Badlands and Yellowstone advice

[forfulltimin]

Spent five years camp hosting outside of Yellowstone...Have seen many folks come whistling through.
Advise to pick a few special things to see. And spend the time to really see them.
Campgrounds in Cody,WY are ok and there is Buffalo Bill State Park (Has views) on the road to the east gate. There is a fantastic museum in Cody..they call it the Smithsonian of the West.
Yellowstone is very busy past the 4th of July..You can drive through east to northwest and stay outside the park.
Camp in the Badlands Nat. Park and hike around, go on a ranger led morning walk.
Drive up over the Big Horn range and see the medicine wheel on the northern route. We use to do it pulling a 34ft AS...six times ways.
Most of all, slow down and enjoy yourselves.

[fth]

Thanks for this info. We'll be heading that way next year.

[graysailor]

In Rapid City, SD Hart Ranch Resort is possibly the nicest RV park I have ever stayed in. They book up fast so for best results call as early as possible to make a reservation. 60 days in advance would not be too early. Highly recommend.

[VT Wanderer]

The whole area that you are interested in is very special to us. The Badlands has some of the cheapest dry camping sites. As other mentioned - Custer Park is beautiful. If you are 62+ get the "senior" pass for all National parks for $10 FOR LIFE!!!!! Cody is a fun town on the way to Yellowstone - stock up on supplies - go to the Buffalo Bill Museum - spend the day there. There's a rodeo every night in the summer. If it's possible at this late date, Fishing Bridge Camp Ground has hookups in Yellowstone. Yes, it has "tight" camp sites, but, 1. you'll only be there for dinner and sleeping. It's in the center of the park so you can get out early in the morning and beat the crowds. My rule of thumb - if you go 1/4 mile away from the parking lots, you'll have no crowds. Be sure to go to the Lamar Valley and also hike Mt. Washburn. At Old Faithful (again be there early), just don't sit and watch O.F., hike all the trails and boardwalks - it can take the better part of the day. You will be in awe of the sites and sounds. In YS you will be only an hour or so from the Grand Tetons - another must see. MINIMUM times - Badlands a couple days - Cody one day - Yellowstone 4 to 5 days - Tetons forever. We go almost yearly to these areas all the way from VT. We are on the road for at least one month. We have been doing this since 1982.

[larryglarson]

I have been going to Custer State Park for 60 some years, I am in the process of planing a trip there right now. It is great.

You need to look and reserve campsites though South Dakota Game and Fish web site. Lots of campground, but you need reservations.

There are some great campground in Jackson Hole, but they do not reserve them, I have not had a problem, I just my not get my first choice in campgrounds the first day, but then I move up for the rest of the time I am there.

[n2916s]

There are 6 predictable geysers in YNP. Five of them are within walking distance to The Old Faithful Visitor Center. There are another dozen that go off regularly but unpredictably. While Old Faithful is an impressive geyser, you really, really need to see Grand Geyser -- higher, longer, multiple vents, in other words, Grand!

If you bring bikes, ride out to Lone Star Geyser ( you can also hike it) goes off about every three hours and because you have to actually walk or ride two miles, there will be no crowds or noise. Great place to picnic as well.

[SeaLevel]

Originally Posted by n2916s

If you bring bikes, ride out to Lone Star Geyser ( you can also hike it) goes off about every three hours and because you have to actually walk or ride two miles, there will be no crowds or noise. Great place to picnic as well.

What type of path is it - paved or something else? Thanks.

[dcasr]

Originally Posted by TWC

We will be driving westbound through South Dakota Badlands and Yellowstone area in mid to late June/early July (I know, it's going to be a busy season). Any advice on places to stay with our 25' Serenity in the area around Custer, SD and also Yellowstone? Anyone have experience with the non-reservable campgrounds in the National and State Parks? How many days should we plan for each location?
How is the drive from Yellowstone to Vernon, B.C.? Thanks

___________
If you stay on the interstate you will miss the Black Hills and they are worth a good look. Custer State Park is great for seeing wild game, maybe better than Yellowstone. Or you could visit Deadwood and see where Wild Bill Hitchcock was shot in the back while holding aces and eights, or you could bypass the Black Hills and proceed to the Devil's Tower just off the same interstate I-90 in Wyoming. When you get close to the Big Horn Mts you will have to choose to go over the mountains or go WAY out of your way to go around them North or South. Suggest you go over them, they are fantastic. One route is through Buffalo/Ten Sleep/Worland and then angle toward Cody Wyoming. A shorter route is through Ranchester/Dayton/Burgess Junction and down either to Greybull or to Lovell. Going through Greybull is very dramatic and you can stop at the Falls in Shell Canyon, then through small town of Shell, Greybull and angle to Cody. Or at Burgess Junction take the right hand fork to Lovell, and pass the Medicine Wheel before you start down to Lovell. You'll be in low(er) gears going up, you gain and lose over 4000 ft to the pass and down. Don't ride your brakes on the way down, use low(er) gears or engine braking or both. Used to live in both Rapid City and Greybull and that is beautiful country.

[Dingram/Colo]

We drove through Badlands a few years ago, and it was interesting, some good pictures, but unless you are really interested in the landscape and hiking, it's just interesting to pass through, visiting the interpretive walking trails in a couple places.
Custer SP is spectacular, and we spent 5 days there, making the loops and watching the wildlife. Got the most spectacular pic. of a buffalo bull, (telephoto), I could imagine. We planned early and stayed at Rafter J-Bar Ranch North of Custer. Large spread out campground, with Class A spaces and some camping in the trees, and some looking out onto a 10 acre hay meadow. Reasonable price for the quality of the campground. Great access to the rest of the park. If you have time don't miss the Jewell Cave NM or Wind Cave NP. Beautiful geological features.
Second the warning about some of the loops, there are some cut out tunnels that will bring you a new view of the outdoors if you try to go through with your AS.

[davidrrand]

Game Lodge campground in Custer SP is awesome as is the wildlife. Much to do and see.

[davidrrand]

The Bighorns are fantastic with many FS CGs and inexpensive with the old fart pass. Cody is cool, Bufbil museum awesome and highly recommend the Bufbil CG on the reservoir/Shoshone River!!!! No trip is complete in WY without a Grand Teton visit. When near YNP, skip it and take the Beartooth Hwy to Red Lodge, MT. Unforgettable.

[n2916s]

The Lone Star geyser trail is an old, abandoned chunk of park road. The surface is in pretty good shape although I wouldn't take a skinny-tired road bike...

[BillfromWI]

There are two private campgrounds in Wall SD that are about as convenient to the Bad Lands as you will find. They are okay; not great. The Bad lands are worth a drive through, and Wall Drug is worth a walk through.

There is a Minute Man missile National Historic Site east of Wall on I90 which includes a visitor center/museum, a missile silo, and the control building (it looks like a 1950s ranch house). Each of these venues are miles from each other but the visitor center is farthest east at exit 131. The control building tour requires a free ticket that is available at the visitor center. They are issued for a specific time and only on the day of the tour one takes. It is not convenient but it's worth the time if you have it.

Spearfish SD is not close to Custer but the city operates a campground that is as nice as you are likely to find anywhere. Spearfish is a pretty nice town.

US highway 212 from Spearfish to Crow Agency MT is about 45 miles and 15 minutes shorter than I90. The road is good but services are sparse. Scenery is about equivalent.

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by Dingram/Colo

Second the warning about some of the loops, there are some cut out tunnels that will bring you a new view of the outdoors if you try to go through with your AS.

While we were touring on motorcycles, we watched as a fifth wheel tried to navigate one of the tunnels. I felt bad for him, because there was no place to turn around, so he was committed or had to back up a mile or so. He had a passenger climb the ladder to look over the roof while the unit moved inch by inch. I didn't have the heart to tell him that was only the first tunnel. He may still be there.

[TWC]

Any advice on the drive from Yellowstone to Vernon, B.C. Canada?

[herkvet]

We had our hearts set to stay in the NP CG in the Badlands. Unfortunately even in September is was completely filled. So we headed left out of the campground and found a wonderful spot in Interior, approximately 3 miles away. Small private CG with full hookups and shade trees. Our spot looked directly north to the Badlands escarpment. It was illuminated both at sunrise and sunset. Nice owner, great location and as I remember <=$ to what it would have been to be at the NP. Definitely stop again.

[Piggy Bank]

We went to Yellowstone last year.
I wrote up a trip report on this thread:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f295...-a-153482.html

If you can get reservations it will make your life easier.

We are going again this year. Can't wait!

[Len n Jeanne]

Originally Posted by TWC

Any advice on the drive from Yellowstone to Vernon, B.C. Canada?

I'm not sure on the best route from Vernon to Spokane, Washington, but basically you would hook up with I-90 there, and take it to an exit around Bozeman or Livingston, Montana-- which one depends upon your destination inside or near the park, as it is huge, and different routes are better for different destinations.

We've generally come through the West Entrance, which links with HY 191.

See if this helps: https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/directions.htm