Road trip SD, WY, Beartooth Pass

[Chesapeake173]

Long story short my son (11) and I will be making a solo “guys trip” west this August. We plan to truck camp and possibly hike into some mountain lakes to fish / camp.

I have a rough itinerary, but looking for suggestions and tips.

Day 1- get as far west from Michigan as possible driving solo
2. Mt Rushmore/ Needles Highway, camp somewhere west of Rushmore in the National Forest
3+. Cody WY and west. Maybe a night in Cody, but then camp west of there.

NE Yellowstone, then through the Beartooth Pass. Work towards Bozeman

Night in a motel in Bozeman then head back east.

This is a very loose plan and if anyone has any suggestions on things to do / places to see, fire them off.

Appreciate any input! Thanks


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[Backyard]

Heads up:
Sturgis Bike Week Is going on the first 2 weeks of August. Finding a place to stay, camp or otherwise in and around the Hills may be a challenge.

 

[Chesapeake173]

Heads up:
Sturgis Bike Week Is going on the first 2 weeks of August. Finding a place to stay, camp or otherwise in and around the Hills may be a challenge.

Good to know. I had forgotten that. I think we’ll be there the week after that.

I doubt most of them will be where I’m thinking .


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[Silveroddo]

Options are endless, If you have the time around Red Lodge get to the top of the Hell Roaring Plateau (Easily a half day trip to however long you want to spend). Saw guys taking pickups to the top (Not sure I would, but it was being done) or rent a side by side in Red Lodge for a day. From Red Lodge west stay off the interstate and take any of the roads that go through the little towns like Roscoe, Absarokee, etc. Go south at Big Timber and see the Natural Bridge, Go west from there on the gravel to Livingston, preferably in the morning or the evening.

 

[zacattack]

If you’re going to Rushmore the badlands is well worth the time. To me it’s better than Rushmore.

 

[Tmac]

If you take a northerly loop from Rushmore, you can hit the Custer Battlefield, then head Billings way, then south to Cody. It’s about an hour longer than just the direct route to Cody. Plenty of camping options on that route once you get into MT.

 

[Brillo]

See if you can camp in Custer Natioal Park and explore it a bit.

 

[Bcleck90]

If you’re going to Rushmore the badlands is well worth the time. To me it’s better than Rushmore.

I’ll second this. Badlands are pretty cool

 

[ClearCreek]

Just a heads up on motel prices in Bozeman, Motel 6 is showing a price of $236 now and others are $300-500 a night.

Don't forget Devils Tower, which kinda on your way from the Black Hills to Cody.

Lots to see and do going west from the Black Hills.

ClearCreek

 

[timberland]

If going on the needles highway, side trip through Custer Park, lots of critters, including the wild burros, and it will only add an hour or two

 

[ClearCreek]

If going on the needles highway, side trip through Custer Park, lots of critters, including the wild burros, and it will only add an hour or two

Take a few apples and carrots to feed those "wild" burros.

ClearCreek

 

[timberland]

lol, yeah they were big into graham crackers and marshmallows, too

 

[ErikM]

Great suggestions above, I’ll echo Black Hills/Needles Highway/Custer Park, lots of wildlife. Devils Tower is a cool stop. We drove through the Bighorns for the first time this summer, definitely want to head back for more exploring. Cody Night Rodeo. SxS rental is a great idea to cover a lot of rugged country and your son would love it. Chief Joseph/Beartooth Highway into the NE entrance. If you’re coming back home on I-90 stop at Custer Battlefied or Bighorn Canyon Rec area OR veer north after Billlings onto I-94 and check out Teddy Roosevelt Park in ND.
Sounds like a fun trip, report back on how it went. Safe travels!

 

[Backyard]

And Devils Tower is a short jaunt from Spearfish.
Might want to look into the Plains Indian Museum and the Buffalo Bill center in Cody (same building). Pretty interesting stuff.