American West Road Trip.

Hi, Just booked my flights landing in Denver 1825hrs 30 August leaving Denver at 2015hrs on 20 Sept.

What to do you can help.

PLan is leave Denver immediatley and drive to Estes park for a couple of days in the Rocky Moutain NP,Then long drive to Grand Tetons for a few days then up into Yellowstone, staying in the park, most likely at Old Faithful i expect 5 or so days including an overnight pack trip of some sort.

Over to South Dakota taking in little bighorn and visiting devils tower Mt Rushmore, jewel and wind caves and Badlands NP( Is it possible to do the S Dokota bit while based in Deadwood)

Finally a few days relaxation in Denver before return.

I%26#39;m very flexible and want your advice before setting the itinery in stone

Thx

American West Road Trip.

IE how would you split your days up

American West Road Trip.

Maybe use 6.25 pm and 8.15 pm. Our USA friends are used to that.

You%26#39;ve planned yourselves a great 22 days trip but please don%26#39;t drive to Estes Park same day after arriving 6.25 pm. You%26#39;re not on the road then. If it%26#39;s a direct flight from UK you%26#39;ll have to go through immegration, luggage, rental car etc. Can easily take 2 hours. I would stay close to the a/p. Next morning take it easy, get used to the righthandside of the road driving. Do some shopping. Go to RNMP and spend next day.

So maybe:

Day 1 Arrive Denver

Day 2: Drive to RMNP

Day 3. Explore TRR and stay Estes park

Day 4: Long drive to GTNP

Day 5: GTNP

Day 6: To Yellowstone

Day 7: Yell

Day 8: Yell

Day 9: Yell

Day 10: Leave Yell by it%26#39;s east entrance and drive to Cody

Day 11: Cody

Day 12: Drive from Cody via Chief Joseph Hw and Beartooth Pass to Red Lodge.

Day 13: Red Lodge to Bighorn Battlefield for a visit and to Sheridan.

Day 14: Sheridan-Devils Tower-Deadwood.

Day 15: Deadwood area.

Day 16: Badlands NP and to Custer or Hill City.

Day 17: Explore Black Hills

Day 18: Explore Black Hills

Day 19: Drive from Black Hills to Denver

Day 20: Denver

Day 21: Home,planning your next trip.

This is a fantastic trip, many more options and details though. Many people take 2 weeks for this and you%26#39;ll have 21 days! Great!

Tet

Thanks for that Tet,

not a million miles off what i thought, but needed some help off someone with experience of the area.

Couple of quick questions.

We land in Denver on the weekend of the Democrat conference, are we likely to get a room even at this stage?

Could we miss out day 13 and do a long drive from

Cody to Deadwood giving us an extra two days in theory. Giving me one extra day in GT%26#39;s and another day in Denver.

Thanks again

Hi

1. The Democratic convention? Sorry I have no idea.

2. Driving from Cody to Deadwood in one day? Yes you can do that. But never miss Beartooth Pass, one of the most scenic drives in the Usa.(and completely different from the drives in Yellowstone) And you%26#39;ll also miss Little Big Horn Battlefield ';Custers last stand';. And you%26#39;ll limit your time for Devils Tower. Devils Tower is a special landmark and I would take my time for that, but it means at least an extra 2 hours between Cody and Deadwood. Please take your time. We visited Little Big Horn also. Huge graveyard and you can make a loop by car. If you have an interest in American history I would not skip this NM either. For Yell and GTNP. It%26#39;s a matter of personal preference of course but we liked 1 full day at the Tetons and 3 full days in Yell but we%26#39;ve been back a couple of times after that.

Tet

Ringers,

If you can%26#39;t get a room in Denver proper -- try Northglenn, Thornton, Longmont or Loveland for someplace along the Interstate highway. The first two are north Denver subsurbs and Longmond and Loveland are a little further north, both have motels along the interstate, would be along your route to Estes Park. I second the thought you should not try to drive up the mountain in the dark after your flight. Plus it is a wonderful drive and you should enjoy it during the daylight.

Sounds like a wonderful adventure.

Basing the Black Hills portion of your trip in Deadwood is doable but will mean some long commutes. The Black Hills are, I think, about 60 miles North to South with sometimes slow driving. I%26#39;d suggest one night in Deadwood and one or two nights further south as most of what you want to see is closer to the south end. I think the Wind Cave web site recomends advance reservation during the summer. Don%26#39;t miss Spearfish Canyon scenic drive, near Deadwood.

Have fun!!