up there and it's worth going to both sides. The east side is drier and more rugged with more pronounced glacier features, while the west side gets more rain and is lusher. Which means taking US 2 around the southern tip of the park as one can't take a trailer over Going to the Sun road.

So I'd say 5-7 days in the Black Hills/Badlands/Devils Tower, 10-14 days at Yellowstone GTNP, and 10-14 days at Glacier. With travel time both ways, that takes care of 6-7 weeks pretty quickly.

After you time at Glacier, just remember that this is just a taste of what the Canadian Rockies are like. You'll be planning your next 6-7 week vacation to Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Yoho!

[Murphsmom]

Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody WY is a must see. We spent two days there last time we were there. http://centerofthewest.org . You will also be fairly close to the Little Big Horn Battlefield in Montana.

We will be doing the Black Hills/Rushmore/Little Big Horn trip in May this year. I hope to have some good photos for a trip report.

[agesilaus]

tragusa3 wrote:
Hot Springs I think is the site of the Mammoth dig site? I wasn't intending Hot Springs, Ark.

Added EcoBullet! Thanks.

Ah Interesting. I didn't know about that.

[tragusa3]

Hot Springs I think is the site of the Mammoth dig site? I wasn't intending Hot Springs, Ark.

Added EcoBullet! Thanks.

[EcoBullet]

Devil's Tower is pretty close to your route, just west of the Black Hills. Might want to consider it, and while you are out that far, you might as well go for Glacier, only another 370 miles and lots of awesome scenery. Then you might as well catch Theodore Roosevelt NP on a northern route home.

[agesilaus]

-Badlands
-Hot Springs --- I assume this is out of order, it still seems like Arkansas is not on a direct path to SD. If you haven't been to Mammoth Cave you might consider adding it.
-Wind Cave
-Custer SP
-Mt. Rushmore
-------------> The little known Minuteman NM takes you down into a minuteman silo, pretty interesting. They only do tours a couple of times a week. Ask about it at Badlands. You also might think about Wall Drugs right outside Badlands. A tourist trap but better than most.

-Little Big Horn--just a big grassy field.
-Yellowstone
-Tetons
-Glacier (optional...might be too far out for us?)--its about a days drive from YNP but puts you further away from your home. Great park tho.