Trip from Santa Barbara to Mt. Rushmore

[ecpiceno]

I received some great tips and suggestions when I asked for info on our trip to Mesa Verde. So I'm now asking for any suggestions on a trip from Santa Barbara to Mt. Rushmore.

We are leaving in late August and plan on it being a three week trip.

We are pulling a 27 foot travel trailer.

My wife has heard that going up California and then following the Columbia River for a while is great. But that's about 750 miles out of the way. Is it worth it?

If so, we will probably go straight up to Mt. Rushmore and then do the Columbia River route to return.

Suggestions for an RV resort near Mt. Rushmore would be appreciated also.

Any help will do.

Ed Piceno

[ecpiceno]

Thanks to all of you!! I didn't mention it but we are also going to Yellowstone. We have been there before but it's been thirty years.

Thanks again for all of your suggestions. We have done the Oregon Coast several years ago. So I'm now seriously consideration going the L.V, Rapid City route. But still might drive back on the Columbia River route.

Thanks again.

Ed

[Reddog1]

Moved to TT.

Wayne
Moderator

[AirForceAngler]

750 miles sounds like an idea for the next trip, not to add on to a currenly planned trip.

[phenrichs]

We are from SD and we go out there quite a bit. I love the area. We can drive and spend all the time we want at each place but the bus tour from http://mountrushmoretours.com/ is absolutely worth while. You get a full day with breakfast and dinner and a show when you return. The tour guide/bus driver is a blast. You are never on the bus so long that the kids get bored if you have kids along. My best piece of advice is to make a list of things that you want to see and put them into your day with buffer space. We listed one thing for morning and one for afternoon and that was it. Leaving hours free for stopping at the stuff you find along the way. You will leave the area with a long list of "things to see next time" that you didn't even know were there.

[wcjeep]

Definitely take time to stop at Crazy Horse. Be sure to avoid Sturgis. Everything is booked for many miles while Sturgis is going on. Are planning to stop at Yellowstone? Cody, Wyoming?

[ksg5000]

Columbia River Gorge is beautiful .. but your really want to dedicate some time to the Oregon Coast .. has some of the best State Parks in the country.

[JumboJet]

I stayed at the Lazy J RV Park and Campground south of Rapid City on 16. Real convenient to Mt. Rushmore and Custer State Park.

We have taken the Fort Hays Mount Rushmore Tour twice. First stop was Mt. Rushmore, then Custer State Park, followed by the Crazy Horse Memorial. Check out the tour - includes breakfast and dinner with a lunch stop at a Presidential Retreat.

[Camp__Forrest__]

I'm going to be in Rapid City for school this summer and then my wife is coming to visit for two weeks. After checking the forums for advice, I booked some time at Custer State Park and the Rapid City KOA. I had to accept the fact that places in the area are more than the usual $20 a night that I am accustomed to but they seem very nice.

For the other part of your question, I would not add the Columbia River to a Mount Rushmore trip. If I lived in SB I would go the Vegas, Denver, Rapid City route. Save the Columbia River for a trip up the coast one year. Go to the Astoria Column, Multanomah Falls, Fort Stevens Park, Sea Lion Caves, Newport, Pacific City, Oregon Dunes, etc..

[exhaustipated]

X2 on Rafter J Bar Ranch. Been there and done that two years ago when sightseeing the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore.

[Dick_B]

Search this Forum for Mt. Rushmore in the RV Parks section. While there take the bus tour of Rushmore and Crazy Horse. There is also another bus tour of the Badlands. You've driven for 1000 miles why not leave it to the experts and get the benefit of their knowledge of the area.

[CAJW]

We haven't been here yet,Rafter J Bar Ranch, but have reservations there this summer. Reviews looked good to me, but never know till you stay there. Definitely visit the Columbia River and this Stonehenge, which we missed our last trip through there. Have fun!