Sturgis - When is everyone gone? Yellowstone Trip

Discussion in 'Trip Planning and Travel Concerns' started by Suzi4, Jul 3, 2016.

  1. Suzi4

    Suzi4
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    I am planning a trip to Yellowstone and other West National Parks with the schedule not set yet. Wondering when the people are gone from Sturgis Bike week? I have plans to leave SW Florida around the 15th of August but don't want to hit the area while it is still super crowded. We are thinking of going to Yellowstone first (after hitting a couple spots on the way) then planning to come home via NM TX etc. Also, if anyone has hit the parks like Arches, Grand Canyon etc. any suggestions on the best parks/areas not to miss, we will have around a month +/- for total travel.
     
  2. BankShot

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    Sturgis bike Week this year runs from August 8th thru the 14th but many bikers come a few days earlier and/or leave a few days after the event closes. To be on the safe side I'd stay away from that area from about August 6th thru the 16h and you should miss all the traffic and crowds, etc. Sounds like a great trip you will be making with many beautiful areas to stop and throw out the old anchor in for a day or three.....................

    Safe travels, BankShot.............(aka Terry)
     
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  3. Suzi4

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    Terry
    Thanks for the reply, I was worried the area would still be packed long after it was over.
     
  4. BankShot

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    You might want to contact the Stugis CofC prior to getting close to the Sturgis area just to make sure most of the crowds have left. Sturgis is a pretty popular place that the biker crowd hangs out in throughout the summer months. Some ride up prior to and even after the event is over just to see the place and to ride around the Black Hills area, etc. But the "main event" usually lasts around 10 days give or take a day either end...................
     
  5. Texasrvers

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    We were in the Sturgis area from the first of the month to mid September one year. There were still quite a few biker groups touring the area, but it was not the congested conditions associated with Sturgis Bike week. We stayed south of Sturgis at the Rafter J Bar Ranch Camping Resort in Hill City It was very nice when we were there and was pretty much in the center of all the things we wanted to see. There are numerous other parks in the area. Use our site to look them up to get a feel for which ones will best suit your needs. We did not find any of them to be full/crowded in Sept. There's so much to see here. Of course you'll see Mt. Rushmore, but don't miss the Crazy Horse Memorial. Also drive the Needles Highway, but don't go in an RV. There are a lot of really tight tunnels and turns. Try to do a day trip up to Devil's Tower if it is not on your main route.

    At Yellowstone we stayed on the western side at Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone, MT, but there are several other nice parks there. The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center located in the town was interesting. The western side of Yellowstone NP has more of the thermal formations, but the eastern side is also very beautiful with the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Don't miss the waterfalls in this area.

    Leaving Yellowstone, try to take a route south through Grand Teton NP. It was so beautiful the fall that we were there.

    Try to make time to see the north rim of the Grand Canyon. It is spectacular and less commercial, but a little more remote to get to. The north rim closes for winter, but it should still be open in Sept. Check their website.

    Also Monument Valley might be an interesting place to see if it is on your route. It straddles the Utah/Arizona border on Hwy 163. This is where a lot of the old westerns were filmed. When we were there Gouldings Lodge and Campground was the only place for miles, but I think another campground is there now. Check our listings.

    When we go to the south rim of the Grand Canyon we stay in Williams, AZ, at the Grand Canyon Railway RV Park, but again there are several other good parks in the area. There is a train that goes up to the canyon, but if you go that way it limits your ability to explore the area without a vehicle there. If you only care about seeing the main tourist area, the train is a fun way to get there.

    Sounds like you have a great trip planned. Have fun.
     
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  6. docj

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    No offense, but I can't even imagine staying anywhere on the south rim side except Trailer Village which is a full hookup park inside the national park and actually on the free shuttle route. We didn't use the car for 5 days! Why drive in from Williams? JMO
     
  7. Texasrvers

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    Different strokes.
     
  8. Suzi4

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    Wow thanks for all the suggestions. Any ideas on this route? Should I cut a park or two out? Add anything I missed? I haven't had enough time to research additional parks listed as to how long to stay in/around each park.
    Any suggestions are appreciated! We have approx. 4-6 weeks we can be gone.

    FL: Drive 4+ days to

    Badlands: stay 1-3 nights 1 night in Wall?

    Cody: stay 2-4 days Rodeo, Museum?, street gun fight, rest

    Head to Yellowstone: Fishing Bridge 2? nights, 1-3 nights Gardiner, West Yellowstone 2-3 nights

    Grand Tetons 1-2 nights Flag ranch? 2 nights Jackson

    1 night Casper?

    Rocky Mountains?

    Arches NP

    Four corners short stop?

    Monument Valley

    Zion NP


    4-5 days travel home
     
    #8 Suzi4, Jul 4, 2016
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2016
  9. BankShot

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    Hey Suzi4 - Don't know if your schedule will permit any time spent in in Arizona on your way home but if by chance you do travel thru then perhaps you may want to check out a really nice campground located just a few miles south and west of Tucson called Gilbert Ray Campground. Situated in the middle of the Sonoran Desert and only a few miles from the old Tucson movie studios, it is a most relaxing area to spend a night or more if you can. Listen to the Coyotes wail at night, watch some incredible sunsets and look up at a sky ablaze with a mass of stars, etc. It is a first come first served campground with 30 amp hookups and water spigots conveniently located throughout the campground so you can keep your fresh water tank full at all times. And there is a free dump station as well.. We've stayed there several times over the years and always look forward to going back. If you can find a space up in A loop the views are really great down into the valley below. Seven day max stay. You can find reviews on this campground under the "Tucson Estates" area in the AZ city listings if you care to check them out...................

    Again, have a great trip.................

    BankShot..............(aka Terry)
     
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  10. evadu

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    from a Wyoming native (Laramie, Rock Springs, Sheridan) of 60+years ... I've got LOTS of ideas (roads less traveled) for you depending what you're in, what you like (..moho, 5'r, tent)? Check out my reviews, We are retired 12 yr, we travel 3-4 month/yr on the 'roads less traveled' when we can, but we're 40' moho w/yeep (Jeep, bikes and kayak) ..if I've reviewed, it is big rig friendly (or iffy!). We like COE, BLM, FS, SP, etc vs the 'pack parks'; do you have a senior pass? Here's what we do ... park moho centrally then day-trip for 5-10 days in local area. (our pic is of Cattail Cove SP, Havasu, AZ). Email me, my name above @yahoo.com so we can chat, +pics.

    Badlands? not on my bucket list. Last month we did stay in Pierre, SD (Oahee Dam SP), and found a good commercial (pack park, not this one) central to Black Hills (I-90 between Rapid. Granted Yellowstone is beautiful, BUT many more gorgeous spots & accessible beautiful mountains in WY for day-trips, depending on how 'wild' you want to get. Also we often find the Best 'local spectacular gems' by geocaching.

    Arches, yes @ken's Lake BLM just S of Moab or several areas just N as well (Moab is gorgeous!) You MUST do Beartooth Highway day-trip (not big-rig friendly). Several ID SP honor Sr pass during week. Don't miss at least a close-up view of Devil's Tower, (extra 1 hr via 2-lane good road) you can't see it well from I-90. I've got a neat 'hidden gem' or two thru Nevada as well, depending on your style of travel.
     
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  11. Suzi4

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    Sorry for the delay haven't had a chance to come on here and work on the trip since Monday. I am sure I will ask you for more help! I HAVE to get the itinerary down very soon for a few reservations if I want to stay in some in demand places
    I will email you in the next day or two with a revised list and welcome any suggestions. BTW Yes he has a pass for the NP. so that will help $ getting in the parks.
     
  12. psjh

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    Suzi, Probably no need to spend the night in Wall, just a few hours is probably sufficient. The Badlands KOA is actually very nice and has some shade. It still can be very hot the time you are planning to travel in South Dakota. I second the Rafter J for the Black Hills. Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone is expensive but very nice. Easy walk to town and attractions. If you want to get a good overview of Yellowstone before venturing through on your own, there are several tours you can book at Grizzly and they pick you up right there. No need to change campgrounds in Yellowstone. The town of West Yellowstone is right at the west entrance. However, if you want to be in town, Grizzly is the only park that in Not a "parking lot".
    Four Corners, Durango and Cortez are great and could be 3-4 days. Be sure to tour the cliff dwellings. Moab also fun and between Jackson and Cortez.
     
  13. Texasrvers

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    If this is truly a route and not just some ideas of places to go, you are really zig zagging a lot. Try looking at a map that includes all the main states you will be in and then a route may be a little easier to see. Course there is nothing wrong with zig zagging if you have enough time and gas money. And sometimes it is good to detour off the main route to experience something really interesting or fun, but if your time is limited, you might want to straighten out your route a bit.

    Also we like to pick an area that has a lot of things we want to see and then do day trips in the car instead of moving the RV all the time. But we have some good friends who drive their RV very short distances (60 mi or less) about every 2 days and stay at another park in the area. They just like to stay at all the different the parks, whereas we would rather set up the RV just once while we are in an area.

    Everyone travels a little differently, and the main thing to remember is that this is supposed to be fun so do it whatever way suits you best.
     
  14. BankShot

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    What Texasrvers just said makes a lot of sense unless time and gas money is no object. If they aren't then all bets are off and you are free to roam about the country as you like...... :D However if you are driving a big Class A and are getting somewhere between 7-8 mpg then a hundred bucks doesn't last very long on the road even at today's lower gas prices. I don't believe you did state in any post what type RV you will be using but even towing a trailer or a longer 5th wheel can eat up the gas pretty quickly, especially when pulling longer hills or bucking headwinds, etc. If you are going to have a start and an end date, or as you indicated be gone 4-6 weeks, then you will no doubt want to make the most of your time and yet not have to rush around from point A to point C and then back to point B (zigzagging) I wouldn't think. Whatever you end up doing have a ton of fun and come home looking forward to doing it again, and again, and again..........................

    BankShot.............(aka Terry)
     
  15. Cyclonic

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    While in the Moab/Arches area, don't miss Canyonlands NP and nearby Dead Horse Point State Park, which has a very nice campground as well. I personally liked the views in Canyonlands better then the Grand Canyon.
     
  16. Suzi4

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    Thanks for all the help so sorry I didn't answer you all back sooner. We took the trip and had a great time. Some of the highlights that I can think of right off: Badlands, Cody, Yellowstone, Arches, Canyonland, Monument Valley, down The Moki Dugway in Utah (google it!) I do NOT recommend that with any size motor home although it was a semi fun experience we won't soon forget we didn't know it was a one lane "most dangerous road in UT", (don't trust visitor's centers on what is ok for a MH) we also hit the Grand Canyon, Petrified NP, Albuquerque, home through TX. We ended up skipping Zion due to time, miles etc. The entire trip was a little under 7000 miles we were gone 30 plus days. If anyone planning wants more details let me know. I know we missed things along the way however, we are thankful to get the chance to go and see such amazing things.
     
    #16 Suzi4, Sep 28, 2016
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2016
  17. Texasrvers

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    You had an amazing trip! Thanks for the report. Be sure to send in a review for the campgrounds you stayed at. :)
     
  18. Cyclonic

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    Sounds fantastic!
     

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