Between Yellowstone and Mt Rushmore. What to do?
 

We are on an epic road trip. Just got back down into US after spending a week up in Jasper and Banff. Currently outside Polson, MT. Were going to go to Yellowstone for a few days, then head for Mt Rushmore in SD.

Even if you put the hammer down, this is a solid 8 hour drive, and we were hoping to break it up a bit. We have our 9 year old daughter with us.

Is there anything to do in north central WY that would be fun for all so we could break up the drive? Last time we did this we stayed in Sheridan, and don't recall it being too interesting.

If you're coming through Red Lodge, give me a holler.

Best part of North Central Wyoming is Hwy 14, which goes across the Bighorn mountain range. Absolutely gorgeous drive and nice and twisty. Of course, you know about the Beartooth Hwy, outside of Red Lodge.

Cody is a nice town with the Wild Bill Cody museum. Its a big deal there.

The Bighorns are a lot of fun - but your idea of fun may differ from mine.

Isn't that guy with all the 911s in a garage in Sheridan? you look him up -- or just find the only parking garage in Sheridan and bingo!

Have a look at Devils Tower..made more famous by the movie, Close Encounters. Dead Wood is just OK but maybe worth a look....mostly casinos now but the road from Devils Tower to Dead Wood has some interesting stuff and a town or two. One town in particular, can't recall the name, reminded me of the movie, Unforgiven...neat old west flavor.

We vacationed at Yellowstone earlier this month & the best advice I can give is to try to avoid Craig Pass. The construction back up was the only traffic problem in the park besides the buffalo. We stayed in the Canyon area & it was stunning. Mammoth was incredible, especially the Terraces. Enjoy.

Devils Tower
Custer (Little Bighorn) Battlefield National Monument

Awesome part of the USA - have fun!

Holy Hat...how could I have forgotten to mention Custer Battlefield...totally awesome and a very well done self guided tour...

I would stay away from anything east of Columbus, which includes Billings, Custer Battlefield, Sheridan, etc. Its 100 degrees these days (its gonna be a hot week), and the landscape is just rolling prairie. Try to stay off I-15. I know its fast, but you're just gonna miss all the charm of Montana rolling down the interstate from one big town to the next.

If you have something resembling a pickup, you can check out the wild horses in the Pryor Mountains. Access is via Pryor Mountain Road, just south of Bridger, in south central Montana. That's a nice day for the family. Beautiful country up around 10K feet at the top.

Make sure you drive the Beartooth Highway - one of the greatest drives in America.

Drive. With air.

Spend a day in Cody. Great Museums, Have a meal in Bridger (the only place to eat has three foot thick walls, drive through the Powder River Basin (places like Worland, Ten Sleep) stay in Sundance and yes Devils Tower, then the Badlands, Deadwood, Wall Drug Store. Rushmore pales in comparison. Great Country

Deadwood, black hills, devils tower and Custer battlefield (been twice to the last two).

It is hard to top Yellostone. But if you have extra time and have not seen it, of course there is: Bryce, Mesa Verde, Arches, Monument Valley, and of course, the Grand Canyon.

The name escapes me, but there is a cool cave system national park about 4mins to an hour west of Rushmore that woul be worth seeing. Some damn fine road between the two also... ;)

Ten Sleep Canyon.

Glacier!

green chile at the noon break cafe in cody.
buffalo bill historical center also in cody.

1++

Red Lodge
Cody
Deadwood

All Great Stops

LOL, Harddrive is probably in Illinois by now :)

Too hot there for anything....Did the last 2 days on on a m/c from Great Bend, KS to Lake Cle Elum coming thru Wy on a M/c.....1,740 miles in 2 days, temps in the high '90's.......Find a Drink and a Pool is my advise...