Looking at going West the last two weeks of September 2010. This will be our first trip West, we live in NC. I would really appreciate any advice, suggestions, food stamps, Wal-Mart gift cards, etc. Two souls and a dog will be going. May start the "Official" trip in the Mount Rushmore area, since I got a sister there, somewhere. Would like to end up in Yellowstone and work our way back South and East. Thanks so much. Jack
QUOTE(Jack Lewis @ Aug 19 2010, 02:42 PM) [snapback]23621[/snapback] Looking at going West the last two weeks of September 2010. This will be our first trip West, we live in NC. I would really appreciate any advice, suggestions, . . . I really am not trying to be rude, but my suggestion is that you need to narrow down your request a bit. Be specific. For instance you could ask about what route would be best from point A to point B; are there any roads to avoid in an RV; or what sights to see in a particular area; or if there are any places with good dog runs (since you will have one with you). Tell us what kind of places you like to stay (heavily wooded? cement pads? state parks?) and we will be able to help you better. Just asking for suggestions is way too broad for anyone to know what to say. I think you will get more replies if you ask a few specific questions. --Just a suggestion.
In Rapid City, stay at Hart Ranch for 3 nights for $39-- great park, great price. Make sure you visit Custer State park. If you stay in West Yellowstone, there are no ATMs and you can't get cash back at the grocery store. There is a walmart in Cody. Have fun! Are you the Jack Lewis that played golf at WFU?
We were just up in that area last month and traveled from Mt. Rushmore to Yellowstone. There is a lot of road construction on Hwy 287/26 between Dubois and Moran Junction. We camped at Flagg Ranch for three nights. The campground is 2 miles south of the south entrance to Yellowstone.
Hi Jack, Since you did not give any specifics about your trip other than 2 weeks at the end of September, Black Hills, Yellowstone, and that you are from NC, it is hard to give you specific suggestions. From that scant information, I have two concerns: 1. NC to Yellowstone is about 2,000 miles (give or take). At 500 miles a day (which is a lot at that time of year when daylight is down to 12 hours a day, it will take you 3-4 days to get there and 3-4 to get back. Half your trip will be spent driving. 2. In late September the weather can begin to change in Yellowstone and a lot of facilities begin to close down at the end of the month. I've been in the Yellowstone/Teton area for the past week and we just had a cold from come through - the mountain tops got a dusting of snow last night and West Yellowstone is expecting a low aroung 30F tonight. That's a bit unusual this early but very common in late September. Years ago I experienced a night of 12F, a day of 45F, and a night of 10F on 9/29 & 30. If you can leave NC a week earlier and extend your trip to 3 weeks, you will probably have a better trip.
We just returned from a one week RV trip to Yellowstone. The Grizzly RV Park just outside the West gate is excellent for the money. You'll need reservations at any of the RV parks. The visitors center near the Imax theater is getting mixed reviews, but we liked it. BUT the Imax movie was hammy and campy and hokey and cornball as all get-out perhaps avoid spending on it. Did I say it was expensive and stupid? So save your money. The one thing that blindsided us about Yellowstone is the damage from the White Bark Pine Beetle. Seems it's doing way more damage than the fires did. Lots of road construction within the park, so expect traffic delays of 30 minutes at least, often longer. We packed sandwiches and drinks and consumed them at the road construction stops. The Whitewater raft trips on the Yellowstone river are good and usually priced around $25 a person. Cheap in our humble opinions. Have fun.
