Minnesotajeff
New member
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2006
- Posts
- 3
Hi all, We?re new travel trailer owners, just getting started in the lifestyle with our 2 children ages 9 and 13. We live in Brainerd Minnesota.
We?ve pulled rented travel trailers out to the Black Hills for the past 3 years and finally bought our first one this spring. We tow with a Yukon XL Denali 6.0 L
We?ve never been further west of the BH?s before and we?d like to give it a try this summer.
We?re looking at the first 2 weeks of August. Initially we had planned to drive to West Yellowstone via ND and Montana and stay at the KOA there, but now I?m having a change of mind. I'm considering staying in Cody, for several reasons. I like the idea that it?s a bit closer so I don?t have to pull the trailer as far as West Yellowstone, and I?ve heard so many positive things about Cody that I just want to see it! Also, we would like to spend about 5 days in the Yellowstone area and then stop in the Black Hills for 2-3 days on the way back and Cody puts us in a better location to head to SD mid-trip.
But of course i have concerns:
Are we going to be frustrated with the distance/time to drive from Cody into Yellowstone each day to explore the park? I?m guessing we?ll have at least 2 hours of road time each direction to get to the park each day. Should we try to get in closer to the park or stick with our West Yellowstone plan and drive in from there? It sounds like road construction and delays could be bad.
I also want to try the Beartooth drive one day, so that?s another reason I would like to stay in Cody?
I don?t necessarily want to plan every day in the park. I think if we could mix it up with a day in the park, then a day around Cody, then back to the park, etc. that would be best.
Can we pull our trailer from Cody to the Black Hills without any major ?mountain climbing? or switchbacks? It looks like we?d take 14/16s/16 to Buffalo and catch I-90 from there. Can anyone comment on that drive from Cody to I-90?
Thanks in advance - just trying to make our first "big pull" a success!
Jeff
We?ve pulled rented travel trailers out to the Black Hills for the past 3 years and finally bought our first one this spring. We tow with a Yukon XL Denali 6.0 L
We?ve never been further west of the BH?s before and we?d like to give it a try this summer.
We?re looking at the first 2 weeks of August. Initially we had planned to drive to West Yellowstone via ND and Montana and stay at the KOA there, but now I?m having a change of mind. I'm considering staying in Cody, for several reasons. I like the idea that it?s a bit closer so I don?t have to pull the trailer as far as West Yellowstone, and I?ve heard so many positive things about Cody that I just want to see it! Also, we would like to spend about 5 days in the Yellowstone area and then stop in the Black Hills for 2-3 days on the way back and Cody puts us in a better location to head to SD mid-trip.
But of course i have concerns:
Are we going to be frustrated with the distance/time to drive from Cody into Yellowstone each day to explore the park? I?m guessing we?ll have at least 2 hours of road time each direction to get to the park each day. Should we try to get in closer to the park or stick with our West Yellowstone plan and drive in from there? It sounds like road construction and delays could be bad.
I also want to try the Beartooth drive one day, so that?s another reason I would like to stay in Cody?
I don?t necessarily want to plan every day in the park. I think if we could mix it up with a day in the park, then a day around Cody, then back to the park, etc. that would be best.
Can we pull our trailer from Cody to the Black Hills without any major ?mountain climbing? or switchbacks? It looks like we?d take 14/16s/16 to Buffalo and catch I-90 from there. Can anyone comment on that drive from Cody to I-90?
Thanks in advance - just trying to make our first "big pull" a success!
Jeff