Answer 1 of 22: Hello, Have a family of 18 (with 2 campers and a motor home) that will be going to Yellowstone area in June 2019. The city boasts some stunning architecture and unique cultural attractions that give an interesting contrast to the natural attractions in Yellowstone and Mount Rushmore. From here you can save it and/or print it. However, you might also be OK on the Bighorn Scenic Byway, it just might take some research if there are any vehicle restrictions for this road. When you reach Boise after your long drive, rest in luxury at The Grove Hotel. A must-visit if dropping by Boise, this historic prison boasts daily tours that detail the lives of its famous inmates. Any suggested itineraries? By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. In our Guide to the US National Parks, get the full list of national parks with important travel planning information, such as things to do in the parks and sample itineraries. Day 1 : Bismarck, North Dakota Do: Driving will take a big chunk of your day. On our first visit to the area, we stayed in Rapid City at the Courtyard by Marriott. Another option is Panorama Point, our favorite sunset spot in the Badlands. On the Road: 165 miles, 3.5 hours from Devils Tower; 105 miles, 2.5 hours from Spearfish. As far as accommodations, I dont think that will be an issue. The town of Custer is located just outside of Custer State park, on the west side. Route #1: Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone on Bighorn Scenic Byway Distance: 441 miles Driving Time (without stops): 7.5 hours This driving route starts at Mount Rushmore and ends in Cody, Wyoming. The views of the Badlands arent quite as good as they are along Badlands Loop Drive, but on Sagecreek Rim Road you have a much better chance to spot wildlife like bison, bighorn sheep, coyote, and prairie dogs (we saw all of these animals here during our visit). Zion & Bryce Canyon: Epic 3 Day Zion to Bryce Canyon Road Trip Itinerary. Most Direct Way to Drive From Yellowstone to Mount Rushmore Assuming you are starting from the southeast side of Yellowstone, which is close to Old Faithful and the West Thumb part of Yellowstone Lake, the most direct route to Mt Rushmore is Highway 14 from West Yellowstone towards Cody and then Highway 20 to Worland. You can visit Yellowstone National Park and Mount Rushmore year-round but keep in mind that some roads will be closed to driving in Yellowstone during winter. If you click the star next to the title of the map, this map will be added to your Google Maps account. For something quicker, hike the short but sweet Rankin Ridge Trail for panoramic views over the Black Hills. Crowds are lower and you could see some fall colors. If you click the icons on the map, you can get more information about each point of interest. Reservations for Scenic Tours and Wild Caving Tours are strongly recommended. Go canoeing, kayaking, or fishing during your stay. But we loved the spacious room, excellent Wi-Fi, and comfy beds. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Purchase your pass at the first national park that you visit (in this case, at Grand Teton) or you can get it online. day 2 driving 8 hours. Is this trip capable by RV? This itinerary is a one-way, point-to-point road trip. Western-style cabins come equipped with a private bathroom and a kitchenette. For the next three nights, you will stay in the Black Hills of South Dakota or Rapid City. Day 7: Whitefish. Option #2 is for avid hikers. On the sidebar, under Amenities there is a filter for pet friendly hotels, so this will help you narrow down the list. Our favorite restaurant in Jackson is Local Restaurant & Bar. View details. GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK: Check out our Grand Teton National Park Travel Guide for important travel information, sample itineraries, and how to plan your visit. This is a cool town, filled with great restaurants, art galleries, and boutique shops. Read our one day Grand Teton itinerary for full details on how to do this. You need a minimum of 4 nights/3 days in Yellowstone and probably 1 or 2 nights at Mount Rushmore. A trip to South Dakota wouldn't be complete without visiting Mount Rushmore. Then drive onwards to the iconic Mount Rushmore, just make sure to account for the additional 8 hours it takes to get there! 12:17 pm Buffalo (Wyoming) Hello Jeff. The visitor center opens at 8 am and I recommend getting here right at 8 am, or even a little before, to make sure that you are on the first tour of the day. Boise is known as the City of Trees for its many outdoor spaces boasting gorgeous trees. Start on the North Rim. Click here to read more about Spearfish Canyon and to see more photos from the drive. On the Road (from Keystone): 240 miles, 5 hours. Keep this in mind when planning your trip. This is amazing! Once you are finished at Old Faithful, drive east to West Thumb Geyser Basin (19 miles, 30 minutes). In Deadwood, walk through the historic town, Tour the Adams House, visit Mount Moriah Cemetery, and visit the Saloon #10 Bar. If you arent lucky enough to see a herd of bison here, you have another chance in Lamar Valley. If you have plans to visit Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Badlands, and Wind Cave National Parks and Devils Tower, it is worth it to purchase the America the Beautiful Pass. See the Badlands, Mount Rushmore, Devils Tower, Yellowstone and more on this 2,800 mile all-American road trip. If you're planning a road trip to see Mount Rushmore, it makes the most sense to divide the surrounding area into three main scenic driving routes: The Black Hills with Mount Rushmore Badlands National Park Spearfish Canyon The Black Hills and Mount Rushmore loop will take a full day. I recommend visiting Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, then driving through Lamar Valley, and spend the afternoon on Beartooth Highway. Theres so much to see and do that we welcome you to pick and choose your stops to fit your vacation style whether thats family fun time, scenic cruises or adventure challenges. This is a small geyser basin and it only takes about 30 minutes to walk through all of it. We dont have those specific PDFs done yet but thanks for asking, and Ill them to our to-do list. Summer is the busiest tourism season. Rushmore Bus tour from Los Angeles/Las Vegas Tour Code: 678-973 Yellowstone From USD Price shown is based on the lowest price per person over the next 30 days $711 $748 Save 5% Offer Ends h m s 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 2 reviews Available: Mon (5/21 - 8/20), Wed, Fri (4/25 - 9/28) Depart from: You can click the check marks to hide or show layers. Visit Badlands National Park, go hiking in Custer State Park, visit Wind Cave National Park, and learn how to visit Mount Rushmore. In the afternoon/evening, fly home or continue on to your next destination. From Gardiner or Mammoth, it will be a very long drive to Grand Teton National Park (plus, they are closed due to the flood). We have booked for end of May 2023 Old Faithful (three nights) and Canyon lodge (two nights) a total of five nights. Consider visiting before 9:00 a.m. or after 3:30 p.m. Use the links below to plan your visit to Mount Rushmore and the surrounding . Our suggested 7-10 day Ideal Western Road Trip Itinerary Day 1/2: Rapid City, South Dakota Here's our pick of the best picture-perfect US county - or, in Alaska and Louisiana respectively, borough or parish - in each state that packs in the most gorgeousness. The third-largest cave system in the world and South Dakota's premier caving destination. ), Cody, Yellowstone, Reno/Carson City and Lake Tahoe. Located in Cody, rooms are rustic and can accommodate from two to six people. Make sure to enjoy the free Wi-Fi and on-site bar as well as the on-site restaurant. Located in Cody, this property gets some of the best reviews in town. We liked the Wyoming Inn a little bit better but we wouldnt hesitate to stay here again, especially since prices are a little lower. Is this. For updated pricing and hours, visit the official website. For full details on things to do on this drive, read our Guide to Beartooth Highway. Yellowstone, Devils Tower and Mount Rushmore Itinerary, Yellowstone, Devils Tower & Mount Rushmore Itinerary. This route is the shortest and will take you to the famous Yellowstone National Park on your way. By staying here, you will have a much shorter drive to get to Devils Tower on day 6. There are also a number of fishing lodges in the park. You will stay in Yellowstone or West Yellowstone for two nights. About an hour's drive from Yellowstone National Park's main entrance, this cozy and comfortable accommodation has tons of luxurious amenities, including spacious rooms and private fireplaces. Porcelain Basin is our favorite of the two basins. Take the one-way loop off the main road to visit Jenny Lake, or to do one of the shorter hikes to Leigh Lake (1.8 miles RT) or String Lake (3.7 miles RT). From Hayden Valley, drive north. You'll get to explore some of the most stunning places in America on your way from California to Yellowstone and Mount Rushmore. Its best to fly home from Glacier, since it is located so far from Rapid City (it would take about a full day to backtrack to your starting point). This scenic drive is 20 miles long and it takes about 30 minutes to drive it, without stops. A visit here consists of seeing two basins: Back Basin and Porcelain Basin. Head north into Yellowstone National Park. Visitors can also experience watching sports teams like the Utah Jazz in their home stadiums. This is one of the highest rated hotels in Jackson. I do have two weeks budgeted and would like to include Glacier as well. For the quickest visit, simply walk the Tower Trail, a 1.3 mile trail that loops around the base of Devils Tower. Overview of a 4 week 2000 Cross Country Road Trip with Travel Itinerary, Travel Road Map, . From the East Entrance, it is a one hour drive on Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway, another beautiful drive through the mountains. We have driven through here many times and sometimes you see a few bison off in the distance and sometimes an enormous herd is clustered along the road, creating a giant traffic jam. Miazgas has a wide range of food. Where to stay depends on whether or not you want to do an extra hour of driving today or save it for tomorrow morning. CO. SD. Activity level Natural Explorer. BEARTOOTH HIGHWAY: The quicker route (94 miles, 2 hours) is to exit Yellowstone at the Northeast Entrance and drive through Cooke City-Silver Gate (if you need dinner this is the best place to get it until you reach Cody). Start / End. Completed in 1941, Mount Rushmore features the 60-foot high faces of four United States presidents intricately carved out of a granite mountainside. Old Faithful is one of Yellowstones most popular sights. Amenities include a barn with music and kids movies and an on-site caf and bakery. LEARN MORE: Grand Prismatic Spring and the Fairy Falls Hike. You can email us at info@earthtrekkers.com but we get so many emails every day that sometimes it takes us a week to get to them. Today, you will visit a few more sights in Yellowstone. One of the best times to visit Lamar Valley is in the late afternoon and early evening. Deadwood is a great place to have lunch, depending on how your timing works out. Experience the mystique of Devils Tower Monument, see Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park and take in the majesty of Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole. Last year myself and my wife took our first road trip driving the California coast from San Fransico to San Diego and fell in love love with road trips. I hope this helps! This saloon is where Wild Bill Hickok was shot and killed playing poker by Jack McCall. Republishing this articleand/orany of its contents (text, photography, etc. This is one of the best scenic drives in the US. The colder months see fewer people and are still very beautiful. The busiest months are June, July and August. Its a 30 minute drive from Mount Rushmore and a visit here can be very quick. Caravan's Rapid City, South Dakota hotel, the Rushmore Hotel provides a courtesy shuttle from the Rapid City Airport (RAP). Highlights include Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Reno, Death Valley, Zion National Park, Dixie National Forest and Salt Lake City. We have a 10 day Colorado itinerary that you could do a portion of. You can simply view the monument from afar, from the terrace of the Welcome Center, or you can take a van ride to the monument for a closer view. We had a great meal at Jacobs Brewhouse & Grocer but Cheyenne Crossing, El Jefes Fresh-Mex Cantina, Lewies Saloon & Eatery, and Deadwood Legends Steakhouse all get great reviews. After living it up in one of the world's party capitals, continue on I-15 until you reach UT-9. Rooms are clean and tastefully decorated. If you are traveling as a family and want to stay in one of the top rated hotels in town, this is one to consider. This shorter and more direct route will take you through two major cities: Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. You have two routes to choose from. If you do one hike today, this is the one that I recommend. You will stay here for two nights. Call to book 1-877-929-7245. This salty inland sea is known as America's Dead Sea. We had a great staythe room was clean, very quiet, and comfortable. On the Road: varies depending on what you do and your route through Custer State Park, this can range from 100 to 150 miles with 3 to 4 hours of driving. It is here that you will see the Grand Prismatic Spring, the most colorful hot spring in the park. Its a relatively short drive. Get back on the route and head into Reno, Nevada. Now we are looking at going to mt Rushmore to Yellowstone finishing up at Yosemite. Just south of Rapid City is TKTK, where you can rent a two-bedroom house, a great option for families. Rushmore road trip is exactly what we are looking for. From Cody, you will drive east to Shell, Wyoming (a one hour drive) and then take US-14 (the Bighorn Scenic Byway) through the Bighorn Mountains. You'll pass strikingly beautiful mountain scenery and desert landscapes that will make any professional or amateur photographer fall in love. Dont miss the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar and the Mangelsen Images of Nature Gallery. Jackson: From Jackson, it takes just 15 minutes to drive to Moose (the southern end of Grand Teton National Park) and 30 minutes to drive to Jenny Lake. We can I purchase the itineraries for Yellowstone to Rushmore and the Washington Road Trip? Nearby, the walk around Leigh Lake is an easy, very pretty stroll. Share Map. We have been to Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and the Black Hills of South Dakota in September and early October and love being here at this time of year. Flying into here will save you some driving today. After seeing the beautiful Pyramid Lake, continue back on route and travel up I-80 and US-95 north into Boise, Idaho. These road trips to Yellowstone are complete resources with itineraries, maps and unexpected stops on the way including authentic small Western towns and undiscovered natural wonders that will make your trip unique. There are two main driving routes through the Bighorn Mountains and Bighorn National Forest. You get to see a little bit of everything on this tour, including boxwork and cave popcorn. Jewel Cave is located 30 minutes from the end of the Needles Highway in the Black Hills. It is the northern route through the Bighorn Mountains. Yes, you can do this trip in an RV. Along the way, you get to see places like Mount Rushmore, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Devils Tower and, finally, Old Faithful. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Earth Trekkers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by advertising & linking to Amazon.com. The Pinnacles Overlook is the most convenient, since it is located near Sage Creek Rim Road and just a short drive to Wall. A visit here can be quick, with a short walk to one or two viewpoints. After your cave tour (or instead of a cave tour), explore the above ground world of Wind Cave National Park. Visiting Mount Rushmore A national treasure in the United States, Mount Rushmore National Memorial symbolizes the ideals of freedom and Democracy. Try again, pressing CTRL+P (command + P on a mac) to bring up the printer dialog box. Trip - 1-2 weeks Offbeat, Fresh and Iconic: 4 Sides of California from North to South Trip - 5 days South Carolina to Alabama Road Trip: Beaches, History and Iconic Music Trip - 1-2 weeks Culture, History, and Tranquility: 3 Captivating Stops in Georgia Off the beaten path Trip - 1-2 weeks Southern Atlantic Coast Trip - 4 days The New England Coast Of course, it depends on the traffic on the days of your travel. Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Wind Cave. Make sure to visit the museum below the viewing deck for some history & statistics. Take the All-American Road Trip to Yellowstone, starting in Chicago. Start in Chicago on this incredible route through some of the nation's most. Cody Cowboy Village. The advantage to staying here is that you will do less driving on the day trip to Badlands National Park. California: 23 Unmissable Stops on the Legendary Pacific Coast Highway. You'll primarily pass through Nevada, Utah and Wyoming, with plenty of attractions to. Deadwood sits right next to Lead.