May Yellowstone and Black Hills Family Vacation?

[EastTNHunter]

Daughter and I got to go to WY and hunt this last season, but October snow put the kaboshes on our plans to visit Yellowstone and shut down Custer, Needles, etc. she wants to go back to see what we missed (as do I), and my wife is finally agreeable to making the family (of 5) trip.

Beach trip is already planned for this spring, so we are looking into next May. Will snow pack have things shut down still in May, or will this be a good plan? Trying to hit a “soft spot” in our busy schedule.

Want to hit Yellowstone, Tetons, Cody museum, dinosaur museum, Devils Tower, then Custer, Needles, Badlands, etc

 

[BigHornRam]

Depends on the winter but you will likely have a good amount of snow in May. Here are projected opening dates for 2022.

2022 Summer Opening Dates
Conditions permitting, roads will open to cars at 8 a.m. on the following dates:

April 15: West Entrance to Madison Junction, Mammoth Hot Springs to Old Faithful, Norris to Canyon Village
May 6: East Entrance to Lake Village (Sylvan Pass), Canyon Village to Lake Village
May 11: Cooke City to Chief Joseph Scenic Byway
May 13: South Entrance to West Thumb, Lake Village to West Thumb, West Thumb to Old Faithful (Craig Pass), Tower Junction to Tower Fall
May 27: Tower Fall to Canyon Junction (Dunraven Pass), Beartooth Highway

 

[wihunter12]

I love Custer and the Black Hills, but if you plan to go to Yellowstone I would suggest just focusing your time on that.

 

[MTLabrador]

If you go in May, forget about all the other roads and just spend your entire time in Lamar and Hayden Valley glassing for griz.

 

[ccc23454]

If you go in May, forget about all the other roads and just spend your entire time in Lamar and Hayden Valley glassing for griz.

With exception of cooke and silvergate being open to chief joesph. It will save a bunch of time and offer up some beautiful travel thru wyoming rather than back around.

 

[isu22andy]

Id wait a year to go to Yellowstone to let all John Dutton Paramount Pictures influencers filter through .

 

[Cheese Curd]

That's a lot to do in one trip. It can be done, just be sure to give yourself enough time so you're not rushed and you can enjoy what those places have to offer. We did a similar trip a few years - took 9 days with lots of driving and that was really not enough time. It was a good trip. I would have liked to have spent more time in some areas.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Thanks guys. I’m personally more excited to go back to the black hills than Yellowstone. Not that Yellowstone isn’t super cool (never been there before, but I’ve seen pictures), but it seems like it would have too much of a propensity to be a tourist trap and trafficy. I can only take a couple days of that, at least in one place.

 

[Fj605]

I've only been to Yellowstone once and we did it in a day and a half. It was cool but having lived and hunted in western states for a while, the awe of it was tempered. Wildlife is always cool to see but it wasn't my first antelope sighting. Did see wolves stalk a cow and calf elk, which was sweet. BTW, take a spotting scope and binos. I was more interested in the geology of it as that's my background. Crowds were annoying but not terrible during Labor Day weekend. Disclaimer: my wife is from the Cody, WY area so going back wouldn't be a hassle for us and I would like to go back.

Go to the Black Hills! I lived in the Black Hills for eight years after high school so I'm very biased. We're planning a trip for this August. The Deadwood cemetery is a cool tour.

 

[duckhunt]

I live the blackhills also. If you are there you might as well swing out to the badlands also.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Oh, the badlands are definitely on the list. My daughter loved them. We will spend a bit more time this go around, as I’m sure that my son will dig them too

 

[Deleted member 38069]

Black Hills in May, turkey season will be open!!

It all comes down to hills vs mountains, the highest point in the BH is 7,200 feet. I’m not obsessed with mountains so I vote BH!

 

[ccc23454]

@East TN Hunter where you planning on sleeping? Rv/camp/lodging? If your thinking lodging better get hot on finding places as its been nuts last 2 years around the park. If your camping/RVing there are some great spots available.

 

[davinski]

I'm a fan of the Black Hills since I grew up there. You could spend all summer and not see everything. Some rainy-day sleeper places that don't get much press are the geology/paleontology museum at SD Mines and the cavalry museum at Ft. Meade. Congestion shouldn't be bad in May, it really ramps up during the summer. I'd avoid it all during and around bike week, unless that's your thing.

 

[EastTNHunter]

@East TN Hunter where you planning on sleeping? Rv/camp/lodging? If your thinking lodging better get hot on finding places as its been nuts last 2 years around the park. If your camping/RVing there are some great spots available.

Probably going to stay in Cody. Since we are still a little over a year out I doubt that we can make reservations.

I’d love to camp a little, but don’t think that 2 of our 5 would be down for that. Hotel or cabin will be required… and I’m fine with that.

No hunting on this trip, but don’t think that I won’t have some “scouting” in mind, if only from a distance. I’ll try to keep from thinking about hunting

 

[Trailsend]

If you are in the Black Hills take in Devils Tower you won’t regret it. I drive through Spearfish Canyon is worth the time as well. Hiking the Badlands will definitely be better in May, it can get dangerously hot there.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Devils Tower and Spearfish are definitely on the itinerary

 

[RobG]

Thanks guys. I’m personally more excited to go back to the black hills than Yellowstone. Not that Yellowstone isn’t super cool (never been there before, but I’ve seen pictures), but it seems like it would have too much of a propensity to be a tourist trap and trafficy. I can only take a couple days of that, at least in one place.

If you don’t like tourist traps go to Yellowstone and stay away from the Black Hills! The billboards for snake farms and signs for Wall Drug made me ill, but I was floored by Rushmore. After seeing that, I’d go look for fossils in the badlands or wolves and bears in the Lamar.

 

[elanelown]

What do you mean by a beach trip? Do you want to relax there and enjoy the views, or do you want to rent a boat and go for a ride in this cold season? A friend of mine went there and got sick. He thought it was a coronavirus at first, but then it turned out to be pneumonia. He's still lying at home taking antibiotics. I also wanted to take a train ticket and go there, but after my friend's story, I want to hold off on that and wait until April. This winter seems harsher and wilder than ever. I've already had pneumonia twice, and the third one will be very difficult for my body, I think. My friend was very well dressed, in thermal underwear and jackets, but even that didn't save him.

 

[bmt99]

Echo comments on Chief Joseph. If the pass is open to Red Lodge, that would also be a great one. I am especially enamored with that area. The blue colors of the lakes up there are something special. I have only seen it from a motorcycle though. I know that we have ridden with almost zero snow and dry roads and through walls of snow on the sides 10+ feet deep. So hard to forecast but this year has been a dry one. I am also particularly partial to the Big Horns. Get overshadowed by YP but the southern pass through Buffalo and the norther pass through Sheridan are both great. And there is lodging at the top of the northern pass where you can rent utv's for some exploring. Seems like I need to start planning a vacation for myself...