Yellowstone Trip

7/10 — Day Zero — Home day
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  • Home
    Dinner with Los Angeles Cousins at 6:00 PM.
7/11 — Wilmette → Sibley (Main route: I‑94 / I‑90)
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  • Huck Finn's on the River (La Crosse, WI)
    Late Lunch with Mississippi river nature view.
7/12 — Sibley → Keystone (Badlands, Wall, Crazy Horse)
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  • Roosevelt Inn, Keystone, SD
    8:00 AM departure
  • Badlands SD
    hike the badlands and see the wildlife. Stop at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center.
  • Wall, SD
    Wall Drug Lunch
  • Roosevelt Inn, Keystone, SD
    check-in and dinner before heading to Crazy Horse Memorial
  • Crazy Horse Memorial, SD
    Sunset Light Viewing
7/13 — Keystone → Devils Tower → Billings
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  • Mount Rushmore National Memorial, SD
    East light viewing.
  • Devils Tower National Monument, WY
    Continue west to Devils Tower and then Billings.
7/14 — Billings → Bozeman → West Yellowstone → Fishing Bridge
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  • Cruise America Bozeman, MT
    Pick up the RV in Bozeman.
  • Big Sky, MT
    Drive from Bozeman to West Yellowstone.
  • Food Roundup Supermarket
    Get groceries and supplies for the park.
  • Fishing Bridge RV Park, Yellowstone, WY
    Check in at Fishing Bridge before any extra sightseeing.
7/15 — Yellowstone East (Canyon, Hayden Valley, Mud Volcano)
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  • Fishing Bridge RV Park, Yellowstone, WY
  • Fishing Bridge RV Park, Yellowstone, WY
  • Fishing Bridge RV Park, Yellowstone, WY
  • Mud Volcano Area, Yellowstone, WY
  • Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, South Rim, Yellowstone, WY
  • Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, North Rim, Yellowstone, WY
  • Hayden Valley, Yellowstone, WY
7/16 — Lamar Valley Wildlife Day
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  • Tower Fall, Yellowstone, WY
    Early start recommended for wildlife viewing.
  • Lamar Valley, Yellowstone, WY
  • Slough Creek Trailhead, Yellowstone, WY
  • Petrified Tree, Yellowstone, WY
7/17 — Yellowstone West (Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic)
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  • Fishing Bridge RV Park
  • West Thumb Geyser Basin
  • Grant Village
  • Old Faithful Area
  • Midway Geyser Basin (Grand Prismatic Spring)
  • Fairy Falls Trail
  • Fountain Paint Pot
7/18 — Fishing Bridge → Colter Bay (Grand Teton Day)
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  • Jenny Lake Visitor Center, Grand Teton, WY
  • Jackson Lake Lodge, Grand Teton, WY
  • Colter Bay Visitor Center, Grand Teton, WY
  • Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail, Grand Teton, WY
7/19 — Colter Bay Horseback Ride → Return to Fishing Bridge
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  • Colter Bay Corrals, Grand Teton, WY
    7:30 AM arrival at Colter Bay Corrals for the 8:00 AM ride.
  • John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, WY
    Light sightseeing outside Yellowstone on the return.
  • Colter Bay Visitor Center, Grand Teton, WY
    Quick stop at Colter Bay Visitor Center.
  • Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail, Grand Teton, WY
    Short hike on the Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail.
  • Leeks Marina, Grand Teton, WY
    Stop at Leeks Marina for a break and sightseeing.
7/20 — Yellowstone South Scenic Day
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  • Shoshone Lake Trailhead, Yellowstone, WY
  • Lewis Falls, Yellowstone, WY
  • Lewis Lake, Yellowstone, WY
  • Lake Butte Overlook, Yellowstone, WY
  • DeLacy Creek Trailhead, Yellowstone, WY
7/21 — Fishing Bridge → Gardiner (North Exit Day)
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  • Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone, WY
    Explore the Norris Geyser Basin, known for its geothermal features.
  • Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone, WY
    Visit the terraces and hot springs at Mammoth Hot Springs.
  • Undine Falls, Yellowstone, WY
    View Undine Falls, a picturesque waterfall in Yellowstone.
  • Roosevelt Arch, Yellowstone, WY
    See the historic Roosevelt Arch at the North Entrance of Yellowstone.
7/22 — Gardiner → Cody via Beartooth Highway (Scenic Day)
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  • Yellowstone Hot Springs, Gardiner, MT
  • Cruise America Bozeman, Bozeman, Montana
    Return the rental vehicle at Cruise America in Bozeman.
  • Beartooth Highway Visitor Center, Red Lodge, Montana
    Get an overview of the Beartooth Highway and its scenic points.
  • Rock Creek Vista Point, Beartooth Highway, Montana
    Classic overlook of Rock Creek Canyon.
  • Lake Creek Falls, Beartooth Highway, Montana
    Quick waterfall photo stop.
  • Island Lake Overlook, Beartooth Highway, Montana
    Beautiful alpine lake overlook.
  • Beartooth Lake, Beartooth Highway, Montana
    Scenic roadside lake.
  • Top of the World Store, Beartooth Highway, Montana
    Snacks, souvenirs, and mountain views.
  • West Summit Overlook, Beartooth Highway, Montana
    Panoramic mountain overlook.
  • Beartooth Pass Summit, Montana Wyoming State Line
    Highest point on the Beartooth Highway.
  • Gardner Lake Overlook, Beartooth Highway, Wyoming
    Quick photo stop overlooking Gardner Lake.
  • Twin Lakes Viewpoint, Beartooth Highway, Wyoming
    Alpine lakes and mountain scenery.
  • Pilot and Index Peaks Overlook, Beartooth Highway, Wyoming
    Excellent views of Pilot and Index Peaks.
  • Clay Butte Fire Lookout, Wyoming
    Historic fire lookout with spectacular views.
  • Beartooth Bridge and Beartooth Falls, Wyoming
    Bridge crossing and waterfall viewpoint.
  • Cooke City, Montana
    Historic mountain town at the end of the Beartooth Highway.
  • Dead Indian Summit Overlook, Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, Wyoming
    One of the best overlooks in Wyoming.
  • Dead Indian Pass Overlook, Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, Wyoming
    Views over the switchbacks of the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway.
  • Sunlight Creek Bridge Overlook, Wyoming
    High bridge crossing a dramatic canyon.
  • Chief Joseph Scenic Overlook, Wyoming
    Scenic pullout along WY-296.
  • Buffalo Bill Reservoir Scenic Overlook, Cody, Wyoming
    Final scenic stop before arriving in Cody.
7/23 — Cody Full Day (Buffalo Bill Center + Rodeo)
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  • Buffalo Bill Center of the West
    Visit the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, a museum complex dedicated to the history and culture of the American West.
  • Cody Stampede Park
    Attend the Cody Night Rodeo in the evening for a classic Western rodeo experience.
7/24 — Cody, WY → Scottsbluff, NE (Oregon Trail Day)
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  • Guernsey State Park
    Take a break at Guernsey State Park, a scenic area along the Oregon Trail with opportunities for short walks and picnics.
  • Register Cliff Historic Site
    Visit Register Cliff, a historic site where emigrants on the Oregon Trail carved their names into the cliff face.
  • Oregon Trail Ruts State Historic Site
    Explore the Oregon Trail Ruts, where the wagon wheel tracks of emigrants are still visible in the landscape.
  • Fort Laramie National Historic Site
    Visit Fort Laramie, a historic military post that played a significant role in the history of the American West and the Oregon Trail.
7/25 — Scottsbluff, NE → Walnut, IA (Oregon Trail Day 2)
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  • Scotts Bluff National Monument
    Visit Scotts Bluff National Monument, a prominent bluff along the Oregon Trail that served as a landmark for emigrants.
  • Chimney Rock National Historic Site
    Visit Chimney Rock, a distinctive geological formation that was an important landmark for Oregon Trail emigrants.
  • The Archway
    Visit The Archway, a museum and monument spanning Interstate 80 that tells the story of the Oregon Trail and westward expansion.
7/26 — Walnut, IA → Wilmette, IL (Return Home)
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  • world's largest truckstop, Iowa 80 Truckstop, IA
    Keep day to food stops only