Critique my Yellowstone/GT/Glacier Trip, please

[Tdave]

8 week trip next spring/summer, starting from Northern Maryland area. Starting in mid-May, arriving to Grand Tetons by June 5.

42' 5th wheel pulled by 2019 F450. Wife, 12yr old kid, and dog.

After a 5 day stay in Custer State Park, SD and Devils Tower, here's our plan:

make our way to Cody WY via rt16 over Bighorns, 1 full day stay there (Buffalo Bill Museum and the rodeo),

then to Colter Bay Village in Grand Teton via rt14/East Entrance of Yellowstone for 4 full days,

then up to West Yellowstone for 4 full day stay at Grizzly RV park, hitting the geysers on the way up there from Colter Bay,

then straight shot up to St Mary MT in one day, east side of Glacier to stay for 4 full days, via rt191, rt287, I15,

then starting our trek back east via upper peninsula of Michigan.

Am I budgeting enough time for visits and travel between parks? Any warnings on the routes chosen?

Thanks in advance!

Todd

[TonyDi]

You could always spend much more time at each one of those, but your plan will work out great for we. We've done that trip several times. We do love Cody and would spend more then a day there.

[zekegb]

Only suggestion would be another day in Cody.
So much to see and o there.

Will be there in July.

[Isaac-1]

I would also suggest a second day in Cody, one day is barely long enough to rush through the museum, not stopping to look at anything in detail, also stock up there, it is your last chance to see a large (largish) grocery store for a while.


My only other concern is the potential for some of the passes to still be snowed in, we were in SE Wyoming at the end of June a few years ago, and the 9,800 foot Snowy Mountain pass had just opened about 2 weeks earlier. Checking the current Wyoming travel information, it looks like Battle Pass in southern Wyoming just opened on June 1st this year.

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by Tdave

8 week trip next spring/summer, starting from Northern Maryland area. Starting in mid-May, arriving to Grand Tetons by June 5.

42' 5th wheel pulled by 2019 F450. Wife, 12yr old kid, and dog.

After a 5 day stay in Custer State Park, SD and Devils Tower, here's our plan:

make our way to Cody WY via rt16 over Bighorns, 1 full day stay there (Buffalo Bill Museum and the rodeo),

then to Colter Bay Village in Grand Teton via rt14/East Entrance of Yellowstone for 4 full days,

then up to West Yellowstone for 4 full day stay at Grizzly RV park, hitting the geysers on the way up there from Colter Bay,

then straight shot up to St Mary MT in one day, east side of Glacier to stay for 4 full days, via rt191, rt287, I15,

then starting our trek back east via upper peninsula of Michigan.

Am I budgeting enough time for visits and travel between parks? Any warnings on the routes chosen?

Thanks in advance!

Todd

Going to the Sun Road - Opening Date - Need to be there when it is open.

https://www.nps.gov/glac/learn/news/...-6-26-2017.pdf

Dog - if possible to find a dog sitter at home - Long Days in non Dog friendly National Parks - Just not fair to the Dog.

Can you get more time?

Cody is nice BUT - You Came to See YNP and Glacier - Spend your time in the National Parks - JMHO - You could add many days to each, NP.

Avoid Chicago - Trek back is likely going to be a Sprint. Keep in mind out West your speed will be much Slower.

Good Camera that you can Carry - Fleece and Rain/Snow gear - Good Hiking Boots - Floppy Hat and Good SunGlasses.

20 summers of RV road trip travels across the USA and Canada | Lolo's Extreme Cross Country RV Trips

https://pbase.com/sparker1/wyoming

https://pbase.com/sparker1/grand_tetons

https://pbase.com/sparker1/montana

https://pbase.com/sparker1/s_dakota

https://www.pbase.com/sparker1

Hope this helps as for time - Never enough - Best of Luck,

[T Money]

I agree. Check on the mountain passes. Going to the Sun Road just opened. Early June is a gamble. However, GT and Yellowstone are usually less crowded in early June and the roads are usually clear.

[Tdave]

Notes appreciated, thanks.

8 weeks is our max, so trying to balance that against time spent in each location.

Honestly, Glacier wasn't on the list originally for this trip, but a friend of mine just got back from a trip there this month (flew out) and it just looks spectacular, and he worked around the fact that Going to the Sun wasn't open. I cut down GT and Yellowstone by a few days to squeeze in Glacier.

Going later in the season wasn't the plan, due to the horror stories I've heard visiting monuments and parks during the height of the season. We don't want to battle the crowds and bad behavior, those are huge negatives for us.

Would you skip Glacier and extend stays in GT and Yellowstone?

Note about dog: yes, that is one of the reasons we also decided to not spend too long at Yellowstone, not dog friendly and there is so much driving involved to get to the sights, making each excursion away from the camper abnormally long.

It's all a balance.

[Tdave]

Originally Posted by Isaac-1

My only other concern is the potential for some of the passes to still be snowed in, we were in SE Wyoming at the end of June a few years ago, and the 9,800 foot Snowy Mountain pass had just opened about 2 weeks earlier. Checking the current Wyoming travel information, it looks like Battle Pass in southern Wyoming just opened on June 1st this year.

Besides Going to the Sun in Glacier, I haven't heard of issues of routes within Grand Teton or Yellowstone posing opening issues in June. Am I mistaken?

[Hugmongous]

Everyone mentions more time in Cody... for me, I have to disagree. I have heard over and over people raving about the Cody Buffalo Bill Museum -- for me a couple of hours there were more than enough -- it just wasn't that impressive -- and I"m a history buff. I very much enjoyed the rodeo. Other than that, most of what I found in Cody was typical tourist trap stuff. I would use Cody as a stop to get refreshed and stocked up and head to the parks.

[RVThere]

Originally Posted by Tdave

Besides Going to the Sun in Glacier, I haven't heard of issues of routes within Grand Teton or Yellowstone posing opening issues in June. Am I mistaken?

Speaking from about 10 visits to Yellowstone and having inside info as my son is a law enforcement ranger there, a few points to ponder:

- you have a VERY big rig, so you're sightseeing within Yellowstone will be limited when you're pulling your 5ver. So trying to see the geysers as you transit from Colter Bay to West Ystone may not be doable. Parking is tight and you're contending with tour buses for any larger spaces (and you're even longer than a bus).

- my son just informed my that there's no 'pre-season' in Ystone anymore. As soon as the roads open they get slammed with tourists. So going in early June may not beat the crowds.

- speaking of early June, snow and road closures are a distinct possibility. Road from south entrance did not open until very late in May and NE entrance was closed on June 21 as a late season snow storm hit Ystone. I've experienced snow at Sylvan Pass (East entrance) on July 8!

- You may be aware, but Going to the Sun Road has a length restriction (24' I think) so you will only be able to drive it with the nice new F450 and no camper

- Cody is great and my son and I spend all day in the museum but I would not extend my trip there at the expense of Glacier. Driving Going to the Sun road from west to east and seeing the Garden Wall in front of you is spectacular!

I'll be in Ystone in early August climbing Mt. Sheridan so let me know if you want me to check anything out first hand.

Safe travels!

[Isaac-1]

Be aware that the Going to the sun road has max vehicle size restrictions (due to low hanging rock overhangs, switchbacks, etc.) I am not sure your F450 will fit, check https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/gtsrinfo.htm says 21 ft max length


p.s. note it also has a link to historic opening dates, 3 times in the last 10 years that has been on or after June 20th

[777 Driver]

Originally Posted by Hugmongous

Everyone mentions more time in Cody... for me, I have to disagree. I have heard over and over people raving about the Cody Buffalo Bill Museum -- for me a couple of hours there were more than enough -- it just wasn't that impressive -- and I"m a history buff. I very much enjoyed the rodeo. Other than that, most of what I found in Cody was typical tourist trap stuff. I would use Cody as a stop to get refreshed and stocked up and head to the parks.

IMHO, Hugh, you've well described Cody.

We didn't attend the rodeo; been to enough rodeos throughout the west and there are many that attract much better talent and livestock.

The one thing that we very much enjoyed, and as a history buff, you might too, is less than 15 miles northeast. The Heart Mountain WWII Japanese American Confinement Site (Heart Mountain Interpretive Center, Heart Mountain Foundation, Wyoming) was a moving experience.

Take care,
Stu

[twogypsies]

Each national parks has an awesome web site giving road information, opening times, special alerts, things to do, etc. Explore them thoroughly. Here is Grand Teton Nat'l Park's:

https://www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/roads.htm

[Tdave]

Originally Posted by RVThere

Speaking from about 10 visits to Yellowstone and having inside info as my son is a law enforcement ranger there, a few points to ponder:

- you have a VERY big rig, so you're sightseeing within Yellowstone will be limited when you're pulling your 5ver. So trying to see the geysers as you transit from Colter Bay to West Ystone may not be doable. Parking is tight and you're contending with tour buses for any larger spaces (and you're even longer than a bus).

Interesting, any truth to the fact that the early bird gets the worm? I’m hearing that even at the popular sites that timing is everything, arrive early to beat the crowds.

Originally Posted by RVThere

my son just informed my that there's no 'pre-season' in Ystone anymore. As soon as the roads open they get slammed with tourists. So going in early June may not beat the crowds.

Even during the week? My assumption was that kids are still in school early June, hence a corresponding reduction in crowds.

Even still, my assumption has to hold true on the other sites in SD that we’re hitting on the way in. Can’t imagine the crowds at Mt Rushmore or the popular hiking trails at the height of the season, not our thing. I’ve read a few horror stories online about sites out west and how crowded they’re getting, defeats the purpose of visiting in my opinion.

Originally Posted by RVThere

- speaking of early June, snow and road closures are a distinct possibility. Road from south entrance did not open until very late in May and NE entrance was closed on June 21 as a late season snow storm hit Ystone. I've experienced snow at Sylvan Pass (East entrance) on July 8!

Ok, I’ll have to roll the dice on that one.

Originally Posted by RVThere

- You may be aware, but Going to the Sun Road has a length restriction (24' I think) so you will only be able to drive it with the nice new F450 and no camper

As someone else mentioned here, it appears to be 21’ max. I’m just over 22’. Guess that makes hoping the Road will be open moot. I drove it 30 years ago in a 72 VW camper van, I suppose that means I already checked it off the list.

Thanks for the valuable insight.

The kid is getting older, this may be our last chance to pull her out of school without real consequence, and while she still likes hanging with mom and dad.