Day 3: The Black Hills

 I have always wanted go to the Black Hills. I think Mount Rushmore is something that every American should lay their eyes on at least once in their lifetime. Ailin and Luka were genuinely surprised when I told them I had never been there before and had always wanted to see it.

Okay, today was the all-day bus tour, which turned into an entire package that included breakfast, 9 hours on the bus with 4 one-hour stops, and some other shorter stops at picturesque points, 6 tunnels that the bus could barely squeeze through, lunch at the Game State Lodge, a roller coaster ride for the kids, and a chuckwagon dinner and show. We were there from 7:30 AM to 8:15 PM.

The one-hour stops were Mount Rushmore, Game State Lodge, Sylvan Lake, and Crazy Horse. My favorite mini-stop was at the Cathedral Spires. Awe-inspiring indeed. 

We also met some nice people and some really weird people. A multi-generational family all dressed in the same gray t-shirts with pictures of cows wearing lipstick, except for the dad who wore a bright red shirt. The kid was annoying, and the grandma and mom were very unfriendly. However, we also met a lady named Angela, a woman named Beth and her kid Josiah, a couple named Christine and Henry, a couple named Jose and Wanda. I am making these names up because I didn't actually get any of their real names, sadly. I felt a real connection with Christine, though I am 99% sure the feeling was not mutual. Angela and I connected because she, Beth and her kid, and us got LEFT when the tour bus first took off this morning at 9am! He left without 6 people!!! Unbelievable.

The tour guide told about 300 jokes throughout the day. He is a high school principal in real life. Nuf said.

We three had a reputation of constantly being the last ones on the bus after each stop. It was odd. I thought that in the USA, if someone tells you to be somewhere by a certain time, you should strive to be right ON time, not late, but not necessarily early. These people tended to get on that bus well before the appointed time, while the three of us would show up right on time...and apparently, this was a big no-no. This confused me, but then I started to just do it ON purpose cuz fuck them.

The roads were treacherous. I am so glad I opted not to drive. I would have been really annoyed at myself if I had tried, especially with all the motorcycles on the road this week. I don't even think I would have made it to Mt Rushmore, and I had no idea it was such a pain to get up there. Sylvan Lake was even worse because we had to go through a tunnel called Eye of a Needle.

The lunch was an amazing buffet at the lodge where Calvin Coolidge and his wife, Grace, often stayed and summered.

The dinner was slop - a mixture of all the things I hate. Hate, I tell you, hate. Baked potato, grizzly meat, baked beans, apple sauce - all slopped on a tin plate. Gross. Biscuit...how many biscuits can one eat out west? Spice cake - first time for this and I was not that impressed.

The men who served the dinner, as it turns out, were the members of the band. They put on a wonderful one-hour show. Some of our new "friends" left before the show started because they were exhausted. We thought about leaving too, but the kids wanted to see ONE song first. They insisted on staying for the whole thing because they were loving it. They knew lots of songs.

The kids loved all of it. Here are our favorites from 1-3:

Amanda

1. Mt Rushmore

2. Cathedral Spires

3. Lunch at the Game State Lodge

Ailin

1. Mt Rushmore

2. ??

3. ??

Luka

1. Seeing a Winchester for the first time.

2. Mt Rushmore

3. The music show

Okay, time for bed as we have a driving day tomorrow. We plan to start at 8am. After getting advice on Facebook group for travelers to YSNP and GTNP, I was advised to plan on 8 hours for the next leg of the trip and that includes stopping for gas or at a rest area for lunch.

Day 2: Sioux Falls, SD --> Badlands --> Rapid City

 We reached Rapid City at about 6:30 pm. Let's keep in mind this is Mountain Time, so actually, it would 7:30 pm Central Time.

That said, we left Sioux Falls at 10:30 after checking out at 9:00 and spending a little time at Walmart.

10:30 to 7:30 comes to 10 hours. The predicted time on Google Maps was only 5.5 hours. Why am I making such bad time???

We stopped at the Corn Palace for about 45 minutes, and this was unplanned.

We ate our picnic at a Rest Area because I knew we wouldn't get to the Badlands in time to eat there, and this was a good decision because CAN YOU IMAGINE trying to have a picnic at the unbearable Badlands? It was about 110 degrees there, and there were really no "picnic spots" anyway.

We entered the Badlands at the NE entrance and got out to see an Overlook and take some photos. After that, I left the car running, and I let the kids get out and take a few pics and then get back in.We took the scenic route from the NE to the opposite end, and it took so long to get out of there. It was beautiful, we some long-horned sheep (well, 2), but it was long.

At some point during the Badlands visit, the car stopped recognizing my phone and wouldn't connect to it, so I could not use the Google Map on the screen. The same thing happened yesterday but eventually, it did kick in.

We found our Canyon Lake Resort, which we were totally looking forward to. Unlike the internet photos, it is a rundown resort and the room smelled bad when we first entered. It's also very easy to get locked out, which happened twice to me in the first 30 min. She showed us some places where we could eat outside, and after ordering a pizza and making a salad, we took our dinner to a nice veranda overlooking the lake. But the bees. They started going after us and the food, and we got chased out of there. We couldn't finish our dinner because we threw it all into a big salad bowl and ran to our room. 

What I learned about today:

Ailin is feeling stressed out because she did complete her HW before the trip, and she is now realizing how impossible it is to do on a road trip. (Her HW requires her to use wi-fi for most of it.)

Luka is not that interested in this road trip. Maybe he will be when we get to Yellowstone, but so far, he is not being his best self.

Swimming with Ailin is fun and relaxing.

Driving can be both reflective and hard. It's not the lively, fun conversational/learning opportunity I had imagined. They either take lots of photos out of the car windows OR watch stuff on their smartphones OR sleep. There is very little conversation.

Lots of people ride their motorcycles to Sturgis, but many people drive and pull their bikes on trailers. We met some people in the pool, and they told us all about their Sturgis adventures. I had some questions about what it's like to ride a motorcycle on Hwy 90 for so many hours at 80mph.

Oh, and Hwy 90 switches up from 70 to 80 sometime during South Dakota.

The Badlands is really hot. I cannot imagine that people camp there or spend any amount of time there at all. The movie that really inspired me to do this trip had some major scenes in the Badlands.

Eating outdoors is nearly impossible here. Too many gross flies and bees.

Day 1: Antigo --> Sioux Falls, SD

 Had I planned the trip on my own, I would NOT have tried to drive 7 plus hours on the first day. I would have stopped and overnighted in a quaint town on the Mississippi. Dad had insisted that we drive all the way to Sioux Falls on Day 1, and I assumed (because he insisted) that he would drive part of the way. 

Things were complicated by the fact that I needed to stop at Enterprise Car Rental in Wausau to add Roadside Assistance to my contract. This add-on needed to be done in person so that they could check the condition of the car. Then, we drove to Onalaska, WI via a backroad route that took us through WI Rapids, a bunch of cranberry bogs, and finally through Tomah. Onalaska, it turns out, is next to LaCrosse and right on the border of WI and MN. Onalaska is the home of the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Refuge, and they sell America the Beautiful passes. I wanted to buy one BEFORE arriving in Yellowstone just that I would be anxious about it all the way there. 

The refuge had a real prairie. We ate our lunch there outside, but it was so hot when the sun peaked out from the heavy cumulous clouds. We didn't see all the animals I had promised we'd see, and Ailin was annoyed that her iPhone's storage was full. Rather than stay for a short hike, I insisted we leave since it was so hot, I was worried we wouldn't make it to Sioux Falls before dark.

Crossing the Mississippi was gorgeous, but we couldn't stop to admire it. I regret that we couldn't enjoy the river in Pepin as I had planned on doing, but we did see a nice prairie, and the kids discovered Milkweed plants.

Minnesota I-90 was not nearly as busy as I had imagined. I thought semis would be whizzing past me, but that was not so. It was quiet and speedy and much faster than driving on backroads in Wisconsin. The landscape looked a lot like central WI. Lots of agriculture and not nearly as many lakes as they brag about. We stopped at some of the waysides so that I could stretch my back and legs. The kids mostly refused to get out of the car or use the restrooms unless forced.

My plan was to make this a really fun road trip and stop to see all the unique sights, like the Jolly Green Giant, and the Mermaid Fountain, and Belfort. But, we didn't have time and I couldn't find these places anyway. They were not right on the highway, and you had to know where they were to be on the lookout for the correct exits. A driver needs a navigator for these things, and time. Time was of the essence, and I could not stop anyway. Jolly Green Giant had already closed by the time we got near it, and that is also something to think about.

I realize why it's helpful to reach the destination well before sunset because driving into the sun SUCKS. We got there 10 minutes before the sunset completely, so the final 2 hours was me driving into the sun.

Tonight we are staying at La Quinta in Sioux Falls. It's next to a Perkins so we ate dinner there at 9pm. A bit late. Ailin and I swam in the pool for the final 30 minutes it was open, and we had fun playing. She didn't insult me even once.

I got a free travel magazine about SD, and found out about a Black Hills Tour. I decided to book a tour so I don't have to drive all day. I think it will truly allow me to feel like I have had a day off of driving. Without Dad here, it is just easier to make decisions like this since I don't have to worry about him and whether he would want to do those things or not.

Things I am learning:

Fill up at half a tank. It costs about 30-45 dollars each time.

Kwik Trip coffee would be better if I just used my own flavored creamer.

The kids want lettuce or something on their sandwiches.

I need something to keep my seatbelt from cutting into my neck.

I need to stop and stretch frequently.

Restaurant meals are so expensive with or without tips.

Kwik Trip only exists in WI and MN.

Heartbroken with Fortitude

 After a full year of meticulous planning, my dad broke the news to me that he really did not want to accompany us on this trip. The day before we were set to leave.

I was shocked by his confession, but I took it seriously rather than try to convince him to go anyway. I knew he meant it.

I went to my room and cried for an hour. I managed to get a hold of my sister and two friends via Messenger, and they each gave advice. Michele suggested I find someone to go in his stead. Louise and Aviva both said I should go anyway and have a great time. All three understood my immense sadness.

Immensely sad. Profoundly heartbroken.

I could take it personally, and when I dwell on it, my ego tells me to do just that. However, he clearly has some health issues and does not feel comfortable going so far away. Plus, he has some personal issues with caring for the property, the dogs, the bills. He just wasn't able to organize himself enough to go away for that long and doesn't feel he can depend on Seth. 

Had I been able to talk to him in person, I would have noticed these issues.

So, the remaining posts on this blog will be about the epic road trip with my kids because we did decide to go anyway.

Dirt in my Shoes Itinerary

 Dirt in my Shoes has been a big help. I made some hotel changes. Here is a revised itinerary and hotel info. I bought three itineraries from Ash, and one is for a one-day trip to Rocky Mtn NP, so I decided to get a hotel nearby the park and perhaps we can spend some time there on our way to Colorado.

Day 1 August 3rd

Antigo --> Sioux Falls, SD - 7.5 hours

Passing by Pepin which supposedly has some Little House on the Prairie stuff. Look into this. There are other things nearby that we can see in relation to LHotP.

Day 2 & 3 August 4th, 5th

Sioux Falls, SD --> Rapid City, SD - 5 hours

Hotel: Canyon Lake Resort

This is just east of Black Hills. The Black Hills has all the stuff, including Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave. Devil's Tower is just northwest of this. We will plan to stay two nights. RESERVED

Day 4 August 6th

Rapid City, SD --> Cody, WY - 6 hours

Hotel: AmericInn by Wyndham Cody

We would like to see the Rodeo. Apparently, this is a happening place. It is one hour from the east entrance of YNP. It is a three-hour drive to Gardiner. RESERVED

Day 5 & 6 August 7th, 8th

Cody, WY --> Gardiner, MT - 3 hours

Hotel: Absaroka Lodge

We will enter YNP through the East Entrance on Day 7 in the morning and end up at our hotel in Gardiner (North entrance) later that day. Staying two nights at the same hotel in Gardiner. RESERVED

Day 7 & 8 August 9th, 10th

Gardiner, MT --> Signal Mountain, WY - 4 hours

Hotel: Signal Mountain Lodge

We will stay two nights in Signal Mountain Lodge in GTNP. It is about one hour from West Thumb Lake, which is our last stop in Yellowstone. (Need to study more about GTNP entrances and so on.) RESERVED

Day 9 August 11th

Signal Mountain, WY --> Saratoga, WY - 5 hours

Hotel: Copperline Lodge

We will drive SE and stay in Saratoga, WY, just north of the Colorado border. This small town is located between the Sierra Madre, and it is on the way to Rocky Mtn NP.  RESERVED

Day 10, 11 August 12th, 13th

Saratoga, WY --> Colorado Springs, CO - 4-5 hours

I would like to drive through the park for most of the way and perhaps can try some of the hikes.

We will stay in CO Springs for three nights to visit Shannon. Jill plans to come and meet us there as well. We can stay at Shannon's house as she says she has plenty of space.

It might be better to skedaddle by Sunday afternoon because Shannon's kids' first day of school and stuff will likely be the very next day. She probably would appreciate if we left them on Sunday afternoon.

Day 12 August 14th

Colorado Springs, CO --> Salina, Kansas - 6 hours

Somewhere in Kansas. It does not have to be Hays. It is just that it is a halfway point. Caravaning or riding with Jill.

Day 13 August 15th

Salina, Kansas --> Columbia, MO - 4.5 hours

We will stay at Jill's house, depending on her space. On the way there, we can stop and see some stuff.

Day 14 August 16th

Columbia, MO --> Springfield, IL --> Madison, WI - 3 hours - Leave early to get there by lunchtime.

We will stop here because it is the hometown of Lincoln. Look into Library, museum and log house. Make sure they are open on Wednesdays or Thursdays. We will only stay for lunch and sightseeing. Get on the road by 3 or 4.

We will strive to spend the night in Madison. LaQuinta here we come. I love LaQuinta.

Day 15 August 17th

Madison, WI or Evansville, WI --> Antigo 3 hours

I still want to stop and see Betsy and Jim if possible. I'll ask Dad what he thinks closer to that time.

HOME!

Things to do

 Now is the time to start brainstorming things to do and scheduling or reserving some of it.

Day 1 / August 3 Antigo --> Sioux Falls, SD

Day 2 / August 4 Sioux Falls, SD --> Rapid City, SD

Day 3 / August 5 

Day 4 / August 6 Rapid City, SD --> Cody, WY

Day 5 / August 7 Cody, WY --> Gardiner, MT

Day 6 / August 8

Day 7 / August 9 Gardiner, MT --> Signal Mountain, WY

Day 8 / August 10 

Scenic Float Trip via the Signal Mountain Lodge site: (Make a reservation closer to that date)

https://www.signalmountainlodge.com/lodge-services/snakeriver

Day 9 / August 11 Signal Mountain, WY --> Saratoga, WY

Saratoga Hot Springs:

https://www.wyomingcarboncounty.com/things-to-do/hotsprings

Day 10 / August 12 Saratoga, WY --> Colorado Springs, CO

Day 11 / August 13

Day 12 / August 14 Colorado Springs --> ???

Day 13 / August 15 ??? --> Columbia, MS

Day 14 / August 16 Columbia, MS --> Madison, WI

Day 15 / Madison, WI --> Antigo

Ideas:

Update: 

After reading other people's itineraries and feeling totally overwhelmed, I checked a site called Dirt in My Shoes that was recommended by someone on FB. She sells 2, 3, 4, and 5-day itineraries for several parks, and has articles about lots of parks and other things. Everything is laid out very simply and updated frequently. I bought an itinerary for 3-days in Yellowstone and 2 days in Tetons. She also has articles about Badlands and Black Hills. I am feel much more at ease about this now. 

https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/

https://www.earthtrekkers.com/yellowstone-itinerary-1-to-5-days-in-yellowstone/?fbclid=IwAR1BTRmXGMHQJ2A3k_Q-rmtXjjfftinh5D_a4JFL5BPGQo80iMptQQmlX5Q

https://fullsuitcase.com/yellowstone-grand-teton-itinerary/

https://www.wanderingstus.com/yellowstone-and-grand-teton-in-4-days

https://liveadventuretravel.com/yellowstone-grand-teton/

Taken from a fellow traveler on FB:

 In case anyone is looking for a week long itinerary. This was built based off of staying in Gardiner the whole week at an AirBnB. I figured it might be helpful for planning purposes.

Gardiner:

**restaurants have super long wait times - order or reserve way ahead**

Wonderland cafe

Gardiner Market -a comprehensive grocery store with pre-made lunch and dinner options

Yellowstone Grill – breakfast, burgers, sandwiches, and burritos

The Corral – a classic burger joint with picnic tables out front

Yellowstone Pizza Company – pizza and pasta

Grizzly Grille – tacos, rice bowl burritos at their food truck

NOTE: there will be a lack of cell service in the park; some visitor centers have WiFi; use the GyPSy App to have a downloaded self guided tour play on the phone

Dining options in the park are limited; crowded, at times underwhelming and pricey so plan to pack drinks and food daily

Saturday 24 July

Leave airport and head to AirBnB

On the way, stop and get groceries/supplies; get bear spray

Roosevelt Arch/Explore Gardiner/Fill up on gas

Swim in a boiling river? (need to check if open during COVID) https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/swimming-soaking.htm

Yellowstone hot springs https://yellowstonehotspringsmt.com/

Chico hot spring resort and spa (alternative)

Sunday 25 July

Stop at mammoth spring visitor center

Bunsen peak hike (4.3 miles; 2-4hrs); moderate difficulty with panoramic view; Getting there: Park in the Glen Creek Trailhead parking lot, just under 5 miles south of Mammoth Hot Springs and right past the Golden Gate Bridge Park

Fort Yellowstone (self guided tour) @ Mammoth springs area

Monday 26 July:

Rent spotting scope for wildlife viewing - BEFORE 8PM; Melba Coleman, Optics Yellowstone, 406-224-1567

Mammoth Hot Springs (do in AM before the Pad/Sad excursion) – Upper Terrace Drive and the boardwalk hikes (lower terraces: Palette Spring, Minerva Terrace and Cleopatra Terrace, Canary spring and Liberty Cap).TIP: the Mammoth Visitor Center has WiFi

Paddle and Saddle excursion with Montana Whitewater Rafting Co. 406-848-7398

http://yellowstoneraftzipline.com/packages/pad-n-sad/ (unfortunately zip line closed down); location for horseback riding is approx 30 min outside of Gardiner

Tuesday 27 July: approx 1hr40min to trailhead

Hike: Fairy Falls Trail to Imperial and Spray Geysers

The Fairy Falls trailhead begins one mile from the Midway Basin Geyser and is an easy out-and-back despite its length (6mi).

Getting there: Park at the Fairy Falls Trailhead lot, 1 mile south of Midway Geyser Basin (space is very limited) arrive early

From the trailhead, hike a little over a half-mile and take the short, side trail to see the Grand Prismatic Spring and the Excelsior Geyser from the newly constructed overlook. Stop on the way back from Fairy Falls and you’ll have a better view of the spring’s radiant hues which is best mid-day, but expect more crowds.

Tips while hiking to Fairy Falls:

Continuing on, stroll through a regenerating lodgepole pine forest until you reach the spray of Fairy Falls, 2.5 miles from where you started. Nearly all of the Fairy Falls area was affected by the fires of ‘88, and it’s worth taking note of the new growth that’s bringing the forest back to life. Imperial Geyser can reach up to 35 feet, but it erupts infrequently. Just a little more to the east, you’ll come across Spray Geyser, a little less impressive, but a frequent erupter. These thermal features tend to be much less populated than other parts of the park and definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for an escape from the crowds.

Explore: Midway Geyser Basin/Grand Pristmatic Spring area/Black Sand Basin/Biscuit Basin: Emerald Pool, Sunset Lake, Rainbow Pool, Sapphire Pool, black opal pool

Wednesday 28 July:

EARLY MORNING START RECOMMENDED TO SEE THE BEST WILDLIFE Bring spotting scope and bear spray

Lamar valley - WILDLIFE VIEWING: Dawn/dusk to see the most animals

Hiking Lamar river valley trailhead: Getting there:Park at the pullout in front of Soda Butte on the Northeast Entrance Road and follow the signs to the Soda Butte trailhead. This easy hike begins at the Soda Butte Creek trailhead, where you’ll cross the creek via a bridge (bird watchers should keep an eye out for song birds and waterfowl here). As you continue on through the meadow, you might have the opportunity to spot the park’s unofficial resident mascot: the bison. At the right time of year, this area will be covered in wildflowers, with peak season for wildflower viewing generally starting in June and extending through July. After a mile and a half, you’ll reach the junction. Continue straight on Specimen Ridge Trail for another mile or so, and you’ll reach Lamar River — the spot to sit down with your picnic lunch and enjoy the scenery. When you’re ready, head back the way you came. Approx 4 mile round trip. Alternative: (to Cache creek - 7 mi round trip, easy)

(Trout lake trail - alternative hike)

Tower Falls - first viewpoint easy, second viewpoint (UNABLE TO SEE - ROAD CLOSURE)

Calcite springs (UNABLE TO SEE - ROAD CLOSURE)

Tower junction/Roosevelt lodge - Cowboy cookout ride reserved 2HR horseback/cookout @ Roosevelt Corrals https://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/.../old.../

Petrified tree

Thursday 29 July:

Old Faithful (approximately 2 hr drive from lodging) - arrive early in the morning!

Old Faithful Inn - bike rentals/explore Upper Geyser basin especially Morning Glory Pool

Short trail leads up to Observation Point, offering a wonderful vantage point overlooking Old Faithful and the Old Faithful Inn

Complete lower loop counterclockwise: Kepler Cascades, West Thumb Geyser Basin, Lake Yellowstone hotel (restrooms), Mud Volcano & Sulphur Cauldron (acid-green Sour Lake, roaring Dragon’s Mouth Spring and the Churning Caldron), Hayden Valley - GOOD WILDLIFE VIEWING, (Canyon village - for rest stop)

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone - MUST SEE

South Rim, panoramic view from Artist Point, arguably the most famous view of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. (Uncle Tom trail temporarily closed); View upper Falls separately

Option to do North Rim: Lookout Point, Inspiration Point and, especially, the Brink of the Lower Falls

Friday 30 July:

Roaring Mountain

Norris Geyser with Steamboat Geyser and Porcelain Basin

Artist Paintpots

Beryl Spring

Gibbon Falls

After Madison junction: one way southbound Firehole Canyon Road and stop at swimming hole

Fountain Paintpots and Lower Geyser Basin - best mud pot here

Firehole Lake Drive (one way only east bound) and White Dome geyser

Return spotting scope - BEFORE 8PM; Melba Coleman, Optics Yellowstone, 406-224-1567

Saturday 31 July: DEPART FOR AIRPORT

Feedback/update on our itinerary is below in comments.

I'd love your feedback on our Itinerary. Everything is booked that can be. I wish we had more time at each park but we won't make it back here anytime soon. It was more important to do a little at each park and experience it all than skip it altogether. We have 5 kids in our family ages 8 to 17 (2 of which hate to hike, one of whom has high functioning autism) and 2 cousins we will meet up with who are ages 6 and 8. We are coming from Michigan.

Day 1 Drive thru the night

Day 2

• Badland best quickie stops: Panorama Point*, Conata Basin Overlook*, Ancient Hunters Overlook, Pinnacles Overlook*, Sage Creek Basin Overlook

• Alpine slide park in Mt Rushmore –TramWay Adventures

• Custer (drive wildlife loop) and Needles Highway Allow for 2 hours time

o Driving Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/abvWffS5mcXUr4TP6

• Sunset at 8:38 pm: go to Mt Rushmore

Day 3

• Wind Caves, arrive at 5:30 am, to get tickets available at 8 am. First come first serve. Tours sell out quick.

• Drive to Jackson (7 hr 45 min drive),

• Take route that goes thru Mt Moran for beautiful views of Tetons

Day 4

• 10 am float: Barker-Ewing: 10-mile float https://barkerewing.com/10-mile-classic-scenic-float-trip/

• Do Jenny Lake boat from Inspiration Point 1.7 miles hike

• If extra time do indv activities at TreeTop adventure

• 8 pm Jackson Hole rodeo http://jhrodeo.com/

Day 5

- pack up camp on the road by 7:00 am, gives 1 hr for stops enroute from Gros Ventre to Old Faithful, ETA Old Faithful 10:15 am

Stops along the way https://goo.gl/maps/BRJCgVZybFDYmtNp8

-meet family at Faithful, Upper Geyser Basin

• Highlights of Upper Geyser Basin: Old Faithful, Castle Geyser, Daisy Geyser, Grotto Beyo, Morning Glory Pool

-Grand Prismatic

-If time - Artist’s Paint Pot

-Norris Geyser Basin including at picnic area here for dinner

-If time persists head to Firehole River (swimming is closed)

Day 6

-Hayden Valley

-meet family at: Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

-w/ Artist point

-w/ Uncle Tom’s Cabin

-ADD MORE ACTIVITIES THIS DAY?

• Favorite places in Yellowstone Canyon: Artist Point, Brink of the Upper Falls, Uncle Tom’s Trail (some access points to this trail are closed for repairs)

-After this plan to do West Thumb Geyser Basin hike by our campground

Day 7 Drive to Glacier

Day 8 Lake McDonald - Stop: Trail of the cedars

Drive Going to the sun road

Day 9 Glacier Boat Company: hike Grinnell Lake trail

• If time allows: St Mary Falls trail- but that’s it for the day

Day 10 Drive home

Hit Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Day 11 Devils Tower

Day 12 Finish driving home

Update on our itinerary:

-Badlands stops I listed are quick and easy to spend as much or as little time as you want

-we only spent 1 1/2hrs at Mt Rushmore Tramway. It was a good way to break up activities into something different to do. Kids each did the alpine slide twice and picked either the tubing run or shorter zip line.

Needles highway is amazing! The driving route I posted either we got lucky w timing or it’s the way to go. There are a couple of passes that are one lane of traffic at a time. When we went thru this passageway there were five cars going our way. But the other way there were probably 30 cars waiting to pass thru. We never had to wait for traffic.

-Sylvan lake is a place we stopped along the way that we hadn’t planned on doing. It was very busy. But was a lovely little place to stop and walk around (wish we’d had the time to let the kids swim here). Beautiful views.

- we loved watching the lighting ceremony at Mt Rushmore.

-Wind caves - definitely needed to arrive extra early for a tour. We arrived at 5:45 am and were the first ones there. While hubby waited in line I took the kids to hike the Wind cave canyon trail. It was a easy walk. We rounded the corner and saw a Bison right off our path (30 feet away) lots of wildflowers and hiked out 20 minutes then turned around and came back. the ppl who arrived at wind caves right after us (at 5:45 am) said they had come the day before at 8:30 am and all tours were sold out for the day. The day we arrived to get tour tickets ppl arrived later, however by the time tickets went on sale at 8 am the line was 300+ ppl deep.

-Tetons: we loved the Barker -Ewing float out of Moose that takes us rather close to the Teton range. Our rafting guide was amazing. Don’t forget to tip your guide like you would any other. Guide commented that we had to get the nachos at Signal Mtn lodge. We took our nachos to the boat ramp area around there and let the kids swim in the lake in the Tetons.

-Tetons: as you come from Jackson and head north into Moose there is a left turn into Moose and it’s on the right side that twice we saw moose sheltering in the marsh

-Jenny lake hike: we only hiked to hidden falls. We took the boat over to the falls around 2pm. My teen w autism melted down after the hidden falls hike so we did not hike onto inspiration point. However when we originally departed from the boat I asked the ppl in line how long they had waited. Their wait was approx 1 hr. After our hike to hidden falls and back our wait for the boat was 20 min. Tip: do this hike later in the day to avoid crowds at the boat.

- nice place to let kids swim

- we were looking forward to riding the coaster at Tree Too adventure. I didn’t realize they close early afternoon and we missed them by 30 min. Bummed the kids didn’t do this.

- we’ve never been to a rodeo. The Jackson rodeo was worth it for a newbie

- driving from Tetons to Yellowstone. We packed up camp and hit the road by 7 am. Unfortunately we saw little wildlife and did not see any bears along the way. We drove the East side of Jackson Lake and hit a couple of waterfalls and overlook stops along the way. Let me know if you want names of the stops we did.

-day 5 we were able to do all the stops on our itinerary in Yellowstone except the younger kids ran out of energy for Norris Geyser basin. We pulled into the parking lot and a few of us looked around for a bit. We arrived at old faithful parking lot at 10:30 am and had no traffic delays. We walked the boardwalk around there for about 2 hrs.

- at old faithful we knew rain was on the forecast but we ended up getting hail. Glad we packed rain coats.

- there’s a nice boardwalk to do at old faithful and many more geothermal things to see from there

- we saw a bison on our path on a board walk of the old faithful area

- loved artists paint pot

At artist paint pot there is a mud geyser and our family was mesmerized watching the mud geyser

- grand prismatic: I heard to see the colors best you need temps of 80+. It was 65 when we went and foggy. We did not hike to the overlook to see it simply bc it was so foggy. We still got decent colorful pics from ground level.

- we finished the day in Norris geyser basin area. Our tour guide from baker Ewing had told us that to get back to grant campground we should avoid the old faithful area and instead go thru Hayden valley. Gps estimated time was the same. It was early evening and we were able to see herds of bison fill the road and pasture. Amazing!

- day 6 Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone was worth it. the hike was hard enough for our young kids however. We hiked from artist point parking lot to uncle toms cabin parking lot. And decided to let the kids rest and one of us hiked back, got the car, drove to pickup the kids waiting at uncle toms cabin area and drove back to artist point for lunch with our big group

-then we drove thru Hayden valley and went to west thumb geyser basin for a short loop hike

-we did not hit any traffic in Yellowstone. I think that’s cause when we did Grand Canyon of Yellowstone we arrived at 9 am. We had early starts to all our days.

- we found that all the parking lots constantly had ppl coming and going. There were three cars in our group and we all always got parking spots in every lot. Ppl are constantly coming and going. Just wait. You’ll get a spot. Don’t be deceived by the cars parking outside the lot.

-day 7 - was just driving to glacier area

-glacier: day 8: going to the sun road wasn’t open yet. It was foggy. We did a few overlooks by Lake McDonald. 10 yr old took a hard fall into a rock (thot we’d need ER at first) medical tape, gauze. Neosporin we utilized from our medical kit)

-hiked the trail of the cedars. Lovely and easily. Someone had spotted a black bear cub 15 min before we took off onto the trail

- since we couldn’t drive the GTTSR, we drove down hwy 2, south of the park to get to the west side for our evening accommodations. We Stopped at Two Medicine lake route. (Road is terribly Paved. It is Was pouring rain when we arrived. We didn’t really stop here.)

-day 9 glad we booked the glacier boat company tour to grinnell lake. A few of us detoured off the guided tour and hiked the extra 0.2 hike to Hidden Falls. It was 1 mike out and 1 mile back from boat to grinnell lake w the guide. Lots of snow at the base by grinnell lake.

-day10 - our itinerary had us packing up our Airbnb and driving to Theodore Roosevelt NAtional park. Except this day the GTTSR opened for the season. Having gone all this way To glacier it was worth it to detour and take four extra hours and drive the road. We drove from east to west. We Originally thot we could just turn around and drive the road back but having seen how the traffic slowed up bc of bicycles on the road and the sharp cliff curves we decided to complete the road entire road and drive down hwy 2 to head east and head back home to michigan.

- we skipped Theodore Roosevelt NP

- we definitely needed bear spray. My brother saw a huge Grizzly on his trail as he rounded the corner. Make noise. Talk. Sing. Etc

-we went third week of June. Temps ranged from mid 35 to high 80. We packed hat and gloves and packable puffer coats and rain coats and used them all

-we all used water bladders. And that worked out well

- groceries in the parks are expensive. Avoid it at all costs

- bring your own emergency kid. Basic supplies are not available at stores. See a ranger if you still need stuff.

Mosquitos are bad in some places on a hike. I suggest you cover up before heading out on each hike.

- we have Verizon. Cell data is spotty everywhere. It was best to download Google maps for offline usage. And we used the gypsy app which we loved

-saw lots of wildlife. We always had early morning starts. But we are disappointed that we didn’t see a bear,

Hope this helps! Thanks for reading!

REVISED Route/Hotels/Stops

  Proposed route and pacing. This turns out to be a 19-day Roadtrip. According to this itinerary, we would leave Antigo on August 1st and return to Antigo on August 19. This allows for four or five days on either side to stay in Antigo and prepare for the road trip and also to prepare for the trip back to Japan.

Dad suggested shortening the trip and driving longer. Okay, here we go. It is now a 15-day trip.

https://goo.gl/maps/ux9CzC6FsoqcVjuWA

I am adding dates today because this shit is becoming real. I will also print off a calendar and map to send to Dad.

Edited to add: Talked to Dad today (9/5/2021) and he is OK with this 15-day plan.

Sturgis is scheduled for August 5-15. 

Day 1 August 3rd

Antigo --> Sioux Falls, SD - 7.5 hours

Passing by Pepin which supposedly has some Little House on the Prairie stuff. Look into this. There are other things nearby that we can see in relation to LHotP.

Day 2 & 3 August 4th, 5th

Sioux Falls, SD --> Rapid City, SD - 5 hours

This is just east of Black Hills. The Black Hills has all the stuff, including Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave. Devil's Tower is just northwest of this. We will plan to stay two nights.

Day 4 August 6th

Rapid City, SD --> Cody, WY - 6 hours

We would like to see the Rodeo. Apparently, this is a happening place. It is one hour from the east entrance of YNP. It is a three-hour drive to Gardiner. RESERVED

Day 5 & 6 August 7th, 8th

Cody, WY --> Gardiner, MT - 3 hours

We will enter YNP through the East Entrance on Day 7 in the morning and end up at our hotel in Gardiner (North entrance) later that day. Staying two nights at the same hotel in Gardiner. RESERVED

Day 7 & 8 August 9th, 10th

Gardiner, MT --> DuBois, WY - 4 hours

We will stay two nights in Lava Mountain Lodge in DuBois. This is just east of the GTNP. It is about one hour to the Moran entrance. (Need to study more about GTNP entrances and so on.) RESERVED

Day 9 August 11th

DuBois, WY --> Rangely, CO - 6 hours

We will drive through the NE corner of Utah and stay at a lodge in Rangeley, CO which is near the National Dinosaur Monument. I may change the hotel though. I want something a little closer to the monument or in the town of Vernal, UT. RESERVED

Also, looking into skipping Utah and driving through Laramie, WY to get to Colorado. It only shaves off 3 hours. I was excited about the Dinosaur monument, but I'll see if the Laramie route has any cool stuff. Either way, we still need to spend the night somewhere halfway because I am unwilling to drive that much in one day.

Day 10, 11 August 12th, 13th

Rangely, CO --> Colorado Springs, CO - 6 hours

We will stay in CO Springs for three nights to visit Shannon. Jill plans to come and meet us there as well. We can stay at Shannon's house as she says she has plenty of space.

It might be better to skedaddle by Sunday afternoon because Shannon's kids' first day of school and stuff will likely be the very next day. She probably would appreciate if we left them on Sunday afternoon.

Day 12 August 14th

Colorado Springs, CO --> Salina, Kansas - 6 hours

Somewhere in Kansas. It does not have to be Hays. It is just that it is a halfway point. Caravaning or riding with Jill.

Day 13 August 15th

Salina, Kansas --> Columbia, MO - 4.5 hours

We will stay at Jill's house, depending on her space. On the way there, we can stop and see some stuff.

Day 14 August 16th

Columbia, MO --> Springfield, IL --> Madison, WI - 3 hours - Leave early to get there by lunchtime.

We will stop here because it is the hometown of Lincoln. Look into Library, museum and log house. Make sure they are open on Wednesdays or Thursdays. We will only stay for lunch and sightseeing. Get on the road by 3 or 4.

We will strive to spend the night in Madison. LaQuinta here we come. I love LaQuinta.

Day 15 August 17th

Madison, WI or Evansville, WI --> Antigo 3 hours

I still want to stop and see Betsy and Jim if possible. I'll ask Dad what he thinks closer to that time.

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