Suggestions for Visiting the Badlands and South

[bluwtr49]

We're thinking of visiting the Badlands (possibly Deadwood or ??) near the end of our summer trip in mid to late September than dropping S. into NM before heading home in Tuscon. Right now planning ~30 days to get from Billings, MT to Tucson including stops an Santa Fe, NM and Sedona, AZ.

Any suggestions on routing, RV parks, and etc along the way would be greatly appreciated. I don't mind paying for good RV parks with reasonably spacious sites that will easily accommodate our MH (44' overall) Good golf along the way is a bonus.

Also, if possible I would like to avoid the Denver corridor but that might not be practical. That stretch remind me of the Salt Lake City corridor...100 miles of bad traffic.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[jlud]

Watch fuel if you go through Brush...there is a considerable stretch up from Limon to the interstate with no fuel so be full.

[2gypsies1]

Here's one for you on 385 at Wray, CO:

http://www.rvparkreviews.com/regions/colorado/wray/hitchn-post-rv-park

If you'd want to get on I-76 to Brush, CO (a little east of Fort Morgan you could then take 71 south. Here's a spot at Brush:

http://www.rvparkreviews.com/regions/colorado/brush

and the KOA at Limon, CO:

http://www.rvparkreviews.com/regions/colorado/limon

and another at Seibert, CO on I-70 just west of 385:

http://www.rvparkreviews.com/regions/colorado/seibert

[bluwtr49]

Yep, but they do have a KOA and a Flying J. But, as I stated, I would like to find a park somewhat further N so I don't have a 415 mile drive leaving the Badlands....so far no luck.

Speaking of the drive, how is hwy 71 or should I stick to 385??? on my way south.

[jlud]

Not much in Limon, it's just gas station town. If you get bored south of pueblo you can see the alamosa sand dunes and take wolf creek pass into Durango and pagoda springs if memory serves, some beautiful scenery but a bit of a detour.

Wife's family is from Pueblo...not much there at all, crime has been on the rise so I would not recommend staying there.

[bluwtr49]

Again, thanks for all the helpful information. I think I've got a handle on places to stay and visit in the Badlands....just have to make a decision but there are a lot of good choices.

The final piece yet to be resolved is where to stay on my way S. Right now my route takes me down either hwy 17 or hwy 385 and l'll pick up the interstate S. of Pueblo before entering NM. That all looks good except for finding something along hwy 17 or hwy 385. Using RV Parks Review the only thing I can find is a KOA in Limon, CO but at 415 miles that's a bit further that I care to drive in one day. Does anyone know of something a bit further N....say about 100 miles or so. If it takes an extra day to Santa Fe, that's not an issue.

Thanks again for the help.

[AllegroD]

We stayed at Custers Gultch a few years back. Small, nice, clean park and quiet but you did have to drive a short bit but you had to for everything.

We enjoyed Deadwood for a lazy day. Street show shoot outs, #10 saloon, Mariah Hill Cemetery and a founders house I can't remember the name.

Crazy Horse, Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, and drive through Custer State Park, Needles Highway with Cathedral Spires.

You will enjoy.

[J-Rooster]

As I entered the Badlands N.P. there was a helicopter for rent so I went thru the Badlands with a view from the air. I stayed at the KOA in Deadwood for 3 days and visited all the sites around the area. Prior to that I stayed at the KOA in Rapid City for 3 days and went to all the sites around there.

[rk911]

bluwtr49 wrote:
Thanks, I appreciate the insight and may well look into it. Yeah I have good tankage but still 3 days is about it on the FW/gray tank without rationing a bit.

wow! how big are your tanks and how many people on board? there;s just the wife and I. we have 100-g of fresh and 75-g of black and gray each. we dump the black once a week whether we need to or not..we could easily go 2-weeks on that. the gray does fill up faster but we can squeeze a week out of it. 100-g of fresh is easily enough.

again, not arguing...we love the hills and I guess we just want to share that with as many people as we can.

good luck and safe travels.

[bluwtr49]

Thanks, I appreciate the insight and may well look into it. Yeah I have good tankage but still 3 days is about it on the FW/gray tank without rationing a bit.

[rk911]

bluwtr49 wrote:

rk911 wrote:

bluwtr49 wrote:
...Since we won't do SP campgrounds or KOA's some more RV park comments would be appreciated...

curios as to why no to the state parks?

Guess it's just personal preference. If I'm staying somewhere for a week (which is our normal) I want unlimited access to water for showers and laundry, 50 amp power so I can run all the appliances like ice maker, Instahot, Aqua Hot electric, sewer hookups, and all the other conveniences. I even avoid 30 amp sites for the same reasons.

We bought a coach with a lot of amenities so we can enjoy them not ration their use.

Like I say, just personal preference.

first of all I'm not arguing with your personal preference. we all have them. I just want to point out that you may be missing out on a very cool experience in the Black Hills.

your Beaver certainly has tank capacity for both fresh and waste water for a week's stay...probably longer. the Game Lodge campground in Custer State Park has both 50-amp electric, a cold water laundry facility and the shower facilities are very clean. most of the RV sites are 50-60 feet long and the space between sites in this park are very generous. if you have a satellite dish you'll have a clear view of the sky from most of the sites. the night sky is something to behold. in the fall it's not uncommon to find Bison grazing along the fence line outside the campground.

the Black Hills are our favorite place to go and we hope you'll enjoy them as much as we do.

[bluwtr49]

rk911 wrote:

bluwtr49 wrote:
...Since we won't do SP campgrounds or KOA's some more RV park comments would be appreciated...

curios as to why no to the state parks?

Guess it's just personal preference. If I'm staying somewhere for a week (which is our normal) I want unlimited access to water for showers and laundry, 50 amp power so I can run all the appliances like ice maker, Instahot, Aqua Hot electric, sewer hookups, and all the other conveniences. I even avoid 30 amp sites for the same reasons.

We bought a coach with a lot of amenities so we can enjoy them not ration their use.

Like I say, just personal preference.

[rk911]

bluwtr49 wrote:
...Since we won't do SP campgrounds or KOA's some more RV park comments would be appreciated...

curios as to why no to the state parks?

[bluwtr49]

Thanks again for all the useful information...lots to think about. The comments about Strugis has me vacillating between Hill City, Sturgis and Deadwood.

As far as touring goes does it make much difference? Outside our our one visit to Custer during which we did Rushmore and Custer state park are there any advantages in staying in the Northern end of the park? We won't be there until the middle of Sept so all the frenzy of the Bike week should be well in the past.

Since we won't do SP campgrounds or KOA's some more RV park comments would be appreciated. Especially concerning how spacious are the sites. Too many times we've been packed in where putting our the awning was problematic (Girards are pretty wide). We will probably stay for a week.

If anyone has found some nice golf courses in the area, that would also be a plus.

Thanks again for all the valuable iinput.

[CharlesinGA]

Gjac wrote:
Not mentioned yet is Wind Cave and CG, both are 1/2 price if you are over 62. Went there last summer with GS could not get a campsite at Custer, but Wind cave NP had plenty of sites available and were still first come first served, was not far from Jewel Cave either.

I stumbled onto this perusing Google maps looking at the "see, do and stay" in the area. Here is the web site.

https://www.nps.gov/wica/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm

No electricity, dump station or showers, just flush toilets, but at the website notes "In past years the campground has been fairly quiet compared to other campgrounds in the Black Hills and finding a campsite has not been a problem."

Charles