# Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon



## Bunkey

We are planning a trip in June from Wisconsin to Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone, and Grand Canyon.  We will be traveling with a 2007 40ft Winnebago Vectra (400HP) pulling a Jeep Commander with a Blue Ox Adventa II.  Additionally, we will have a family following us in a 30ft class C (renting the unit).  Does anyone have any advice on routes to take and not take.  Campgrounds to stay at and ones to stay clear of?  We take care of our coach and don't want to put us or the coach in a bad situation.     We are looking at leaving June 18th and being gone for two weeks.  Any advice is appreciated


----------



## TexasClodhopper

Re: Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon



Welcome to the forum, Nancy! Someone more experienced in the routes that you've outlined will probably jump in here with some suggestions. 

In the interim, you might try looking at my posting for a trip I'm planning in 2008 and 2009. I got lots of tips from DL and others on the trip. I do my planning on a Google map, and then check the daily routes with my Garmin GPS. That way I don't 'plan' to drive too far in one day.

Look at my planner here. :approve:


----------



## jc2

RE: Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon



> Bunkey - 12/26/2007  9:56 PM
> 
> We are planning a trip in June from Wisconsin to Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone, and Grand Canyon.  We will be traveling with a 2007 40ft Winnebago Vectra (400HP) pulling a Jeep Commander with a Blue Ox Adventa II.  Additionally, we will have a family following us in a 30ft class C (renting the unit).  Does anyone have any advice on routes to take and not take.  Campgrounds to stay at and ones to stay clear of?  We take care of our coach and don't want to put us or the coach in a bad situation.     We are looking at leaving June 18th and being gone for two weeks.  Any advice is appreciated



Here is a  CG that is in the Black Hills/Mt Rushmore area.  It is pricey but very nice and is pretty centrally located for seeing the area attractions.
http://www.rafterj.com/

Another good source of info for CG reviews submitted by others is located here.
http://www.rvparkreviews.com/


----------



## DL Rupper

Re: Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon

Hey Bunkey, Your itinerary is very ambitious.  I think you will have a very hard time just getting Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone in on one 2 week trip. 
Be that as it may, a good route would be to take I-90 west to Rapid City, S Dakota area.  See MT Rushmore and the town of Deadwood (Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane fame) then travel over to Devils Tower Nat'l Monument in Wyoming.  It is about 30 miles or so off of I-90 heading west into Wyoming.  Parts of "Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind"
were filmed there.  Really worth seeing.

Continue on I-90 past Sheridan, WY and then take Rt 14 over to Cody, WY.  You can camp there and tour Yellowstone. 

From there if you have any time left, I would recommend Rocky Mountain National Park, North of Denver, CO.  It's West of I-25.  Another alternative would be to travel through Yellowstone with your RV and drop down into Grand Teton Nat'l Park and Jackson Hole, WY. 

There just isn't a short and easy way to get to the Grand Canyon from Yellowstone.


----------



## TexasClodhopper

Re: Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon

And another thought that goes along with what DL said, there is so much to see in that 'northern' part of the Rockies that it would be a real total shame to miss it so you could spend so much travel time to get all the way to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon.  (It takes 3 days for me to just get out of Texas!  )

I had to rethink my whole route in the southern Rockies to keep from having a "drive by" vacation.


----------



## Admiral0647

RE: Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon

Last July my wife and I toured the west in our Class C with a Toyota dingy.  We camped 3 days in Cody WY and visited Yellowstone Park.  We learned the following:

Cody is about an hour to an hour and a half from the east gate of the park.  The park road is under construction inside the east gate so expect one lane traffic and 30 min to one hour delays to get through the construction zone.  (large RVs are not recommended in the construction zone)


The park is huge.  To see everything you should plan on 3-5 days in the park.

Good luck and enjoy your trip, it is truly beautiful!


----------



## LEN

Re: Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon

Agree to take I-90, was through there last late summer an be sure to take in the Badlands National park and take 240 and then 44 into Rapid very little xtra mileage and well worth the drive, good parking in the park for the DP and toad at the interesting points.
 From Keystone Mt Rushmore take 244 then 87 west( this is with the toad) to Custer state park, there are several tunnels if you go this direction that on entering Mt Rushmore is center view through the tunnel. There is also a lake in the needle part of the park that I am sure is the lake in the 2nd national treasure movie.
 Then on to Cody and the buffalo Bill museum, this will take 1/2 a day.
 Then on to Yellow Stone and as the others have said 3-5 days and maybe more. There are camp grounds at Mammoth  Hot springs that maybe able to take the 40' but reservations maybe already booked. But don't miss the drive to the north Gardener and just as you cross the Gardener river from Mammoth there is a pull off to the east, think this is a toad thing too, and a 1/4 mile walk to a hot spring for a dip and the pools are on the river so the are several temperature pools.
 Then explore Yellow Stone and go out the south entrance for the Grant Tetons Flag Ranch I believe has camping just outside the north entrance to the park but there are several good camp grounds in the Tetons Park and the park is small enough so anywhere is close. Be sure to stop at the Jackson Lake Lodge and be wowed by the views, look in the flats for elk and moose. Then a couple miles south of the lodge on 287 take the Jenny lake road for some great views and a stop at Jenny lake and on to Moose and the south entrance. A little side trip here from moose on the Moose-Wilson Rd is great for wild life "moose" but I don't think I would run the 40' here, plus I think they run the tram at Teton Village ski area, gives quite a view from the top. Then a trip into Jacksons hole and all the "cheap" shops mostly for the ladies.
Then if there is time on to your other destinations.

LEN


----------



## H2H1

Re: Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon

HEY Len that was great info.  I think I will let the DW read it and maybe she will want to tie all that in on our AZ trip this May. but I will more than likely have to quit my part time job. They don't under stand that I like to travel and coming to work for them that was noted. So we will just have to wait and see. But thanks for putting that info out. PS  I don't have to work being I am retired with a good retirement and waiting on SS I do it for the extra money into saving.


----------



## LEN

Re: Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon


 I am in the same situation retired and waiting on SS. I've been retired for 12 years at age 60 and the wife retired last June so we are just really starting our travels as "newly weds" 2 years, although I have traveled a bit and she also but in different areas.
 It is hard to type enough info when it gets to Areas like Yellow Stone and Tetons there is so much to see and just a 3-4 days is really tight. I could spend a couple weeks in either taking short hikes and looking at animals. My favorite time is Sept just after school starts but everything is  still open and the weather is still warm day and cool nights as I do like to see animals and do a bit of photography and in the summer/fall they are more active searching for food before winter. Although I have yet to camp DP style in the last few trips I have been taking mental notes for just that porpose.

LEN


----------



## H2H1

Re: Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon

Well Len I got to go 2 more years before I can draw SS, I will be 60 in June of this year. All I can say is that I am waiting on my share before it is given away and will not wait pass 62  to start drawing!!!


----------



## msjackie

Re: Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon

Tex, I thought it took you 3 days to get off your property?
I have planned the route for us this year with david's help and it is going to take us nearly 4 mouths to travel like we wanted to
Mt Rushmore, Yellowstone, Sequia Nat , Death Valley, Grand Canyon( north and south Sides) and alot more, if it takes more than so be it. Did I miss anywhere that we have to see?


----------



## TexasClodhopper

Re: Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon



That's what I said, Ms. Jackie; Texas! :laugh: 

Ya'llmissed a ittybitty stop in da Lone Star State, mahLady.



> msjackie - 2/7/2008 9:11 AM Tex, I thought it took you 3 days to get off your property? I have planned the route for us this year with david's help and it is going to take us nearly 4 mouths to travel like we wanted to Mt Rushmore, Yellowstone, Sequia Nat , Death Valley, Grand Canyon( north and south Sides) and alot more, if it takes more than so be it. Did I miss anywhere that we have to see?


----------



## DL Rupper

Re: Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon

Going to spend the Spring/ Summer/ Fall out West.  Going to take it all in again.  Can't get enough seeing the USA.


----------



## tallyo

Re: Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon

I suspect while traveling with another RV your trip will be slower. Fuel stops , rest stops and such. I agree with those who said, not a lot of time to see all you want. 
I know others will disagree with the following but....
If you have to cut out a few spots I wouldn't waste time at Devils Tower. 20+ miles off the main road so ya have a 40+ mile trip which is about an hour in time. It is amazing that that big rock popped out of the ground but we turned around and left after 25 minutes of looking and the only reason we stayed the 20 minutes was a tour bus had us blocked in.maybe others had hyped it too much and I was expecting more.
I was really disappointed in Deadwood. I am a western freak but all Deadwood showed me was every shop had slot machines. Didn't realize Boot Hill was so commercial and big!

Once you see the size of Yellowstone and then realize how close you are to Tetons a week there is not unthinkable. We have spent 2 weeks on 2 separate occasions and plan to go back for more. The Grand Canyon can take a while especially if you plan on hiking into it, but you better be in shape. The mule rides are booked almost a year in advance and there is a 200LB weight maximum. Not 201 either!!
 Cody, Wyo. is neat with a great museum but it's so big your admission price is good for 2 days. I spent 4 hours in the weapons section alone.  The road from Cody into Yellowstone was under major construction. Could be slow going if it still is.  Plus it's a fairly steep climb into Yellowstone from that side.
 We have stayed inside Yellowstone and outside. We prefer outside at Grizzly Park in west Yellowstone , Mt. But that park gets busy so book early. Fishing Bridge has full hook ups ( only inside park campground with full hook ups) if you prefer.

The ride from West Yellowstone south down I-15 towards Las Vegas is a good ride. Big problem for me would be bypassing Bryce Canyon  and Zion National parks in Utah. We like Bryce better than Grand Canyon simply because its more accessible to us old folks. And to further muddy your waters once you go to Grand Canyon it would be ashame to miss Monument Valley, The 4 corners or Durango , Co. Now if ya have to miss one of those then pass on the 4 corners.

As far as Texas goes. I drove for a month through Texas one day. Sorry Tex I had to get a jab in on you.....

 So much to see and do in that part of our country 2 weeks just ain't enough to see it all. Whatever you decide have fun and stay safe.


----------



## msjackie

Re: Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon

TEX, just to let you know, we are planning to go thru Texas and stop and rest there for as long as it takes,
Still Love You,


----------



## Inducing69

Last week, I visited Yellowstone national park, I had so many good impressions and cool photos. This is really a magical place and if you have some free time, I would like you to visit it. See more interesting information about it on this website http://skywritingservice.com/blog/where-to-go-this-summer-yellowstone-national-park


----------

