Alright everyone, we are planning a big trip with my wife and two girls next summer to the Yellowstone. We're gonna make it a long adventure, stopping at Roosevelt on the way out and then Badlands/Wind Cave/Devils Tower on the way back.
I know lodging reservations sometimes need to be made a good year out. We plan to go right away in June to try to beat the biggest crowds anyways.
So starting with Yellowstone, thoughts on places to stay? Staying in the park would be fun but is really expensive. Maybe could do it for a night or two. Any "less expensive" suggestions in Gardiner or West Yellowstone?
I think we'll try to spend a day around Grand Teton/Jackson Hole area but Yellowstone would probably be a 3-4 day stay. Would have a 10 year old and 6 year old. Our oldest will be in 4th grade so will be able to take advantage of the Every Kid Outdoors pass.
If you're heading west on 94 from Roosevelt, you should make a decision about how you want to proceed when you get to Laurel. Go south and you can spend some time in Red Lodge, one of my absolute favorite mountain/ski towns ever, and very family friendly. And if you head about 10 minutes east of Red Lodge, grab a meal at Bear Creek Saloon & Steakhouse. The kids (and you) will have a riot watching the pig racing...it's awesome. Great family town. I think Bear Creek is closed for renovations, but should be open by June. RIP Pits (Pits and Lynn were the owners and friends of my sister, who lives in Billings). And the drive through the Beartooth Pass from Red Lodge into the park is spectacular. There are a couple outlooks going through there, and make sure you have some nuts or sunflower seeds for the kids to feed the squirrels...they'll sit right on your knee.
Or proceed all the way to Bozeman another great, family friendly town (or head south at Livingston).
South of Livingston, about halfway to Gardiner is Chico Hot Springs, one of my favorite places to stay, but not sure how it fits with your crew, not only budget wise, but it's pretty focused on more of an adult experience, but I could spend a good few days there relaxing. This is the area of Paradise Valley that the TV show Yellowstone was supposed to be in (actually filmed in Bitterroot area, and you can rent the ranch house from the show). Going through Paradise Valley, you may be asked to stop on the highway so private planes can land on the highway. Really weird and cool.
I have mixed feelings about Jackson. The Tetons are awesome, and the whole town is incredibly charming looking, but there is a lot of attitude in that town. I was skiing there a few years ago and we went into the Million Dollar Bar, where they have saddles for barstools, and as soon as we got there, a bartender asked what we wanted and one of the guys said "oh, just walked in, what beers to you have on tap"? The young guy sneered at us and just said "We don't have tap beer at this bar" and walked away. That kind of attitude permeates the entire town.
If your trip takes you through Cody, WY, a worthwhile stop for you and the kids should be the Buffalo Bill Center. And if you take 14 and go through Sheridan and need a place to spend a night, there is the Bear Lodge resort just outside Burgess Junction. Fantastic hiking around there, wild buffalo and all kinds of wildlife.
I used to spend a lot of time around Rapid City seeing clients years ago. Lots of fun places there. I understood why bikers would come from all over to cruise the area.
If you are going to Wind Cave from Devil's Tower, make sure you go through Spearfish Canyon (highway 14A) instead of the faster way over to 85. A couple spots around there to stop for meals, take a stop and visit Bridal Veil Falls, etc. And while heading south, that will lead your right to Lead and Deadwood, even though it will be overrun with other visitors. A good stop is Sylvan Lake Lodge. We took our kids there while passing through a number of years ago just for lunch and to explore the lake. That lake is where some scenes from National Treasure II were filmed. Just a neat little area to explore, and you can park right near it, but you don't have to dedicate a lot of time there. There is no lack of options in the area.
