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Old 08-20-2017, 12:52 PM   #21
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Well, some of it is pretty country, IMHO.

However, I'll save you a drive and now you can say you've seen Wall Drug.

It really is the official definition of "tourist trap."
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Old 08-20-2017, 03:57 PM   #22
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Don't miss Crazy Horse! I enjoyed that more than Rushmore.
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Old 08-21-2017, 09:47 AM   #23
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Fly into Jackson Hole and rent a car. Then forget Mt Rushmore. The distances out there are.much farther than they look.

That's the only section of the U.S. we haven't visited because it is 1500 miles of nothing before anything of interest is seen.
That's just not true, although I do believe you have never been there. First, it's 377 miles from Rapid City, SD to Red Lodge, MT (my recommended route to enter YNP) according to Google Maps. Second, there is some beautiful country out there and lots to see and do, as others have mentioned: Rapid City itself plus the many attractions in the Black Hills, Devils Tower, Little Big Horn Battlefield, a Pow Wow on the Crow Indian Reservation (if your timing is right), Pompeys Pillar (along the Yellowstone River where William Clark etched his signature in the rock), and Billings, MT (a beautiful city with many, many attractions and activities). And that's just along the route from Rapid City to Red Lodge.
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Old 08-22-2017, 01:35 PM   #24
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FWIW, got an e-mail from Grand Teton Lodge company which has a 3-day sale going on, so they must've had some cancellations and now have some places available for the rest of the season.
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Old 08-22-2017, 02:06 PM   #25
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I loved Custer State Park in South Dakota, especially the Wildlife Drive.
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Old 10-08-2017, 03:42 AM   #26
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I found Wall drug to be a waste of time...
Yellowstone is big with lot's of traffic. Don't even try to be in a hurry. We camped, and did lots of walking. Custer Wy was great with Cody museum, Irma hotel/Restaurant , old west town. My favorite was the Black Hills.
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Old 10-08-2017, 11:35 AM   #27
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We stayed in the park to save on driving time. We went the second week of June so weather would be good and not as many people. I think your trip is too big for only 2 weeks.
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Old 10-08-2017, 12:27 PM   #28
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I didn't see mentioned is Medora and Teddy Roosevelt National park in North Dakota. The badlands of Dakota are a beautiful site. Some of the greatest people live in that area.

The west is a special place if you haven't been there or haven't spent time there.
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Old 11-11-2017, 07:25 AM   #29
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Here is our travel itinerary; There will be four of us; my wife -- her twin sister and her husband. We all get along really well, good thing. However, they want creature comforts -- I voted for a tent and campsite. Rooms for Yellowstone arranged, but we may change depending on feedback. We always try to cram way too much stuff into our vacations/trips and this is our most ambitious. What are your thoughts about our plans?

We are 65, in good health. We all walk a lot and doing a 4-8 mile hike is doable. Seeing the sight in Yellowstone will be a mix of hiking and driving.

Day 1: Fly from BWI to Denver
Day 2: Pike's Peak, Red Rock -- hopefully catch a concert
Day 3: Drive to Badlands, spend night between Badlands and Mt. Rushmore
Day 4: Crazy Horse and Custer's State Park, stay close to Rushmore
Day 5: Drive to Yellowstone, eastern entrance
Day 6: 2nd day in Yellowstone, activity tbd -- spend night in Yellowstone
Day 7: Drive to western Yellowstone -- hiking, spend night in Yellowstone
Day 8: To Grand Tetons, spend night in Jackson Hole
Day 9: Day in Jackson Hole -- take the tram -- walk the town
Day 10: Drive to Salt Lake City, spend the night
Day 11: Drive to Las Vegas; Casino and shows
Day 12: Vegas, more Casino and shows
Day 13 : 1/2 day in Vegas -- Fly back to BWI

Are there places you would omit from our schedule? Places you would add?

Thanks!!!
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Old 11-11-2017, 07:43 AM   #30
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RE, day 4, Custer Battlefield (Little Big Horn) is nearly 300 miles from Mt. Rushmore/Crazy Horse. Or did you mean Custer State Park which is in the Mt. Rushmore area?
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Old 11-11-2017, 07:45 AM   #31
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We stayed in the park to save on driving time. We went the second week of June so weather would be good and not as many people. I think your trip is too big for only 2 weeks.
Fully agree, your doing very little but driving and seeing the world out of a car window.
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Old 11-11-2017, 07:51 AM   #32
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RE, day 4, Custer Battlefield (Little Big Horn) is nearly 300 miles from Mt. Rushmore/Crazy Horse. Or did you mean Custer State Park which is in the Mt. Rushmore area?
Meant Custer State Park -- thanks!!!
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Old 11-11-2017, 07:54 AM   #33
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If you do Pikes Peak try to drive through Garden of the Gods. Very beautiful and free. Will take 20 minutes.
I think the mammoth dig is unbelievable so I would try to tie that in when you're near Rushmore
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Old 11-11-2017, 08:01 AM   #34
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Originally Posted by wyecrabber1 View Post
Here is our travel itinerary; There will be four of us; my wife -- her twin sister and her husband. We all get along really well, good thing. However, they want creature comforts -- I voted for a tent and campsite. Rooms for Yellowstone arranged, but we may change depending on feedback. We always try to cram way too much stuff into our vacations/trips and this is our most ambitious. What are your thoughts about our plans?

We are 65, in good health. We all walk a lot and doing a 4-8 mile hike is doable. Seeing the sight in Yellowstone will be a mix of hiking and driving.

Day 1: Fly from BWI to Denver
Day 2: Pike's Peak, Red Rock -- hopefully catch a concert
Day 3: Drive to Badlands, spend night between Badlands and Mt. Rushmore
Day 4: Crazy Horse and Custer's Battlefield, stay close to Rushmore
Day 5: Drive to Yellowstone, eastern entrance
Day 6: 2nd day in Yellowstone, activity tbd -- spend night in Yellowstone
Day 7: Drive to western Yellowstone -- hiking, spend night in Yellowstone
Day 8: To Grand Tetons, spend night in Jackson Hole
Day 9: Day in Jackson Hole -- take the tram -- walk the town
Day 10: Drive to Salt Lake City, spend the night
Day 11: Drive to Las Vegas; Casino and shows
Day 12: Vegas, more Casino and shows
Day 13 : 1/2 day in Vegas -- Fly back to BWI

Are there places you would omit from our schedule? Places you would add?

Thanks!!!
Wyecrabber1-

greetings from a fellow DMV-er.

Sounds like a fantastic trip. In my opinion, you are being too aggressive for the time alotted. You are moving hotels most nights seems like.

I would expand the trip or cut down the real estate covered. You may have checked a lot of boxes, but you can't really do justice to these great sites.

I think it is actually 2 trips: one to Yellowstone, Tetons, town of Jackson (which is in Jackson Hole), Salt Lake, Vegas (maybe open Jaw with those two cities)

One to Custer state park, Black Hills, Crazy Horse, Mammoth Site, Custer battlefield, Badlands (if you wish) flying into and out of Denver (Pikes Peak, Red Rocks).

If i take your itinerary as you state it, I would not do Badlands since there are many other places to see "badlands" in the US. I would put that day back into Custer/Black Hills.

I would bag the either the Vegas leg or Pike's Peak/concert, and expand time in Yellowstone/Tetons. You will be seeing lots of mountains as is (Denver) and the Vegas leg is a lot of travel and out of the way.

Logic is you can easily get to Denver and Vegas, but Black Hills/Custer and Yellowstone/Tetons are places you do not get to by accident.

I hope this is somewhat helpful.

Enjoy!
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Old 11-11-2017, 08:06 AM   #35
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We always try to cram way too much stuff into our vacations/trips...
And you've succeeded once again.
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Old 11-11-2017, 09:50 AM   #36
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We always seem to make it work. My greatest concern is my group likes all inclusive resorts -- but are adventurous. I'm sort of the odd man out, so camping is not going to work. Although, renting an RV would been possible -- however, we have never done that.
Hiking, biking, zip-lining are good. But at the end of our trips everyone seems to agree it would be nice to have slowed down a little.

Keep the comments and suggestions coming. Thanks!!!
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Old 11-11-2017, 10:24 AM   #37
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My reaction upon first read of your itinerary is that your trip is really a drive from Denver to Vegas and you just happen to pass through some national parks, as opposed to the trip you describe in the thread’s title.

I’d cut Vegas altogether and spend more time in the parks, fly home from SLC.

As someone else suggested you can do Vegas anytime, as nearly all medium sized airports have a direct flight to Vegas.
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Old 11-11-2017, 10:26 AM   #38
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My reaction upon first read of your itinerary is that your trip is really a drive from Denver to Vegas and you just happen to pass through some national parks, as opposed to the trip you describe in the thread’s title.

I’d cut Vegas altogether and spend more time in the parks, fly home from SLC.

As someone else suggested you can do Vegas anytime, as nearly all medium sized airports have a direct flight to Vegas.
And there are often packages including hotels for trips to Vegas, which would be better.
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Old 11-11-2017, 10:28 AM   #39
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Rather than Pikes Peak why not do Mt Evans it is about 150 feet higher and the road is paved all the way up. (sort of paved at least). Much closer to Denver, just west on i -70 to the proper exit.
I would tend to agree about going to Vegas, as you will be driving right by Zion and Cedar Breaks and close to Bryce Canyon in Southern Utah. Better to do as suggested and turn around there and go back to SLC.
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Old 11-11-2017, 01:58 PM   #40
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... We always try to cram way too much stuff into our vacations/trips and this is our most ambitious. ...
That's not a vacation, it is a forced march.

I suggest that you spend an afternoon with Google Maps and get driving times for every leg adjusted for the speeds you expect to drive, then add time for things like meals, gas/potty stops, finding/checking in to lodgings, etc. and see how much time is left on each day. I think the answer will be "not much" or "not nearly enough."
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