To TR or Not To TR - that is the question...

[HouCuseChickie]

We're getting ready for a national parks/monuments trip. I'll be taking a ton of pictures no matter what, but I was curious if anyone was interested in seeing a trip report on this. I also won't be offended if nobody is into the idea...just wanted to see as it will impact how I keep track of what we're doing and seeing. I know it won't get as much traffic as a Disney related TR, but TRs are always cathartic for me...so just wondering.

No, it will not take place in a Disney park/resort nor will it be any kind of ABD adventure (although, some of these are places ABD goes on their itineraries). Still, some of these places can tie back to Bear Country and The Vanishing Prairie (Walt era nature films). Additionally, comparing the Old Faithful Inn to Wilderness Lodge, topiary creations to their living counterparts, and a man made geyser vs. natural geysers...well, it seems like it could be interesting for Disney fans. Heck, I could even give it an "Up" spin, since The Wilderness Must be Explored! I'll save the KawKaw Rawr for when we're hiking and trying to keep bears away.

Let me know what you guys think Thanks!

 

[winstongator]

I would enjoy it. Seeing the Old Faithful Inn gave me a greater appreciation for the wilderness lodge. We did Yellowstone and the Tetons last year and they were amazing. I did a short trip to Haleakala this year.

I watched those Disney nature films way back when and enjoyed made in China. I think we missed the most recent one though.

 

[fractal]

Yes!

 

[John park hopper]

Yes, Yellowstone is on my bucket list.

 

[TheMouseFan]

I would absolutely love to read a TR!!

 

[LSV]

Another yes!

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I think it would be very interesting. I love National Parks, the Badlands in SD and Yellowstone are my favorites. I'm hoping to check off a few more in California next summer.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Awesome!!! Well, I guess there will be a TR. Since this is technically a PTR and I could use some written organization, I'll give you guys a rundown of our plans. I know I noted some of it at the end of our last TR, but obviously, more has come together since then.

So, barring any unforeseen issues, this is the plan (sorry- it's pretty wordy)....

Day 1-

Fly from Houston, TX to Billings, MT (layover in Dallas)

- I spent close to a month watching airfare for Billings (MT), Cody (WY), Jackson (WY), and Rapid City (SD). Initially we were considering flying into one and flying out of another, but rental car costs to do drop off and pick up at different airports made us rethink that plan ($1800 vs $455). Billings wound up being the winner. Our flight times also changed since I booked, so we're flying out at 5am! OUCH! I also didn't notice until after the fact that the flights are out of Houston's Hobby airport (vs. Intercontinental). We live MUCH closer to IAH, but the price difference between flying out of IAH vs. HOU was around $265pp...so over $1k savings by driving about 30 min farther. I also somehow booked our rental car during some kind of random fluke time. The price randomly dropped from $950 to $455 for a true mid-size SUV from Hertz...so I pounced on it. I didn't even take the chance to refresh the page...and good thing I didn't, because it was gone as soon as I booked.

Planned stop 1 - Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

- We're scheduled to land in Billings just after 11am, so we should have a little bit of time to see it. We won't be able to devote all of the time needed to really see it all, but I've had the whole family sit down and watch the video below (a refresher for me and DH, but new to the kids) so that everyone knows what happened.



Planned stop 2 - Devils Tower National Monument

- Our lodging for the night is only a few miles away and we're not really planning on hiking it, so we're just hoping to see it as the light changes with the setting sun.

Night 1 Lodging - Sawin' Logs Bed & Breakfast

http://www.sawinlogs.com/

- Hard to believe, but we've never stayed in a B&B before. Even more crazy is that I found this on Travelocity. Still, it had glowing reviews, so I decided to book it. I'm not sure how we'll end up liking it, but the owner made a fabulous impression on day 1. Within 35 minutes of me booking, she called me! She wanted to know if the kids would be OK with their normal sleeping arrangements for the room I booked, what kind of food we liked, and if anyone in our group has food allergies. I was shocked, but so pleasantly surprised.

Day 2-

Planned Stop 1 - Devils Tower National Monument

I don't want to devote much time to this, but I wouldn't mind some pictures in the early morning light. We'll be close enough that I could possibly even drive up on my own around sunrise and drive back to meet the fam for breakfast. The B&B is only 4 miles away...and that's the actual monument. I've heard it's visible from pretty far away once you get between he right hills and since the monument doesn't officially open until 8am, I could just drive a bit up the road t snap a few shots.

Possible Stop - Belle Fourche, SD/Geographic Center of the US

This is iffy with traffic and timing, but it's on the list of possibilities.

Possible Stop - Deadwood

Another iffy thing because of traffic and timing.

Possible Stop - Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

This is another traffic and timing thing, but it looks like it's on the route for one of our planned stops. So, we might be able to at least get out of the car to see the outside. I know interior tours are limited.

Planned Stop - Badlands National Park

I'll admit that we're going to be those visitors that rush through and mainly drive it. I know there are some gorgeous hikes, but I think we're going to have to settle for a few scenic overlooks and maybe a prairie dog farm area.

Planned Stop - Mount Rushmore National Memorial

When it comes to musts for us in SD, this is it...and this is why we're only staying a few miles away. I still don't know how much we'll explore, but it's one of those "I must see it in person" bucket list kind of places.

Planned Stop - Crazy Horse Memorial

It's near Mount Rushmore, so it "should" be fairly easy to also check this off of our list.

Night 2 Lodging - The Powder House Lodge

https://www.powderhouselodge.com/

I actually only booked this a few weeks ago. I was initially booked at another hotel that was under new management and ownership for this season. I wanted to wait for reviews to see if some of my concerns had improved. They hadn't, so I started digging for new lodging options. I was pretty excited because Powder House had decent reviews and I couldn't snag a room in my earlier booking attempts. I also like that it's got a little bit of history behind it. As the name would imply, it use to serve as storage site for blasting powder. It also held bootleg liquor Oh, and the restaurant is supposed to be one of the best options in the area. Looks like bison and elk are on the menu! Oh...and it has a pool...the ONLY pool of the entire trip.

I know some might wonder why Custer park isn't on here, but there's only so much time and we may wind up driving some of it.

Sturgis Bike Rally- CROWD FEARS!

As for the crowds, traffic, and rushing...in addition to summer crowds, the Sturgis bike rally will be going on...which brings even bigger crowds. I'm still trying to figure out our driving route, since I may want to go the long way...which could be the shorter way if I avoid the worst of the Sturgis traffic. Now, I know what I'm listed above would be crazy for even a moderate crowd day...that's why many of these are just possible stops. The realist in me says we're pretty much going to drive through Badlands, take a quick stop by Crazy Horse (since this is under construction- and has been since 1948), and then probably see Mount Rushmore once during the day and then go back at night (it's illuminated until 11pm). Sam wanted to go to Rush Mountain Adventure Park, since they have a mountain coaster, but I just don't see there being time...and the park is closing early that night. We'll see.

Day 3-

This is the day where we START heading towards Yellowstone. We are making the long and scenic drive (or so I've been told) from Keystone, SD to Cody, WY. I don't have any planned stops until we get to Cody...and I think you're going to laugh at my first stop.

Planned Stop - Cody Walmart

Yup! Walmart on vacation.

1. I need bear spray. Yes, I can rent it in Yellowstone, but we're staying in a cabin while in Cody and it's the only other part of our trip where there's a real risk of a bear encounter. You can't fly with it, so we have to buy it while on vacation. It's kind of like Kendall's EpiPen, I never want to need to use it, but better to have it than be in a situation where you need it and don't.

2. I am breaking one of my cardinal vacation rules...LAUNDRY ON VACATION! There are really no dressy parts of this trip, so everything is pretty much active/athletic wear and hiking boots or sneakers. The only thing is that we may need is varying weights of clothes. We're going to have days where we see highs in the 90s as well as days with highs in the upper 60s. We could also see temps at night dip into the 30s. Houston has been crazy hot of late. We're cooler today (mid-90s), but everything lately (like weeks and weeks of lately has been right around 100 before factoring in heat index. So, I need a variety of layers, without over-packing...so, we'll probably have to do laundry while in Yellowstone and I just don't want to fly with laundry pods.

Planned Stop - Cody Stampede Rodeo

https://www.codystampederodeo.com/

I forgot to mention...this day is also my birthday! So, we wanted to do something fun and festive for our night in Cody.

Lodging - River Bend Cabins

https://www.riverbendcabinscody.com/

While there were some cool options in the center of Cody, I saw these cabins and thought they looked perfect for the vibe I want during this trip. The reviews were good too. We're getting the cabin with a king and the bunk beds, which totally has the kids all excited.

*********************************************************************************************************************************************
OK...I have to go clean. I'm in the staycation part of my vacation (20 days off from work- woohoo!!!) and I need to finish getting the house ready for my parents, who are coming to visit. Coming up...info on days 4-10 of the trip.

 

[Tick Tock]

Following along. I enjoy reading TR's whether or not they have anything to do with The Mouse. Am definitely a fan of anything relating to national parks and national historic sites.

Glad you are doing this!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I would enjoy it. Seeing the Old Faithful Inn gave me a greater appreciation for the wilderness lodge. We did Yellowstone and the Tetons last year and they were amazing. I did a short trip to Haleakala this year.

I watched those Disney nature films way back when and enjoyed made in China. I think we missed the most recent one though.

It's funny because I think OFI sort of ruined me for WL. I'm excited to see it without tarps and construction this time. They were doing all kinds of work on it last time we were there.

Yes, Yellowstone is on my bucket list.

Definitely worth a visit! It's one of the best places we've ever visited.

I think it would be very interesting. I love National Parks, the Badlands in SD and Yellowstone are my favorites. I'm hoping to check off a few more in California next summer.

California was on the list of possibilities before booking this trip, but I really wanted the kids to see Yellowstone. I wish we had more time in SD, but maybe we'll get to go back at some point.

Following along. I enjoy reading TR's whether or not they have anything to do with The Mouse. Am definitely a fan of anything relating to national parks and national historic sites.

Glad you are doing this!

Thanks! I'm excited to be changing things up and everything we're going to see

 

[HouCuseChickie]

So, looks like this has been moved to the Chit Chat section. Not if it's just because I started off with a question before leading into the PTR or if it's because it's non-Disney, but will continue sharing plans.

Days 4-10

Possible Plan- Buffalo Bill Center of the West

We thought this might be an interesting activity for the morning, before we drive into Yellowstone. We're going to wait and see since we don't have a ton of time to devote to this and it's 5 museums in 1. I've heard some people take two full days here.

Plan for the rest of the trip (Days 4-10)- Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and maybe a drive into Idaho

Lodging - Canyon Lodge & Cabins

https://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodgings/cabin/canyon-lodge-cabins/

I'll will repeat this again when I do my actual trip report, but it is VITAL that you plan well in advance if you want to stay inside Yellowstone. I booked our lodging this past January and there was very little left. I was lucky to get what I did. Lodging opens up for booking May 1st, the year before the upcoming season. So, everyone planning to go in 2019 started booking lodging 3 months ago. When DH and I went in 2005, we were going just after peak, so we had a little more availability and were able to stay in four different spots (Canyon, Old Faithful Inn, Mammoth and Lake). Just to give you an idea, openings for the Old Faithful Inn have looked like this since the beginning...



So, with such limited availability, we opted for Canyon and will be staying in a Western Cabin, vs. one of the more modern lodge options tied in to Canyon. That's fine with me too. We stayed in a Western Cabin at Canyon back in 2005 before all that was built and liked it. Ultimately, we like the whole mid-century modern vibe of some of the older common spots at Canyon.

Western Cabin



The kids are also super excited about bear soaps. If you stay at any of the lodging in the park, you get bear soaps every day. I still have one sitting on my office desk from our 2005 trip.



As for what we're doing in YNP, it's really kind of up in the air. I was initially going to book a tour, but we did one last trip and while it was interesting, we didn't see anything extra that we wouldn't have seen without a guide. The only thing I'm really trying to coordinate is something to see the Perseid meteor shower. I'm really hoping the rangers are doing something since it's not safe to drive in Yellowstone after dark. Just think about the odds of being able to see a bison in the dark. I know we'll drive into GTNP one of the days and if we're struggling to find things to do (doubtful) we may drive into Idaho to add another state to the list of states we've visited. YNP does have a portion of the park that is in ID, but it's all back country area...so, we'd have to drive to get to ID.

Beyond that, I'm really looking forward to unplugging from the outside world. If you've never been to Yellowstone, there are no tvs in the room, cell phone service is extremely limited, and if you want wifi, it's only in the lodges and you pay for it (and I've heard it's not the best service). Last time we went, Old Faithful was the only place I could get cell phone service and wifi wasn't really a thing yet. I remember David having to conduct business via a payphone in the Lake Hotel lobby.

I bring this up because I see so many complaints on TripAdvisor about people griping about the cost of their room when they don't even have tv or wifi. I guess I just love that it's one of the few places where you can really go and unplug from the world. We are bringing a couple of decks of cards, battleship, connect 4, and a set of 12 different magnetic games. If the kids really need a movie, we will have my laptop and I can bring a few DVDs.

Oh...and dining...it's not exactly how Disney does it, but you need reservations for dinner at the majority of the dining rooms in YNP. We have reservations at Canyon's on nt 1 and nt 6, but we'll opt for more casual dinners most of the nights and hit up other dining rooms and areas for lunch and snacks.

So, I think that's it for now. Hopefully (like by September) I'll try getting a TR going and hopefully it'll be allowed to stay in the TR section.

 

[Songbird76]

Oh how fun! I'm from Wyoming, the Gillette area, so your Devils Tower and South Dakota part of the trip are things we did multiple times a year growing up. When you are visiting Mount Rushmore/Crazy Horse, if you like steak, there's a fantastic restaurant in Hill City. The Alpine Inn and Restaurant. You'd have to look up their website to see about opening times...I know there's one day they are closed. But the only thing on the dinner menu is Filet Mignon, so if you aren't steak eaters, it's not going to appeal to you. But it is really good food. It's always really busy because it's so good.
Also, if you are going to stay in that area to see Mount Rushmore both in the light and at night, you might want to visit Keystone. It's very small, but very neat. You can definitely do Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore, and Keystone in one day. Crazy Horse is easily visible from the road (as is Devil's tower...you really don't need to pay to go up to them). Just stop anywhere alongside the road to take pictures. I will say your day 2 is pretty ambitious. All GREAT places to visit, but you may not be able to do them all on one day.
The one thing I will caution you about is how CRAZY busy it will be with the Sturgis rally. I live in the Netherlands now and last time I was "home" on vacation was 2016...we made a big Wyoming and South Dakota trip with my brother and cousins, just for old times sake and we purposely avoided the time when rally was going on. We went a week or 2 before and it was already busy then. Every hotel all the way to Sheridan Wyoming will be booked solid and you're going to want to allow for extra driving time. Summer is construction season, so there will almost gauranteed be delays. Bring jugs of water....there are no stops in the Badlands.
The advantage of rally is that if you have car trouble, the roads won't be deserted, but the downside is that it WILL take you longer than you think. I haven't been to Cody since my Senior year of high school, but it's a long drive with a whole lot of nothing but mountains and trees. But you probably know that already if you've been to Yellowstone before. Again, bring water because there are some long distances between towns.

I can't wait to see your pictures...I haven't been to Little Bighorn Battlefield since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, and I haven't been to Yellowstone since I was about 12. I'm planning a similar trip for about 5 years from now, but we'll start in the south, in Denver Colorado and come up through Cheyenne, Casper, etc, and then over to Cody since we did South Dakota last time. We'll visit the Wagon Ruts and Independence Rock. There is SO much to see in that area of the US.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Oh how fun! I'm from Wyoming, the Gillette area, so your Devils Tower and South Dakota part of the trip are things we did multiple times a year growing up. When you are visiting Mount Rushmore/Crazy Horse, if you like steak, there's a fantastic restaurant in Hill City. The Alpine Inn and Restaurant. You'd have to look up their website to see about opening times...I know there's one day they are closed. But the only thing on the dinner menu is Filet Mignon, so if you aren't steak eaters, it's not going to appeal to you. But it is really good food. It's always really busy because it's so good.
Also, if you are going to stay in that area to see Mount Rushmore both in the light and at night, you might want to visit Keystone. It's very small, but very neat. You can definitely do Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore, and Keystone in one day. Crazy Horse is easily visible from the road (as is Devil's tower...you really don't need to pay to go up to them). Just stop anywhere alongside the road to take pictures. I will say your day 2 is pretty ambitious. All GREAT places to visit, but you may not be able to do them all on one day.
The one thing I will caution you about is how CRAZY busy it will be with the Sturgis rally. I live in the Netherlands now and last time I was "home" on vacation was 2016...we made a big Wyoming and South Dakota trip with my brother and cousins, just for old times sake and we purposely avoided the time when rally was going on. We went a week or 2 before and it was already busy then. Every hotel all the way to Sheridan Wyoming will be booked solid and you're going to want to allow for extra driving time. Summer is construction season, so there will almost gauranteed be delays. Bring jugs of water....there are no stops in the Badlands.
The advantage of rally is that if you have car trouble, the roads won't be deserted, but the downside is that it WILL take you longer than you think. I haven't been to Cody since my Senior year of high school, but it's a long drive with a whole lot of nothing but mountains and trees. But you probably know that already if you've been to Yellowstone before. Again, bring water because there are some long distances between towns.

I can't wait to see your pictures...I haven't been to Little Bighorn Battlefield since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, and I haven't been to Yellowstone since I was about 12. I'm planning a similar trip for about 5 years from now, but we'll start in the south, in Denver Colorado and come up through Cheyenne, Casper, etc, and then over to Cody since we did South Dakota last time. We'll visit the Wagon Ruts and Independence Rock. There is SO much to see in that area of the US.

I wish I'd seen this before the trip. We left on Aug 7th...got back late last week...and am just getting back to the forums after dealing with back to school/back to work details.

We drove through Gillette on the the way to our lodging near Devils Tower as well as our way back through the area while heading to Cody. We only spent one night in SD, but we stayed in Keystone. We had a free pass for all of the national parks/sites, so we didn't have to pay to get into Devil's Tower, but in hindsight, I feel like we didn't need to fork over the $ for Crazy Horse.

I was shocked at how much the Sturgis rally impacts the entire area. I mean, I knew it would be an issue for everything around Rapid City/Keystone/etc., but I had no idea how many bikes there would be at every leg of our trip. I have no idea what it's like there without the bikers, but being there with them wasn't awful either and it was comforting to have them on the road with us during those stretches where there's no phone service (or really anything). Road issues with them were really no different than road issues with cars...i.e. you're going to encounter a few bad drivers, but most are fine. Tour groups in Yellowstone ended up being the bigger frustration.

It's funny you bring up the drive to Cody...I have two pictures from the trip titled "a whole lotta nothin'." It was some point after we got through the mountains in the Bighorn National Forest. It was so much nothing that I got a bit freaked out.

I'm hoping to start up a TR by the end of this week. I have all of my pictures and video uploaded and labeled. I just need to do the writing. I'll make sure to everyone when I start.

 

[Songbird76]

I wish I'd seen this before the trip. We left on Aug 7th...got back late last week...and am just getting back to the forums after dealing with back to school/back to work details.

We drove through Gillette on the the way to our lodging near Devils Tower as well as our way back through the area while heading to Cody. We only spent one night in SD, but we stayed in Keystone. We had a free pass for all of the national parks/sites, so we didn't have to pay to get into Devil's Tower, but in hindsight, I feel like we didn't need to fork over the $ for Crazy Horse.

I was shocked at how much the Sturgis rally impacts the entire area. I mean, I knew it would be an issue for everything around Rapid City/Keystone/etc., but I had no idea how many bikes there would be at every leg of our trip. I have no idea what it's like there without the bikers, but being there with them wasn't awful either and it was comforting to have them on the road with us during those stretches where there's no phone service (or really anything). Road issues with them were really no different than road issues with cars...i.e. you're going to encounter a few bad drivers, but most are fine. Tour groups in Yellowstone ended up being the bigger frustration.

It's funny you bring up the drive to Cody...I have two pictures from the trip titled "a whole lotta nothin'." It was some point after we got through the mountains in the Bighorn National Forest. It was so much nothing that I got a bit freaked out.

I'm hoping to start up a TR by the end of this week. I have all of my pictures and video uploaded and labeled. I just need to do the writing. I'll make sure to everyone when I start.

I'm so sorry I was late to the party! Yeah, there's a lot of Wyoming that's a whole lotta nothing. It depends on the direction you're driving. Shirley Basin is the WORST, because there nothing for 100 miles. We got a flat tire in a snow storm on our way to visit our mom in the hospital...we're trying to change a tire in -20 weather with snow and it was completely deserted. Not another car on the road the whole way....well, we wouldn't have been either if mom hadn't been in the hospital. It took us something like 4 hours to drive that stretch on the "donut" to Casper.
But the drive between Gillette and Sheridan can be horrible as well. Twisty windy mountain roads. My brother's in-laws have a cabin up in the bighorns and apparently it's hard to get up there a lot of the year. Were there bikers that far out, though? I know they go as far as Gillette, but I have always avoided the entire area during Rally, so I don't know how far the traffic goes. But, the majority of those bikers are really great people....a lot of doctors and businessmen who grow their beards out a few weeks before rally starts and they LOOK tough, but they are all big teddy bears. I'm glad it wasn't as bad as you were expecting (or I was expecting!)
I'm looking forward to the TR!! I'm sure the pictures will make me homesick, but it will be great to see "home". And I haven't been to Yellowstone since I was....maybe 12? The only tour groups I remember were big buses full of Asian tourists who got off the bus, took a ton of pictures, and then got back on the bus. It sounds like your experience was quite different...I'll be interested to read about it as we're planning a Wyoming and Yellowstone trip in about 5 years. I'll keep an eye out for when you start!!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I'm so sorry I was late to the party! Yeah, there's a lot of Wyoming that's a whole lotta nothing. It depends on the direction you're driving. Shirley Basin is the WORST, because there nothing for 100 miles. We got a flat tire in a snow storm on our way to visit our mom in the hospital...we're trying to change a tire in -20 weather with snow and it was completely deserted. Not another car on the road the whole way....well, we wouldn't have been either if mom hadn't been in the hospital. It took us something like 4 hours to drive that stretch on the "donut" to Casper.
But the drive between Gillette and Sheridan can be horrible as well. Twisty windy mountain roads. My brother's in-laws have a cabin up in the bighorns and apparently it's hard to get up there a lot of the year. Were there bikers that far out, though? I know they go as far as Gillette, but I have always avoided the entire area during Rally, so I don't know how far the traffic goes. But, the majority of those bikers are really great people....a lot of doctors and businessmen who grow their beards out a few weeks before rally starts and they LOOK tough, but they are all big teddy bears. I'm glad it wasn't as bad as you were expecting (or I was expecting!)
I'm looking forward to the TR!! I'm sure the pictures will make me homesick, but it will be great to see "home". And I haven't been to Yellowstone since I was....maybe 12? The only tour groups I remember were big buses full of Asian tourists who got off the bus, took a ton of pictures, and then got back on the bus. It sounds like your experience was quite different...I'll be interested to read about it as we're planning a Wyoming and Yellowstone trip in about 5 years. I'll keep an eye out for when you start!!

That's awful! The temps and snow remind me of what I saw when I was in upstate NY back in the early 90s, but it's a more heavily populated area, so not quite as scary.

Yeah...I have found that I have major issues with twisty mountain roads...something I'll get into with the report. I had a hard time estimating drive times for much of the trip since Google Maps relies on all of those twisty roads to be open...which didn't happen for all of them until sometime in May. After driving through some of that area, I could see how the cabin might be inaccessible for some of the year.

We saw bikers from Sturgis all the way in to Yellowstone. Our old division president was just as you described...business suit or nice business casual in the office, but on his Harley in traditional biker gear in his free time. Ultimately, I think there's this old school stigma with bikers that's really not accurate these days...at least not for the majority of the ones you see out there. I'm sure there are bad ones, but every one I've ever met is nice and many of them are doctors and lawyers who enjoy this in their free time. My younger daughter also loved all of their gear and may want a Harley down the road.

We saw a lot of Asian tourists...supposedly from China (and some Thailand) as their tourism numbers are booming. The big problem is that they were doing more than taking pictures. Not that I like people behaving badly at Disney, but it's easier to fix something that's broken at Disney vs. restoring a natural feature in a national park. I'll elaborate when I get to it in the TR. Just one of my big issues this trip. And hopefully some of the YNP info will help as well. I've at least started writing...so I should get started soon