Plan well and select from these suggestions the sites and attractions that will most please your family. If you have plans to visit Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Badlands, and Wind Cave National Parks and Devils Tower, it is worth it to purchase the America the Beautiful Pass. From the fun-in-the-sun city of Los Angeles, get on I-15 towards Las Vegas. The Lodge at Jackson Hole. There are a few restaurants and general stores located at the entrance to Devils Tower National Memorial where you can get dinner and refill your gas tank. Answer 1 of 22: Hello, Have a family of 18 (with 2 campers and a motor home) that will be going to Yellowstone area in June 2019. If you want to take a cave tour, currently tours are booked in the morning on a first-come first-serve basis. The Devils Tower Lodge and the Best Western Devils Tower Inn also get excellent reviews. This is one of our favorite views of Badlands National Park and one of the top spots to watch the sunrise, but its also great all morning long. You can also refer to our Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier itinerary for ideas on how to plan out these three parks. About an hour's drive from Yellowstone National Park's main entrance, this cozy and comfortable accommodation has tons of luxurious amenities, including spacious rooms and private fireplaces. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Earth Trekkers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by advertising & linking to Amazon.com. From here you can save it and/or print it. Try again, pressing CTRL+P (command + P on a mac) to bring up the printer dialog box. Suggested Overnights: Crescent City, Eureka, Benbow, Mendocino, Santa Rosa. . States Covered. Caravan's Rapid City, South Dakota hotel, the Rushmore Hotel provides a courtesy shuttle from the Rapid City Airport (RAP). First thing in the morning, traffic should still be light, so you will be able to drive to each overlook. I also found a doggy daycare place that might help you out too. Take advantage of the free breakfast before heading out to explore the nearby green spaces. What would be the most optimal route? Not only will you get to tour the park crowd free, at least for a little bit, but you also get to see the park at sunrise. There are a few national parks here that you could visit, and places like Aspen, Boulder, and Denver are nice to visit. The Holiday Express & Suites Custer-Mount Rushmore also gets good reviews. In fact, Jackson Hole Airport is the only commercial airport located within a national park. We have booked for end of May 2023 Old Faithful (three nights) and Canyon lodge (two nights) a total of five nights. But I would love to see something different on our way back to Ohio. You'll get to visit Zion National Park and Dixie National Forest along the way as well as the small but beautiful city of Idaho Falls. Really great road trip! Plan your Yellowstone road trip with our helpful itinerary, from Denver to Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone National Park. Start on the North Rim. You will spend one night in Cody. View more. I highly recommend having dinner at Skogen Kitchen in Custer. Rushmore and the Grand Tetons Yellowstone, Mt. Grand Prismatic Spring and the Fairy Falls Hike, Old Faithful: 10 Tips to Have the Best Experience. 15 great things to do near Rapid City, South Dakota, How to Drive between Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks: 10 Day Road Trip Itinerary, One Day in Yellowstone: 6 Epic Road Trip Itineraries, Ultimate Yellowstone Itinerary: Best Way to Spend 1 to 5 Days in Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier itinerary. This is our favorite of the two routes through the Bighorn Mountains. The shuttle operates daily from 5:00 a.m. to 10 p.m. Taxis cost $25.00 to $30.00 and take 20 minutes. By staying here, you will have a much shorter drive to get to Devils Tower on day 6. Theres so much to see and do that we welcome you to pick and choose your stops to fit your vacation style whether thats family fun time, scenic cruises or adventure challenges. You can still explore the national park on a snowmobile or a snowcoach. One Perfect Day in Grand Teton National Park. Looking at going to Rushmore/Badlands, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, then. Surrounding its multicolored waters is the Spiral Jetty, a famous sculpture made by the famous sculptor Robert Smithson. Please note the tour price reflected on the brochure is subject to change. If you will be driving back to your starting point then plan on adding on an extra day and hundreds of miles of driving to this itinerary. Amenities include a barn with music and kids movies and an on-site caf and bakery. Experience the mystique of Devils Tower Monument, see Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park and take in the majesty of Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole. Day 1: Arrive in Rapid City, drive to Wall, South Dakota Day 2: Badlands National Park from sunrise to sunset, drive to the Black Hills Day 3: Custer State Park Day 4: Wind Cave NP, Mount Rushmore Day 5: Deadwood, Lead, Spearfish Canyon & Devils Tower Day 6: Drive to Cody via Bighorn Scenic Byway or Cloud Peak Skyway Day 7: Yellowstone NP Day 8: Yellowstone NP Day 9: Yellowstone NP in the morning, Grand Teton NP in the afternoon Day 10: Grand Teton NP in the morning, fly home in the evening. Mammoth Hot Springs is a large complex of hot springs that is located in north Yellowstone. We dont have those specific PDFs done yet but thanks for asking, and Ill them to our to-do list. Bison roam the park and we saw a huge herd of bison while hiking the Lookout Trail and Centennial Trail Loop. Later, make your way south, stopping at as many viewpoints as your heart desires. You can do this itinerary with less time, but you will have to give up a few sights. For a full list of things to do and many more photos, read our Guide to Custer State Park. You can expect the clearest skies during this season and temperatures between 38 degrees and 76 degrees Fahrenheit lasting between mid-June and mid-September. Jewel Cave is located 30 minutes from the end of the Needles Highway in the Black Hills. The visitor center opens at 8 am and I recommend getting here right at 8 am, or even a little before, to make sure that you are on the first tour of the day. On the Road: 165 miles, 3.5 hours from Devils Tower; 105 miles, 2.5 hours from Spearfish. You'll get to explore some of the most stunning places in America on your way from California to Yellowstone and Mount Rushmore. Getting in/out of motor coach frequently. Below are the details for both routes. Wyoming: 7 Day Road Trip Itinerary Salt Lake City to Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Now we are looking at going to mt Rushmore to Yellowstone finishing up at Yosemite. You will start on the east side of the park and end on the west side, so it will be a shorter drive to get back to the Black Hills/Rapid City at the end of the day. However, you might also be OK on the Bighorn Scenic Byway, it just might take some research if there are any vehicle restrictions for this road. The Yellowstone Loop: 11 Stops to Make on an Epic Western Road Trip By Michael Yessis Route distance: 1,561 km Suggested Time: 2 weeks + A vast, scenic landscape provides the timeless backdrop for the western United States. Share Map. WY. On top of that, you'll pass through the smaller town of Sutcliffe as well as the city of Boise. You will stay in Yellowstone or West Yellowstone for two nights. Spend the afternoon in and around Jenny Lake. This can be done mostly on back roads. You'll pass strikingly beautiful mountain scenery and desert landscapes that will make any professional or amateur photographer fall in love. BUFFALO BILL CODY SCENIC BYWAY: This is the longer route (126 miles, 3 hours) and you will backtrack through Yellowstone. I recommend getting an early start. It is here that you will see the Grand Prismatic Spring, the most colorful hot spring in the park. While in Boise, we recommend visiting the Idaho State Capitol Building and making a stop at the Old Idaho Penitentiary Site. The Pinnacles Overlook is the most convenient, since it is located near Sage Creek Rim Road and just a short drive to Wall. On the South Rim, visit Artist Point (one of the most photographed spots in Yellowstone National Park), Canyon Overlook, and Uncle Toms Trail (if it is open). The town of Custer is located just outside of Custer State park, on the west side. There is a lot more activity here, with noisy fumaroles, steaming hot springs, and blue pools of water. Mountains rise against big blue skies, geysers and hot springs bubble up from the earth, and wildlife abounds. Yellowstone Driving distance from Cooke City to Old Faithful: 100 miles / 2 hours 50 minutes You will come into Yellowstone via Lamar Valley, which is an amazing wildlife watching area in the park. Road Trip Itinerary Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone National Park: Day 1: Rapid City, South Dakota Day 2: Mount Rushmore (Custer State Park) Day 3: Badlands National Park Day 4: Buffalo, Wyoming Day 5: Billings, Montana (Optional) Day 6 & 7: Yellowstone National Park Day 8: Grand Teton National Park Day 1: Rapid City, South Dakota Yellowstone Lake is a large alpine lake in Montana, USA. Its a relatively short drive. Continue on through Wyoming and see Bighorn National Forest. Trip - 1-2 weeks A Pacific Pride Road Trip . We are planning on reversing your 10 day itinerary from Rapid City to Grand Teton. The ultimate road trip planner to help you discover extraordinary places, book hotels, and share itineraries all from the map. Completed in 1941, Mount Rushmore features the 60-foot high faces of four United States presidents intricately carved out of a granite mountainside. Depending on what you're interested in experiencing, you can experience a wintery wonderland or a summer outdoor paradise. Just south of Rapid City is TKTK, where you can rent a two-bedroom house, a great option for families. Spend the afternoon at the Midway Geyser Basin. Things to Do Between Yellowstone NP and Glacier NP. This hotel was wonderful but we did A LOT of driving to get back and forth to the Black Hills. Unsubscribe anytime by clicking the link at the bottom of your email. There is a third section, Brink of the Upper Falls, which is nice, but I recommend skipping it in order to give yourself enough time to visit the other sights today. CO. SD. There are free rental bikes, a fitness center, and an indoor pool as well so you can really make the most of your stay. Driving out and back on Beartooth Highway to Rock Creek Vista will take about 3 hours. This saloon is where Wild Bill Hickok was shot and killed playing poker by Jack McCall. Its a 30 minute drive from Mount Rushmore and a visit here can be very quick. Was hoping to do Mt, Rushmore, then Crazy Horse, then Needles Highway and Wildlife Loop, then Iron Mt Road and short visit to Keystone. It is the southern route through the Bighorn Mountains. For suggestions on how to plan your time today, read our post. 7-Day Yellowstone, Arches, Mt. Julie Last updated: February 4, 2023 United States 17 Comments. Spend the remainder of the day in Jackson. What a detailed site you have!! You will drive a portion of the spectacular Beartooth Highway and then take the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway to Cody. By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. day 2 driving 8 hours. Tours typically start at 9 am and the tour schedule varies based on the season. Back Basin is the larger of the two basins. For the drive through the Bighorn Mountains, taking the Cloud Peak Skyway is your better option, since this road has fewer tight turns/switchbacks. We stayed here on our most recent visit. Thank you so much! May, September and October are less busy and popular months to visit as well. Thank you! This incredible hotel, voted #1 Best Hotel in Salt Lake City, is just minutes from the city's attractions including the Museum of Church, Salt Lake City Hall, and Washington Square Park. This scenic USA road trip route begins in Red Lodge, Montana, and ends in Cooke City and the northeastern entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Cowboy Village Resort. This bed and breakfast ticks all of the boxes. Best of all, you'll Day 3. I dont seem to be able to print or save a copy from earthtrekkers.com/yellowstone-devils-tower-mount-rushmore-road-trip-itinerary. If you are traveling as a family and want to stay in one of the top rated hotels in town, this is one to consider. Then drive onwards to the iconic Mount Rushmore, just make sure to account for the additional 8 hours it takes to get there! To learn what to do and how to plan your time, read our post Mount Rushmore: 10 Things to Know Before You Go. But you could come back through Colorado. Just over two million people visit Mount Rushmore each year. From Dayton, it takes 3 hours to drive to Devils Tower (185 miles). A visit here can last as little as 30 minutes, if you just want to walk up and snap a selfie with Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. Make a pitstop at the Shell Falls Interpretive Site to see Shell Canyon. * Hotel accommodations for 9 nights, including 2 nights in Yellowstone National Park. Some rooms have patios and some room have balconies. If you are doing well on time, hike the Red Beds Trail, a 2.8 mile trail that makes a bigger loop around Devils Tower. On the Road: varies depending on what you do and your route through Custer State Park, this can range from 100 to 150 miles with 3 to 4 hours of driving. The quickest way to get answers to your questions is to ask them in a comment section at the end of a post, like this one (I try to answer everything within 12 hours). ), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. During this time, you'll get to enjoy this natural wonder covered in snow which is one of the most prized sights for nature photographers.