WWTBAM Bored

My middle daughter is traveling to southwest Utah with her boyfriend's family for a wedding in June. My wife got the bug to go to Yellowstone, so we are planning on meeting up with them and doing Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and Glacier National Park. We are staying in a house in Big Sky. We decided to drive so we could see stuff like Mt. Rushmore and spend a day in Los Alamos with my oldest's fiance's family.

Here is my planned route. I'm in serious need of counseling. This won't be as leisurely as Marley's trip, I fear. Day 1 and the final day's leg will be killers.

I will be adding South Dakota, Montana, and Utah on my "states visited" list. I might include Idaho if we stop and see something. Otherwise its just a drive through.

Checking off Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Glacier National Park off my bucket list.



Route

BackInTex wrote:I'm in serious need of counseling

Aren't we all?

You could see Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon without adding too many miles to your trip.

Are you planning to stay at the five cities indicated, with one day of driving between each? And how much time will you have to actually visit each park?

I noticed that you mentioned Glacier NP, but you don't have that on your route map. You realize it's over 300 miles away from Big Sky, don't you? That was one of the parks I'd have liked to visit, but I decided it was just too far away from everything else to fit into last year's trip.

BTW, I don't recall if you mentioned before that your oldest is engaged. Congratulations to her!

If you're planning to stay in Yellowstone, I suggest you try making your reservations ASAP. Accommodations in the park are very limited and it can be impossible to find something if you wait to the last minute. And, unfortunately, their reservation website is not very efficient; you have to check one hotel at a time to see what's available, instead of them giving you an full (if short) list of where they have vacancies on a given day.

MarleysGh0st wrote:If you're planning to stay in Yellowstone, I suggest you try making your reservations ASAP. Accommodations in the park are very limited and it can be impossible to find something if you wait to the last minute. And, unfortunately, their reservation website is not very efficient; you have to check one hotel at a time to see what's available, instead of them giving you an full (if short) list of where they have vacancies on a given day.

You don't need to stay in the park. West Yellowstone has many motels.

MarleysGh0st wrote:Are you planning to stay at the five cities indicated, with one day of driving between each? And how much time will you have to actually visit each park?

I noticed that you mentioned Glacier NP, but you don't have that on your route map. You realize it's over 300 miles away from Big Sky, don't you? That was one of the parks I'd have liked to visit, but I decided it was just too far away from everything else to fit into last year's trip.

We will be staying in Big Sky for 6 nights. I know how far the trip to Glacier NP is, but I think it will be worth it. We are not phased by getting up at 5:00 AM and driving 5 hours, spending the entire day there and driving back 5 hours. We'll be there, Big Sky, during the summer solstice so we will have lots of daytime.

All other places we'd stay the one night except Los Alamos, 2 nights.

I'm considering flying to Denver to start and then go to Mt. Rushmore, and flying back from Albuquerque. Overall it will add about $600 to the net cost of the trip but saves 2 days of vacation and almost 25 hours of driving.

The only thing set is the 6 nights in Big Sky. Rental is already booked and deposit paid.

MarleysGh0st wrote: BTW, I don't recall if you mentioned before that your oldest is engaged. Congratulations to her!

No I did not. Happened over her Christmas stay here. Thanks for noticing and for the congrats.

Bob Juch wrote:You could see Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon without adding too many miles to your trip.

Monument Valley is a good suggestion. May have to add that.

We've been to the Grand Canyon, south rim, so that box has been checked.

BackInTex wrote:

Bob Juch wrote:You could see Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon without adding too many miles to your trip.

Monument Valley is a good suggestion. May have to add that.

We've been to the Grand Canyon, south rim, so that box has been checked.

Came this close once to seeing Meteor Crater. But we didn't know the place had a closing time and arrived there five minutes too late. Still on my bucket list. --Bob

Yay! Big Sky is beautiful! So is YP and Glacier; Rushmore is very cool - I love to tour the caves between there and Rapid City. You're not far from Devil's Tower once you hit Rushmore, and it's worth a look. I hope you can squeeze in lunch or at least coffee as you go through Billings; let me know! From the look of the timing, I should know if I've won my primary by then, and you could be lunching with a (putative) newly elected official!

tlynn78 wrote:Yay! Big Sky is beautiful! So is YP and Glacier; Rushmore is very cool - I love to tour the caves between there and Rapid City. You're not far from Devil's Tower once you hit Rushmore, and it's worth a look. I hope you can squeeze in lunch or at least coffee as you go through Billings; let me know! From the look of the timing, I should know if I've won my primary by then, and you could be lunching with a (putative) newly elected official!

Devil's tower...another likely add. No hiking, just looking, nodding head, and "O.K. let's go kids."

Lunch with a local official? Sounds promising.

BackInTex wrote:

tlynn78 wrote:Yay! Big Sky is beautiful! So is YP and Glacier; Rushmore is very cool - I love to tour the caves between there and Rapid City. You're not far from Devil's Tower once you hit Rushmore, and it's worth a look. I hope you can squeeze in lunch or at least coffee as you go through Billings; let me know! From the look of the timing, I should know if I've won my primary by then, and you could be lunching with a (putative) newly elected official!

Devil's tower...another likely add. No hiking, just looking, nodding head, and "O.K. let's go kids."

Lunch with a local official? Sounds promising.

(vid doesn't play for me - I'll check it out at home)
Yes, the Devil's Tower climb is a bit of a commitment. It's impressive enough from a short distance.

Bob78164 wrote:

BackInTex wrote:

Bob Juch wrote:You could see Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon without adding too many miles to your trip.

Monument Valley is a good suggestion. May have to add that.

We've been to the Grand Canyon, south rim, so that box has been checked.

Came this close once to seeing Meteor Crater. But we didn't know the place had a closing time and arrived there five minutes too late. Still on my bucket list. --Bob

You didn't miss a whole lot; it's just a big hole. The visitors center has some displays but I didn't think much of it. I saw that when I drove on I-40 from start to finish (it used to end in Raleigh).

tlynn78 wrote:Yay! Big Sky is beautiful! So is YP and Glacier; Rushmore is very cool - I love to tour the caves between there and Rapid City. You're not far from Devil's Tower once you hit Rushmore, and it's worth a look. I hope you can squeeze in lunch or at least coffee as you go through Billings; let me know! From the look of the timing, I should know if I've won my primary by then, and you could be lunching with a (putative) newly elected official!

Good luck!

SportsFan68 wrote:
Good luck!

Thanks!

BackInTex wrote:My middle daughter is traveling to southwest Utah with her boyfriend's family for a wedding in June. My wife got the bug to go to Yellowstone, so we are planning on meeting up with them and doing Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and Glacier National Park. We are staying in a house in Big Sky. We decided to drive so we could see stuff like Mt. Rushmore and spend a day in Los Alamos with my oldest's fiance's family.

Here is my planned route. I'm in serious need of counseling. This won't be as leisurely as Marley's trip, I fear. Day 1 and the final day's leg will be killers.

I will be adding South Dakota, Montana, and Utah on my "states visited" list. I might include Idaho if we stop and see something. Otherwise its just a drive through.

Checking off Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Glacier National Park off my bucket list.

Your route shows you coming through my town on the way to Los Alamos, and I would like to make a lunch invitation as T did (or breakfast or dinner). You're also going right by Mesa Verde, but I'm guessing that's not in the cards for this trip.

SportsFan68 wrote:
Your route shows you coming through my town on the way to Los Alamos, and I would like to make a lunch invitation as T did (or breakfast or dinner). You're also going right by Mesa Verde, but I'm guessing that's not in the cards for this trip.

Really?! I thought you were closer to Denver. As the dates get closer I'll let you know our actual plans.

BackInTex wrote:

SportsFan68 wrote:
Your route shows you coming through my town on the way to Los Alamos, and I would like to make a lunch invitation as T did (or breakfast or dinner). You're also going right by Mesa Verde, but I'm guessing that's not in the cards for this trip.

Really?! I thought you were closer to Denver. As the dates get closer I'll let you know our actual plans.

Just looked on FB. Sure enough. Don't know why I thought Denver-ish.

BackInTex wrote:

BackInTex wrote:

SportsFan68 wrote:
Your route shows you coming through my town on the way to Los Alamos, and I would like to make a lunch invitation as T did (or breakfast or dinner). You're also going right by Mesa Verde, but I'm guessing that's not in the cards for this trip.

Really?! I thought you were closer to Denver. As the dates get closer I'll let you know our actual plans.

Just looked on FB. Sure enough. Don't know why I thought Denver-ish.

Probably because I don't do anything to disabuse the notion and because I'm such a fervent Broncos fan.

GO BRONCOS!!!

Los Alamos is close to Bandelier National Monument. It's not as well known as some of the other Western parks, but there's some spectacular scenery there as well. I did some hiking ther on one of my trips out west 30 years ago. If you haven't already seen them, Mesa Verde in southwestern Colorado and Canyonlands and the Arches in Utah are good stops as well.