Yellowstone / Grand Teton / Mount Rushmore - Number Of Days?

[paullac]

We have a question about the number of days for Yellowstone, Grand Teton, & Mount Rushmore.

We've read a lot of posts on this forum but not anything addressing this specifically.

Here's our rough plan in our class C for late June into early July:
- Drive from Cincinnati to Yellowstone - 3 days
- Stay at Fishing Bridge, see Yellowstone - ??? days
- Drive from Yellowstone to Grand Teton - half day
- Stay at Colter Bay Campground, see Grand Teton - ??? days
- Drive from Grand Teton to Mount Rushmore - 1 day
- Not sure where to stay but see Mount Rushmore - 1 day
- Drive from Mount Rushmore to Cincinnati - 3 days

We have 7 days to split up between Yellowstone & Grand Teton. We know we need to leave as many days as possible for Yellowstone. How many days should we allocate to Grand Teton? We would then put all the remaining days to Yellowstone.

The Fishing Bridge & Colter Bay websites show availability but we know we need to book quickly.

Thanks!

[Allworth]

The rest of my life if I could get away with it! And, I've already done Rushmore.

Seriously I would just do Yellowstone, Tetons, and maybe Cody, on a two week trip. That will give you just enough time to figure out what you want to see the next time you are there.

[Itching2go]

We did this same loop over three weeks from Northeast Indiana, except that we put the Tetons first (3 days, 4 nights), followed by Yellowstone (5 days, 5 nights), and then the Black Hills (4 days, 5 nights) on the way back. Went out by way of I80 and back by way of I90. Made for an efficient loop. But I gotta tell you, unless you're a real fan of long days driving, that's a chunk of real estate to cover in two weeks. I'd really suggest you drop the Black Hills this time around and focus your trip this time on the Tetons and Yellowstone. In any case, you'll have a great time in a really great part of the country!

[time2roll]

Yellowstone I would allow one day for the lower loop, one day for the upper loop and a day of rest in camp, short hike, etc. You will not see it all.

Two full days in Teton is probably enough (3 nights)

Long drive back to Rushmore, I made this a two day drive to avoid a marathon and see something along the way. One full day at Rushmore is plenty (two nights). This will give time for the kids to get their junior ranger badges, enjoy the self guided audio tour (get a headset for everyone), and time to return for the evening ceremony after a nice dinner. There are some historic towns and a steam train ride if inclined but that would add a second day.

Just some random thoughts, have fun!

[WVmountains]

We did the same trip from WV last July. Only we had four weeks instead of two.
I can say without hesitation, even four weeks was not enough!

If your set on the schedule as is; I would spend 5 days in Yellowstone and 2 in the Tetons.

What I would do if it was me; Skip Mount Rushmore this trip and spend another day in Yellowstone or Tetons.

Custer state park is a jewel. We have no plans to revisit Rushmore or Crazy Horse. Extremely crowded when we were there. Rushmore was like trying to exit a football stadium with a Hundred Thousand people at the same time. 😉

[michigansandzil]

Lauren wrote:
Ho boy, Craters Of The Moon instead of Teton. You best re-think that one!

OK, been to Teton several times and if you think Smokies is even close to that you best do some more research! The Teton range is, shall we say, just a little different! Like night and day.

Craters of the Moon. A lava field; kinda. You can see them lots of places. We went there thinking how great this was going to be and hike and do all kinds of things. We were to be there 4 full days. Drove the whole thing in the first half day. Did a hike the next day and that took less than a half day.

Even the owner of the RV park wondered why we were coming for 4 days.

Big hit of it all was were there over the 4th of July and the parade in Arco....that lasted 10 minutes - including the fire engine and the girls batons.

Suggest much more research.

You can see lava fields in lots of places? Where? I'm in Michigan, not much lava here. 🙂
We are allowing one day for this visit not four.

I'm sure the OP will make his own choices. My point was simply that you should take into consideration what everyone in the family wants to do. I am only slightly interested in visiting the tetons, and nobody else in my family cares to visit them so it got nixed from the agenda. We don't want to visit the tetons but we want to see lava.

[Lauren]

Ho boy, Craters Of The Moon instead of Teton. You best re-think that one!

OK, been to Teton several times and if you think Smokies is even close to that you best do some more research! The Teton range is, shall we say, just a little different! Like night and day.

Craters of the Moon. A lava field; kinda. You can see them lots of places. We went there thinking how great this was going to be and hike and do all kinds of things. We were to be there 4 full days. Drove the whole thing in the first half day. Did a hike the next day and that took less than a half day.

Even the owner of the RV park wondered why we were coming for 4 days.

Big hit of it all was were there over the 4th of July and the parade in Arco....that lasted 10 minutes - including the fire engine and the girls batons.

Suggest much more research.

[michigansandzil]

I have not been to any of these places yet, that's my disclaimer. Be sure to take into consideration what everyone in your family wants to do.

We plan on doing the same trip you mention in 2016 and I'm not even planning on staying at grand tetons. I'm sure many will say that's bad advice but after listening to my son tell me he was tired of looking at trees on mountains while visiting the smokies this year I've decided it's going to have to wait for a future visit.
I am taking a day of time to go to craters of the moon in idaho. Everyone seems interested in that and I think our time will be better served here than in the tetons.

It doesn't seem like you have enough time at Mount Rushmore area. What about crazy horse, wind cave, jewel cave, mammoth dig site in hot springs SD, and the Badlands. Don't forget those!
Have a great time and please post a trip report when you're back home.

[bee_46]

We did a quick run through the Grand Tetons this summer (1/2 day) but back in 1989 we spent at least 3 days with our children. There are hikes you can do (we hiked to Hidden Falls), and white water rafting on the Snake River as well as checking out the scenery. We also spent 4 days in Yellowstone this summer driving the loops and checking out the wildlife. We are not hikers, but if you like to hike there are many to do in Yellowstone. We have never spent more than a day at Rushmore, but have not been to Custer State Park.

We stayed at Fishing Bridge in Yellowstone and worked well for touring the loops. Also did the Chuckwagon dinner in the park one night. You can get there either by wagon or horseback. Have done both, horseback in 1989 and wagon this summer.

[jalichty]

I wouldn't spend any time in Jackson Hole, unless you need to re-provision. It truly is a tourist trap and full of people in the summer, making it a little difficult to get around with an RV. I think two to three days in Grand Teton will be sufficient, especially if you are at Colter Bay. Take a cruise on Jackson Lake one day, maybe even the lunch cruise or the dinner cruise. Some of the greatest scenery in the world and you get right up to the base of Mt. Moran that rises about 5,000 to 6,000 feet straight up. Go over to Jenny Lake and take a boat to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point and then to Moose, on over the Gros Ventre and Slide Lake( but the roads are a bit bumpy part of the way. In the evening, drive around toward Moran and then out of the Park to Moose and then back to the campground looking for wildlife, you should see some. Then, 4-5 days if possible in Yellowstone, there are so many features there that you really do want to spend some time at them. Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is a stunning place as well as Norris and Old Faithful. Yellowstone Lake and the hotel are a place you also need to see. Then go to Mammoth over Dun Raven Pass and then to the Lamar Valley. Look for wildlife all the time, but in a motorhome, might be tough to stop and watch and take pictures. I think that one day, after you drive to Rushmore, is plenty, but stop on the way, if you can, and take a quick look at Devil's Tower in Northeast Wyoming. If you find that you can't see and experience all you want, hopefully you can always come back.

We spend about three weeks in Colter Bay with our FW and boat. Fish most of the time but also sightsee a lot. Never get tired of it and we have been going up there for over 50 years. Usually take a day and drop up to Yellowstone. Sometimes we pull the boat up there and fish as well. Yellowstone Lake is truly awesome. Above all, enjoy your trip and don't sweat the small stuff like animal jams on the highways and lack of parking space at the features.

[Lauren]

I think two full days at Mt. Rushmore is fine - part day to oooh and aaah and then drive to Custer, etc. Nice drives in that area. Add a day if including the badlands.

Teton. I would do three days at least.

Yellowstone. So much there you can do a week without any problem. Lots to see and do.

Depends on your interests but Jackson Hole, IMHO, is just another tourist trap - spend the time with the natural beauty.

Enjoy.

[Jim_Shoe]

Check out Jackson Hole here. Lots of shops and things to do, for kids as well as adults.

[mabynack]

I spent a week at Rushmore and I think a couple of days there would have been more than enough. I agree that Custer State Park is well worth the time. My favorite there were the wild burros.

I spent a month at Yellowstone and saw something different every time I travelled through the park. I plan on going back and doing it again. My favorite part of the park was the Lamar Valley in the North East. We saw more varieties of wildlife there than any other part of the park. I saw badgers, black bears, elk, bison, wolves, and pronghorns. I went back just about every day and saw something new each time.

The Buffalo Bill Cody museum in Cody, Wyoming is definitely worth the time if you like guns. I spent two full days just going through there.

We planned a week at Teton, but we could have spent a couple of days and seen everything. The big attraction there is the scenery.

[mleekamp]

We are booked for a 2 week Yellowstone / Grand Teton adventure this July, starting in Central IL near Peoria. Here is our schedule:

2 days to Grand Tetons
2 days, 3 nite stay at Coulter Bay RV village
4 days, 5 nite stay at Fishing Bridge Yellowstone
1 day, 2 nite stay at Ponderosa campground, Cody, WY
1 day, 2 nite stay at Devils Tower, WY
Sioux Falls KOA on way home

I had several trip outlines planned, including adding Mt. Rushmore & area. We've been to the Black Hills before and it is beautiful. However, since we were limited to 2 weeks, we skipped it on this trip, though we will "pass thru" after Devils Tower on way home.

We wish we had more time for yellowstone, but by going to Cody, then Devils Tower, we ease our way back east on the way home. We know we will be back !!!!!

[Ivylog]

OP, thank for posting number of people. From your posts it does not look like you will be pulling a car. In the peak season at Ystone you are going to have trouble finding parking at many of the pullouts/sites with a 31' MH. Most of the side roads will not allow you on them except in a car or PU.
You have posted that you are a FHU person BUT I would suggest staying at Baker's Hole USFS CG just north of West Yellowstone and renting a car to see the north side of the park. $21/day with electric will help pay for some of the car rental. If you are into long hikes each day then having a car is not as important.
You can park your rig at Old Faithful without problems and then I would proceed on to Grant CG for one night. Not as many pullouts or side roads on the south side so doing it in the MH will be easier. I would give the north side three full days and then south side one day. That will put you in the Tetons before noon giving you 2 1/2 days there if I read your timeline correctly.
Seeing the Tetons and the town of Jackson will be OK in just the MH. 26/287 is a good road out of the Tetons and it's 500 miles to Rushmore.
I'll assume there is no way to make this a longer trip so if you can do 500 miles in one day then I'd do the 1200 miles from Rushmore home in two days giving you another day in Yellowstone/Tetons.
I would probably go to the Tetons first as getting there will be a better route. Granted it will be a little further from West Yellowstone to Rushmore (550 miles) but on better roads.
Are you sure you cannot get more time for this trip? Hope this helps.

[paullac]

OP Here -

Good point. We are a dad, mom, 14 year old girl, & 11 year old boy.

Did you think 2 days was enough at Grand Teton? Or were there major attractions that you missed?

Ideally we are trying to spend as little time as needed in Grand Teton as we've only read that you need as much time as possible in Yellowstone.