May Trip to Yellowstone from Virginia

[Busterman1958]

Does anyone have advise on Yellowstone and Mount Rushmore.

[Lloyd]

Kamper Dave would be the person to talk with. He has spent the last few summers out there working in the park.
If he doesn't respond to this, send him a PM.
We have been there several times but it has been a few years back. Things might have changed since then.

[Steve7]

Last May we were at both. We stayed at the KOA six miles from Mt Rushmore. It's the second largest KOA in existence. Great amenities, from restaurant, bar, coffee and ice cream shop, ATV rentals with trails beginning at KOA, and nice good size lots. Lots for kids to do in park. Also a fishing pond on site, but you still need a fishing license. Close to Mt Rushmore and Custers National Park. If you drive past the Badlands, I recommend you drive through them. It's about a 45 minute loop, and you can drive any RV, lots of places to park for pictures.

As far as Yellowstone, I would either stay at the KOA just outside the park on the west end, or in the park. We made a mistake of staying near the Tetons outside the south end. It was beautiful, but took us around 40 minutes to get into park, and then another 40 to get to west end. You will spend 6-10 hours driving in park and that extra time each way was a killer. I do recommend visiting the Tetons though. Carry bear spray that time of year if you are going to hike much. Lots of black bears around.

[Loneoak]

We spent a week in Yellowstone in 2012. We camped inside the park in our then 30' Jayco. It was very crowded in the campground (Fishing Bridge). The campground was obviously designed for smaller units. We could not put our awning out because the unit next to us was so close.

We saw pretty much everything there was to see in the park and one day we took a day trip to Beartooth pass and Red Lodge, Montana. That day was memorable! The scenery was beautiful and Red Lodge was the cutest little place! The downtown was a collection of nice shops and restaurants.

[campingcpl]

The last time we were at Yellowstone we stayed at Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone. It's a really nice campground just outside the park entrance but a little pricey. As for the Black Hills area we stayed at the Rafter J Ranch. This again is a really nice campground that was pretty locally centered to a lot of things we wanted to see.

[dedmiston]

Our kids went to the University of Wyoming and we've spent a lot of time up there visiting. Wyoming is a mixed bag. The corners are pretty cool, but the rest is...not quite as cool.

Yellowstone is as amazing as you would expect. You could spend forever there and never run out of things to see and do. Just respect the place for what it is: danger, danger, and more danger cloaked in beauty, beauty, and more beauty. We bought a book at one of the gift shops called "Death in Yellowstone" and read the chapters aloud as we drove through the parks. Interesting stuff.

Going south from there down the western border of the state are the Tetons and Jackson Hole. The Tetons are gorgeous and Jackson Hole is fun, but pricey.

Over on the east you have the Devil's Tower way up in the northern corner. This is the iconic formation where the aliens came to visit Richard Dreyfus in Close Encounters. However much you think you're going to like this, double it and you'll still be wrong. It's amazing.

The drive south-east from there into the Black Hills of South Dakota is a must-see, especially if you're going to Mt. Rushmore. My kids (17-22 at the time) were kind of disappointed by Mt. Rushmore though. Because of the popularity of the location, the facilities are overbuilt and it feels like you're visiting a shopping mall. It's not the National Parks folks fault, but because of the rugged terrain and the volume of visitors there's no other way to support the traffic besides building parking structures and large concrete formations. It's such a stark contrast to the quiet beauty of the area.

There's a lot to see in that area of South Dakota before you pop back into Wyoming. There are interesting mining areas like Deadwood. If you're there anytime around Bike Week, the people watching is fantastic with all the bikers on their day trips from Sturgis.

Towards the south-east corner of the state is the capital of Cheyenne. It's a beautiful western city with some fun places to hang out. I wouldn't make it a destination though.

The east/west corridor along the southern border is highway 80. It's the fastest way to traverse the state, but it's a whole lot of nothing. Stop in Laramie for supplies and a quick visit of the University. Note that it's THE university. When we've told people in the past that our kids went to University in Wyoming, they would often ask us "which one?". There's only one. Everyone from the state converges to the one University of Wyoming. It's a great college and very well endowed by the state and by Lynne & Dick Cheney.

Other than that though, that drive across the 80 gives you a lot of time to think about how it is that you ended up in Wyoming for R&R. The only things the 80 has to boast about are wind, abundant fireworks stores, and meth.

The interior of the state can be interesting and there are fun things to see in the summer if you know where to look, but the real POIs are definitely in corners of the state.

One other novelty was the inexplicably amazing cellular coverage on some of the two lane highways in the middle of nowhere. There's a ton of technology dotting the countryside in the oil rigs and solar & wind farms. All that stuff has to phone back to headquarters and you'll benefit from the good strong cell & data signals if you want to check Facebook while you ride shotgun.

[Steve7]

I forgot to add on my earlier post, if you can get to Cody Wyoming, the Buffalo Bill Museum is nothing short of spectacular. It has about five wings, each that can take 2-4 hours or more to see; local art, Buffalo Bill, Native Indian, and Guns,Guns and Guns. Thousands of guns, rifles, etc from centuries past to present. Unbelievable. We stayed an extra day to go back to the museum. There is also the first or one of the first hydro electric dams just west? Of there. About a 30 min drive. It's free and very cool.

[cubfan]

DW, dogs and myself spent 10 days in Custer State Park with time split between the Blue Bell campground and another campground whose name escapes me right now. Blue Bell was wonderful and very quiet and came with tall ponderosa pines. The shower house was immaculate and there was water on sight. It did have electric. Camp hosts were very accommodating. The other campgrounds on the eastern side of the park were closer to Rushmore.

Be sure and spend a day or two at the Bad Lands. Showers, electric and fantastic night skies. Ranger programs most every night.

[AbbaZabba]

Who else has recommendations? I am starting the search for our trip to Yellowstone. We are going straight there from Colorado and back. We may be a little later, like June.

[Loneoak]

If you plan to get a campsite inside Yellowstone Park, you need to reserve a.s.a.p. We reserved in November for a June site.

[Lloyd]

The last I knew, the only place you could reserve a camp site inside the park was Fishing Bridge. My self, I wouldn't stay there. You have to be related to the sardine family to fit in there.
All the other campgrounds within the park use to be first come first serve.
They didn't have the hookups like Fishing Bridge, but at least you had some room around your camper and a little privacy.

I recommend contacting the park service to see what can be reserved and what can't.

[Loneoak]

It was Fishing Bridge where we stayed. You are bang on with the sardine analogy, but we were there for a week and wanted the services. We also do not like taking our chances on getting a site - we usually reserve ahead most places we go, even if it is the day before.

By the way, the year we were there, 2012, Fishing Bridge was the only place in the park where we encountered mosquitoes.

[Lloyd]

Originally Posted by Loneoak

By the way, the year we were there, 2012, Fishing Bridge was the only place in the park where we encountered mosquitoes.

It's also the only campground in the park that requires a hard sided unit to camp there.
Guess why----------BEARS!

[blkdth1313]

Had to get back on line and weigh in on this as we made the journey last year and it was the adventure of a life time.

The best advice we were given at any of the parks - done by one! get up early and get out of the parks by 1:00 PM. They get crazy busy after 1:00...

We drove from PA to the Tetons, on to Yellowstone, then on to Devil's Tower via Billings.

Made a stop in Ft. Collins for provisions before heading out. Stayed at the Lakeside KOA there right by the lake. Really nice.

Staged for a night at Highline Trail in Boulder, WY before heading to the Tetons and camping at Gros Ventre.

It is first come first served and they do have a loop with electricity. No problem getting a site, particularly if you get there early and wait in line. Great location and great park.

From there on to Yellowstone and stayed at the previously mentioned Grizzly in West Yellowstone. Awesome RV park and a little luxury after the dry camping at Gros Ventre.

Then on to Devil's Tower via Billings. Stayed at the first ever built KOA in Billings. Another nice spot and a great cool factor.

Stayed at the KOA at Devil's Tower. Get a Tower View back-in site if you stay.

I would stay at any of these parks again and highly recommend all of them.

The one thing we would do different is to see the site of Little Big Horn. Custer is buried there. You drive right by it and see the head stones from the freeway.

Peace out beautiful camping people!

[Lloyd]

George Armstrong Custer

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Following the recovery of their remains, Custer's body and that of his brother Tom were buried on the battlefield, side-by-side in a shallow grave, after being covered by pieces of tent canvas and blankets.[70] One year later, Custer's remains and those of many of his officers were recovered and sent back east for reinterment in more formal burials. Custer was buried again with full military honors at West Point Cemetery on October 10, 1877. The battle site was designated a National Cemetery in 1876.



We stopped there on one of our trips out west.
It gives you an eerie feeling up in the graveyard, and if I remember correctly it was also the battle field.
It was well worth the time to pull off the HWY and see it.