Planing on heading to See Yellowstone starting out April 26. Going to Mt Rushmore first . Planning for 2 weeks could make it 3 if we drop down to the Grand Canyon but that's not likely trying to get away from the farm that long. So probably only the 2 stops and anything along the way.


So with limited time any must see and do things and places to stop? Weather and time of year considerations? Would be appreciated.

Time to take the kids to see things I have not got to see in this country yet. The big trees, waterfall, And Alaska are on the list as well but will have to be in the future and likely flying trips not driving.

Hit the Badlands on the way to the Black Hills. Skip Wall Drug.

Theodore Roosevelt National park especially the north sector........ In North Dakota.
Some cool geology

Devil's tower is on the way

What do you like to do?
Lots of good hikes in the Black Hills, Harney peak is one of the best, awesome views of the Hills from the top.

Badlands are nice, I would recommend if you do them drop down to hwy44 and take that into Rapid City, much nicer drive then the interstate.

Custer State Park and Wind Cave are good spots to see wildlife in mornings and evenings, lots of Buffalo, antelope, elk and bighorns if you’re lucky. Many tourists say they see more wildlife there then in Yellowstone and with far fewer people. Some good spots to trout fish and hike in Custer state park as well.

Spearfish area is also really nice.

April weather can be really nice or really crappy so be prepared for that.

Custer state park is well worth the visit if that close. Check out the fur shop in Custer if have time. Seems all kind of fur and fur related products.

Needles highway as well

Buffalo Bill museum in Cody Wyo., and forget Jellystone

I agree unless your boys want to see what an old Minute Man II missile silo used to look like which is part of a National Historic site that just off of I-90 about 5 miles east of Wall. There's also a Launch Control Center that's part of the Historical site but I think you have to make arrangements to take the tour. I think its location is about 10 miles east of Wall.

The South Unit of Badlands NP isn't used much by the tourists and as Tray mentioned, its closer to SD 44 than I-90. Some of that was used as gunnery range by the AAF and later the Air Force and you can find spent .50 cal slugs and casings once and while walking around.

Custer park and needles highway

Make your room reservations now, especially if you plan to stay in the park. I think it can be done online.

X2. Also, if you're in Cody, hit Trail Town. Cool little museum and John Johnson's (Jeremiah Johnson) grave.
I could spend a couple of days at the Buffalo Bill Museum.

Yep, a good choice by White17 >>>This would a good thing to visit and see. I always love to see that country when I have been there and then drop into SD.

We went in June 2021 and were gone for two weeks (from MO). Our main destination was Yellowstone/Grand Tetons. Day 1 drove to Mitchell and saw Corn palace. Day 2 Badlands, drove by Wall Drug (didn't get out of the car), then to Rapid City area. Day 3 Mount Rushmore/Custer SP. Day 4 Devils Tower and drove to Lovell, WY. Day 5 to Cody, stopped at Wal-Mart to resupply food. Massive mistake by not stopping by Jeremiah(John) Johnsons grave in Cody. Knew it was there but just didn't get it on the itinerary. Days 6-11 Yellowstone, saw it all, we were on the road each day at 8. Day 12 to Grand Tetons. Days 13 and 14 Jenny Lake boat ride to hike, and Jackson. Day 15 to Scottsbluff, NE, Day 16 Chimney Rock and home. Might be a little cool when you go.

We were there the first week of June last year and had a great time, but a lot of the roads had only opened the week before we got there so you may want to check on that when planning your trip. Take a good spotting scope and enjoy the Laramie Valley in Yellowstone.

Absolutely! At least some binoculars. Better yet. some kind of gizmo that attaches your camera to the scope so you can get good pics.
The way to spot game in Yellowstone it to look for stopped cars and people out taking pics. lol. I once watched an idiot run right to within 10' of a moose and take his pic.
The moose took it well and just ambled off.

Yes, that is some neat country and not nearly as busy. My guess is the end of April much of the park will be shut down and the snow may be axle deep on a Ferris wheel in places. I was through there the middle of October and most of the stores and stuff were already closed for the winter.

The only road generally open year-round to regular vehicles is from the North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana, through the park to Cooke City, Montana (via Tower Junction). Most park roads are closed to regular vehicles from early November to late-April, and are open to limited oversnow travel (commercially-guided snowmobiles and snowcoaches) from mid-December to mid-March. When open, roads are not gated at night and people may enter/exit the park 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

One of the most scenic drives we have ever been on was around the Ten Sleep, Wyoming, area. Gorgeous country, to say the least.

Been going out there for the last 20 years (Sturgis trip). All the Rushmore sites (Rushmore, needles, Custer loop, ect) are must-see. Gas stations have free maps with sites and loops listed. The mammoth site in Hot Springs is worth seeing. Also a must stop is Crazy Horse, you could spend half a day. Drive through Spear Fish Canyon. Devils tower is a great stop (you don't really need to go into the park as you can see it from miles away). Cody is a great town to make your base for the Yellowstone area. It's about 50 or so miles from the park entrance but a great road to and from. Do a day trip from Cody up Cheif Joseph hwy to the Bear tooth pass road and drop through to red Lodge and back to Cody.
I would go on for pages with off the path things to see, but these are some of the highlights for us. Every year we find new things to see and it never gets old.

Gun museum Cody Wyoming

If you have any questions about the Black Hills send me a PM. There’s LOTS to do around here.

I didn’t care much for the wildlife loop in Custer, but it’s worth it to drive iron mountain & needles highways. Rushmore was worth it for $10 (go first thing in the AM), but not crazy horse. We walked the old part of Deadwood at night, it’s pretty cool, like a mini Fremont but the streets still active. I liked Devils Tower. Next time I’ll hit Cody for sure! There’s also the Delta 01 Minuteman site on the interstate just north of the Badlands. Air & Space museum in Rapid City…….my plans went out the window though. When you drive through you’ll see all kinds of other stuff you didn’t find in Blackhills searches….lol

Like MJM said a lot of the roads in Yellowstone are still closed in April. East entrance should open early May. The south entrance opens even later in May. Gardner to Cook City is open all year. This all depends on the weather. March and April are the snowiest month of the year for this area

Missed the April trip part. Bear tooth will still be closed.

Beartooth Hi-way doesn't open till late May but it is an awesome trip

To early for me places like Bear toothy pass might still be snowed shut

My favorite of that area.

Keep it coming lots of info to add to the planning. Sounds like we probably should move it to late May to reduce the possibility of snow issues. I was trying to go when my daughter finishes nursing school and before she starts working I figured I had about a month window to make it happen. Definitely sounds like later will be smarter.

Bring your shotgun and get a merriams in the Black Hills.

Yellowstone, Teton's, Badlands, Rushmore, Pompy's Pillar, Devil's Tower, Scott's Bluff, Little bighorn Battlefield, Chimney rock, Museum of the Fur Trade, Grand Canyon. Hoover Dam, Zion NP, Bryce Canyon, Bent's Fort, Mesa Verde. I have been to them all and there are still many more to see. There is so much to see, can't do it all in one trip.

A couple of notes: Rushmore was a seen it and go, no need to go in. For me Yellowstone was cool, saw old bull buffalo on the road, but there are only so many bubbling mud pots until they become boring. The Grand Canyon took my breath, couldn't talk, tears streaming. Nothing in my 70 yrs has ever affected me the same way. See everything you can see on the route you take and plan to go back again on a different route to see more. You don't want to have to go back the same route to see things you missed, the west is too vast.

boy my wife won't be happy with you but the boys will sure light up.

That time of year I would find something further south to go explore, or at least have it as a back up plan. Some of the worst snow storms of the year can happen in April in that area. Regular less of storms, acess is limited in many areas anyways.

Theodore Rosevelt National Park, Devils tower, Needles Highway, Bighorn National Forest, Cody and the Buffalo Bill Museum, Chief Joseph Highway and Beartooth Pass are all places I would try to hit. But many will depend on the weather!

Ive been there Too early...good plan to go later

Leave anyone at home that cannot function without continuous cell phone signal or isnt willing to walk more than 10 steps your trip will be much more enjoyable.

Contact the tourism board in Helena for a information package , the Little Big Horn Battlefield is interesting they're working on a new visitors center but still worth seeing .

Yellowtail Dam near Fort Smith is similar to the grand canyon but in Montana and has more water in it with fantastic trout fishing in the Big Horn River .

Bring good rain gear it can dump a ton of snow at any given time of year so be prepared .
The museum in Hardin Mt is the busiest in the state and well worth a stop to see it .

With the visitors guide you have a good idea of all that's possible to see so you can better plan your trip , Devils Tower in Wyoming is fun to see also .

Yellowstone is no more .


You can get the same experience by visiting a Walmart parking lot about noon, any given Sunday.



https://vimeo.com/1019083127

I'm not sure how young your kids are but when my family made that trip when I was nine I really liked reptile gardens.https://www.reptilegardens.com/activities/main-exhibits/giant-tortoises/

Way too early.
Reconsider for a much better experience.

Cold time of the year ,,,,,,but I like the head waters,,,,,,,160 will know,,, why,,,,…..
Little drive west….l.

OK so what's the best time of year. Wife talked to the daughter about switching it up and Grand Canyon trip to be sure sure to weather and she didn't want to do that so Would May 23 through June 5th be OK ? If not it will have to weight tell end of July beginning of August. Fair is taking up Junes 7 days off.

Having been there once qualifies me as a Trapperman expert. I would think you would be fine with those dates. Just depends but we went the first two weeks of June 2021 and were fine. Mitchell SD was 100. In Yellowstone we camped=tent. Most nights down to around 40. Days were upper 70's but did get to lower 80's. Just depends on the weather pattern at the time. Did briefly snow one morning which was fun. Didn't stick. Advantage is crowds will be smaller and they never were bad for us. Even when we were winding up our day in the afternoon there was still parking to be found. I believe end of July/Aug would be pretty busy.

End of May into June would be great, well before the big tourist season.
Venture down into Southern Wyo too, the Snowy Range is pretty to visit.

I'm afraid I won't want to come back. But wife is not fond of snow and cold so likey won't be able to ever move

bring fishing poles

Museum of the Fur Trade in Chadron, Nebraska.
It’s just south of the black hills. By far the best fur trade museum I’ve visited…and I’ve been to quite a few.

You’re definitely coming to Yellowstone at the right time. No congestion, and the guests that stay at our place regularly see multiple bears per day if that’s something you’re wanting to see. Look at our website for info on things to do around here, littletrailcreekcabins.com.

I thought Mt. Rushmore was very underwhelming. But wish we had more time to do Crazy Horse vs just "driving by". We dipped off the highway in Wyoming on our way back east in the black hills, drove down and around through Custer, up to Mt. Rushmore, and then back out to the highway.

I took my daughters for the road trip that is pretty much listed out above back in 2009. Left WI, Badlands, Black Hills, Defvils Tower, Yellowstone, Tetons, cut back 287 I think and went to RMNP, then visited friends / family in Colorado and went camping /4wheel'n for a few more days.

We did the last week of June & 1st week of July. There was plenty of snow that year and the girls had a blast with snowball fights. Couple passes would ice up and night from the melting snow. We camped at Yellowstone and we had a few COLD nights. Nothing that good sleeping bags and a few extra blankets couldn't handle. When my wife got up to hit a restroom in the middle of the night, I thought ZZI would never hear the end about winter camping. AWESOME road trip. We did about 4500 miles and one of the best family trips for us ever

o and my daughter wants to take the young dog along to keep up with his training .

Another vote for the end of May early June trip, you'll get in before the big rush of mindless tourists. We used to go to the Park a lot but it lost it's appeal to me when they shoved wolves on us. It's still a place worth seeing though, very neat features. If you're in to rock hounding there's a lot of trails outside the Park that are on National Forest and you can find the same rocks, petrfied wood and stuff as in the Park, used to do a lot of horn hunting there back when there were thousands of elk, that was a sight to see. But again still a very worth while place to see

The last few weeks of July and first few in August you will see a high amount of motorcycle traffic in the Black Hills. Because of Sturgis week being the first full week of August. They won't bother you, it will just be busy.

I know nothing of black hills, Yellowstone area, but you mentioned the Grand Canyon, if you can go, amazing sights, go through the east entrance otherwise you'll wait on a long line....

thanks guys the wife just finished reading the thread and making notes.

If in the area, don't pass up Little Big Horn National Park. I came away thinking Custer and his bunch got what they deserved.

Anytime in April is early. Mid May on. After Memorial Day the Black Hills get pretty busy.

Skip the man made tourist traps, IE Wall Drug, Bear Park or the lizard place in Rapid.

Badlands, Needles Highway, Spearfish Canyon, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer State Park, Wind and Jewell Cave Parks so much to do in the hills. Personally I prefer Devils Tower.

well Looks like plans have changes some. Wife got plans lined out and thanks to imput from you what found out we were wanting to go to early in the year. Moved the dates out a month but after she did the planning she keep running into Her obligations the weekend we would get back as well as the day before we left. business obligations that book aus a year in advance. at first she figured we would make it work but reality set in and it would be to much and to tight on time.

So the option are to move it out tell August 15 through the 28th. And that will also be not being at. a festival we have worked every year the last 7 years and may loose the spot. But it's not been as profitable the last few years as years past so that's an option.

But if we do that now how is the weather and crowds questions come back up.

The next option it go back to the early dates of April 25- May 8th and go to the grand canyon instead . I'm assuming weather won't be an issue there at that time. Yet I would have ro fing other things to do because I don't see spend more than a few days looking at a hole in the ground and geology but I may very well be wrong. So to find out what other things to go see in that general direction in the time frame I have to work with.

Decisions decisions.

I'd st I suggest you get a hold of each state's tourist offices and request travel information of events before you set your travel dates in stone .
As a Montanan I could spend a entire summer just going to see things in Montana that I haven't seen already and I've seen a lot .
Whatever you decide to do have fun and bring some good binoculars and plenty of SD cards for your camera then don't loose them ha ha and Stay Safe and enjoy yourselves !

Have fun.I love seeing the diffrent countrysides.

I approve of this.
Great area.

Took in a Blackhawk (90s country) there in Medora amphitheater in the badlands. Loved it!

Needles hiway cool little drive.

I found the bison centre at Custer interesting but the wildlife loop laughable. Museum at Rushmore was good. If you’re from an area rich in water, the waterbodies in the black hills are underwhelming too. Loved the fur and antler stores in Custer. My wife sat in the car then though. Lol

Likewise. Great history and beautiful area.

Another great place. Threads like this should be more common.

If you weren't able to travel this year to Mt. Rushmore...consider the end of September 2025...shortly after the "hordes" of tourists, mosquitoes, and before the snow...The Nebraska Fur Harvesters Fall Convention will take place September 26 and 27, 2025, in Chadron, NE...two hours from Rushmore. In Chadron, you'll find a "trapper must see" venue in the Museum of the Fur Trade...two "bangs for one buck!"

Host Mark Ross is doing a dynamite job of preparing and has an excellent demo lineup, great dealers, and some stellar banquet prizes, etc.
Nebraskafurharvesters.com

Also, we are in the process of organizing a "Leadership Network Meeting," with the first speaker, Dan Gates...Colorado Trappers and Predator Callers Association...Dan and the "team" have made some remarkable political progress in Colorado ( en boca lupo---"into the outh of the wolf" the Italians say)

Its early, and updates will be posted as they are finalized.But the line-up so far makes it a "don't miss" event.

Thanks for the heads up but last weekend in September is Always reserved for Indiana youth deer season! Sure sounds like a great time though.

This 4th of July will be a spectacular one, I’d suggest going if you can. The prior idiot in charge has been blocking our states ritual of a splendid fireworks display at the Mt. Rushmore site the past 4 years out of spite. Now that the old folks home now has him back, it will be quite a display for sure. Not just to celebrate our nation but a big screw you to the previous p Rick’s.

Best pizza I have ever had is in West Yellowstone, next to the grocery store. I would plan it in August and make a loop hit coyote days on the way! John puts on a great event

wws

When I moved to Montana back in '81 I stopped at the Bad Lands park in South Dakota. If you're in to fossils and such it was a very cool place. Get away from the trails and it was amazing all the fossils coming out of the sides of the coulees. If you're in to fossils definately worth the time

Im waiting till they put Trumps face on Mt.Rushmore to visit.

They could perhaps make it faster and redo one of the older faces into Trump,Vance, Elon, ect. Makes more since than a bunch of dead guys right!