Need Some Help Planning a Trip West

southbound2010 · 04-02-2011, 08:31 AM

We are looking at taking the grandkids from eastern NC out to Yellowstone in June or July of this year and will appreciate your recommendations regarding route, things to see, camp grounds, etc. Will be driving gas class A without tow vechile. Thanks for your help.

**bikendan** · 04-02-2011, 10:44 AM

can't recommend a route, but with grandkids and a Class A with no toad, i recommend staying in West Yellowstone and renting a car to visit the park. most recommend Grizzly or the KOA.
have you ever been there? even in June and Sept., traffic can be bad and July is insane!

spend at least a week, just to see the Grand Loop. we were there a week and only saw the lower loop of the park. ran out of time to see Hayden Valley and the Mammoth area.

southbound2010 · 04-02-2011, 11:04 AM

I had thought about renting a car if there is a good jumping off location. Sounds like good advise. This will be our first trip as well and would love to bet the summer rush but with their school schedule we are limited. What time did you visit.

Rookey · 04-02-2011, 11:16 AM

I think bikendan has a good idea, especially if you don't have a tow vehicle. One does not want to drive all over YS in their camper. We went last year, early June and had a blast. We stayed at Grizzly for 2-3 days and almost stayed there the whole time because of rain. It's a very nice campground and West YS is a very neat little mtn town but they are a little pricey. After we drove into YS and saw all the game with their babies, my daughter chimed-in and said we drove here to camp in YS, now we need to stay there. So we ended-up going to Fishing Bridge which is by the south end of the park. The campground is OK but is more somewhere to sleep and use as a base camp for all the points of interest.
Lots of things to do and see. There's more rain and left over snow at that time but it was less crowded, all the streams and lakes were full and again all the buffalio, elk, deer, bears, and wolves with their babiess were awesome - as long as your not a dumb tourist that wants a picture next to the animals!!

southbound2010 · 04-02-2011, 12:12 PM

Thanks for your help.

copsuno · 05-01-2011, 10:18 AM

You have rec'd good recommendations, I second renting car, if not towing. I also think that it would be great for the Grands to allow an extra day or two and travel the approx 425 miles north and see Mt. Rushmore, just a thought.

trudinator · 06-27-2011, 04:33 PM

I wouldn't go west without stopping to see the badlands, black hills and mt. Rushmore. It is truly awe-inspiring and a must-see for anyone venturing west.

MrT · 06-27-2011, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trudinator

I wouldn't go west without stopping to see the badlands, black hills and mt. Rushmore. It is truly awe-inspiring and a must-see for anyone venturing west.

...and Wall Drug of course...

2Susan · 06-27-2011, 04:40 PM

I also suggest a rental to get around the park. First off you won't have to disconnect your rig to go anywhere, parking will be much easier, etc. You probably will want to reserve a rental car to make sure one is available. Enterprise has dropped off the car for us at the campsite before - quite handy! Some opportunities - like the evening ranger talk on owls (or whatever) won't happen without a way to get there. are you taking bicycles?

crocus · 06-27-2011, 05:39 PM

"I wouldn't go west without stopping to see the badlands, black hills and mt. Rushmore"
=============================================
I would stay away from Rushmore, as it is a nuthouse in summer.
Just a tacky tourist trap anyway.

trudinator · 06-27-2011, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crocus

"I wouldn't go west without stopping to see the badlands, black hills and mt. Rushmore"
=============================================
I would stay away from Rushmore, as it is a nuthouse in summer.
Just a tacky tourist trap anyway.

To each their own. It's what you make it. If you're taken in by all the cheap souvenirs (where you can find everywhere) then maybe visiting a memorial to our founding fathers really isn't for you.

crocus · 06-27-2011, 07:14 PM

No disrespect for your founding fathers, but I just don't see the point. Fighting through horrendous traffic, and battling through crowds of idiots just to catch a glimpse of some carved heads simply isn't worth it.
I would much rather travel to a place with few people, and take in a natural wonder that God created. Much more meaningful.

By the way, I have been there. Never even considered going back.

Willis · 06-27-2011, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trudinator

I wouldn't go west without stopping to see the badlands, black hills and mt. Rushmore. It is truly awe-inspiring and a must-see for anyone venturing west.

Willis · 06-27-2011, 07:32 PM

And also, very near to Yellowstone, is the Little Bighorn Monument. It's more than a "monument" as it's really the entire battlefield just as it was in 1876. There is nothing all the way to the horizon in all directions to spoil the remoteness of the site. There aren't many places left like that in the continental U.S. You can tour all the areas where Custer's three-pronged attack got bogged down as well as the site of the Sioux camp. They have a nice Visitor's Center. A good place for the grand-kids to run till their tongues hang out.

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