Route Planning TX to Tetons, Yellowstone, Rushmore Back to TX

I have not been to Eden, but was very close to there in October when I was on my way home from the Grand Canyon, I passed through Menard, TX.  (I live on US 190 in western, Louisiana)

LarsMac said:

There is a restaurant called The Pepper Pod in Hudson that has the best Chicken-Fried Steaks in Colorado. You have to study the area to find parking for your rig, though.

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Free $$,  If anyone is ever on Highway 281 North of San Antonio, right where Highway 46 intersects.  Mark that point as Chicken Fried Steak Gold, 777.

Fat boys, YUM!!! on 3...1, 2, ....YUM!!!!!! Get the Fried Mushrooms while you are at it.

Free $$: Try and go on a Tuesday at 240 PM to beat the crowds.  This Place is always PACKED!!!!  Enchiladas? Yep! Thumbs Up too!. 

Once the Mushrooms came out as appetizer I asked the, almost said cutie, waitress I meant, to please box the Enchiladas for a To Go.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g56702-d471355-Reviews-Richter_s_Antler_Cafe-Spring_Branch_Texas.html

Avoid Stone Oak (281 N or S..Far North San Antonio, heading towards Bulverde,TX) for another 2 years.  The 5 Year project that started in July 2017 I think?

This is ..."Son, your gonna have to take this one on the chin Painful."  This stretch of Massively UNDERDEVELEOPED road way had been hung up in Anti Toll Road, TURF Litigation for years. 

http://texansagainsttolls.com/

San Antonio is EXPLODING with growth out this way for last decade +++. 

RV Travelers AVOID this area for sure.  Road Construction by the 1604 Loop, TIGHT Lanes!! 

AVOID like the Corona can I NOT have a, please give me another beer, no....Corona-virus!!!!

Lynx0849 said:

The Custer state park drive is actually a 3 part (road) drive.
Continue on 244 from Rushmore to US385, turn left and the shortly, turn left again on the Needles Highway (rt87).  Note, an RV won?t go up this road due to a low tunnel and narrow rock cuts.
At the end of the Needles Hiway, turn left on US16A. After some number of miles it will enter Custer State Park. It is then known as Iron Mountain Road. You are likely to see free range Bison, maybe blocking the road - a buffalo jam as they call it.
Enjoy the pigtails and the 3 tunnels. Each tunnel in this direction exits looking directly at Mt Rushmore. You tax dollars well spent.

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Lynx, could not agree more.  We stayed 7 nights up at I think Custer Gulch, RV Big Rig Friendly park. 

GREAT Area! No, Majestic is a more Fitting Adjective!

I could see the pay booth to Custer State Park near the Wildlife loop from our camp site. 

We had bad weather some so a couple days.... we drove the 3 routes...Both < Directions >. 

My Favorite part the 5 MPH switchbacks in the Mazda!

That last trip going the "Other Direction" I saw

Mount Rushmore "Framed" coming out that Tiny Tunnel I was Like You gotta be Shxxting me, REALLY?? 

The CCC Great Depression stuff was Amazing the things they did to preserve this Great land......

Trimmed down / nixed the Yellowstone trip route after really looking at the miles and having a 9 year old Grand Daughter with us.  I am sure the Heartland with their beautiful pastures will probably be a more of a Grand Ma and Grand Pa (me) type of trip. 

I am in a 14-17 day time window with the Grand Daughter.  I don't want to rush thru and even the way I am booked now it will be semi tight rushed.  I have 2 nights booked at the Major Attractions so we go to get up early and explore Day 2 for sure.  I am sure we can get some memorable pics and great times she will never forget. 

I still remember my trip at 10 years old with Mom and Dad (God Bless their Souls) with our starcraft crank up trailer. TX to Washington DC.

We changed the destinations and route this summer. With with Seilerbird's map planning (Thanks for the tips Brother) to a Carlsbad, Albuquerque NM, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Arches, Durango and back to the Desert (Home) in dusty West Texas.

We went to MV and GC in summer of 2018.  I cant wait to go back plus see the new sites.

I have been all over the world.  Monument Valley, Grand Canyon are top 10, favorite places in my book for sure.

That sounds very doable, we did 2 days in Santa Fe, then a stop in Aztec, NM at the ruins, Four Corners Monument, a nigh at Goosenecks state park, UT, a drive through monument valley, Navajo National Monument, 3 nights at Wahweap campground outside Page, (half day float trip down Glen Canyon, and an Antelope canyon tour, 3 nights at Mather campground at the Grand Canyon, a night in Flagstaff, then stops a Meteor Crater, and Petrified Forrest National Monument, before heading home to Louisiana, with a couple of 2 -3 night stops along the way.  All in a total of 25 days, back October, 3,200 miles total driving distance on the loop, your starting point is about 450 miles west of here, so about 900 miles less driving, so should be  doable in your time limit.

If you are in Flagstaff area there's loads to do...

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,112439.msg1018017.html#msg1018017

Also check out Garden of the Gods, Moki Duugway, Muley Point Overlook, Gooseneck State Park near Mexican Hat / Monument Valley.

Edge of Cedars museum in Blanding great, the Patio Cafe in town does fab burgers. National Bridges National Monument near there too.

Bluff has a Fort and easy to get to Petroglyphs near the town boat ramp.  Twin Bluffs gift shop and restaurant good too.

X-Roughneck said:

Trimmed down / nixed the Yellowstone trip route after really looking at the miles and having a 9 year old Grand Daughter with us.  I am sure the Heartland with their beautiful pastures will probably be a more of a Grand Ma and Grand Pa (me) type of trip. 

I am in a 14-17 day time window with the Grand Daughter.  I don't want to rush thru and even the way I am booked now it will be semi tight rushed.  I have 2 nights booked at the Major Attractions so we go to get up early and explore Day 2 for sure.  I am sure we can get some memorable pics and great times she will never forget. 

I still remember my trip at 10 years old with Mom and Dad (God Bless their Souls) with our starcraft crank up trailer. TX to Washington DC.

We changed the destinations and route this summer. With with Seilerbird's map planning (Thanks for the tips Brother) to a Carlsbad, Albuquerque NM, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Arches, Durango and back to the Desert (Home) in dusty West Texas.

We went to MV and GC in summer of 2018.  I cant wait to go back plus see the new sites.

I have been all over the world.  Monument Valley, Grand Canyon are top 10, favorite places in my book for sure.

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I really suggest you scale back all the stops you have planned just because you have a 9 year old with you.  the last thing a kid wants to do is to drive sight see, camp late in afternoon,(think of late afternoon as 4pm or later) drive, sight see the next day, camp late and repeat.  Pick the most important stops, like Grand Canyon, Bryce & Arches.  Make the 1st part of the trip, 10-11 hour drive days and get to your destination as soon as possible. 

Yes the kid will not like the first 2-3 days of travel, but once you are there, slow way down and she will enjoy the trip much more.  Believe me she won't remember seeing lots of different places.  But she will will remember being with you on a slow paced trip once you are at your destination.

Once you are at your destination:
--  Get up early, right at 1st light, a quick and simple breakfast and go see the sights early.  By 9-10am every place starts getting lots of people and by 1-2pm places are really crowded.  Don't try see all the sights, pick two or so and take you time walking and seeing.
--  Be back at camp by 3pm and just spend time around camp with your granddaughter. 

We took many trips with our kids in the 70's & 80's and the above is the way we traveled.  The most memorable for us is a 7 week trip to Glacier, Banff & Jasper in Canada and then a couple of weeks in Yellowstone before coming home.

An comment on your schedule 

I am in a 14-17 day time window with the Grand Daughter.  I don't want to rush thru and even the way I am booked now it will be semi tight rushed.  I have 2 nights booked at the Major Attractions so we go to get up early and explore Day 2 for sure.  I am sure we can get some memorable pics and great times she will never forget. 

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2 days at Major attractions.  You arrive in the afternoon, camp, sight see probably most all of the day, leave the next morning to the next attraction.  A very rushed trip for a 9 year old.  4-5 days a just 2 or 3 places and she will enjoy the trip much more.  And remember more.

If you will dry camp inside the parks that is a so much better for time with your grand daughter.  It is hard to get reservations this late, but you may be able to by repeatedly checking the reservations sites every few days looking for cancellations.

We changed the destinations and route this summer. With with Seilerbird's map planning (Thanks for the tips Brother) to a Carlsbad, Albuquerque NM, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Arches, Durango and back to the Desert (Home) in dusty West Texas.

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You are welcome Bro. I noticed you did not include Zion on that list and you are driving right past it. Zion is one of my favorite spots, incredibly beautiful and very different from the Grand Canyon and Bryce. The top layer of the Grand Canyon is the bottom layer at Zion. The top layer of Zion is the bottom layer of Bryce. That is why the area is called the Stairstep.

SeilerBird said:

You are welcome Bro. I noticed you did not include Zion on that list and you are driving right past it. Zion is one of my favorite spots, incredibly beautiful and very different from the Grand Canyon and Bryce. The top layer of the Grand Canyon is the bottom layer at Zion. The top layer of Zion is the bottom layer of Bryce. That is why the area is called the Stairstep.

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Dang I thought I was hitting all the tourist traps.  Thanks SB.  I might have shot myself in the foot locking in places already.  I am going to have to relook.  I thought the Stair Step was at Bryce.  I just made numerous reservations. With the Grand Daughter I went all out booking KOA as much as I could, Go Carts, swimming pools for evenings, etc.  A few weeks ago when you gave me your route planning (THANKS) map tools and strategy.  While I was web booking, I was getting replies back...Only 1 space left that will fit you rig, so I went ahead and locked in reservations.  I do see myself going back to the area again and again.  I love Monument Valley (Being out smack dab in the middle of it looking up at the Spires.  My Dad was part Indian (Navajo) and he use to tell me the stories his Mom told him.  The Spirit World is alive and well coursing thru my veins.  Oh and SB I am going to give the Google Fi a shot for my 3rd line hot spot.  I have a couple months to get my self motivated and make the call to get that ball rolling. 

X-Roughneck said:

Dang I thought I was hitting all the tourist traps.  Thanks SB.  I might have shot myself in the foot locking in places already.  I am going to have to relook.  I thought the Stair Step was at Bryce.  I just made numerous reservations. With the Grand Daughter I went all out booking KOA as much as I could, Go Carts, swimming pools for evenings, etc.  A few weeks ago when you gave me your route planning (THANKS) map tools and strategy.  While I was web booking, I was getting replies back...Only 1 space left that will fit you rig, so I went ahead and locked in reservations.  I do see myself going back to the area again and again.  I love Monument Valley (Being out smack dab in the middle of it looking up at the Spires.  My Dad was part Indian (Navajo) and he use to tell me the stories his Mom told him.  The Spirit World is alive and well coursing thru my veins.  Oh and SB I am going to give the Google Fi a shot for my 3rd line hot spot.  I have a couple months to get my self motivated and make the call to get that ball rolling.

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If you do decide to try Fi then use this link:

https://g.co/fi/r/2KX6EY

That way we will both receive a $20 credit on our bills.

The Grand Staircase is the official name of the area. The Grand Staircase refers to an immense sequence of sedimentary rock layers that stretch south from Bryce Canyon National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, through Zion National Park, and into the Grand Canyon National Park. It is an awesome area to visit. Lots of beauty. When you drive north on 89 headed for Utah you will cross the Navajo Bridge crossing the Colorado River in the Vermillion Cliffs area. Be sure and stop at the visitors center and walk out on the old bridge. It is your best chance to actually see a California Condor in the wild. There is a scenic train ride from Williams to the south rim of the Grand Canyon that is great. No views of the canyon but the train gets "attacked" by bandits on the return trip that would thrill your GD no end.

SeilerBird said:

If you do decide to try Fi then use this link:

https://g.co/fi/r/2KX6EY

That way we will both receive a $20 credit on our bills.

The Grand Staircase is the official name of the area. The Grand Staircase refers to an immense sequence of sedimentary rock layers that stretch south from Bryce Canyon National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, through Zion National Park, and into the Grand Canyon National Park. It is an awesome area to visit. Lots of beauty. When you drive north on 89 headed for Utah you will cross the Navajo Bridge crossing the Colorado River in the Vermillion Cliffs area. Be sure and stop at the visitors center and walk out on the old bridge. It is your best chance to actually see a California Condor in the wild. There is a scenic train ride from Williams to the south rim of the Grand Canyon that is great. No views of the canyon but the train gets "attacked" by bandits on the return trip that would thrill your GD no end.

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That will happen...$20 credit. 

I saw where you were under the weather recently somewhere around here. 

I will check to make sure you are still alive before I sign up. 

I Book Marked the page in my Grand Daughter Trip Folder Named: Google Fi 20Bucks SeilerBird. 

I will sign up as our departure dictates.

X-Roughneck said:

That will happen...$20 credit. 

I saw where you were under the weather recently somewhere around here. 

I will check to make sure you are still alive before I sign up. 

I Book Marked the page in my Grand Daughter Trip Folder Named: Google Fi 20Bucks SeilerBird. 

I will sign up as our departure dictates.

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I am still alive. I see the Dr tomorrow. :-[