I need Trip Advice

[Deanmac]

We just booked a flight to Idaho Falls for July 22nd and returning to Atlanta August 2nd. We have rented a car and will do a road trip. It will be my wife, 12 year old son and myself. My wife and I did many such trips before my son was born. It will be his first trip out west. We usually cover some miles on these type trips and concentrate on nature and scenic beauty. We will leave Idaho Falls and head to the Tetons, then three days in Yellowstone and Beartooth Pass to Red Lodge. So I have 4 nights booked with the last in Red Lodge Montana. We know we want to see the NPs in North and South Dakota and Mt Rushmore. From the Dakotas we will either head into Northern Montana and Glacier NP or Northern Colorado and Rocky Mt NP.

Since a lot of you guys live and are very familiar with this section of the country, I would appreciate any suggestions on must see places that you are familiar with. I realize this will not be a lot to cover in 12 days but we can rest when we get back home. My son starts back to school on August 3rd.

Thanks in advance for your help,

Dean

[Indian Summer]

I've hunted alot of country inside that loop in both Wyoming and Montana. I've also ridden a horse, a steel one, all around the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore etc and Devil's Tower. There's a big gap in between Jackson/Yellowstone and the Black Hills though. That's alot of ground to cover to stand there and look at Rushmore for an hour max. Unless you have something in between you want to see you might consider staying west and working your way up to GNP and save the Dakotas for another trip. There is some nice scenery near the Bighorns but the east side of Wyoming is darn boring and featureless compared to the west side. Eastern Montana is a wide open boring mass of nothing worth even looking out the window at until you get all the way back to Livingston and Paradise Valley. You could come up through there via Gardner and then take 89 (I think ) past sulphur Springs up to Glacier. Make no mistake Glacier is awesome. A whole different atmosphere than Yellowstone. Going To The Sun Road is something everyone should see at least once.

Let's see..... you, wife, kid... sounds like you have an open seat?

[Deanmac]

I've hunted alot of country inside that loop in both Wyoming and Montana. I've also ridden a horse, a steel one, all around the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore etc and Devil's Tower. There's a big gap in between Jackson/Yellowstone and the Black Hills though. That's alot of ground to cover to stand there and look at Rushmore for an hour max. Unless you have something in between you want to see you might consider staying west and working your way up to GNP and save the Dakotas for another trip. There is some nice scenery near the Bighorns but the east side of Wyoming is darn boring and featureless compared to the west side. Eastern Montana is a wide open boring mass of nothing worth even looking out the window at until you get all the way back to Livingston and Paradise Valley. You could come up through there via Gardner and then take 89 (I think ) past sulphur Springs up to Glacier. Make no mistake Glacier is awesome. A whole different atmosphere than Yellowstone. Going To The Sun Road is something everyone should see at least once.

Let's see..... you, wife, kid... sounds like you have an open seat?

Really thinks for the reply, I agree on the points of Eastern Montana and Wyoming not much to see. Wife and I have been to Tetons, Yellowstone in Winter and Glacier in Summer, I agree the Sun Road is Great. Since we were originally going to drive out from Georgia, the drive across eastern Montana is nothing. LOL
I have been to 33 of the 58 National Parks and the three in the Dakota's would add to my list, plus several National Monuments I have not visited. My wife has always wanted to go to Rushmore which is near the two NPs in South Dakota.
Just realized Frontier Days is going on in Cheyenne WY while we will be there, might try to leave SD and head south and see a few National Monuments on western Nebraska border and on to Cheyenne, then the Rocky Mtn NP (also one not on my list)

[Lefty]

Done all those you have mentioned.

I just love this country
Craters of the Moon,..just plain wierd,.. may become a National park( I hope not)https://www.nps.gov/crmo/index.htm
Stop at Bear World 20 minutes on HWY 20 out of IF, Yep sort of hokey but your kid will love it.http://yellowstonebearworld.com/
If going by way of Jackson: If following the Snake river stop at the overlook, just past Ririe. Or from HWY 20 to Driggs/Tetonia stop at the top of Teton pass between Wilson Wy and DriggsID Enjoy the view going down.; In Jackson hole stop at the Toy Store shooting gallery. Best $10.00 you will ever blow.https://www.facebook.com/JacksonHoleToyStore/
North at the Western Art Museumhttp://www.wildlifeart.org/ ( maybe the fish hatchery across the road just north of town. And of course the Elk Refuge Visitors center.https://www.fws.gov/refuge/national_elk_refuge/ there is another visitor Center a ways north along the parkway, stop there too

Remember there are two sides of the Tetons. If Avoiding Jackson from IF. Go to Harriman State park for a 2 hour horse back ride or longer http://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/harriman Then back south and take Aston Flagg Ranch road into the JD Rockefeller and Teton parkhttp://yellowstonebearworld.com/

If driving from Jackson on the Parkway you will see animals

If your hit Rushmore you may as well go south into Wind Caves.
Thats a whirl-wind-trip take lots of pics and at least one pair of binos

But consider from Red Lodge to Glacier then to Devils tower, Rushmore

[Deanmac]

Done all those you have mentioned.

I just love this country
Craters of the Moon,..just plain wierd,.. may become a National park( I hope not)https://www.nps.gov/crmo/index.htm
Stop at Bear World 20 minutes on HWY 20 out of IF, Yep sort of hokey but your kid will love it.http://yellowstonebearworld.com/
If going by way of Jackson: If following the Snake river stop at the overlook, just past Ririe. Or from HWY 20 to Driggs/Tetonia stop at the top of Teton pass between Wilson Wy and DriggsID Enjoy the view going down.; In Jackson hole stop at the Toy Store shooting gallery. Best $10.00 you will ever blow.https://www.facebook.com/JacksonHoleToyStore/
North at the Western Art Museumhttp://www.wildlifeart.org/ ( maybe the fish hatchery across the road just north of town. And of course the Elk Refuge Visitors center.https://www.fws.gov/refuge/national_elk_refuge/ there is another visitor Center a ways north along the parkway, stop there too

Remember there are two sides of the Tetons. If Avoiding Jackson from IF. Go to Harriman State park for a 2 hour horse back ride or longer http://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/harriman Then back south and take Aston Flagg Ranch road into the JD Rockefeller and Teton parkhttp://yellowstonebearworld.com/

If driving from Jackson on the Parkway you will see animals

If your hit Rushmore you may as well go south into Wind Caves.
Thats a whirl-wind-trip take lots of pics and at least one pair of binos

But consider from Red Lodge to Glacier then to Devils tower, Rushmore

Thanks for the reply and great info:
Craters of the Moon is on my list to do when we get back in Idaho before we fly back to GA.
We are staying in Swan Valley in a cabin our first night, so we can take Hwy 33 to 22 to go over the pass as you described. Our plans was to have a brief stop in Jackson the morning of 23rd, my son will love the shooting gallery.
Fish hatchery and visitor centers a must, snake river overlook where Ansel Adams made his famous photo.

I have visited 33 of the 58 National parks and the three in the Dakota's are on my to do list. Devils Tower for sure. My big question is where to go after the Dakota's?
Option one: Head south and visit a couple National monuments on the western Nebraska border, on to Cheyenne for Frontier Days, Rocky Mountain NP (on to do list), then head west through northern Colorado back to Idaho Falls.
Option Two: Head west through northern Montana to Glacier NP (I have been their, but my son would love it) then head south to Missoula, Salmon Id, Sawthooth area, back to Idaho Falls visiting a few Monuments in Idaho.

I know that sounds like a lot of driving, but we were first going to drive out from GA, I want to show my Son as much of the country as possible in the 11 days we have.

Keep the opinions coming I really value your guys inputs !!!

[Lefty]

You have a lot going for only 11 days
Do Glacier then cross into Canada spend a day or two in Waterton
If you want spend a day in St Anthony at the Sand dunes Rent an ATV or head to Challis pan n for gold,( Im willing to give you a great location you will have plenty of color) , Visit Yankee fork,
http://yankeeforkdredge.com/


Coming back south then Hit Harriman and a horse ride, Or the Idaho side of Yellowstone. Short hikes and no people ,.. Well July there may be horses

You really dont have enough time no matter how fast you drive

[Deanmac]

I wish we had passports to go into Canada,

I know too many places and not enough time.

[six]

Bear Country is not far north of Mt Rushmore. Definitely worth the stop. Your son will like it as my boys loved it a couple years ago. Its a zoo that you drive through. Bears will walk right up to your vehicle. Try and do the last hour the park is open. The temperature will cool down and the animals will be more active.

There is also a very patriotic show at Mt Rushmore just before the park closes. They ask all the veterans in the audience to come up on stage and they take down the flag. It was very mov

We went whitewater rafting in Gardner, Mt. It was the highlight of the trip for my family.

[Deanmac]

Bear Country is not far north of Mt Rushmore. Definitely worth the stop. Your son will like it as my boys loved it a couple years ago. Its a zoo that you drive through. Bears will walk right up to your vehicle. Try and do the last hour the park is open. The temperature will cool down and the animals will be more active.

There is also a very patriotic show at Mt Rushmore just before the park closes. They ask all the veterans in the audience to come up on stage and they take down the flag. It was very mov

We went whitewater rafting in Gardner, Mt. It was the highlight of the trip for my family.

Great Info: we just watched a DVD from the library about the Rushmore night show, I am a veteran so that would be neat to get to go on stage for that. My son would get a kick out of that.

Will get out the bear country, not heard of that one, we are staying in Hill city one night and one in Rapid city.

[JKaboom]

Was going to suggest Devil's tower for sure; saw it last year and thought it was pretty dang cool. On your way into SD go though the loop of state highway that goes through Spearfish and Deadwood, there are some neat falls there that you look down into rather than up at. I forget the name but will look it up. The Crazy Horse monument is not much currently but the visitors center is really cool. If you son comes back in 50 years hopefully the monument will have changed enough. My parents said it had not changed much since the early 70's when they saw it but I think the project is picking up steam.

[Deanmac]

Was going to suggest Devil's tower for sure; saw it last year and thought it was pretty dang cool. On your way into SD go though the loop of state highway that goes through Spearfish and Deadwood, there are some neat falls there that you look down into rather than up at. I forget the name but will look it up. The Crazy Horse monument is not much currently but the visitors center is really cool. If you son comes back in 50 years hopefully the monument will have changed enough. My parents said it had not changed much since the early 70's when they saw it but I think the project is picking up steam.

The above is on the to do list, thanks I love water falls.

[Indian Summer]

Oh I see. Didn't realize you were already familiar with so much. So go for it! Rushmore is very cool and there are other things to see around the Black Hills too. The kicker for me is Frontier days. I would love to go there just once. So now that you found something very worthwhile in between western Wyoming and South Dakota I like the plan. I've planned some insane trips covering ground like that. As long as you map out every detail it's fun. Exhausting too but isn't that what we want?

[Deanmac]

Pretty much have my route nailed down now and researching the exact stops on the way: Thanks guys for the comments and any additional feed back you can give.

Night one: Swan Vallley ID,
Night Two and Three: Pray Montana, just North of Yellowstone
Night Four: somewhere between Billings and North Dakota, based on how tired we are after the day activities.
Night Five: Dickson ND
Night Six: Rapid City SD
Night Seven: Hill City SD
Night Eight: Cheyenne Wy
Night Nine: Fort Collions Colorado
Night Ten: Vernal Utah
Night Eleven: Somewhere in Idaho to catch the plane heading home at 1:45 PM.

We do have tickets to Fontier Days and the Rodeo, Plan to attend parade, chuck wagon cook-off, behind the chutes tour and the rodeo.
Day ten we will go to Rocky Mountain NP and head west through steamboat springs to Utah.

Looks like we will visit six National Parks and a bunch of National sites and Monuments. We are very excited about the trip and my son plans on keeping a journal, for future reference and we will take a lot of pictures.

[Lefty]

Now thats a road trip!1

Whats in Dickinson?

[Deanmac]

Now thats a road trip!1

Whats in Dickinson?

Just East of Theodore Roosevelt NP South Unit, will tour the National park, spend the night in Dickinson, check out the Burning Coal Vein and Columnar Cedars, then head into south to SD. Stopping at Geographical Center of US, swing over to Devils Tower, Deadwood, Sturgis the next night in Rapid City.

[Deanmac]

Back this morning about 1 AM,
3381 miles in 8 states, 6 National Parks and 11 National Monuments, Plus several state parks and the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo and parade.
Great Trip and memories

Now time to start packing for ML trip to Colorado

[Lefty]

How about some pictures

[Deanmac]

let me sort though some of the many I took, really have some good ones

One of the highlights of the trip for me, at the Rushmore closing ceremony, I was the veteran on stage that pulled the rope to lower the flag and then was one of the 6 that folded the flag.

We saw lots of wildlife