Need help - traveling to SD and WY

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CharlesFamily

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Hello!

So, our family has been planning this trip for a few years now. We will be leaving the end of this month for a 2 1/2 week long camping trip. We will be spending the Fourth of July weekend near Mt. Rushmore staying at a campground outside of Keystone. From there, we are leaving to travel to just outside Cody, WY. We will be staying in WY for 5 days.

My questions, what should we expect weather wise this time of year? What are your usual highs and lows?

Thanks!
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Barbara
 
I can't accurately answer the weather question, but I would think it would be fairly close to what you have there in Ohio temps wise, (+ or - 10 degrees) and not the rainy season, but of course good to pack for rain, heat, and chillier temps as with the weather, one never knows. I am sure you'll get answers from those living there.

My reason for writing is to say ENJOY your trip! We were through SD and that corner of Wyoming a couple of years ago, and I was awestruck by the beauty of the SD landscape/scenery! Try to go through "Then Needles Highway" and "The Badlands"...those are a "MUST SEE"!! TRUELY AWESOME!! I just LOVE SD!!!

HAVE FUN!!
 
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Thanks Mona!

I am SO excited for this trip! We were supposed to go in 2008, but that was when gas prices jumped to almost $4.00 a gallon and we just couldn't afford it. Hoping gas prices stay reasonable for the next few weeks!

I am mostly excited because Minneapolis is the farthest west of the Mississippi we've ever been! So I can't wait to get "out West!" Thanks for the sightseeing tips. I will definitely put those on the "to do" list.

I am a HUGE fan of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books and have been introducing my girls to them for a few years now. So, the first part of our journey, we are stopping in Walnut Grove, Minnesota and then traveling up to De Smet, South Dakota to visit the Little House museums there. I don't know if anyone else is excited about this, but since I'm planning the itinerary, I get my way!
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Barbara
 
Barbara, you and your family will have a blast. I remember as a kid going on a 2+ week family vacation out west. We hit Mount Rushmore, The Painted Desert, Yellow Stone Nat'l Park / Old Faithful, The Grand Canyon, Jackson Hole, WY. It was awesome!!!

I'm headed to Denver this come weekend and I keep checking the weatherchannel.com. The can give you weekly weather reports and show you averages for the month. You can also visit www.rssweather.com and they'll give you averages for the year as well.

Hope you guys have a wonderful time!
 
Thanks Sheryl!

I hope you have a great trip to Denver! Thank you for the weather tips!

Wow - you guys packed A LOT of traveling into two weeks! My girls would go on strike! They are only happy because we plan on staying put for a few days near Mt. Rushmore and then a few more near Yellowstone. I'm so excited I'm like a kid before Christmas!

P.S. - Jinx and Toy say, "Hi." They are still getting along great. What they don't know is that school is out now so that means no more "lazy time" for them! We've got some driving training to do!
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Barbara
 
We live in the south eastern part of South Dakota. But every few years take a trip across the state. The Black Hills area are beautiful, as is the Bad Lands... and you must stop at Wall Drug.

If you have never seen Mt Rushmore... It is awesome!

The weather should be beautiful, but expect alot of people on a holiday week.

There are so many places to visit in that part of our state, Bear Country, Reptile Gardens, the different caves, i could go on and on. I think you will love it.
 
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Cindy,

Thank you! I had heard about stopping at Wall Drug. We will make sure it is on our to do list! I also just found out that they have cancelled the fireworks at Mt. Rushmore this year! I can't believe it! Apparently because the risk of forest fire is too high. Oh well, I'm sure someplace else around there will be having fireworks we can watch somewhere. But even if not, you are right, there is so much to do right around there. We are really looking forward to it!

Barbara
 
Hello!

So, our family has been planning this trip for a few years now. We will be leaving the end of this month for a 2 1/2 week long camping trip. We will be spending the Fourth of July weekend near Mt. Rushmore staying at a campground outside of Keystone. From there, we are leaving to travel to just outside Cody, WY. We will be staying in WY for 5 days.

My questions, what should we expect weather wise this time of year? What are your usual highs and lows?

Thanks!
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Barbara

Barbara hello,

Sounds like FUN!!...right now the weather has been really, really wet and windy. We live a hour south of Jackson Hole near the Idaho border in Auburn. But it could certainly change in 2 weeks, well we are really praying it "will" change by then and finally become summer, but since it has been very wet and cold so far, I would really bring some warm and wet clothes along if you can as you never know what the Wyoming weather will be especially that close to Yellowstone.

They say the weather will get better all the time, but we just have to look out our weather window and that is what we get..We are 6200 feet high here and Mel has seen it snow in every month of the year...

If you have not been to Yellowstone, try to go..it is amazing, but watch out for cars stopping right in front of you and right in the middle of the road. If someone see's some wildlife, they just STOP and if your not prepared it can be scary. Besides the crazy drivers, it's just magnificent.

Also if you can get up to Jackson Hole that will be way worth your trip. The Snake river flows on your right hand side most of the way up and I imagine even in this weather they are already taking river raft rides down the river.(Mel used to be a guide on the river years ago, so he has some stories to tell), but the sites of the Grand Tetons is really, really breathtaking. They do offer hot air ballon rides up into the tetons(kinda spendy at $300. a person), but well worth it...

There are so many things to do around Cody, Yellowstone, Jackson Hole and if you want to come down to Star Valley(Alpine,Etna,Thayne,Afton) it would be well worth the trip as it is a huge green valley with 10,000 foot mts. on the east side..

Plus you are welcome to come and visit us. We have lots of Miniature Shetlands of the Arenosa lines to see(about 36+) and we have lots of room here. Huge house with four bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. It's just Mel and I and the coffee is always on, so give us a jingle and come on by if that is possible
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Just have lots of fun and believe me you will be amazed at all the beautiful things you will see, but you won't be able to near see it all...then you will just have to come back for another visit to fill your eyes up with more beauty...
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Oh also if you go into Yellowstone Park, please, please follow the park rules and don't get near a bear, moose, elk, bighorn sheep or a buffalo as they are SUPER dangerous and many people have been killed or hurt badly because they want a close up picture. Don't do it as it's just not worth the risk. Mel and I were going thru the park one day and here walking along the road was a HUGE bighorn sheep ram. He was beautiful, but he was KING of that road while he was walking down it, so we just stopped and let him mosey along until he walked off the rode. We drove slowly by him and he just stood there and didn't move. The animals there get sooo used to cars that it just doesn't faze them and they are not hunted so they have no fear. This is what gets visitors in trouble thinking that since they have no fear, that they can get out of their cars and walk up as close as they can to snap a picture...just enjoy and take pictures from your car or far away okay
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and Have fun!!!!

If there is anything else I can tell you, just ask away!

Blessings,

Jenny
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Jenny,

Thank you SO much for all of the information! And actually, I was wrong about where we are staying. We are staying at Flagg Ranch Resort in Moran, WY. We are staying in their campground and it sits right along the Snake River and, I believe, is not too far from Jackson Hole. I had originally put Cody, but I was looking at my driving directions wrong.

We are definitely planning many trips to Yellowstone. Flagg Ranch website says they are 2 miles from the south entrance. We could not camp in the park because our camper is a hybrid. It has the hard shell like a regular travel trailer, but the beds are in the end and fold out with canvas kind of like a pop-up. Because of the bear migration paths, we could not stay in a soft sided camper. So we went with a private campground outside of the park.

And don't worry - we will definitely not be getting too close to the wildlife! We're hoping they respect our space just as we will respect their space - especially the bears!
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Reading all of your descriptions has me so excited! And thank you for the invitation to your place. How wonderful! I will keep your phone number with us and see if we can make that happen!

Thank you!

Barbara
 
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I hope you guys have a great time! SOunds FUN! If you ever need to take a pit stop and need a break you are welcome to stop in NE and visit me! Would LOVE to meet some of the Forum Memebers. I don't know if you are coming threw NE but your are welcome to stop by any time!!
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I've always wanted to go to Laura Ingalls Wilder's home, too, so you simply MUST post pictures when you get back!!! Have a safe trip!
 
Oh, Barbara! Your trip sounds absolutely fabulous!!!!! I love going on road trips, and WY has always been one of my "dream places" to go! I hope the weather cooperates for you but, above all, I wish you a SAFE and HAPPY trip!!

P.S. Can the girls read a map? I found with Alexis that following along in the atlas kept her interest up. (And she has become a superb navigator!)
 
Thanks everyone for your help and well wishes!

I will definitely post pictures!

Hmmm - I may have to schedule some stops at some farms for a visit. We are planning a return route through Nebraska!

Judy - WY has always been my dream place, too! I am so excited about actually getting there. I may have the girls help navigate - we also have a GPS, so that takes some of the excitement out of it!
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