Booking accommodation in national parks ahead of time

Hi, I'm planning my epic three-month tour of thirteen national parks out West starting in September. I've got a list of places to visit, and I'm figuring out driving times and how much time to spend in each park, so I'll have approximate dates. But do I have to book accommodation in parks far in advance? The thing I like about a road trip is that while I have a plan, I also have a ton of flexibility. As soon as I book dates, I have a schedule and have to be in certain places at set times. Can't I just wing it?

One thing I think I will book in advance, if it's not too late, is a Grand Canyon rafting trip. I hear this is a trip of a lifetime.

Terry

It is nice to be able to wing it, and have the freedom of going where and when the wind blows. But reality is that when it comes to the National Parks, places are few and much sought after. As soon as the booking window opens, they fly off the shelf. For September you may find that you will already be too late, but if you keep checking on the National Parks website as often as you possibly can, there is a chance you could pick up a cancellation.

If you want to stay within NPs then really you need to have a reasonably tight plan... winging it between NPs and making sure you are at the parks on the days booked. Of course it is possible to stay near the parks as well, but it does mean travelling in and out of the parks. Often sunset and sunrise are the most special times, watching the sun paint the earth as it rises or falls over the horizon.

That said, for all the reasons you mention, I have never stayed inside a NP.

Lifey

To be honest, we haven't stayed in lodging inside national parks -- only campgrounds. Even those were booked ahead most times. Most of the time, we stay just outside a park. Not all parks even have lodging inside them.


Donna

I think I'll be mainly camping outside the parks. My itinerary is coming together, so I'll try to book Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TerryTreks

I think I'll be mainly camping outside the parks. My itinerary is coming together, so I'll try to book Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon.

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Of those two, I would say, concentrate on Yellowstone. It is the largest and takes a long time to get around in, and get through. You could spend two hours getting in and out each day. Yellowstone also has some 'first come, first served' camp grounds, so if you miss out you could try getting there very early one day (the park is open 24hrs) to secure one of these camp spots. I am not sure of the terms of staying there, but I am sure you can find that on the NP website.

Lifey

That's what I'm discovering, Lifemagician. I'm visiting a lot of minor National Parks, where I think I can wing it, but the big ones like Yellowstone and Grand Canyon I am going to plan a bit. But even if I can't book camping and get backcountry permits ahead of time, I think the fact that I'm one person, I'm flexible, and I will have a lot of time will help.

Hi, I have a first cut of my epic road trip itinerary, focusing on camping in national parks. I'm trying to go slow and spend a lot of time in fewer places. I want to have lots of time to set up my tripod and take pictures. But there are do many stops. I might end up cutting some of the stuff later in the trip out. There's good camping availability in Yellowstone, so I'll book that soon. A big variable is if I can book a rafting trip on the Colorado River. If I can I'll rearrange to plan around that. But this is what I have so far. It's pretty overwhelming.

3-Sep Drive 9 hours from Indiana
4-Sep Drive 9 hours
5-Sep Day in Badlands NP
6-Sep 2 hr drive to Mt. Rushmore. A couple hours there. Four hour drive to Devil's Tower. See sunset.
7-Sep 5 hr drive to Bighorn Natl Forest.
8-Sep 3 hr drive to Yellowstone. Yellowstone day 1.
9-Sep Yellowstone day 2
10-Sep Yellowstone day 3
11-Sep Yellowstone day 4
12-Sep Yellowstone day 5
13-Sep Yellowstone day 6
14-Sep Yellowstone day 7
15-Sep Grand Teton NP day 1
16-Sep Grand Teton NP day 2
17-Sep Grand Teton NP day 3
18-Sep 8 hr drive to Moab, UT.
19-Sep Arches NP
20-Sep Canyonlands NP
21-Sep Capitol Reef NP
22-Sep Moab, UT
23-Sep 3 hr drive to Mesa Verde NP day 1
24-Sep Mesa Verde NP day 2
25-Sep 3 hr drive to Monument Valley. Monement Valley day 1. See sunset.
26-Sep Sunrise at Monument Valley. 6 hr drive to Bryce Canyon NP. Stop to see slot canyons in Page, AZ.
27-Sep Bryce Canyon day 1
28-Sep Bryce Canyon day 2
29-Sep 1 hr drive to Zion NP. Zion day 1
30-Sep Zion day 2
1-Oct Zion day 3
2-Oct Zion day 3
3-Oct Zion day 4
4-Oct 5 hr drive to Grand Canyon north rim
5-Oct Grand Canyon north rim day 1
6-Oct Grand Canyon north rim day 2
7-Oct Grand Canyon north rim day 3
8-Oct Grand Canyon north rim day 4
9-Oct 6 hr drive to Las Vegas, NV
10-Oct Las Vegas relaxation day
11-Oct Hoover Dam
12-Oct 3 hr drive to Death Valley. Death Valley day 1.
13-Oct Death Valley day 2
14-Oct Death Valley day 3
15-Oct 4 hr drive to Yosemite. Yosemite day 1.
16-Oct Yosemite day 2
17-Oct Yosemite day 3
18-Oct Yosemite day 4
19-Oct Yosemite day 5
20-Oct Yosemite day 6
21-Oct 3 hr drive to Sequoia NP. Sequoia day 1.
22-Oct Sequoia day 2
23-Oct 2 hr drive to King's Canyon NP. King's Canyon day 1.
24-Oct King's Canyon day 2
25-Oct 4 hr drive to Los Angeles
26-Oct Los Angels relaxation day
27-Oct Los Angels sightseeing
28-Oct Channel Islands National Park
29-Oct 3 hr drive to Joshua Tree NP. Joshua Tree day 1.
30-Oct Joshua Tree day 2
31-Oct Joshua Tree day 3
1-Nov 6 hr drive to Flagstaff, AZ
2-Nov Sedona, AZ
3-Nov Sedona, Flagstaff, or relaxation day
4-Nov 2 hr drive to Grand Canyon south rim. Grand Canyon day 1.
5-Nov Grand Canyon day 2
6-Nov Grand Canyon day 3
7-Nov Grand Canyon day 4
8-Nov 3 hr drive to Petrified Forest National Park
9-Nov Petrified Forest National Park, 7 hour drive to El Paso, TX
10-Nov El Paso
11-Nov White Sands
12-Nov 2 hr drive to Carlsbad Cavers NP
13-Nov 5 hr drive to Big Bend National Park
14-Nov Big Bend day 1
15-Nov Big Bend day 2
16-Nov 6 hr drive to San Antonio, TX
17-Nov San Antonio
18-Nov San Antonio
19-Nov 1 hr drive to Austin, TX
20-Nov Austin, TX
21-Nov 3 hr drive to Houston, TX
22-Nov Driving
23-Nov Driving
24-Nov Return rental car in Lafayette, IN

Moderator Note: Please keep all questions about this trip in the same thread.

That's quite an incredible adventure !! One part that stands out to me is going from Moab to Capitol Reef and back again. It's quite a back track and you would miss out on UT scenic 12 between CR and Bryce. I'm not 100% sure if it would be an actual advantage in mileage or not, but I think it might be. You could look at going from the Tetons to Zion to North rim to Bryce to Capitol Reef to Moab to Mesa Verde to Monument valley and then visit the Petrified forest and the GC south rim on route to Vegas. Then after Joshua tree you could stay south for Sedona and White sands etc.

Or another option would be to go from the Tetons to Mesa Verde with an overnight stop on route, Flaming Gorge Res is great for some photography. You would also have the option of driving the spectacular 'Million Dollar Highway' [US550] and 'grabbing' another NP, Black canyon of the Gunnison'. Then from M Verde to Moab Capitol Reef, Bryce etc following your original route. Then you could visit Monument valley after the south rim and before White sands etc. What you have is just fine, but thought I would share a couple of thoughts/alternatives.

Don't forget to purchase the annual NP pass for $80, it will save you a small fortune.

May I suggest you contact the tourism departments of all those States, and ask about their Scenic byways and backways publications. I have just become aware of these in a few States, and they are amazing with the information they have in them. Scenic routes and Byways which are not on maps or in other publications. Some States publish maps of their parks and scenic byways.

Lifey

My rental car is booked! Only $1,300 for unlimited mileage (plus gas will probably be another grand). Thanks for the routing ideas, Southwest Dave. There's so much stuff in Utah, figuring out the best route has been tough. Maybe I should cut out Mesa Verde, since that's a side trip. I've always wanted to see that though. But I'm worried I might get burned out trying to hit every national park. I might try to be more strategic, and cut some of the less famous ones out.

That's a good idea about scenic routes, Lifemagician. I certainly don't want to spend all my time on the interstates. I did that once driving from Maryland to Colorado, and it was so boring!

Terry

There really should be no need to drop Mesa Verde if it's somewhere you really want to go. I think you have given yourself plenty of time in some parks to relax and re-energise to avoid the risk of burning out.

Sounds like a great trip! Are you planning on hiking into the back country in some of the larger parks?

Have you checked the Public Lands site? There are some great camping spots along US-191 - Wyoming Centennial Scenic Byway - south of The Tetons.

Hobach campground is 8 miles south of Hobach Junction, on the western side of the road, right on the Hobach river. Right by the road, but ever so quiet and secluded. There is another about five miles further south, on the east side of the road, also on the Hobach river. Not far after crossing the bridge over the river. A further one can be found at greater altitude - hence, no trees - at Warren Bridge, just south of the bridge on the western side of the road. Tom and Dianne are the camp hosts there, and Tom takes great pride in keeping the place neat and tidy. All these are about $15 per night.

BTW, I would not count on an eight hour drive to Moab. US-191 in Wyoming is an attraction in itself. Don't short change yourself. There's much more than the NPs. Check out the Flaming Gorge / Green River Scenic Byway.

Call in at the BLM office in Pinedale, and have a chat with them there.

Lifey

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Call in at the BLM office in Pinedale, and have a chat with them there.

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There is also camping at Freemont lake just outside of Pinedale.

Thanks for the tips! I am planning on doing some backcountry hiking. I'm trying to figure out where to hike in Yellowstone so I can reserve a permit. The public lands site will be helpful.

Grand Canyon rafting trips are still available. I'm trying to decide between motor or paddle boats.

I've been hesitating on the Grand Canyon rafting trip because it's so expensive. But I'm pulling the trigger on a 5.5 day upper canyon oar trip. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time. That gives me some dates where I have to be somewhere, so I'll redo my Utah itinerary around that, and incorporate the useful advice I received here. I'll post my updated itinerary when I have it.

My original itinerary had several days at both the North and South rim. I'll be hiking out at Phantom Ranch. I'm not in a hurry, so is it worth hanging around the South Rim for a couple days after my rafting trip? Should I plan to hit the North Rim too, or will I be all "canyoned out?" I'll have all of Utah to do after the Grand Canyon rafting.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TerryTreks

It's something I've wanted to do for a long time. .

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I can't think of a better reason to do it. Hope you have a great trip. Wow! 5.5 days, that is some trip.

As to whether you visit the North Rim as well as the South Rim is completely up to you. I would, but ever so briefly. There are other attractions there as well as the rim. But heck, if it is going to cut you short of time at some other great parks.... well, that's what roadtrips are all about.... decisions, decisions, DECISIONS!

As well as all this planning, I trust you have also been planning how you are going to keep your journal. This is a trip we will all want to follow. Can't wait for it to start. :)

Lifey

I hope to blog about this, but I haven't had time to set up a blog with all the planning! I came up with another revision to my itinerary accounting for having to be in Page, AZ on September 22 for Grand Canyon Rafting. I deleted King's Canyon, Sequoia, and Joshua Tree, which allowed me to add more time to some places and some free days. I even have two days unscheduled to allow me to catch up. I want to be able to leisurely spent more time in fewer places, rather than rushing from park to park just to check them all off my list.


3-Sep Driving Day (500 miles)
4-Sep Driving Day (500 miles)
5-Sep Day in Badlands NP
6-Sep 2 hr drive to Wind Cave NP. Spend day.
7-Sep Morning in Wind Cave NP. 1 hr drive to Mt Rushmore.
8-Sep 2 hr drive to Devil's Tower. A couple hours here. 5 hr drive to Bighorn Natl Forrest.
9-Sep 3 hr drive to Yellowstone. Yellowstone day 1.
10-Sep Yellowstone day 2
11-Sep Yellowstone day 3
12-Sep Yellowstone day 4
13-Sep Yellowstone day 5
14-Sep Yellowstone day 6
15-Sep Yellowstone day 7.
16-Sep 1 hr drive. Grand Teton NP day 1
17-Sep Grand Teton day 2
18-Sep Grand Teton day 3
19-Sep Grand Teton day 4
20-Sep 3.5 hr drive to Rock Springs, WY via 191. Continue South on 191, leisurely exploring Flaming Gorge-Green River Basin Scenic Byway.
21-Sep 6 hr drive to Manti-La Sal Natl Forrest. Allow more time for pictures.
22-Sep 6 hr drive to Page, AZ. 7:30 pm orientation. Allow more time for pictures.
23-Sep Grand Canyon rafting day 1
24-Sep Grand Canyon rafting day 2
25-Sep Grand Canyon rafting day 3
26-Sep Grand Canyon rafting day 4
27-Sep Grand Canyon rafting day 5
28-Sep Grand Canyon rafting day 6
29-Sep Grand Canyon South rim day 1
30-Sep Grand Canyon South rim day 2
1-Oct 8 am Trans-Canyon shuttle to Marble Canyon, arriving 10 am. 2 hr drive to Page, AZ. Half day free.
2-Oct Visit Slot canyons.
3-Oct 3 hr drive to Monument Valley. A few hours here. 2.5 hr drive to Mesa Verde NP
4-Oct Mesa Verde NP
5-Oct 2 hr drive to Canyonlands NP. Explore the Island in the Sky.
6-Oct Canyonlands. Backpacking in the Needles
7-Oct Canyonlands. Backpacking in the Needles
8-Oct 1 hr drive to Moab, UT. Relaxation day.
9-Oct Hot air balloon or mountain bike tour
10-Oct Arches NP
11-Oct 2.5 hr drive to Capital Reef NP. Half day in Capital Reef.
12-Oct Capital Reef NP
13-Oct 2.5 hr drive to Bryce Canyon NP. Half day in Bryce Canyon.
14-Oct Morning at Bryce. 1.5 hr drive to Zion NP
15-Oct Zion day 1
16-Oct Zion day 2
17-Oct Zion day 3
18-Oct Zion day 4
19-Oct 2 hr drive to Las Vegas. Relaxation day
20-Oct Hoover dam
21-Oct 3 hr drive to Death Valley. Death Valley day 1.
22-Oct Death Valley day 2
23-Oct Death Valley day 3
24-Oct 4 hr drive to Yosemite. Yosemite day 1.
25-Oct Yosemite day 2
26-Oct Yosemite day 3
27-Oct Yosemite day 4
28-Oct Yosemite day 5
29-Oct Yosemite day 6
30-Oct Yosemite day 7
31-Oct 3 hr drive to Malibu CA. Relax on the beach.
1-Nov Channel Islands kayaking day 1
2-Nov Channel Islands kayaking day 2
3-Nov
4-Nov
5-Nov 6 hr drive to Bisbee, AZ
6-Nov Relax and/or sightsee in Bisbee
7-Nov 5 hr drive to El Paso, TX
8-Nov El Paso
9-Nov White Sands
10-Nov El Paso extra day
11-Nov 2 hr drive to Guadalupe Mountains NP. Day hike.
12-Nov Guadalupe Peak Trail - highest point in Texas
13-Nov .5 hr drive to Carlsbad Caverns NP
14-Nov 4 hr drive to Big Bend NP. Big Bend day 1.
15-Nov Big Bend day 2
16-Nov Big Bend day 3
17-Nov 6 hr drive to San Antonio, TX
18-Nov San Antonio
19-Nov 1 hr drive to Austin, TX
20-Nov Austin, TX
21-Nov 3 hr drive to Houston, TX
22-Nov 6 hr drive to Hot Springs, AR
23-Nov Morning in Hot Springs. Drive 7 hours
24-Nov Drive 3 hours. Return car by noon

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TerryTreks

I hope to blog about this, but I haven't had time to set up a blog with all the planning!

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Terry, no need to worry about that. We have the perfect facility for you to record your trip(s). (You may have been reading some of ours in your research.) Send the link to all whom you would like to follow the trip, and they can all read it without having to register, and leave comments if they wish to register. Even link this planning thread to it, so folk can see just how much has gone into the planning.

And of course, we love to see your photos as well.

Lifey

I'll try to do that once I'm on the road, Lifey.

I found a mistake in my itinerary. I have to be in Page, AZ on September 21, not 22. So I unfortunately will cut a day from Grand Teton.

The thing I'm not sure about is the drive from Grand Teton down to Page. I really hate to have to skip by so much amazing scenery, but I have to get to Page. I'm allowing two overnight stops to try to make it leisurely. Maybe one night in Flaming Gorge, and one in Fishlake Natl Forrest, or Dixie National Forrest? I have no idea about these places, but it would be nice to be able to camp out somewhere scenic.

If I only did one overnight on the drive down, I could get an en extra day in Grand Teton.

The other thing I'm worried about is camping. I can count the number of times I've camped in my life on one hand! I hope I don't get tired of camping. This drive down to Page might be a good opportunity to take a motel break. It will be my last chance for more than a week.

Terry

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This drive down to Page might be a good opportunity to take a motel break. It will be my last chance for more than a week.

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This could be a good time to take a break in a hotel. It'll save having to put up and break down camp for one night stays and give you the chance to 'pamper' yourself for a night or 2. On a long trip like this it is sometimes useful as well to organise and re-pack items and possibly do some laundry.

Oh man, laundry. I haven't even thought of that! When/where am I going to do laundry? When I traveled internationally, I just bought little packages of powdered detergent and did it in a sink.

Maybe this trip is overly ambitious. I hit the things that are most important to me (Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Death Valley) in two months. Maybe I'll cut out the third month. Three months on the road camping seems like a long time.

That means Texas road trip next year!

Terry

Many campgrounds, and nearly all motels, have coin-operated washers and dryers available. Finding a place to do laundry shouldn't be difficult at all. Finding the time to do it, that's up to you!

Even if your hotel or campground does not have laundry facilities, they will always know where there is one nearby. Take something with you to do or a book to read and you'll find the time passes in a jiffy. In all the years roadtripping, I have never not been able to find a laundry. Just don't waste time doing it every week. Wait till you have a load full. Soap powder can always be bought at the laundry, though it is more economical to purchase a box full of the small packs.

I can't see why you should allow laundry to shorten your trip.

Lifey

With laundry, I make sure that we are booked in a motel nearby or with a laundry, every 7-10 days if we aren't with family. We've found that it's hit and miss whether a motel has machines, and it's usually only 1 or 2 washers and 1 or 2 dryers. But as pointed out, most motels will gladly point you towards a commercial laundromat. For travel, the soap "pods", put out by most of the main detergent companies, are very convenient. If you like fabric softener, for traveling the dryer sheets are more convenient than the liquid softener.


Donna who needs to do laundry tonight

Hi We did a Yellowstone/Utah trip last year... my trip plan is on here if you want to check it out. We tent camped also. "Jackson-Rock Springs-Page"... what if you went Jackson-26-Evanston-89-park city-Palisade SP( you could camp here or numerous camping all the way) 6hrs 40 min(383miles) continue on 89 to Page (262 miles) 11 hrs total instead of 15 through Rock Spring. You would still see scenery instead of interstate. Sometimes just a drive day is in order. Or you could leave Jackson take this route and just stay in motel on way. Americas's Best Value Inn ( go on their website & get their card(free) for 15% off rooms) they are budget motels but we found them better than motel 6. some are very nice. We did the monument valley drive in our own vehicle(truck) on previous trip( 1-2 hrs)

I see you are going to Canyonlands and then back to Needles?? There is a really nice campground in needles( sites are under rock ledge) Think it was squaw flat. Cave Spring easy hike was fun, easy hike. Would it not make more sense to do Needles, then Arches?Moab, then go to Island in the Sky( Dead Horse SP) is beautiful campground,sunset/sunrise photos to die for.

From Moab I would go to Goblin SP, check out the little Wildhorse Canyon/Bell Canyon Trail (great slot canyon) just before SP pay station. Capital Reef NP didn't really impress us much, we did the drive thru and hike into pioneer writing on canyon walls easily done in one day, or just a drive thru to check out.I would do the slot canyon and skip Capital Reef( or just drive the highlights) if I were doing again. We stayed in Torrey at Thousand Lake Campground- they had cabins( you supply bedding) pool/showers $35 nice break from tent camping or drive straight thru to Bryce. Bryce is higher elevation so may be cool at this time of year. Ruby Inn might be an option for a cabin. Just some tips from my experience on our trips.

Your trip looks like it will be amazing! Planning is some of the best fun.... and then you hit the road and find hidden treasures along the way that you didn't expect or plan. That is what road trips are all about.

There's some good information here I will have to digest. To update, I'm focusing this trip on Yellowstone/Tetons, Utah, and Grand Canyon. This will cut the trip down to 60 days, which makes it less overwhelming. (If this goes well I'll follow up with a New Mexico and California trip next year.)

I've got a handle on accommodation in Yellowstone, Zion, and Grand Canyon and have booked in those places. I have so many other stops I'm hoping I don't have to book accommodations in advance anywhere else, so that I'll be able to stay longer or shorter if desired. I also have to refine my route between sites and the order I'm visiting, incorporating the feedback here. I don't think I want to just show up in these parks with no idea what's there, so I have to research each park a bit.

Also, I have to buy gear and either sell or mail home all my stuff that doesn't fit in two bags. So much work!

Terry

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TerryTreks

I'm hoping I don't have to book accommodations in advance anywhere else, so that I'll be able to stay longer or shorter if desired.

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I hear what you are saying, but it may pay you to just do a quick check to see if there are any special events on in some of the more major places. I have been caught out twice, over the years, looking for a room and not realising that there was a major convention on in the area, and not a bed to be had.

Lifey

The latest version, incorporating feedback. I want to spend an extra day in Grand Teton, so I'll take the faster route to Page.

I'm down to 62 days, and no more New Mexico or Texas. Instead I'll hit more parks in Colorado.

It's really hard to decide how long to stay in each place. I hate to rush, so I'm erroring on the side of slowness. Some of those days can be used for errands.

I plotted the route via Google maps, but I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post a link here.

3-Sep Driving Day (500 miles)
4-Sep Driving Day (500 miles)
5-Sep Day in Badlands NP
6-Sep 2 hr drive to Wind Cave NP. Spend day.
7-Sep 1 hr drive to Mt Rushmore.
8-Sep Get early start! 3 hr drive to Devil's Tower. 3 hr drive to Bighorn Natl Forrest.
9-Sep Get early start! 4 hr drive to Yellowstone. Yellowstone day 1.
10-Sep Yellowstone day 2
11-Sep Yellowstone day 3
12-Sep Yellowstone day 4
13-Sep Yellowstone day 5
14-Sep Yellowstone day 6
15-Sep Yellowstone day 7.
16-Sep 1 hr drive. Grand Teton NP day 1
17-Sep Grand Teton day 2
18-Sep Grand Teton day 3
19-Sep Grand Teton day 4
20-Sep 8 hr drive to Palisades State Park
21-Sep 5 hr drive to Page, AZ. 7:30 pm orientation.
22-Sep Grand Canyon rafting day 1
23-Sep Grand Canyon rafting day 2
24-Sep Grand Canyon rafting day 3
25-Sep Grand Canyon rafting day 4
26-Sep Grand Canyon rafting day 5
27-Sep Grand Canyon rafting day 6
28-Sep Grand Canyon South rim day 1
29-Sep Grand Canyon South rim day 2
30-Sep 8 am Trans-Canyon shuttle to Marble Canyon, ariving 10 am. 2 hr drive to Page, AZ. Half day free.
1-Oct Visit Slot canyons.
2-Oct 2 hr drive to Zion NP. Zion day 1
3-Oct Zion day 2
4-Oct Zion day 3
5-Oct Zion day 4
6-Oct Zion day 5
7-Oct 1.5 hr drive to Bryce Canyon NP. Leave early to get campsite. Bryce day 1
8-Oct Bryce day 2
9-Oct .5 hr drive to Grand Staircase -Escalate Natl Monument
10-Oct GSENM day 2
11-Oct 1.5 hr drive to Capital Reef NP. Capital Reef NP day 1.
12-Oct Capital Reef NP day 2
13-Oct Capital Reef NP day 3
14-Oct 1.5 hr drive to Goblin Valley State Park
15-Oct 2 hr drive to Canyonlands NP. Canyonlands day 1
16-Oct Canyonlands day 2. Backpacking in the Needles
17-Oct Canyonlands day 3. Backpacking in the Needles
18-Oct 30 min drive to Moab. Free day.
19-Oct Hot air balloon or mountain bike tour
20-Oct Arches NP
21-Oct Extra Moab day
22-Oct 3 hr drive to Monument Valley. Stay for sunset/sunrise.
23-Oct 3 hr drive to Mesa Verde NP.
24-Oct Mesa Verde NP day 2.
25-Oct 1 hr drive to Durango, CO
26-Oct Durango Day 2
27-Oct 4 hr drive to Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP via 550/Million Dollar Highway. Partial day in Black Canyon NP.
28-Oct Black Canyon day 2
29-Oct Black Canyon day 3
30-Oct 4 hr drive to Great Sand Dunes NP
31-Oct Great Sand Dunes NP day 2
1-Nov Great Sand Dunes NP day 3
2-Nov Driving Day (550 miles)
3-Nov Driving Day (550 miles)

Quote:

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5-Sep Day in Badlands NP
6-Sep 2 hr drive to Wind Cave NP. Spend day.
7-Sep 1 hr drive to Mt Rushmore.
8-Sep Get early start! 3 hr drive to Devil's Tower. 3 hr drive to Bighorn Natl Forrest.

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I'd love to comment on these, as we were just there very recently. (See my trip report.)

You can easily spend a full day at Badlands if you want to hike around. Hopefully they will have finished the construction at both the Visitor Center parking lot and on the main road. There are several good hikes from the viewpoints that will take you to further observation points. The bighorn sheep were mostly down on the western end of the park during the month of July, according to the rangers, and that's where we found them.

Badlands to Wind Cave is easily a two hour drive, if you are taking SR-36 and US-16A. Those are mighty slow going roads. We didn't realize when we used those to go into Custer after Badlands, that they would be so slow. Wind Cave below ground is a matter of taking the tours. We took the 9:40 am Fairgrounds Tour. Another in our group also opted to take the Wild Cave tour in the afternoon, which involves crawling around on your belly and means no cameras, phones, or other electronics. That wasn't for us. There are some places to hike on top of Wind Cave, too. You could also drive along Custer State Park's Wildlife Loop, too.

It's about an hour's drive to Mt Rushmore. We arrived early in the morning and really appreciated that, because there were less crowds. That shouldn't be as big a deal in September, but you never know! I'd recommend the Presidential Trail, which takes you underneath the monument. Depending on what you want to do, you may or may not need the full day. If not, go take the Iron Mountain Road or the Needles Highway drives through Custer State Park -- they are very worthwhile.

Your drive times are about right for Black Hills to Devil's Tower, depending on which route you take and where you were staying. We were in Custer City, went out through Deadwood, Lead and Spearfish, and it took us about 2-3/4 hours to get to Devil's Tower. If you take US-212, you may have the same -- especially if they haven't finished that construction! Three hours to Little Bighorn National Forest sounds about right, maybe more though. It really depends on whether you're talking about the Forest itself, or the National Battlefield.

What route are you using to get to Yellowstone? If going the Beartooth -- from Little Bighorn Natl Battlefield to Billings is an hour. Then it's another hour from Billings to Red Lodge. The Beartooth is going to be a 3-hour drive AT LEAST. We took 9-1/2 hours to go from Billings to West Yellowstone, MT via the Beartooth and stopping at the viewpoints in Yellowstone's northeast corner. (Unfortunately, it rained on us between Cooke City and the Lamar Valley, so we didn't stop between those.)


Donna

If you're going to drive the Beartooth Hwy / Pass, I'd make a point of getting much closer than Bighorn NF. Ir you're entering via the east entrance through Cody, you'll be fine.

As already mentioned, the Beartooth takes time, and if you are going to fully appreciate it, it takes a LOT of time. You'll want to make a stop at the Top of the World Store, as well as all the other scenic view points... and of course, at the top of the pass.

Lifey

This is a weak point in my plan that I haven't given enough attention to; thanks for reminding me to flesh it out better!

I'd like to spend a full day in Badlands, but I want to see the Minuteman missile site too. I have a full day planned for Mt Rushmore, so I can always eat into that. As a photographer I'm obsessed with light, so I'm trying to be at Rushmore for sunset, night lights, and sunrise.

I read that Wind Cave above ground was interesting too because it's one of few remaining prairie habitats. Custer State Park was my plan if I get bored at Mt. Rushmore.

As for Bighorn NF, I had just put a pin in the middle and hoped for the best! Doing a bit more research, it looks like there's bunch of campgrounds in the park. Bald Mountain is close to the Western boundary, so that might be a good one. That mean I have a 4 hour drive to Devil's Tower, then another 4 hours to Bald Mountain. Seems like a long day. Maybe I should shoot for a campground on the Eastern edge and drive more the next day?

Going into Yellowstone my first night is booked at Canyon, but I haven't though about my specific route there yet. I thought I would just drive in via Cody. But I could spend my first day driving in via Beartooth. I'm not in a hurry since I'm booked in Canyon.

I've been busy buying camping and photography gear, but now I want to refine my itinerary. I still don't feel good about getting from Mt. Rushmore almost to Yellowstone in one day. Is my latest plan good?

Sunrise at Mt. Rushmore. Get on the road by 7 and drive 3 hr to Devi's Tower. 2 hours there. 5.5 hr drive to Red Lodge, MT. Find camping near Red Lodge.

I could just cut out Devil's Tower since this is such a long day, but it's on the way and would be nice to see.

At about 460 miles, Mt Rushmore to Red Lodge is a long day, especially adding Devil's Tower. However, we did something similar, and depends on your outlook. We cut our day shorter, at Billings.

I found about 7 NF campgrounds on a brief search, nearby to Red Lodge: Check this link.


Donna

Hi, I'm working on refining my itinerary into Yellowstone. The information you've all provided here has been invaluable. I'm starting to feel better about this trip.

This is my latest plan. I don't think it's necessary to book any sleeping for these places in advance. I'm considering canceling my reservation for my first night in Yellowstone.

Sept-5: Badlands NP and Minuteman missile site. Spend night in Badlands campground.

Sept-6: 2 hr drive to Wind Cave NP. Do cave tour. I could leave right after that, but it's possible to do backcountry camping. I'd like to spend a night alone in the woods as practice for my upcoming solo backcountry trips.

Sept-7: A few hours in the morning hiking out, then a 1 hr drive to Mt. Rushmore. See this and Custer State Park. Come back to Mt. Rushmore for the sunset. Camp near here.

Sept-8: The long day. Catch the sunrise on Mt. Rushmore. Be on road by 7 am. 3 hr drive to Devil's Tower. A couple hours there. 5 hr drive to Billings, MT. Get into Billings around 6 pm. Camp nearby.

Sept-9: I currently have a reservation in Yellowstone Canyon Campground. But since I'm now using the Northeast entrance, I don't think that makes sense. I'm thinking of canceling it. If I get on the road by 6 or 7 am, I have a 3 hr drive to the NE entrance. Ideally I would get a place in Pebble Creek, then spend the day exploring Lamar Valley. If that fails I believe I could get to Slough Creek, Tower Falls, Mammoth, Indian Creek, and Noris before noon.

Sept-10 though Sept-11: These are Yellowstone exploration days. How thoroughly do people plan this? I'm reading Yellowstone Treasures, and the park is a big loop. I figure I can just see how far I get every day. I'm OK with not seeing every last geyser.

So, given that my first night in Yellowstone is a Tuesday in September, and I can be there before noon, is it safe to show up with no reservation? I like the flexibility this would provide.

That may be wishful thinking - only 3 hours from Billings to the NE entrance? The Beartooth is VERY slow going. I'd keep that reservation and use it.

Thanks, that's good to know. I'll stick to my original plan then. Since I have the reservation, I can go slow and see sites on the way. The times Google Maps give cannot be blindly trusted!

Billings to Cooke City was more like 4 hours, including the Beartooth but not including the stop that we made for breakfast. We went to West Yellowstone that same day. Keep the reservation and use it.


Donna

Quote:

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These are Yellowstone exploration days. How thoroughly do people plan this?

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As much, or as little as you want. Using the NP webpage and doing a little research will help educate you as to your options and you will be given leaflets and maps on arrival, but sticking to a plan in Yellowstone is probably counter-productive and in may ways, futile. There is just so much to amaze and surprise you that you could stay in a place you hadn't planned for [heard of] for longer than one you had planned to visit, getting held up in a wildlife jam or just pulling over to watch a Buffalo herd go by eats away at the time, but it's all part of a fantastic experience.

What I would suggest is that you do the research and are aware of your options and then just 'go with the flow'. One thing that did seem to work for us, was to go to some of the lesser visited areas during the day when the crowds were coming in and heading for the BIG attractions [Old Faithful, Mammoth hot springs etc] and then head to them ourselves in late afternoon/early evening after the peak. You might get a few Yellowstone ides by scrolling through part of this trip report.