Community Forums

**TonyDi** · 02-15-2018, 12:46 PM

A drive through the Badlands National Park is a must do. You can also visit the old Minuteman silos near Rapid City. I also agree with the other suggestions. There's a lot to see there.

rgvtexan · 02-15-2018, 01:12 PM

All of the above, But.

Don't forget The Grand Coulee Dam, Lake FDR Rec Area & Sturgis

Robmat · 02-15-2018, 02:35 PM

You got a lot of good suggestions and while all the destinations are in the general area you are going to need several campgrounds to work out of. First do Yellowstone for several days, with a day trip to the Grand Tetons then Cody, WY then I would suggest staying in Custer which gives you Custer State Park, Then take the Iron Mountain Road to Mt. Rushmore, and the Needles Highway back to Custer and you are only a few minutes from Crazy Horse and the Cave of the Winds. All these are less than an hour away or closer. Then off to Deadwood you can stay at Whistler's Gulch campground and take the free municipal shuttle buses into town and the other sites. This is good for a couple of days. The Missle silos are a stop on the way and you could do a drive through the Badlands and then stay at the KOA at the base of Devil's tower. Next go to Little Big horn on your way to Billings, MT. then back home.

We have been in this area in 2013, 2016 and we are heading back there this summer. See what you can see and don't try to do it all. Leave some for future trips. Don't forget to check the weather for early spring as part of your planning.

TXTiger · 02-15-2018, 03:29 PM

As others have said, Devils Tower in MT, Crazy Horse, also Custer State Park, Mamoth Site in Hot Springs, Deadwood and Spearfish in the Northern Black Hills. If you go east of Mt Rushmore then maybe Wall Drug

96sun · 02-15-2018, 07:33 PM

Man looked up all those places you guys brought up , looks great I didn't know there was so much to see up there.... we will be just viewing this places do to my wife disabilities 5 knee surgery back surgery, her lupus and now cancer!!!!! But I must take her there , I always put that trip of but now or never!!!!!!! Just hoping the hills are not to bad. We have about 2 weeks to see it all.. thanks for all the places you guys came up with looks beautiful up there....

CharlesinGA · 02-15-2018, 11:30 PM

I spent a few days out there last August. First long trip.

Lots to see and do. I had somewhat limited time however. I stayed at Spearfish City Campground, and rented a car to get around, for me it was much better than trying to drive the MH and was much more efficient. I saw (in no particular order) Devils Tower, Vore Buffalo Jump site, Wy Welcome station exit 199 (actually worth a stop), Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway, Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Iron Mountain Highway, Needles Highway, Wildlife Loop in Custer SP, Keystone to Hill City Steam Train, Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, Journey Museum in Rapid City, D C Booth National Historic Fish Hatchery.

I missed Jewel Cave NP, Wind Cave NP, Possibly a museum in Deadwood (rest of the town is casinos and hotels, not worth the stop), High Plains Western Heritage Center (Spearfish), not sure what else.

I also visited the Museum of the Fur Trade in Chadron, NE, as I was going that way to see the eclipse.

I enjoyed the Crazy Horse Memorial more than Rushmore, lots of stuff to see in the Visitor Center and Museum, Rushmore is four dead presidents and a video about how it was carved and some other museum stuff, its all good however.

Do take the time to drive to the Badlands too.

My Trip Report on my Black Hills, Badlands and Eclipse trip, Aug 2017.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f38/my-bl...-a-374375.html

Alot of this you won't find interesting since you are coming from the opposite direction, but I do provide links to some of the stuff in the Black Hills and area that may be useful.

Charles

guardrail53 · 02-15-2018, 11:46 PM

All good advise so far, but I will let you know it can and will still be cold in May! We were there in late May, 2016, stayed in Custer SP, and ran the furnace at night! Also very cold/windy at Mt. Rushmore! So check the weather, and enjoy the area! Rail!

CharlesinGA · 02-16-2018, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 96sun

Man looked up all those places you guys brought up , looks great I didn't know there was so much to see up there.... we will be just viewing this places do to my wife disabilities 5 knee surgery back surgery, her lupus and now cancer!!!!! But I must take her there , I always put that trip of but now or never!!!!!!! Just hoping the hills are not to bad. We have about 2 weeks to see it all.. thanks for all the places you guys came up with looks beautiful up there....

With a 35 ft class A you will need a toad. If you don't have one, you will need to stay where you can rent a car. Rapid City and Spearfish are the two bets there. I chose Spearfish because of the nice campground and I could walk down the street to pick up the car. The Black Hills are not that big and most of the sites are easy day trips. It may be possible to get a rental car delivered to some of the campgrounds around Custer, you will have to call.

Hint: If you rent a Hyundai Sante Fe, be sure and ask where the release to the gas cap door is located. I ended up Googling it from the gas station after spending 15 minutes looking for it.

Virtually all the tourist spots have good ADA access.

Devils tower may be a waste if you cannot walk far, as the draw to it is to walk the trail around the base and view it from different angles and sunlight. Trail is 1½ mile asphalt and narrow in places and some ups and downs. You are at 4400 ft elevation so it leaves flatlanders out of breath.

Some things are best done at certain times of the day. The wildlife loop is best done later in the evening, the wildlife come out then. I did it in mid afternoon and saw virtually nothing. Also that area was burned over by a 54,000 acre fire in December so not sure what it looks like now.

The Iron Mountain highway needs to be driven south to north and in the morning. when you pass thru the Doane Robinson Tunnel you are looking directly at Rushmore and the faces all look southeast so you need the morning sun on them. I drove it in the afternoon and it was all shadows and bad lighting for me.

The 1880 Train can be ridden beginning at either end, to make the round trip. Hill City is its home base and site of the SD RR museum next door (I missed it) First trip is May 7. Do NOT ride the first run of the morning as they use a diesel engine, while the steam locomotive is heating up. Rest of the day is with steam. There is also a CCC museum in Hill City on 385 on the NE side of town.

Do not miss driving the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway. It is all driving unless you stop at a pull off to get out and look and listen to the creek flowing. Very soothing/satisfying sound, but one of the more scenic rides in the Hills.

The Journey Museum in Rapid City (simply known as Rapid to the locals) is a very good lesson in the geologic development of the hills and the history of exploration and development of the area, and the history of Rapid City.

Charles

reubenray · 06-21-2018, 02:41 PM

What campgrounds would be the best for a central location to see everything? I would need big rig friendly with full hookups.

MTK46 · 06-21-2018, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reubenray

What campgrounds would be the best for a central location to see everything? I would need big rig friendly with full hookups.

Might be hard to find a place this late. We made our reservations two months ago & had to hunt for spots.
Check this site out & good luck

Black Hills campgrounds and camping directory and guide

reubenray · 06-21-2018, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTK46

Might be hard to find a place this late. We made our reservations two months ago & had to hunt for spots.
Check this site out & good luck

Black Hills campgrounds and camping directory and guide

Thanks for the info. My trip will be next May.

MTK46 · 06-21-2018, 03:21 PM

Oh okay that makes a difference. Could still be snow there at that time of the year. We will be in Custer at Beaver lake campgrounds second week of July.

guardrail53 · 06-21-2018, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTK46

Oh okay that makes a difference. Could still be snow there at that time of the year. We will be in Custer at Beaver lake campgrounds second week of July.

MTK46, there will be 10 or 12 of us (all MH's) from all over the US coming in to Beaver Lake CG for the 2nd annual M&G, (from roughly the 15th of Aug. till the 5th of Sept.) all from the "Goodmorning" thread in the vintage section! If you are still there, come look us up, we will be in site #46! We arrive on the 20th, July, and leave on the 5th, Sept.!

Also all of our info is on the "M&G Thread" in the Vintage section! What sites we are all in and the dates we are reserved for!

Hope to see you there! Rail!

Rksolid · 06-21-2018, 11:44 PM

Do not cruise Needles hiway with your RV. I seen a rv basically rip up his unit going through a rock tunnel. They have experienced bus drivers that go though them but they know what their doing. I pretty sure the guy's trip was ruined due to the damage he caused, he backed up the traffic for about 20 minutes but still couldn't avoid damage.