Suggestions for National park trip

[scootsk]

Good afternoon all,
We’re headed to Bad Lands, Glacier, Yellowstone, Tetons, Canyon Lands/Arches, Bryce/Zion, Grand Canyon. Are there any activities in those areas that you would say was a “must do”?

 

[ChuckS]

If you are headed toward Yellowstone I hope you have read ahead on what roads are open... Currently ONLY the Garnier entrance to Cooke City is the only road open to regular travel...

Park Roads - Yellowstone National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

The most up-to-date source of information for roads in Yellowstone.

www.nps.gov

 

[scootsk]

Thank you for the reply. We won’t be in Yellowstone until the middle of June. Hopefully it will be open.

 

[Daryles]

Start south (grand canyon) and head north as the summer progresses. Stay cooler as the summer heats up.
East and west Glacier are two very different places. BOTH well worth visiting.

 

[LeftOverParts]

Entrance to Arches is by reserving a date and time slot so make sure you go to that park’s website to get the facts. Sunset and sunrise give the most dramatic colors (as in all places). If you like petroglyphs, there are several places around Moab. Depending on your timing and where you’re staying, imo Goblin Valley state park with its unique rock formations is worth a day trip if you’re up to walking around within them. There is about short trail down to the formations and once you reach the bottom, you can walk a little or for miles. About 1.5 hrs from Arches.

Mount Rushmore is about 1.5 hrs from Badlands. A nice day trip.

 

[scootsk]

Start south (grand canyon) and head north as the summer progresses. Stay cooler as the summer heats up.
East and west Glacier are two very different places. BOTH well worth visiting.

Unfortunately the plans/reservations are made. We went the opposite direction. North to south. Late June early July will be Moab and Grand Canyon. I’m praying the is no snow storms in early June in the northernmost destinations. I believe they had heavy snow last year the first week of June.

 

[MandK]

It will be a great trip!
Badlands: Of course Mt Rushmore, Sturgis motorcycle museum even if you are not a bike owner (we're not) it's worth it. Deadwood: have a drink in the saloon where Wild Bill Hickok was assassinated and Mt Moriah cemetery, his grave and Calamity Jane's. Drive through Badlands National Park and Custer State Park. Drive the Needle's Hwy. If it interest's you, drive a little east of Rapid city and visit a Minute Man Missile silo.
We stayed at Beaver Lake Campground just outside Custer, but there are many to choose from. There was a western spring rally at a campground near Hermosa last year, maybe someone here can recall the name, we didn't attend so I can't recall.
Glacier: If you are there in June, most likely the GTTSR won't be open yet but you can ride your bicycles or e-bikes on it up until the avalanche closures from each side. Early June we were able to ride the entire road except a short stretch of it at Logan pass, it was amazing. If the road is open, Dually's are over dimension for it and the best way to see it is in a Red Bus. Let the experts drive. Expect big crowds, parking was hard to find on the west side because people come from all over the country to bike it. Hit it early. If you are there around July 1st, the road may be open by then. You can get info on road clearing progress and how far they have progressed on their web site. We stayed in West Glacier at the KOA.
Yellowstone: Stay in the park at Fishing Bridge. You really don't want to wait in line everyday to get in the gates, and it enables you to get out early. We spent 5 days, could have used more. Hit all of the highlights, and try to get to the Lamar Valley early to possibly see wolves. Go after Memorial day to increase the chance that The Beartooth Hwy will be open, it's worth it. If you get a rain day, use it to visit the Buffalo Bill Cody Museum in Cody. I could spend 2-3 days just in there. The firearms museum part of it had us for hours. We stayed at Fishing Bridge.
Tetons: We stayed at Gros Ventre campground and day tripped to Jackson and the Tetons from there.
Canyon Lands and Arches: We split time between Dead Horse State park Wingate campground and Spanish Trails RV park in Moab. Hike Arches, go to Dead Horse point at the state park. Rent a jeep or SxS or sign up for a Jeep Safari.
Bryce: The sites from the rim are great but hike some of the trails if you can. I saw all the pictures, but walking up to the rim for the first time and seeing the hoodoos was mind blowing. We stayed at Ruby's.
Zion: Beautiful, but again, it's a hikers paradise. We stayed in the park at Watchman Campground. We could walk across the pedestrian bridge over the river and into town for restaurants and events etc. If you can't get into watchman, you need to get there real early to get a parking spot. Drive Rt 9 east from Springdale through the tunnel (without your rig) and hike the Pine Creek Canyon overlook trail. The payday at the end of the trail is being above the canyon overlooking the switchbacks in the road you drove up there on.

It's been several years since we were at Grand Canyon, things may be different and I may not remember things right so I'll pass on that one. Have Fun and be safe.

 

[scootsk]

Entrance to Arches is by reserving a date and time slot so make sure you go to that park’s website to get the facts. Sunset and sunrise give the most dramatic colors (as in all places). If you like petroglyphs, there are several places around Moab. Depending on your timing and where you’re staying, imo Goblin Valley state park with its unique rock formations is worth a day trip if you’re up to walking around within them. There is about short trail down to the formations and once you reach the bottom, you can walk a little or for miles. About 1.5 hrs from Arches.

Mount Rushmore is about 1.5 hrs from Badlands. A nice day

It will be a great trip!
Badlands: Of course Mt Rushmore, Sturgis motorcycle museum even if you are not a bike owner (we're not) it's worth it. Deadwood: have a drink in the saloon where Wild Bill Hickok was assassinated and Mt Moriah cemetery, his grave and Calamity Jane's. Drive through Badlands National Park and Custer State Park. Drive the Needle's Hwy. If it interest's you, drive a little east of Rapid city and visit a Minute Man Missile silo.
We stayed at Beaver Lake Campground just outside Custer, but there are many to choose from. There was a western spring rally at a campground near Hermosa last year, maybe someone here can recall the name, we didn't attend so I can't recall.
Glacier: If you are there in June, most likely the GTTSR won't be open yet but you can ride your bicycles or e-bikes on it up until the avalanche closures from each side. Early June we were able to ride the entire road except a short stretch of it at Logan pass, it was amazing. If the road is open, Dually's are over dimension for it and the best way to see it is in a Red Bus. Let the experts drive. Expect big crowds, parking was hard to find on the west side because people come from all over the country to bike it. Hit it early. If you are there around July 1st, the road may be open by then. You can get info on road clearing progress and how far they have progressed on their web site. We stayed in West Glacier at the KOA.
Yellowstone: Stay in the park at Fishing Bridge. You really don't want to wait in line everyday to get in the gates, and it enables you to get out early. We spent 5 days, could have used more. Hit all of the highlights, and try to get to the Lamar Valley early to possibly see wolves. Go after Memorial day to increase the chance that The Beartooth Hwy will be open, it's worth it. If you get a rain day, use it to visit the Buffalo Bill Cody Museum in Cody. I could spend 2-3 days just in there. The firearms museum part of it had us for hours. We stayed at Fishing Bridge.
Tetons: We stayed at Gros Ventre campground and day tripped to Jackson and the Tetons from there.
Canyon Lands and Arches: We split time between Dead Horse State park Wingate campground and Spanish Trails RV park in Moab. Hike Arches, go to Dead Horse point at the state park. Rent a jeep or SxS or sign up for a Jeep Safari.
Bryce: The sites from the rim are great but hike some of the trails if you can. I saw all the pictures, but walking up to the rim for the first time and seeing the hoodoos was mind blowing. We stayed at Ruby's.
Zion: Beautiful, but again, it's a hikers paradise. We stayed in the park at Watchman Campground. We could walk across the pedestrian bridge over the river and into town for restaurants and events etc. If you can't get into watchman, you need to get there real early to get a parking spot. Drive Rt 9 east from Springdale through the tunnel (without your rig) and hike the Pine Creek Canyon overlook trail. The payday at the end of the trail is being above the canyon overlooking the switchbacks in the road you drove up there on.

View attachment 2432911

It's been several years since we were at Grand Canyon, things may be different and I may not remember things right so I'll pass on that one. Have Fun and be safe.

Thank you for the detailed response. We have plans for a few of those things but the other suggestions are fantastic and we will definitely hit a few

 

[twindman]

A couple of years ago you had to reserve fishing bridge a full 12 months in advance. Check it out NOW. Expect long lines in Yellowstone. Fishing bridge is the ONLY campground in Yellowstone with electricity of any kind. West Yellowstone has several campgrounds but the best (my opinion) Is Grizzly RV Park, but goes for $175 to $200.

 

[mlh]

I think the Cody Museum or the Buffalo Bill Historical Museum or exactly what it is called to me is a must see. It’s 5 museums in one. All a must see. The first time we went to Wyoming two friends in Wyoming told me I had to see the Cody Museum. I thought I would spend 15 minutes in this small town museum to make them happy. Instead of 15 minutes I was there two days. If it was back east you would need reservations a year in advance Google it and see what you think.
There is a nice campground within walking distance and a nice restaurant on the way to the museum.
Lynwood and

 

[mlh]

I think you will love the Bablands. Walk around on the top unaffected areas and look downwards close by. You will probably find mountain sheep. There is a very large prairie dog town. Take some time to watch them. They are interesting.
Lynwood has

 

[twindman]

OH another Wyoming site. Dubois has a private military museum. It has every vehicle used in WW2 and some in viet nam and Korea. A rich guy that was the CEO of a big name medical center like Cleveland clinic (but not them). He has money from medical patents. We staying in Dubois around 2010 I think. Wanted something for the July 4th parade, so bought a tank and hired guys to fix it up. They were not able to get it going in time so he bought one that runs!!!
Continued to buy and has over either 200 or 400 items. Even has the rifle that fired the first shot at Bunker Hill! I think half price for military and seniors. Guided tour is around 2-3 hours Also it is a nice little town with many restaurants (and a bowling alley because his wife likes to bowl!!!).

 

[mlh]

The guy twindman is talking about is Dan Sparks. I think that is spelled correctly. If not please correct me on anything here.
He has had equipment send from Europe. Imagine sending a tank from Europe then having it transported to Dubious. Then it’s fully restored to like new. It anything is missing or damaged it’s replaced. If it can’t be found or fixed it’s made new.
He bought a motel and restaurant about halfway up Union Pass for a guest house. It’s a small beautiful log building with about 6 or 8 guest rooms and a REALLY ice restaurant. When we camped on Union Pass we would go down there for dinner.
My friend Dan lived in Dubois most of his life and tells me about the museum. It’s 140,000 sq feet. Dan said the locals think he has spent a half a billion dollars in and around Dubois.
If you live in Dubois and have a medical emergency Sparks will take you to the hospital on a helicopter, no charge.
According to Dan he loves Dubois and wants to do something for the town.
Sounds like he has.
Lynwood

 

[BeckCass]

We stayed at the campground at Headwaters Lodge and Cabins at Flagg Ranch last fall. It's on the north side of Grand Tetons and just south of Yellowstone. The entrance to Yellowstone is just a few miles away and there was not a long line either day. It's an older campground so ask for one of their larger sites. The drawback is you'll do more driving to get around in Yellowstone.
Also, double check Arches entry as they may have done away with the timed entry this year. I have seen conflicting posts regarding this.