Our USA Rocky Roadtrip

[shushh]

I can't believe we're leaving in 7 Days! I will be trying to maintain my blog as per usual. Please feel free to have a peek.

Here is our final itinerary:
22-Sep-11 Arrive into Salt Lake City, UT. Whirlwind sightseeing and crash at 6pm.
23-Sep-11 Leave for Jackson, WY. Explore GT NP. If time permits and not too tired Fossil Butte NP.
24-Sep-11 Yellow Stone NP. We'll be based at West Yellowstone, MT for the next 3 nights.
25-Sep-11
26-Sep-11
27-Sep-11 Drive to Missoula, MT. Afternoon to explore town.
28-Sep-11 Head towards Glacier NP where we will stay at St Mary, MT for the next 2 nights.
29-Sep-11
30-Sep-11 We have a ranch stay booked at Ulm, MT. DH very excited about this.
1-Oct-11
2-Oct-11 Heading to Sheriden. Route still undetermined!
3-Oct-11 Leave for Custer early in the morning. Will have the rest of the day and the next to explore Custer NP and the region
4-Oct-11
5-Oct-11 Will head towards Badlands NP and then onto Hot Springs for the night
6-Oct-11 Cheyenne
7-Oct-11 Steamboat Springs
8-Oct-11 Steamboat Springs
9-Oct-11 Vernal
10-Oct-11 Drive towards SLC for our flight into LA
11-Oct-11 Disney oh glorious Disney
14-Oct-11 The adventure ends

**********************************************************
OK, so this is not a Disney related topic....but I'm not sure where to post it so I've posted the same question in several forums.

My parents really want to visit Mount Rushmore and we are thinking of taking them in mid-late Sep 2011. We would prefer to start from Dallas and travel into a loop, however, LA and San Francisco are also alternate starting/ending points. We plan to be on the road for about 2 weeks and have a few days set aside for our start/end point.

Other than Mount Rushmore, we have no other set "must-sees" and hence the choice is rather overwhelming. I was hoping that others might share their favourite sights and destinations in between Texas and South dakota so that I can plan a rough route around them! As you all know, we will also be travelling with 3 children aged 2,6 and 8. We are fairly adventurous folks with a wide range of interests from museums, architecture, good food and of course, the great outdoors.

Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm trying to squeeze in anything Disney (Disneyland, Dream cruise, Disneyworld...) but its not looking feasible in terms of touring efficiency.

 

[Oz-kateer]

I have retired relatives in the US who are road tripping champions. They have an RV that's bigger and more plushly appointed than a lot of home units.

Have forwarded them your questions and will post their response when received.

 

[shushh]

Thank you!

BTW...Your very in depth Delta run-down was very helpful for the trip we just had!

 

[DVCAustralia]

You or your parents have chosen a great time of year to go, it should be mild weather and the crowds and accomodation prices should be lower.
Your reference to Dallas as the starting point is presumably related to Qantas starting to fly there, however it is an odd point to start a round trip to Mount Rushmore. With the greatest respect to those who live there, it is an 18 hour plus drive through the middle of nowhere. Indeed the only main cities you will pass through on a direct route are Oklahoma City and Wichita, and they are in the first six hours after which there is another 12 hours to go. You could divert to Omaha and Kansas City but each would add a few hours to the driving and all these cities are pretty low on my list of places to go in the USA.
Rapid City, the town where Mount Rushmore is, has an airport serviced by Delta, United and American (although check the aircraft type as there will be a variety of sizes used). The closest MAJOR airport is Denver, about 6.5 hours drive.
Whilst in Rapid City make sure you also do Custer State Park (particularly the wildlife trail) and Badlands NP. A must to put on the road trip schedule in this area are Yellowstone NP & Grand Tetons NP (they are next to each other on the one entry ticket). The options after that are varied.
If you fly via LA you could use the free stopover to go to Disneyland, or Disney Cruise Line has cruises from LA doing Mexico from late September.

 

[shushh]

DVCAustralia, thanks for your input. I find it really helpful just to hear others' thoughts. Yes you are right, Dallas was chosen because of the new Qantas route. We like the idea of not having to get on another plane, and then only having the one flight to go home (and yes I do know that the return leg goes via Brisbane). We also thought it might be nice to see more of Texas and other less visited States so to speak! I don't think I'd otherwise ever go to Nebraska, or Oklahoma if you know what I mean.

Having said that, I don't want to do anything that would be just plain silly either! What are your thoughts on some alternatives?

Was saving SF for a trip to the Northwest states ie Washington, Montana, Oregon, Wyoming, then LA for the Southwestern States. Just came back from the East Coast via the Panama Canal, so have been on the Mexican Riviera as well, although there's still lots there that we haven't seen on the East Coast. Maybe the midwest? From Chicago and go around in a loop but not keen on the extra flight.

Sigh...very confused.

 

[DVCAustralia]

Originally posted by shushh
Was saving SF for a trip to the Northwest states ie Washington, Montana, Oregon, Wyoming

Keep in mind that Mount Rushmore is not that far from the borders with Wyoming and Montana so the above trip idea could be the perfect trip to do Mount Rushmore.

Chicago is a wonderful city to visit and mid to late September would be a great time to do it (there is even a new Disney store right in downtown and the Doorway to Dreams DVC center at Woodfield Mall, not quite WDW or DCL but something ). The drive across to Rapid City is still not as long as the one from Dallas and can be nicely broken up into two days by stopping at Minniapolis and visiting the Mall of America . There is even a Disney store outlet at Wisconsin Dells on the way. Rather than loop all the way back to Chicago I would return from a different city like Denver (a major United hub) or Salt Lake City (a major Delta hub) or even drive through to SF if the extra driving time was preferable to taking the extra flight.

 

[PrincessInOz]

WOW! Sounds like a great trip and how wonderful to have another trip to look forward to.

I would recommend either stopping in LA or SF as an alternative. If you want to drive from either location and head up towards the Canadian Rockies, down Glacier National Park, and head across the Going to the Sun Road, you'll get to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.

The alternative would be to fly into Jackson and you'll be very close to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. I had about 3 nights and 4 days at Yellowstone and it wasn't enough...but bear in mind that I am an outdoorsey person that loves to go on 4 - 6 hour hikes and seeing wild animals.

From this neck of the woods, I'd stop by Cody (Buffalo Bill country) and then enjoy the cowboy country drive across. Used to be a rodeo there...

Its been a while (a long while) since I headed this way...but my wacky sense of humour and memory really enjoyed visiting Wall Drug....the biggest drug store in the world, The Corn Palace, and Devil's Tower; which is the mountain from Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind; on the way to Rushmore. The town of Deadwood near Rushmore is FANTASTIC...or it was, way back when. Just straight out of westerns; with saloons that are now casinos.

You might also want to check out the Twin City's of Minneapolis and St Paul, the region of 10,000 lakes. Everyone has their back yard backing on a lake. We stayed with some friends of friends at St Paul and enjoyed the waterskiing, BBQ, laid back life style for a couple of days there. I didn't see much of either town...because we had way too many American neighbours jumping into their boats and coming over to play with us Aussies (and way too many Tequilas in hot tubs...but that is another story and probably TMI ).

I loved the BadLands!

And then Chicago.....

Perhaps when Queenie gets back she might actually finish some more of her TR....

Enjoy your planning. But this part of the US is prairie land...

 

[shushh]

Thanks all. A lot of things to consider and re-evaluate. Will have to rehash the plan and check back in here for fine-tuning! Queenie is too busy enjoying herself in Europe at the moment...

 

[shushh]

Update!

Ok, today we made an impulsive decision and bought tickets. So we're going! We got return fares to Salt Lake City in September for $1590. Please tell me I did th right thing...

Bonus - stop in LA on the way home. Guess where we'll be going...

 

[PrincessInOz]

Update!

Ok, today we made an impulsive decision and bought tickets. So we're going! We got return fares to Salt Lake City in September for $1590. Please tell me I did th right thing...Bonus - stop in LA on the way home. Guess where we'll be going...

You did the right thing! Anytime you go on holiday with kids and parents -- you did the right thing.

And the bonus will be DLR!

 

[Jade+3]

Of course you did the right thing! I wish I could be that impulsive.

 

[skiingfast]

If anyone has any questions about Yellowstone or the Grand Tetons, please feel free to send me a pm, or ask it here and let me know. I am sure I have the most experience in these places on the DIS.


I would not suggest flying into Texas or Chicago or the Midwest. These places have a lot of driving between interesting sites.

I stick to flying to SF or LA. As a possible alternative Salt Lake or Denver.

Make a big loop. LA to SF, across interstate 80 to Salt LAke City. North to the Tetons and Yellowstone. Across the top of Wyoming to the Black Hills of South Dakota. Maybe a side trip to the Badlands and Wall Drug, this can be done as an out and back from Rapid city, South Dakota down interstate 90. In the black hills don't just see Mount Rushmore there is lots of other cool things there.

From there go down to Colorado. Consider visiting Rocky Mountain National Park Take Interstate 70 through Colorado to Utah. You can visit Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. Highly recommended for hikers.

Be sure in Utah to visit Bryce Canyon and perhaps Zion National Parks. You will then be near the Grand Canyon. From there to Las Vegas and back to LA to finish the loop.


This is quite a long tour but takes in some of the greatest sites in the country.


Also the National Parks have annual passes too. If you are going to hit a bunch you wold want an AP.

http://store.usgs.gov/pass/index.html

I've been to all the places mentioned as an adult and child with my family and have fond memories.

 

[DVCAustralia]

Booking the airfare really helps to focus the mind.
How many days have you allowed for the main part and how many days do you have in LA (sorry Disneyland, how silly of me)?

 

[shushh]

You did the right thing! Anytime you go on holiday with kids and parents -- you did the right thing.

And the bonus will be DLR!

Of course you did the right thing! I wish I could be that impulsive.

Thank you so much for kind reassuring words!

If anyone has any questions about Yellowstone or the Grand Tetons, please feel free to send me a pm, or ask it here and let me know. I am sure I have the most experience in these places on the DIS.


I would not suggest flying into Texas or Chicago or the Midwest. These places have a lot of driving between interesting sites.

I stick to flying to SF or LA. As a possible alternative Salt Lake or Denver.

Make a big loop. LA to SF, across interstate 80 to Salt LAke City. North to the Tetons and Yellowstone. Across the top of Wyoming to the Black Hills of South Dakota. Maybe a side trip to the Badlands and Wall Drug, this can be done as an out and back from Rapid city, South Dakota down interstate 90. In the black hills don't just see Mount Rushmore there is lots of other cool things there.

From there go down to Colorado. Consider visiting Rocky Mountain National Park Take Interstate 70 through Colorado to Utah. You can visit Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. Highly recommended for hikers.

Be sure in Utah to visit Bryce Canyon and perhaps Zion National Parks. You will then be near the Grand Canyon. From there to Las Vegas and back to LA to finish the loop.


This is quite a long tour but takes in some of the greatest sites in the country.


Also the National Parks have annual passes too. If you are going to hit a bunch you wold want an AP.

http://store.usgs.gov/pass/index.html

I've been to all the places mentioned as an adult and child with my family and have fond memories.

Thank you for dropping by and for the great suggestions so far! And please stick around, I am sure that I will have a lot of questions.

Our flights are into Salt Lake city and flying out of Salt Lake city and the plan so far includes Yellowstone, the Grant Tetons, Mt Rushmore and Custer National Park. I've got a long list of suggestions but haven't had time to look into it in great detail.

We have 17 days to finish the circuit and then 4 nights in LA.

Booking the airfare really helps to focus the mind.
How many days have you allowed for the main part and how many days do you have in LA (sorry Disneyland, how silly of me)?

Booking the airfare has definitely dampened down my previously rather schizophrenic thought process! I now have to decide how much Disney I want to subject my parents to....

 

[DISNEYaddict4evr]

So I just randomly saw the word Mt. Rushmore and thought hey thats where I live I should check out what is going on.

So I only scanned a few of the responses so I may be off target. It looks like you are coming here to the Black Hills in September 2011. If that is the case feel free to ask me questions. I have lived here my entire life except for the few years away at collage in Santa Barbara, CA.

We can talk this way or feel free to PM me. I would love to help you plan out your trip all my friends say I should have been a travel agent.

There are so many wonderful things to see and do here I hoep you have at least a week planned

Ask what you would like to know or I can just give you my two cents on what I think you should do. It will help though to know what types of actives you are all interested in.

 

[skiingfast]

Our flights are into Salt Lake city and flying out of Salt Lake city and the plan so far includes Yellowstone, the Grant Tetons, Mt Rushmore and Custer National Park. I've got a long list of suggestions but haven't had time to look into it in great detail.

When you arrive in SLC if you get there midday, visit Temple Square, it's in downtown SLC only a few miles from the airport. If in the morning it takes about 5 hours to drive to Jackson, WY. This is about 45 minutes from sites in the Grand Tetons. A good staging point for a visit to there and Yellowstone. The town of Jackson and area has lots of options of things to see and do.

Let me know what kind of lodging options you want and activities you want to experience and I can through out a bunch of ideas for the Jackson Area.

 

[shushh]

When you arrive in SLC if you get there midday, visit Temple Square, it's in downtown SLC only a few miles from the airport. If in the morning it takes about 5 hours to drive to Jackson, WY. This is about 45 minutes from sites in the Grand Tetons. A good staging point for a visit to there and Yellowstone. The town of Jackson and area has lots of options of things to see and do.

Let me know what kind of lodging options you want and activities you want to experience and I can through out a bunch of ideas for the Jackson Area.

THank you for the info. It helped us with our planning. And I will take you up on your offer to "flesh out" out days. Although somehow, I get the feeling that we will be pushing for time!

 

[shushh]

Ok this has taken a while but we've finally got a rough itinerary. I've cheated somewhat and got a company to do a customised private tour itinerary and then modified it. It is still difficult to fine tune things. Although we are prepared for long drives, it is still not ideal to do so many day after day. There are a lot of drives which are 4-5 hours long. So here it is, the city listed is where we'll be staying the night. We also wanted to do a ranch stay. At the moment, we are thinking of doing 1 night at/around Helena. Any recommendations?

Happy for comments, suggestions, warnings, etc...

Sep 22 Salt Lake City. Arrive around 1pm
Sep 23 Jackson
Sep 24 Yellowstone NP
Sep 25 Yellowstone NP
Sep 26 Missoula
Sep 27 Missoula
Sep 28 Glacier NP
Sep 29 Glacier NP
Sep 30 Helena
Oct 1 Bozeman
Oct 2 Sheridan
Oct 3 Custer NP
Oct 4 Custer NP (go via Badlands NP to Hot Springs)
Oct 5 Hot Springs
Oct 6 Cheyenne
Oct 7 Steamboat Springs
Oct 8 Steamboat Springs
Oct 9 Vernal
Oct 10 Fly to Los Angeles around 8pm

 

[shushh]

And we have more news. Thanks to a fellow DISboarder, we will be staying at a 2 bedroom villa at the GCV in Anaheim. So excited!!!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Looks like a very nice trip. Enjoy! And lots of pictures of wildlife and the scenery, please.