Hotel Near Airport

I%26#39;m looking for a reasonably priced motel near the airport for just one night. I%26#39;m planning a trip with my sister and we%26#39;ll be camping, but I%26#39;ll need to be dropped off in Rapid City the night before my flight leaves. I%26#39;d appreciate any suggestions. Thanks, Nancy

Hotel Near Airport

There are no hotels near the airport in Rapid City. You%26#39;ll have to stay somewhere in town and get a shuttle or cab to the airport. I believe some hotels offer shuttle service to the airport free with your stay but many don%26#39;t.

Drive from Badlands NP to Custer State Park through Buff Gap

After we finish our hiking in the Badlands in mid July we will drive the loop road north west toward park exit with Mt. Rushmore as our destination. Has anyone driven Sage brush(also appears to be Hwy 590) road south west out of the park in order to go to Scenic, S.D. and hook up with 44 north and then get on the highway that goes through Buffalo Gap and leads to Mt Rushmore. I am looking for a more scenic route. However, am I adding a lot more time than if we took interstate 90 west? Also, what is the deal with Sage brush road - it appears to be gravel and the risk of a flat in such a desolate area may out weigh the reward of the cool trip. Maybe take 90 west to exit 90 to Buffalo Gap. I appreciate your thoughts.

Drive from Badlands NP to Custer State Park through Buff Gap

Yes, you can take Sage Creek Road west out of the Badlands and take SD44 from Scenic to Rapid City. Is it worth it? I%26#39;m going to say it%26#39;s about a 50/50 difference from taking I-90. I kind of prefer it over the billboard infested I-90. Is it more scenic? Not really.

Sage Creek Road is gravel. If your comfort level is low with driving desolate roads, perhaps you should avoid it. Most locals would chuckle, though, at the notion of being afraid of a breakdown in such an area. Driving desolate, low traffic roads is simply a way of life around here and there really isn%26#39;t a lot to be afraid of. Get a flat, put on the spare. Break down, try using a cell phone if you have it. If it doesn%26#39;t work, someone will eventually come along. I%26#39;ve found that someone will stop to help faster on a back road than on a main road.

Whether you take I-90 or SD44, you come to the same point in Rapid City and you can go to Mount Rushmore from there. Your best bet is US16 from Rapid City, go to Keystone and to Mount Rushmore.

I%26#39;m not sure why you mention Buffalo Gap--it%26#39;s pretty far south on SD79--way past where you would turn to go to Mount Rushmore even if you did take 79 out of Rapid City instead of 16.

Best of luck with your trip.

Drive from Badlands NP to Custer State Park through Buff Gap

OK--re-read your post. Not sure if you want to go to Custer State Park or Mount Rushmore first. If you do want to go to Custer State Park, you could take SD79 south of Rapid City and enter the park from Hermosa. I%26#39;d still opt for US16 through Keystone and then take SD244 west of Mount Rushmore and enter CSP near Sylvan Lake.

Here%26#39;s another option. Take US16 to Hill City. Go to Sylvan Lake and drive the Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road and enter Mount Rushmore from Iron Mountain Road. It will be the most scenic. Then pick up the south half of Custer State Park later.

rimmel

Mount Rushmore

Hello, We%26#39;re (3 of us) travelling to Custer and our time in South Dakota is limited (2 days / 2 nights). Is it possible to do Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Wounded Knee in 2 days plus squeeze in a bit of hot air ballooning? We%26#39;re Australians and have no idea of the area and what is achieveable in 2 days. We will have a hire car and driving distances doesn%26#39;t phase us and would love to fit in as much as we can. Unfortunately our schedule can%26#39;t be altered. We%26#39;re planning on staying at Custer the first night and though perhaps Deadwood the second.

Thanks for your assistance,

Charlie

Mount Rushmore

Crazy Horse and Mt. Rushmore are definitely doable in one day. You could even fit in a cave the same day, or drive through Custer State Park. The Wounded Knee site itself doesn%26#39;t have much to offer... We enjoyed going there because I was really into Native American history at the time. We enjoyed seeing the museum in Wall ABOUT Wounded Knee more... although Wounded Knee kind of goes along with the Badlands... That would make another day.

Is there a reason why you want to spend the second night in Deadwood? Most of the things you mention are in the southern Hills area, and Deadwood is in the northern Hills. Maybe you%26#39;re looking forward to the drive through Spearfish Canyon or have another reason to head north?

Mount Rushmore

Which way are you coming from? Flying into Rapid City? Bus tour? I ask because it will likely be most efficient to go to the Wounded Knee site on your way to the Black Hills.

How much time will your balloon ride take?

I, too, would not stay in Deadwood unless you plan to do some activities in the northern hills like Devil%26#39;s Tower or Spearfish Canyon. The attractions in the Black Hills area are all within about a 2 hour radius, thus making this a very convenient area to tour.

I have not been to Wounded Knee, and I have never done hot air ballooning, but I can say that Mt Rusmhore can easily be done in a morning, as is Crazy Horse. Be sure to check out Mt Rushmore%26#39;s evening ceremony as well. It%26#39;s a moving ceremony that honors America%26#39;s veterans.

For more information on the area, check out travelsd.com. Have fun!

Hello and thank you everyone.

We%26#39;re driving to Custer starting at Winnipeg, down through North Dakota (probably staying at Bismarck 1 night) then head onto Custer. The reason for Deadwood was that it is on the way. We%26#39;re going to Cody, Wyoming on our way to Yellowstone so we picked Deadwood as a place to see and stay at overnight on the way to Yellowstone plus my husband wants to see Deadwood (thanks to the many movies about the place).

The hot air ballooning that we are looking at goes over the Black Hills and goes from Custer, is of 3 hours duration, starts at sunrise. So we thought we would do the ballooning, first, then Crazy Horse and Mt Rushmore with a night stay at Custer.

I wanted to see Wounded Knee having read books and seen films about the area.

Thank you all again for your assistance. It is very much appreciated.

Charlie

Wounded Knee can be a tragic experience especially if you have any Native American heritage in your blood line. It is so sad to see what we left these noble people with.

I don%26#39;t want to try to rearrange your trip too much and I%26#39;m not sure what you have in mind to see in ND, but consider this. Try to make it further than Bismarck the first day. Where you would stay depends on your route. Then visit Wounded Knee and the Badlands on your second day and make it into Custer that evening.

I recommend this because three hours of ballooning, Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore AND Wounded Knee with a drive back to Deadwood are going to be too much for one day. Ballooning, Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore and a drive of the Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road would be about right for one day.

Get to Deadwood that night and head out to Yellowstone the next morning exiting the Black Hills with a drive through Spearfish Canyon. You%26#39;ll have to decide whether you want to stop at Devils Tower.

Thank you all again, we%26#39;re not really planning on doing much at all in North Dakota, it is a drive through (we have 2 days to do it) with an overnight stop somewhere, we picked Bismarck as it is central(ish) between Winnipeg and Custer but I see where you are coming from Accommodator. Thank you and we will definitely have a rethink and look at your suggestion.

I don%26#39;t have any Native American heritage (true blue Aussie) but have always been interested in their culture.

Again, thank you and I will try and reschedule, that part of our trip (Winnipeg to Cody) can be played with as I was at a loss what to do and where to go apart from knowing we want to see Mt Rushmore and Yellowstone.

Cheers all and here%26#39;s to a great holiday (less than 4 months and counting!!)

Charlie

Depending on which way you go, an overnight stop in Chamberlain or Pierre might suit your Wounded Knee/Badlands day. That would give you about a nine hour drive the day you leave Winnipeg.

If you opt for Pierre, it is the state capitol and has a WWII memorial near a lake by the capitol that is a worth a walk around--even in the dark if you get there late.

If you opt for Chamberlain, also try searching for hotels in neaby Oacoma. The Cedar Shore Resort is a nice place with a great setting by the river.

From either Pierre or Chamberlain, it%26#39;s about two hours to the Badlands. Take the loop through the Badlands, make your way down to Wounded Knee (probably take the Sage Creek gravel road west out of the Badlands). Consider a stop first at the Wounded Knee Museum in Wall. Then you can go to Custer through Pine Ridge and Hot Springs.

I meant to add to take the Sage Creek gravel road west out of the Badlands to Scenic and then go south to Wounded Knee.

Hello Accommodator

I%26#39;ve done a Google map search for directions to Pierre and Chamberlain then the Badlands and Custer and it%26#39;s looking good. I had looked at getting to Bismarck via the back routes and to get there that way takes about 9 hours. Thank you so much for your help, I do appreciate it and for the heads up for where to stay also.

Just one more question, what is the weather usually like in late June through ND, SD, Wyoming and Montana? I know it%26#39;s summer but does it rain generally at that time of year. Where I live our summers are very wet, we have 2 seasons, wet and dry and this year, it%26#39;s been very wet and I%26#39;d love to see some long sunny days.

Cheers

Charlie

YMT tours

Has anyone traveled with YMT tours. they have a 14 day bus trip to the Canadian Rockies. I never heard of the company. I appreciate some info on them if anyone has some. Thanks

YMT tours

Never heard of YMT, they could be fine, there are many tour companies that have been doing a version of the tour you are talking about for decades.

I have personally talked with thousands of people that have completed these type of tours as my company provides some of their airport transfers before/after their tours.

In my educated opinion:

Tauck world discovery, the cadillac of tour comanies.

Tauck Bridges (family tour, younger crowd with some kids)

Tauck is more expensive than other tour companies allthough I no longer provide their airport transfers(they now use the hotel shuttle) I%26#39;ve never heard a negitive comment abour their tours and I always asked.It almost got to be a challenge to find someone with a negative comment but it never happened.

Globus: less money, good tour with experienced guides but cheaper accomaidations etc.

If you ar including the Black Hills, Look into

Archers/Cosmos: They fly into Denver, Stay in Keystone the first night. this is the only one that I know of that offers a Custer State Park Excursion, very popular, Includes Needels Highway, Custer state park, bufallo and other wildlife.

IMO find one that has been in the business the longest that is in your price range. May of these tour guides have been doing the same tours for decades and are very good at it.

There are many copycat companies that come and go with less experience.

Good Luck!

YMT tours

YMT Young Man Tour vacations. Not so young. I took along my family and friends to the inside passage 7 day cruise and 7 day bus trip through the North West Passage route. There was no one younger than 80! What a 7 day bus trip. They had this unwritten rule that every, every time the bus stopped when you got back on you had to move up a seat. In this way, you were able to look out of the bus a different vantage point. Since my group was sitting accross from each other we did not want to move and offered the elders to jump ahead of us. NO WAY! One passenger wanted to punch me in the mouth!

YMT is trouble - stay away from them. I have had a terrible experience with them - gave a deposit for a trip - received no confirmation of my deposit - called and called and finally was told they had cancelled our trip because the despot information was not noted - they advised the cruise was now full and they couldn%26#39;t get us back on and would not return the deposit - offered us an upgrade with a similar cruise 2 weeks later - we accepted - and then they advised they were unsbale to provide thta trip and still will nto return our $500 U.S. deposit. Don%26#39;t trust them!!!

Caravan has a nice tour from Rapid City SD to Salt Lake City and I am planning to take it this year after looking at it for 3-4 years. Only $995 for 8 days.

Keystone & Beyond

My wife and I are planning a trip in June in our Odyssey minivan making the following stops: Greendale, WI, Plymouth, MN, Keystone, SD (all Northern stops)returning on a Southern route taking us through Chanute, KS, and Parke County, IN. We have a general idea of the highways and byways to take but would like some input from those who have been there and done that. We aren%26#39;t going to hurry ourselves, would be willing to explore alternate destinations along the way, will be using a GPS %26amp; AAA TripTiks and are open to all suggestions.

We are most interested in clean, comfortable and safe accomodations.

Points of interest are welcome. We%26#39;re not campers/hikers, night clubbers, prefer suburban rather than urban.

Thanks in advance to all who share - this will be our first trip farther than Parke County.

D%26amp;J H.

Keystone %26amp; Beyond

Can you tell us how long you have for the trip? Keystone is a great base for exploring the Black Hills--definitely fits your bill of suburban (most of SD will fit the bill compared to here in the east, however.)

I always provide people with a list of my ';must sees'; of the area:

Badlands National Park (could be been enroute from MN to Keystone)

Mt Rushmore

Crazy Horse

Custer State Park

Wind Cave Natl. Park

Jewel Cave Natl. Monument

Devil%26#39;s Tower

With a 3-4 day stay minimum, you could see these highlights. There%26#39;s much more to see and do, depending on how long you plan to stay.

Also, do you have any children coming?

As for accomodations, I really liked the Roosevelt Inn in Keystone (rosyinn.com). K Bar S Lodge is also highly rated on this site, but it doesn%26#39;t have a pool, so that%26#39;s a consideration if it%26#39;s important to you.

As a side note, Keystone is one of the more touristy bases with its boardwalk and endless souvenir shops. However, it%26#39;s a fun place for families, as it has mini golf and an even an alpine slide. Some people prefer Hill City or Custer, as they are a little quieter and less touristy. I felt very safe when we visited the area, and the people are wonderfully friendly.

Have fun planning, and please feel free to ask more questions.

Mount Rushmore & what else?

Hi all, I%26#39;m thinking of traveling to South Dakota during 23 May 2009 - 25 May 2009, the memorial holiday tentatively. My main aim is to visit Mount Rushmore. Curious about what else is there to visit?

The main problem is I do not drive and may be traveling alone. So is wondering is it possible to travel in SD without the use of own transportation?

Mount Rushmore %26amp; what else?

I%26#39;m not sure how much you will be able to see without a car. There%26#39;s plenty to see and do, but I am not sure about public transportation and how far out it goes. You will probably find it in Rapid City, but I don%26#39;t know how far it would take you. Mt. Rushmore is about 20 miles away from Rapid, so some attractions aren%26#39;t super close by.

Accomodator, the local DE, would know better. There may be some tours available to some of the local attractions.

Good luck.

trolley shuttle

Where does the trolley begin %26amp; end? It goes in a circle right? Does it stop at every hotel in town? We are leaving on Saturday am %26amp; need to know right away. Thanks

trolley shuttle

Yes, I think the trolley stops at every Deadwood hotel.

Here is a map.

cityofdeadwood.com/vertical/…7D.PDF

Here is some seasonal info:

http://www.cityofdeadwood.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC%26amp;SEC={407CFDAA-63DD-4B39-989D-FD81677F2441}

Badlands in March?

I have a week off school the week of March 23. Are there good sights to be seen at Badlands at this time? Will poor weather be an issue?

I%26#39;ll be moving out of the midwest after graduation, so I%26#39;m really interested in seeing Badlands and Mt Rushmore before I leave. Thanks!

Badlands in March?

There is a chance for bad weather. I would plan on arriving back at your home a day or two earlier than you absolutely have to be there. That way if a storm sidetracks your schedule, you%26#39;re OK.

I feel that the Badlands are good to visit any time of year. The loop road will be open unless there%26#39;s a big storm (if so, drive through the Badlands on your way home instead). The visitor center will be open. Obviously, bring winter clothes for any hiking you might try. You probably won%26#39;t spend more than about a half day in the Badlands if you don%26#39;t do a lot of hiking. You%26#39;ll spend most of your time in the North Unit. The South Unit is for backcountry hiking.

The Needles Highway and (probably) Iron Mountain Road will be closed until mid-April. Go to Sylvan Lake, though. A hike of Harney Peak is very common in the winter months so you might try it. If you search for Harney Peak in the SD forum you can get a bunch of information.

The Wildlife Loop of Custer State Park will be open.

All of Mount Rushmore except the Sculptor%26#39;s Studio will be open. There will be no official lighting ceremony but it%26#39;s worth being there at dark when they turn on the lights just after it gets dark. Check with a ranger to see what that time is when you%26#39;re there.

Crazy Horse will be open.

It%26#39;s a great time of year to take a cave tour. Try either Jewell or Wind Cave.

A drive of Spearfish Canyon isn%26#39;t to be missed in the winter. Take the short hike to Spearfish Falls behind the Latchstring Inn. You%26#39;ll see a great ice buildup.

Notice I keep saying ';winter'; even though it will technically be spring. While it will be starting to warm up a little bit, be prepared for cold temps. Bring survival gear in your car. Sleeping bag, shovel, winter clothes, water and food. If you have to stay somewhere because of a snow storm and you%26#39;re able to get a hotel room--appreciate it. Ever since I had to spend the night once stuck in a car in a blizzard a long time ago, I%26#39;ll always appreciate a warm bed even if it messes with my schedule.

makeup hair

after chuckwagon dinner-do wildlife loop?

If we do the chuchwagon cookout for dinner at Blue Bell in Custer(5-8pm) will it get to be too late to do the wildlife loop, do we just drive through, or do you get out and stop, and iron mtn road on the way back to Keystone?

after chuckwagon dinner-do wildlife loop?

Hi: I can only speak for our family, but the wildlife loop takes quite a bit of time to drive. The problem is that as it gets darker, it is really hard to see (not just hard to see the animals that you want to see...but also a little harrowing to drive -- the roads are not lit, they curve around quite a bit, and you don%26#39;t want to hit any wildlife! We tried to drive a bit of the wildlife loop after the chuckwagon dinner. We did not finish the loop, but turned around early as we didn%26#39;t want to get to far and ebe in the darkness.

You will see (hopefully) lots of wildlife on your way out to the chuckwagon dinner. You can do the Wildlife loop after the dinner, but I wouldn%26#39;t count on finishing it.

Hope this helps,

Kelly

after chuckwagon dinner-do wildlife loop?

I highly recommend doing Custer State Park in the morning to early afternoon hours. After dark, as stated above it gets tough and you don%26#39;t want to do the Iron Mountain Road or Needles in the dark (but they are definetely worth doing). When we rode motorcycles through Custer State Park we got off for ice tea and again amongst the buffalo; it was great! The chuckwagon dinner is maybe the last thing in the evening you want to do.

I agree with those that say to do the loop first. We did this last summer, and really had fun driving the loop. Be sure and find the beggin%26#39; burros - your kids will love them as they%26#39;ll stick their heads right in your window. You can spend a couple of hours at least driving this, so don%26#39;t wait until dark!

Echoing everyone else, do the loop before the cookout. Last time we were there, we stayed in the park at Legion Lake but went to Mount Rushmore for the night lighting. Left our cabin around dusk, and driving was kind of scary-lots and lots of deer darting about at that time. Coming back into the park at dark was even scarier trying to navigate Needles in the dark.

We%26#39;ve always done the loop in the middle of the day and have still seen so much wildlife-buffalo, pronghorns, goats (sheep?), deer, and of course, the awesome pan-handling burros.

Chief Motel vs Rocket Motel Vs Bavarian Inn motel???

Any comments on the Chief, Rocket or Bavarian Inn motels in Custer,SD?? Our preference is quiet, large rooms. Anyone stayed at these??

Chief Motel vs Rocket Motel Vs Bavarian Inn motel???

I honesty have stayed at none of them but did stay at the Black Hills Mile Hi Motel. The price was very low and the decor reflected it but I would stay there again. The room I was in was on the small side but I know they have bigger rooms and if you are wanting to have more people in the room (thus the need for space) then a room with space for 4 is available. They are not open after Nov 11.

Chief Motel vs Rocket Motel Vs Bavarian Inn motel???

We%26#39;ve (meaning me, wife and three kids) have stayed a the Bavarian but it was a bunch of years ago. We%26#39;ve eaten at the restaurant several times though. The room we had was average...on par with Super 8 style and perhaps just a touch larger but with two queen size beds there was still not a lot of excess room. The pics of standard double room on their web site are accurate ( http://www.bavarianinnsd.com/ ). We had a room that faced towards the outdoor pool with a sort of patio walkway so was convenient to relax there while the kids swam. It was clean, quiet and comfortable but nothing fancy. I chalked it up as a good value. It was especially convenient to walk to the restaurant which has always had pretty decent German food in addition to American regular items.

We would stay there again. Never tried the other two places.

Stayed at the Chief back in the late summer of 2005. Nice ';small'; rooms. Seemed quiet to us. I imagine this post is a year or two late but just wanted to let you know the rooms are rather small but ok for sleeping.

I%26#39;m sorry, I was looking at your ';joined'; date instead of the ';posted'; date. Maybe this comment is not too late after-all. :)

Haven%26#39;t stayed at any of those motels, but of you%26#39;re open to other suggestions - we stayed at the Comfort Inn in Custer a couple of years ago. The room was huge, very comfortable and quiet. There is an indoor pool. A pretty good continental breakfast is included.

Mt Rushmore and more for family

Hi,

We%26#39;re a family with two kids (3 and 7) we live in the KS and debating between going to Mt. Rushmore vs. to Colerado.

So I have several questions:

1. What else (other than Rushmore) should a family see when traveling in the area

2. With two kids is it worth (attraction wise and not money wise as we can get also cheap flights)to drive there or fly , or in other words are there any attractions in the way that would justify two days in the car each direction

3. How many days would you reccomend on being in the area?

4. If you would have to chose between this area and the Rockey mountains with kids these ages what would you choose?

Thanks a lot.

Mt Rushmore and more for family

Hi,

You pose some very good questions. I will answer #3 first. I%26#39;d choose SD hands down over the Rockies. There are many things that your family would enjoy.

Here%26#39;s the short list of must sees for the area:

Badlands National Park

Mt Rushmore

Crazy Horse

Devil%26#39;s Tower

Custer State Park

Wind Cave

Jewel Cave

With the ages of the kids, there are many additional things you can add. Outside Rapid City, you have Bear Country, Reptile Gardens, %26amp; Cosmos Mystery Area. In Keystone, you have an alpine slide, lots of souvenir shops, mini golf, %26amp; Big Thunder Gold Mine. In Hot Springs, you have the Mammoth site that offers a jr. paleontologist dig, along with Evans Plunge, a small waterpark that is fed by a hot spring. You also have the Wild Horse Sanctuary here, but that may be rather pricey for a family of 4, and your 3 year old might really not appreciate it. You could also check out Deadwood and possibly drive the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway. You can take some hikes to waterfalls here. In Hill City, you have Everything Prehistoric,a small dinsosaur museum and shop, and the 1880 train that runs between Hill City %26amp; Keystone. There are many privately owned caves in the area as well.

Custer State Park offers some fun wildlife viewing and great scenery, plus hiking if you are into that.

You might want to eliminate some activities if you don%26#39;t think your 3 year old could handle some of them (i.e. caves). I realize every child is different in what he/she likes and has the stamina to do.

Travelsd is a great website to check out to get an idea for the area.

As for driving, it would probably not be that bad if you wanted to save money on airfare. If you are from western Kansas, you could almost do a pretty straight shot. If you are from the eastern side, you could possibly go up and across, seeing the Badlands enroute. I%26#39;m not sure on any other things to see from the Kansas area. I will leave that one to someone more familiar.

Have fun planning, and feel free to ask more questions.

Mt Rushmore and more for family

Also, I forgot to mention that you can easily spend a week here, depending on how much of the area you want to see.

Slrtravelplanner has covered it pretty well but I%26#39;d like to chime in and say that SD is a pretty great family vacation. We first took our kids when they were 2 and 4 and spent about 5 nights in the area, most of that in Custer State Park. Our last trip they were 8 and 10, and they%26#39;ll be 12 and 14 this trip. We%26#39;ve never done any of the really commercial attractions and our girls were perfectly happy looking for animals and seeing the natural sights. We%26#39;ve also always driven but my kids have always been great car travelers. If you do fly, you will need to rent a car to get around.

Also, have not been to Colorado with the kids so can%26#39;t compare but I do think you%26#39;d enjoy SD. Our must sees are the Badlands, Custer SP, and Mount Rushmore.

Done both with kids and I would say Rapid City area offers more to keep children entertained. We went from KC, you can do it in 1 hard day or drive to the Badlands the first day, stay at Cedar Pass, then drive the next day to Wall Drug store and on into the Black Hills. I can%26#39;t say the kids were all that interested in the drive up, but with lots of books, coloring books, etc they did just fine.

rodeo in July

Does anybody know if the first week of July is there any Rodeo near Rapid City/Black Hills? Thank you

rodeo in July

July 2, 2009 - July 4, 2009 is the Black Hills Roundup Rodeo in Belle Fourche.

rodeo in July

thank you very much!

cnc timeshares

can anyone tell me anything about cnc timeshares

cnc timeshares

They are a completely unprofessional company who talks you into listing with them...and then you can never get ahold of them again! I hadn%26#39;t heard anything on my timeshare that I posted for rent thru them so I tried to call the person who sold me their service. In fact, I called and left messages 4 times with no call back. I sent another email this morning and FINALLY got a response from Sonia...only it had nothing to do with what I inquired! It was a form letter response...not personal at all. I am SO disgusted with myself for getting sucked into this non-professional company. DON%26#39;T do it! -Disgusted.

cnc timeshares

What about them selling your timeshare- are they in Daytone Beach

I purchased an imaginary sales person from CNC to sell my Cabo timeshare and it has been a year now. Tara does call me back...she is an employee and I told her this morning that I was going to complain to the BBB. She wrote back asking me to re-sign my original contract. Huh? Are you serious?

I told her since she did not have a signed contract from me that I wanted a full refund. 10 minutes later she emails me back saying that she found it between the folders. Yeah right!!!

They are con men with a web site! The original hyped up sales guy no longer works for them and the owner is out of town. Yeah right again.

I would really like to know what to do about this besides having a local friend pay them a visit at their office to see if they are really real. Do they have small claims in Florida? That is my next step!

I forgot to give you their phone number:

800-323-2895

386-947-9489

email address:

tara.magee@cnctimeshares.com

Tara answers.

Hi , I am finding out that we too have the same story as you all. Yes, we were talked into listing our timeshare with CNC and nothing in 10 months. We are very frustrated and feel violated and angry and stupid. Have had anything resolved with your problem with them? Please let me know if you%26#39;ve had any luck or taken any legal measures.

Taken too,

Christine

I can only echo the other postings here. I, too, listed with them in November 2007 after being hounded by a salesperson (Samantha) for weeks. I was told that the average sales occur between 3 and six months and that ';now is the best time to list it'; to get maximum exposure. I made the second mistake by listening to their recommendation and listing it at a price which was too high. After sending several e-mails and making an equal number of phone calls complaining that I wanted to speak to someone to change the asking price I finally got an e-mail from Tara apologizing. The asking price was changed months ago but I%26#39;ve heard nothing back since and no offers. I called the salesperson, Samantha, on Monday asking what the next step is since it is obviously not selling; I%26#39;ve yet to receive a call back. At this point I feel we%26#39;ve been had and the money we paid lost. I%26#39;m considering contacting the media and requesting that they look into, not just CNC, but all the other timeshare sales brokers out there as well to see which, if any, are legitimate.

DUPED 2

Thanks to all of you who posted feedback about this company, I didn%26#39;t get suckered, again. I started to research the internet on all of these people who call me about timeshare sales. I got suckered about 8 months ago by a different company (IBD Marketing) and I don%26#39;t believe they even have a working website anymore. Please research the internet or have someone do it for you before you sign with anyone who is not a well know reputable company.

I for one did list my timeshare with CNC as well. I felt the same frustrations as you all for I had listed my timeshare prior with three other companies. However, they proved me wrong. It took 7 1/2 months and after turning down a couple of low offers they brought me one I was looking for. My salesperson always returned my calls and was very patient. I had a good experience with them. Thanks CNC.

I just received a phone call from CNC timeshares tonight, at 10:10 pm!! They had called earlier claiming to be partners with Interval International (who is the exchange company with my timeshare). Fortunately, I had been warned by Starwood (who handles my timeshare) that no second parties would contact me on their behalf. I told them that if they continued to hassle me, I would report them to the better business bureau.

Unless you can sell your timeshare through a reputable agency (like Century 21) buyer beware. These companies who contact you are only out for a listing fee and WILL NEVER sell your timeshare. When I first got mine, I thought about selling it and was suckered by several companies. AVOID AT ALL COSTS the following:

Timesharesbyowner.com

Sharetrader.com

Resort Equity Marketing

Ace Timeshare Marketing

I paid a listing fee to each of these companies, and was never contacted about a possible buyer in 3 years.

I had the same nightmarish experiences with CNC Timeshares. Has anyone been able to get their money back?

traveling to south dakota on motocycle need help!!!!

we are traveling to south dakota on motorcycles arond august 15th and we need th best scenic routes to take with plenty of lakes for swimming and tent campgrounds. any help will be appreciated !! i never traveled on a bike for this long of a trip so any help will be great !!!

traveling to south dakota on motocycle need help!!!!

Custer State Park is all scenic %26amp; has 3 campgrounds with lakes: Sylvan Lake, Legion Lake, Center Lake.

Sheridan Lake or Lake Pactola are both larger lakes with campground, easy to get to on highway 385 or the more winding Sheridan Lake road south from Rapid City.

traveling to south dakota on motocycle need help!!!!

thank you very much for info. i will pass it along. is there anything else that i might need to know traveling to south dakota from wisconsin? what to bring along? we are traveling on motorcycles and our friend has apehangers on his bike do you know if they are allowed there?

makeup hair

Ideas for 13 year old other than Mt. Rushmore/Crazy Horse

We are visiting the SD area in June for 7 days with our 13 year old son. I have Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, Badlands, Jewel Cave, Devils Tower, WY and then up to Teddy Roosevelt Park, ND on our list to see. I am looking for age appropriate, ';other'; fun activities. Thanks!

Ideas for 13 year old other than Mt. Rushmore/Crazy Horse

Evans Plunge indoor water park in Hot Springs? http://www.evansplunge.com/

Also near HS the Mammoth Site? http://www.mammothsite.com/BlackHills.html

The 1880 Train? http://www.1880train.com/

The Reptile Gardens over by Rapid City? http://www.reptilegardens.com/

On the way to/from Devils Tower a quick stop at the Vore Buffalo Jump? http://www.vorebuffalojump.org/

Bear Country USA? http://www.bearcountryusa.com/

Ideas for 13 year old other than Mt. Rushmore/Crazy Horse

Dear tasbm1:

I have 2 suggestions, but they both fall under your original list:

1) Custer State Park: horseback riding (we went used the stables at Blue Bell Lodge). My boys-10 at the time so a little younger-loved it.

2)Badlands: if you are experiencing hot weather try to go early in the day so you can climb around. There is one particular ';climbing'; path that is really neat. It is marked by yellow stakes, so you find one stake, then look for the next, etc. (this was one of my kids favorite things to do there).

If I think of anything else, I will post again. Have fun.

kelly

You%26#39;ve gotten some really good suggestions already. With 7 days, I%26#39;d add Wind Cave to your list. Our daughter loved both Wind %26amp; Jewel and was 8 when she visited.

If your son likes history, I%26#39;d recommend the Adams House in Deadwood--great tour guides and interesting story. This could be seen enroute to Devil%26#39;s Tower. Be sure you drive the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway either coming or going.

There%26#39;s an alpine slide in Keystone near Mt Rushmore. I believe it%26#39;s called the Presidential Slide.

Outside Rapid City, you have the Cosmos Mystery Area where ';interesting'; things happen. Balls roll up hill, etc. We didn%26#39;t go here, but it is probably just some hokey fun.

Your son might enjoy Wall Drug when you visit the Badlands. It%26#39;s a real tourist trap, but a souvenir lover%26#39;s haven.

You will have the Wild Horse Sanctuary near the Mammoth site in Hot Springs. It is a pricey tour, however,and I believe you might see mustangs at T Roosevelt NP. A poster on this site put up some pics of wild horses she photographed there. And..it will cost much less money!

There are many privately owned caves in the area other than Wind %26amp; Jewel that your family might find interesting, such as Rushmore, Sitting Bull, and Crystal caves. There are several others.

As others have said, Custer SP will take up quite a bit of your time as well, between its wildlife, hiking, horseback riding, and scenic drives.

You also have mining museums in Lead/Deadwood and opportunities to pan for gold. Broken Boot Gold Mine is in Deadwood, and Big Thunder Gold Mine is in Keystone.

There are even more things I%26#39;m probably not thinking of. I hope this helps you. Have fun planning! You will have a wonderful time in SD!

Be sure and spend a night in Sundance so you can check out the Vore Buffalo Jump, Devil%26#39;s Tower and the manned fire tower at Warren Peak. The museum in Sundance has a lot of information about the Sundance Kid.

Thank you!

Thanks Swayze and CeCe,

Our plans are pick up GS in Chicago and than 2 nights in Keystone,1 night Cody,1 night Red Lodge,5 nights Gardiner,2 nights Jackson.We plan to horseback ride and Whitewater raft out of Gardiner in addition to going to YNP from Gardiner.If bored we could always raft on a different river another day. The place we are staying in Gardiner does have a pool.So basically that only gives us 2 full days to explore Yellowstone. DH and I have been in the area several other times but we have stayed at a guest ranch in the past near Moran.We both ride horses as does DS and GS.We will be in Red Lodge after meeting DS at the airport in Billings. DS and GS will fly home from Jackson and DH and I will drive back to Kentucky the southern route.I have been to millions of Rodeos and no longer approve of them so I will not be going to a rodeo.That is umless GS really wants to go.I think I might move the first night in Keystone up 1 day and spend 2 nights in Cody.Ya%26#39;ll have given me some things to think about and I sure do appreciate it.

Thank you!

You are very welcome and have a great trip!!! Can%26#39;t wait to come back to YNP. We are planning on doing a snowcoach tour of YNP out of West Yellowstone or Jackson Hole this winter.

Thank you!

Hi CeCe

Which hotel did you stay at in Cody?

Cody Cowboy Village- loved it- great owners who will go out of their way to help you have a wonderful stay.

I just added extra day to Cody and made a reservation at the Cowboy Village. Thanks,

Bailey

Guess what...I stayed at the Cody Cowboy Village too %26amp; loved it! Be sure to ask for a cabin in the inner circle. Then your porch will look out on a lawn %26amp; the large hot tub instead of facing the driveway. By the way, I hate rodeos, too...just thought a kid might like it, but don%26#39;t miss the big western museum...it%26#39;s great for everyone. If you are driving across the mountains from Red Lodge allow plenty of time. Those mountains are SPECTACULAR!!! If you have time after your trip, I would love to hear what you thought about your stops. When is your trip?

Hi .

Our trip is planned for July 6th thru July 19th. The plan is 2 nights in Keystone at Powder house Lodge,2 nights in Cody at Cowboy village,1 night in Red lodge,Yodeler Motel,5 nights in Gardiner,rented condo style rooms at Yellowstone Village Inn.From there we have 1 night at Old Faithful Inn,had to get 2 rooms. Kills me to spend that much money,sure hope it is worth it.Than on to Jackson for 1 night,2 rooms again and head home the next day. DS and GS will fly back to Chicago and DH and I will drive home the southern way to Kentucky.

Next year it%26#39;s back to Europe for us,it%26#39;s cheaper!!!

Need vacation planning help

We%26#39;ve been to the Black Hills before. This time we%26#39;ll be taking our 2 kids (2 %26amp; 5) and a teenage visitor from Germany. In the past we%26#39;ve gone more off season and didn%26#39;t reserve rooms or plan anything ahead of time. We plan to travel the 2nd or 3rd week in July. Looking for afforadable cabins centrally located.

Would like to take in the Rapid City attractions, go to Custer State Park, possibly do a cave or gold mine if the 2 yr old is up for it. Our visitor has requested seeing a ranch, thought of possibly a chuckwagon supper if it%26#39;s not to commericalized. Are there any rodeos in the area at that time? Is Deadwood worth the trip? We stayed at a fun hotel there years ago but didn%26#39;t look around the area just were passing through.

I ordered a vacation guide but am getting too much info that way. Need help with somewhere to stay, and where to go to see the ';West'; without it looking fake.

Need vacation planning help

Hi,

If you are looking for a cabin experience, many on this site like staying at Custer State Park, which has a pretty central location to many of the attractions. Take a look at custerresorts.com to get an idea of the many cabins at the park.

You might be a little limited on seeing a cave or mine, but it really does depend on the child. The Big Thunder Gold Mine in Keystone has a relatively short tour which could be a good introduction to being underground for the toddler. There%26#39;s also a discovery tour at Jewel Cave that is only around 1/2 an hour. The tours at Wind Cave are all much longer--about 2 hours, which may be too much for the toddler. Your teenage guest would probably love them! Perhaps you could take shifts for cave touring..

I have not done a chuckwagon dinner, but the owner of our hotel highly recommended them. There was one that left from the Blue Bell Lodge in Custer SP. I believe there are others based out of Rapid City as well.

For young children, Deadwood may or may not be interesting. Our daughter was a little older (8), but she absolutely loved the Adams House. Your little ones might be bored with it. You and your teen guest would like it however. There%26#39;s a place there called Gulches of Fun that has go carts, etc. You could incorporate a quick stop to Deadwood enroute to Devil%26#39;s Tower, which is must see in the hills, imo. I know your little ones would enjoy the walk around the base of the tower, along with seeing the prairie dog town. All kids love them!

When we visited SD, I found the attractions there to be pretty authentic. Of course, being from the east coast like I am, I always find the west much more authentic and enjoyable than where I am from.

Feel free to ask more questions. Have fun planning.

Need vacation planning help

The Days of 76 Rodeo is July 21 - 25, 2009 in Deadwood. There%26#39;s also a parade with ';the Deadwood Stage, numerous horse drawn wagons and buggies from the Days of ’76 Museum Collection, regional bands, cowboys and cowgirls of today and yesterday and a great variety of historic floats and vehicles.';

Most of the chuckwagon dinners are a little hokey, but probably fun for the kids. Check out the cabins at www.sundancemountainhideaway.com

Also the cabins at Custer State Park as stated. I would highly recommend making reservations anytime in July.

Prairie Edge Trading Co. %26amp; Galleries: The Largest Collection Of Plains Indian Arts -located in Rapid City at the corner of 6th and Main.

Your entire family would enjoy The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs,S.D.

It is %26#39;google-able';.

Deadwood has done a fantastic job of preserving the old buildings. Parking was a problem. We drove up to Mt. Moriah Cemetery and hiked up to Wild Bill%26#39;s grave. Calamity is buried - literally- darned near on top of him.

For your visitor the contrast between patriotic Mt. Rushmore and Native American Crazy Horse might be interesting.

Deadwood does ';old west'; better than anywhere else in the Hills. But it%26#39;s still mostly all touristy. For REAL west check out what%26#39;s available over between Lusk and Douglas, WY where real cowboys still work. It means leaving the Black Hills for a day or two but might be worth it.

http://www.wyomingbnb-ranchrec.com/

There is a Stagecoach museum at Lusk. The wide open spaces of the national Grasslands might also be interesting for your visitor. You could combine a route with a swing by Devils Tower then loop back to the Black Hills.

Lodging & Location Advice Requested

My husband and I will be in the Black Hills/Badlands area for 4 days/4 nights in June. We%26#39;re looking for something other than chain hotel/motels. Anything unique, historical, modern cabins, ranches, b%26amp;b%26#39;s, etc. We would also like recommendations on where we should make our ';base camp.'; We enjoy history and taking easy hikes. I look forward to your recommendations.

Lodging %26amp; Location Advice Requested

We enjoyed staying in Keystone at the K Bar S Lodge. It has a great view of Mt. Rushmore and a hot breakfast each morning. It is centrally located for Custer State Park, Crazy Horse, Wind and Jewel Cave and Mt. Rushmore. It is near the historic train depot too.

Lodging %26amp; Location Advice Requested

Check out custerresorts.com. These are the resorts of Custer State Park, and they have modern cabins which you might enjoy. We liked the Blue Bell Lodge for dining inside Custer SP.

Based on your description, you will enjoy Mt Rushmore, the Gutzon Borglum Center in Keystone for history of Mt Rushmore%26#39;s famous sculptor, Crazy Horse (great native American exhibits and interesting history), Devil%26#39;s Tower (easy 2 mile hike around the base--flat trail), and the Presidential Trail at Rushmore. You might also enjoy Jewel and Wind Caves, which are easily navigable as long as you have no trouble with steps.

Keystone, Hill City and Custer are all fine bases for touring the Black Hills. Have fun planning, and feel free to stop back with more questions.

I second staying in Custer State Park. We enjoy the basic sleeping cabins at Legion Lake Lodge but there are 3 other resorts in the park too with accomodations that also include housekeeping cabins and hotel rooms. Can%26#39;t beat the setting.

If you are headed to Devil%26#39;s Tower check out Sundance Mountain HideAway B%26amp;B. They have great cabins.

The Bavarian Inn in Custer has very good food. As for a motel, I recommend The Rocket Motel in Custer.

The hotel rooms at the Bavarian are also pretty good. Clean %26amp; basic but set far enough off the road to be really quiet.

Although it%26#39;s not as good a base for touristing in the hills for historic hotels deadwood and Hot Springs are probably best. Hot Springs%26#39; sandstone building are really cool looking. In Deadwood Hicokc%26#39;s Iron Horse Inn has a very retro/historic feel. The renovation wasd nicely done.

Overnight stay

Can anyone recommend a clean, reasonably priced motel in a decent neighborhood that accepts small dogs for an overnight stay?

Overnight stay

I like to stay at the Country Inn and Suites which is downtown. They allow pets but I%26#39;m not sure what the pet charge is.

There really isn%26#39;t a bad neighborhood in Sioux Falls. Some are nicer than others but generally it%26#39;s a very safe city. A popular area for hotels is around I-29 Exit 77. This is the 41st Street area near the Sioux Empire Mall.

You might try a website like officialpethotels.com for some more ideas.

Chuckwagon supper and show

I could use some advise....my husband and I are planning on a vacation to the Black Hills the first week in June. I have read some reviews on the Chuckwagon supper and show. Which one is the best?

makeup hair

Things to do along the way?

We are thinking of taking our family vacation to Mt. Rushmore this summer. I am looking for thind to do and see between Nortwestern Illinois and Mt. Rushmore. I would welcome any ideas from seasoned travelers.

Things to do along the way?

This summer will be our 4th trip to that area from Northern Illinois (Crystal Lake). Here are some of our favorite things along the way:

1. Palisades State Park sdgfp.info/Parks/…Palisades.htm

Great place for a picnic and for the kids to do a little rock climbing. This is a little detour off 90 before you get into Sioux Falls, where we generally stop for the first night.

2. The Corn Palace in Mitchell. No great shakes but worth a see at least once in your life.

http://www.cornpalace.org/

3. The rest stop as you%26#39;re coming into Chamberlain. Seriously. Beautiful view of the Missouri River and the landscape really changes there. They also have a neat Lewis and Clark display inside. sddot.com/geninfo_projects_chambrestarea.asp

4. The prairie dog village just outside the Badlands. Buy a bag of peanuts and feed the critters. First time my kids were there my daughter was not quite 2 and kept calling them ';fairy'; dogs.

5. Badlands National Park. Awesome. We%26#39;ve stayed twice in the park at Cedar Park Lodge and this summer will be our 2nd stay in Wall. We like to take our time driving thru during the day, and also to hit the park at dusk and dawn.

http://www.nps.gov/badl/

6. Wall Drug. You%26#39;ll have passed approximately 17692 signs for it by the time you get there so you may as well stop and see what all the fuss is. We have a contest everytime we drive out that way and bet on how many miles it will be until we see the first billboard. http://www.walldrug.com/

7. Custer State Park. At the very least, drive the Needles Highway and the Wildlife Loop. If you can, spend a few days there. There is lodging in the park-we%26#39;ll be staying at Legion Lake Lodge again this summer. www.sdgfp.info/parks/Regions/Custer/Index.htm

I%26#39;m working under the assumption you%26#39;ll be coming in on 90. Once you get past the Dells, the driving is easy. The area around LaCrosse, WI is beautiful. Not a huge fan of southern MN, although I am partial to the Jolly Green Giant statue in Blue Earth, MN. MN also has some pretty rest stops where we usually have a picnic for lunch.

Sounds like you%26#39;re definitely going to Mt. Rushmore. We%26#39;ve been there twice during daylight and once for the night lighting and recommend either. Have never been to Crazy Horse-just seen it from the road but it%26#39;s a cool project. There are also some caves in the area, but again, have not done that.

Also, the first time we took this trip was without kids. The 2nd trip the girls were 1 1/2 and 3 1/2, the 3rd trip they were 8 and 10, and this year they%26#39;ll be 12 and 14. So, I think any of these activities would probably appeal to any age group.

Hope this helps! It%26#39;s a great trip! People who have never been to SD don%26#39;t know what they%26#39;re missing-it%26#39;s probably my favorite state.

Things to do along the way?

Whoops, it%26#39;s Cedar Pass Lodge, not Cedar Park Lodge in the Badlands.

Thank you so much for all of the great ideas and for taking the time to reply. Ironically, my children are also 12 and 14. Our time is limited by my husband%26#39;s amount of vacation time but we plan on about a week from Sterling, Il. to Mt Rushmore and back. It might be fun to stop every other attraction on the way there and get the rest on the way back. Thank you again for all of the great information.

A week should be about right. Give yourself some time in the Badlands, at least half a day%26#39;s worth, and a couple of days around Mt. Rushmore/Custer State Park, and most of the other things I mentioned are quick stops, just enough to break up the car ride.

Closer to Mt. Rushmore, around the Rapid City area, are some more touristy attractions, similar to what you%26#39;d find in the Dells if you%26#39;ve been there, but perhaps more low key. We%26#39;ve always just enjoyed the scenery and the animals but there are enough diverse offerings to please just about anyone.

Let me know if you have any other questions! I%26#39;m sure you%26#39;ll find these forums helpful-I always have!

As Library chick said, definitely hit the Badlands either coming or going---well worth it.

Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and Devil%26#39;s Tower are some of the must sees of the area. Your kids might enjoy the Cosmos Mystery Area (I have not experienced it, but it sounds like some hokey fun). There are also mamy privately owned caves in the area, but the ones operated by nps (Wind %26amp; Jewel) are best. Crazy Horse is something to explore once; its history is fascinating, and the native American exhibits are well done. Custer SP has so many areas of beauty. Some spend a couple of days exploring here. You also have horseback riding, the alpine slide in Keystone, and mini golf. I think your family will have a wonderful time!

If you haven%26#39;t done so already, be sure to get a South Dakota travel guide--travelsd.com.

Enjoy your trip, and stop back if you have more questions.

Yes, definitely order the SD travel guide-that will give you lots of ideas. We%26#39;re revamping the travel section at the library where I work and I%26#39;m ordering travel guides from every state to make available for our patrons because I think they%26#39;re such a valuable resource for the preliminary planning stages of any trip.

We did a ';mini'; last minute trip this past Labor Day. Left KC Thursday and drove back on Monday. There was so much to see and do that we are going back again this summer. We are retracing our route and adding to it. Our 14 yr old dd is a beach nut and every year we go to the beach. So last July we did the Virgin Islands and she loved it, however, we then did the impromptu trip to South Dakota and she was blown away. This was her favorite trip and she can%26#39;t wait for us to head back out again next summer.

We did ';Bear Country';, ';Reptile Gardens';, The ';1890 train from Keystone to Hill City and back';, ';Alpine Slide'; and of course ';Wall Drug';. You can%26#39;t go through that area without checking out Wall Drug! We based in Keystone which is right at the b ottom of Mt Rushmore and she loved the ';tourist trap'; feel and the old fashioned boardwalk with the saloon and shops.

I know you%26#39;ll have a great time, the area is beautiful.

Thank you so much for your response. I am so pleasantly surprised at how helpful many people have been. I am truly looking forward to vacation this year!

Thank you so much for your response. I am so pleasantly surprised at how helpful many people have been. I am truly looking forward to vacation this year!

My daughter is also 14 and my son is 12. I have daughters 22 and 19 also and family vacations are very different with 2 children instead of 4.

Can I ask where you stayed and if you were happy with your accomodations? I was looking at the Keystone Express and found it to be more pricey than I have budgeted. I read horrible reviews on the super 8.

Custer or Hill City?

We%26#39;ll be taking a late August trip to the Black Hills area and are trying to decide whether to spend 3 nights in Custer or Hill City. While we%26#39;re there we%26#39;ll be visiting Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Jewel Cave, and spending some time in Custer State Park. What are the pros and cons of each town? Which is more interesting? More convenient? Offers more/tastier food options?

Thanks for any insight!

Custer or Hill City?

While I didn%26#39;t stay in either town, we did visit both. I personally preferred Hill City. Hill City has an excellent restaurant called the Alpine Inn. It has delicious German fare for lunch and excellent desserts. For dinner, they serve only filet mignon, so if that%26#39;s not your taste, you might only like the lunches. Hill City is a bit closer to Rushmore, Rapid City, and the Badlands. Both towns are pretty convenient to Custer SP. Custer had a more western flair to it, and to me, the motels didn%26#39;t look quite as nice..more Mom and Pop. Some looked a bit run down. Custer is closer to the caves and Crazy Horse, but imo, Hill City is worth the slightly longer drive.

Custer or Hill City?

I like Keystone and they have nice restaurants and a nice lodge- K Bar S Lodge. It is very convenient.

And to make this even more difficult, we liked the town of Custer the best. I liked the location and it did not seem as full of touristy shops and restaurants. We spent a lot of time in Custer State Park, but could easily get to Mt Rushmore.

I%26#39;ll throw in Keystone for my comparisons as it is mentioned above.

Hill City is smaller than Custer. There are several art galleries downtown. The 1880 Train yard is there. It%26#39;s a close comparison, but I%26#39;d say the downtown of Hill City is a little more tourist friendly in Hill City. The Alpine Inn is certainly the most popular restaurant--it%26#39;s hard to go wrong eating there.

Being a little bigger, Custer has more fast food and a little bigger downtown. There are a couple of pretty good places to eat downtown. The Sage Creek Grille is a pretty good wine bar/bistro.

Keystone is a great place for families and for a quick overnight stay to see Mount Rushmore. But it%26#39;s certainly got a tacky tourist trap atmosphere. As far as the above comment of ';good restaurants';--I really wouldn%26#39;t say ';good';. There is a good number of restaurants and while some of them are pretty good, Keystone has a reputation for run-em-in, run-em-out tourist trap food. That reputation isn%26#39;t completely justified but you can see how it got to be if you stay there for a while.

You really can%26#39;t go wrong with either Hill City or Custer as you%26#39;ll have driving to do get to your attractions anyway. And Keystone is a good place to stay for the right situation.

The Custer State Park lodges have pretty good food. Check out Sylvan Lake or the Game Lodge.

Hands down...Hill city and dining at the Alpine Inn.....

Keystone not bad, but too Touristy and not many good eating places.

Custer nice, but a little run down and not central like Hill City...

Have stayed in Keystone (Kelly Inn)and Hill City (Best Western). Liked them both. I enjoyed watching the monuments light up at night from Keystone. It is touristy, but fun to walk through. You can stay in Hill City and take the 1880%26#39;s train to Keystone, visit there a while and take it back to Hill City. It%26#39;s a tad pricey, but the scenery in between is really lovely. If you take the train, wear a hat. Hill City is nice and because I have always been there during the rally in August, trying to get in to eat at the Alpine is challenging at best. But everyone I know who has eaten there really enjoyed the cuisine. I have been to Custer a couple of times but never stayed there.

I would shoot for Hill City. Like everybody has pointed out Alpine is excellent and well worth the wait. (lunch also)There are plenty of great shops to browse through right downtown while you wait. If the wait is too long there is also (Rico%26#39;s Mexican Restaurant-authentic mexican cusine), Route 16 Diner, and a Cowby Grill something downtown. Not much for fast food. Lots of lodging options and very clean town, art galleries, a couple of tourist shops. 1880 Train. Bike rentals on the mickelson trail,

We stayed four nights in Custer this past September at the Custer Comfort Inn %26amp; Suites. The Inn was very comfortable, continental breakfast, no congestion, easy access, and the Dakota Cowboy Restaurant nearby afforded us good dinner options. Custer turned out to be a good hub for us to launch our day trips from. And it doesn%26#39;t hurt that the towns has a broad street with plenty of parking and %26#39;buffalo%26#39; at each corner. The National Museum of Woodcarving is just up the road and certainly worth a visit while you%26#39;re there. We visited Crazy Horse, Alpine Inn, and the 1880 Train in Hill City; the Wildlife Loop drive, Needles, Iron Mountain Hwy.; Rushmore and the Presidential Wax Museum in Keystone; the Mammoth Site at Hot Springs; plus Bear Country, USA, and a chuckwagon supper/show on the highway to Rapid City--all easy drives back to Custer. When returning at night from Rapid City or Keystone, be sure to stay on Hwy. 16/385 and not the Alt. 16.

Bilings?

Is that the only airport that you can fly into to get to Deadwood? Please advise.

Bilings?

Rapid City is the closest airport with airline service to Deadwood. It%26#39;s about an hour drive from the airport to Deadwood.

Billings is a 4-5 hour drive from Deadwood.

Bilings?

Smaller regional airports are often at a cost disadvantage...that is, they cost a LOT more to fly to/from. Both Rapid City and Billings would fit this category and both would still require a car rental....also fewer rental cat options at smaller airports.

An alternative would be flying via Denver. Probably the same distance as from Billings but lots more competition. I-25 north into Wyoming catching US 18 and then US 85 from Lusk right into Deadwood. Might be iffy driving in Winter (like with 43 inches of snow in Deadwood yesterday) but in summer it%26#39;s a very pretty drive. If not flying through Rapid City Denver would be much less cost than Billings.

Thank you - great information.

Thank you so much.

I%26#39;d be driving on the November 30 - myself, so I am not to sure that I would want to tackle that alone, is there any sort of limo service to Deadwood hotels that you are aware of?

If you don%26#39;t rent a car, try contacting these two sources to research whether you can get shuttle service from RAP to Deadwood:

Airport Express Shuttle:

1-800-357-9998

The Deadwood Chamber of Commerce (won%26#39;t provide transportation but may be able to give you ideas):

deadwood.org/ChamberInformation/ContactUs/

Once you%26#39;re in Deadwood, you can ride the Deadwood Trolley. http://www.cityofdeadwood.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC%26amp;SEC={407CFDAA-63DD-4B39-989D-FD81677F2441}

Most people rent a car when they come to the area because of the number of other sites to see.

Wonderful! Thank you.

The Airport Express Shuttle has a website (it wasn%26#39;t working during my last post so I didn%26#39;t include the link then). http://rapidshuttle.com/outoftownrates.html

Hello and thanks for any information on transportation from Rapid City to Deadwood. I would like to stay in Deadwood for a couple days. I would be arriving in Rapid City on Greyhound. What are my options ?

Now I%26#39;ve found Greyhound goes to Sturgis. Any suggestions on transit to/from Deadwood originating at Sturgis Greyhound station ?

You%26#39;ll probably have to get a taxi to get from Sturgis to Deadwood.

http://www.dakotataxi.com/

http://www.deadwoodcabcompany.com/

Shi... That was quick! Thank You. See you soon.

loose slots and good buffets

Which casino in Deadwood has the loosest slots (I%26#39;ve heard they are all rather tight) and who has the best buffet?

Also, what is a good restaurant for a casual meal

that best reflects Deadwood%26#39;s character?

Thanks

loose slots and good buffets

The casinos on the edges of town (First Gold on the north and the Comfort Inn on the south) seem to make claims about good payouts but I don%26#39;t know if it%26#39;s true or just marketing. It is kind of a pain to get to both of places if you%26#39;re downtown. The Deadwood Trolley is your best bet.

The more popular buffets seem to be the Silverado, the Gold Dust and the Four Aces. I think the Four Aces is the best but I only eat at the buffets once in a while. Usually all of them have crab legs on Friday nights. I%26#39;ve had terrible waits at the Silverado.

By a casual meal do you mean a burger and fries or a non-buffet sit down place? Probably the best food is at the Deadwood Social Club above the Saloon #10. You%26#39;ll need to make a reservation but it%26#39;s worth it. It doesn%26#39;t get any more ';Deadwood'; than the Saloon #10 complex.

For a steak you might try the Gem Steakhouse in the Mineral Palace. This is one of the newer, larger casinos where most of the ambiance of the old west is long gone (just like the Silverado or the other larger casinos).

For a burger in a diner type setting, try Mustang Sally%26#39;s.

loose slots and good buffets

Tin Lizzie has great burgers and what I think is the best salad bar in Deadwood. They are a small operation, the people are friendly and a lot of locals play %26amp; eat there. They have daily specials. If you like buffet food you%26#39;ll like Deadwood. If I wanted a good sitdown restaurant, I wouldn%26#39;t pick Deadwood. Try Spearfish(10 miles away). They have Sanford%26#39;s %26amp; Guadalajara%26#39;s or better yet drive to Beulah, Wy. for the best steak you%26#39;ll ever eat. As far as payouts....it%26#39;s a crap shoot....no pun intended. Have a great time.

The TwoCoiner (50 cents) breakfast at Siverado is a great deal. They have some variations with add-ons that can get a really decent breakfast for under $2. Defintely too modern to be ';in character'; but still a deal.

Thanks for all your information! I think every place

mentioned will be on our list of possibilities!

Broken boot mine and Tatanka

I%26#39;m having trouble figuring how much time to allow

for the Broken Boot Mine and Tatanka, an hour or two

for each one or more?

Also, we%26#39;re on a tight schedule. If we (2 adults)

only have time for one, which do you recommend?

Thanks!

Broken boot mine and Tatanka

I have not been to either attraction, but according to the AAA Guidebook, there are 30 minute tours of the Mine. Tours leave every 30 minutes, so depending on how you time it, you could have a wait or you might get right in. I would think allotting an hour for the mine should be enough. It might be a little more if you decide to pan for gold, but if you are just touring, I%26#39;d think an hour would be fine even if you had to wait for the tour.

Also, AAA says to allot 30 minutes for Tatanka minimum. I find these guides give you an idea on timing depending on your likes, so based on their 30 minute minimum, I think probably you could safely see the exhibits there in an hour.

Based on the map,it looks like the 2 are fairly close together.

I%26#39;m sorry I can%26#39;t recommend one over the other; I will leave that question to someone who is more familiar.

Have a good trip.

Black HIlls family itinerary

We have 2 kids age 12 and 14...and 3 days...to tour the Black HIlls area...oh and a dog!

We are staying near Hill City, and of course we want to hit Mt Rushmore, Custer State Park, one of the Caves, and the Badlands. Any other must sees? what are some suggested itineraries? Thanks!

Black HIlls family itinerary

The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs would be a good stop with kids that age. It%26#39;s a work in progress, so they could see where some of the animals were found.

Black HIlls family itinerary

The Mammoth Site is nice, and if you go there, you might want to incorporate a trip to the Wild Horse Sanctuary which is nearby. It%26#39;s a pricey tour, but if you enjoy mustangs, it will be worthwhile for you. I would also include Crazy Horse Monument.I think if I had my choice between the Hot Springs attractions (horses and mammoth site) %26amp; Crazy Horse, I would go with Crazy Horse. It has a fascintating story behind it. You could see Crazy Horse and one of the caves easily in a day. If I had to choose between Wind %26amp; Jewel, I%26#39;d pick Jewel for its lovely, diversified formations.

There%26#39;s also an alpine slide in Keystone near Mt. Rushmore, and there%26#39;s places to pan for gold. Going out to the Badlands will take most of a day, but you could do something in the evening, such as the lighting ceremony at Rushmore. I would also recommend taking a ride out to Devil%26#39; s Tower. This would also be close to a day trip if you are going from Hill City. You could take the opportunity to drive the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway either coming or going out to the tower. It%26#39;s a nice drive that provides opportunities to get out of the car to see some waterfalls.

Have fun planning, and please feel free to ask other questions.

So for one day, Mt Rushmore and Custer State Park?

one day Badlands and Wall Drug?

Could we fit Crazy horse MEmorial to Mt Rushmore Day?

or would you suggest Crazy Horse and Jewel Cave for day 3?

Thanks!

I would definitely allot a day for seeing the Badlands and Wall Drug. What you could do is include a trip to the lighting ceremony at Rushmore that night, and then you could return the next morning to walk the presidential trail and spend time at the visitor%26#39;s center. You could wrap this up by lunchtime. If you wanted, you can spend the afternoon in Custer SP driving Iron Mountain Road and the Needles Hwy, eventually looping back to Hill City. Don%26#39;t miss Sylvan Lake on the way back. You may or may not have time for the wildlife loop, depending on how things go. If you do have time, I strongly recommend it.

The next day, you could then see Crazy Horse and Jewel Cave. Crazy Horse, along with the museum, can be seen in a 1/2 day, and the tours at Jewel Cave are 2 hours. If you are going in peak season, I%26#39;d strongly recommend advance reservations. The tours sell out quickly. We had to wait about 2.5 hours for a tour, and with little to do on the surface, it can be a real time waster if you are on tight schedule.

You could also change it up and include Crazy Horse the afternoon you see Mt Rushmore. Then Day 3 could include seeing Jewel 1st thing, followed by heading east towards the Wildlife Loop at Custer SP, and then hitting Iron Mt. Rd to Rt. 753 past the Black Hills Playhouse. You can then pick up the Needles Hwy to Sylvan Lake and eventually head back to Hill City. This could be quite a long day, but do-able if you aren%26#39;t planning on a lot of hiking and time out of the car.

Hope this helps. If you haven%26#39;t already done so, be sure to order a travel guide from travelsd.com. There%26#39;s some really helpful maps there, along with a complete attraction listing.

Hey, it looks like we will have another day...so Deadwood? ideas?

With a 4th day, there%26#39;s no question on what I%26#39;d do. Take the drive out to Devil%26#39;s Tower. If you get an early start, you could make it to the tower by around 10 or 11. It will take about 2.5 hours from Hill City. On the way back to Hill City, you can drive the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway and the wind your way over into Deadwood if you choose. Tough to say if you would have much to spend in Deadwood. It depends on how much you spend at Devils Tower or checking out the waterfalls in Spearfish Canyon. I really enjoyed the Adams House in Deadwood..very interesting attraction with very good tour guides. You also have Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane%26#39;s graves. Deadwood also has ';shoot-outs'; that kids might enjoy. There%26#39;s also a place called Gulches of Fun there where you can ride go-Karts and bumper boats. The teens would probably enjoy it.

If you have more questions, please don%26#39;t hesitate to ask. We%26#39;d love to hear a trip report when you return.

When are you going? We went about the 3rd week in June and the lilacs were absolutely stunning!!! They are everywhere and huge!(can you tell they are my favorite flower?) The wildlife loop is really cool,and so is the Needles hwy. Oh yeah, the lighting ceremony at Mt. Rushmore is great, too. And the drive to Devil%26#39;s tower is well worth the time. Have a great trip!!!

thanks all! I really appreciate the feedback. We will be there a little';off-season';the beginning of April...will make sure to let you know about the trip.

All of the suggestions above should make for a great vacation for you and your family. Don%26#39;t forget to slow down and enjoy the scenery during your stay with us :)

Kirk

SD Office of Tourism

makeup hair

Has anyone stayed in the new Frontier Cabins?

I saw an advertisement for the Frontier Cabins...went on their web site. They look pretty good (kind of like Cody Cowboy Village in Cody, WY). I know they are a year or so old. Has anyone stayed there to give me the thumbs up or thumbs down? Thanks fellow travelers!

Has anyone stayed in the new Frontier Cabins?

Excellent----new and clean- expensive but appropriate Cabela%26#39;s fixtures and decor

Has anyone stayed in the new Frontier Cabins?

My husband and I stayed there last summer and absolutely loved it!! Very clean,loved the furnishings........it is our favorite place to stay on our way through South Dakota!! And we did not think it was that expensive, either.

south & north dakota, montana, wyoming trip

i am planning a solo road trip- arriving in rapid city, sd and leaving from jackson, wy. i want to see the badlands area and yellowstone/grand teton area.

i believe 12 days should be enough. i am coming from florida so 2 days air travel and 1 day drive from north dakota to bozeman, mt.

trip planned for first 2 weeks in sept. i need advise on how many days in each place, hotels to stay %26amp; things can%26#39;t miss.

thanks diana

south %26amp; north dakota, montana, wyoming trip

We did that trip last June. We flew in and out of Denver because I got great airfare at $200 round trip. If you want info on our itinerary and where we stayed just let me know.

south %26amp; north dakota, montana, wyoming trip

Diana,

Your post brings me to ask quite a few questions. So I get this right--you are flying into Rapid City and out of Jackson, and 2 days are for air travel. So that brings you down to 10 days. Then you are mentioning a day drive from North Dakota to Bozeman, so that brings you down to 9 days. Can you tell us more about what you really want to see? To me, 9 days for the Black Hills/Yellowstone/Grand Tetons isn%26#39;t enough time, unless you are doing a very quick visit to the Dakotas.

More information will help us to assist you more. What types of things do you enjoy? Wildlife? Hiking? Nature walks? History? I will provide you with a short list of my must sees in the Black Hills:

Mt Rushmore

Badlands National Park

Crazy Horse

Devil%26#39;s Tower (could be seen enroute to Yellowstone, especially if you head to Cody)

Custer State Park

Wind Cave National Park

Jewel Cave National Park

travelsd is a great website to give you an idea on the area%26#39;s attractions.

You may not have time to see all of these must sees in your time frame. To really see the Tetons/Yellowstone and do them justice, you really need a week, imo. Just to give you an idea, in 1997, we spent 9 days in Yellowstone/Tetons, and in 2006, we spent 11 days in South Dakota. We weren%26#39;t bored for a minute. Both of these areas have a vast diversity of sights and should not be rushed.

For the Black Hills, most people make a base in either Keystone, Hill City or Custer. We liked the Roosevelt Inn in Keystone.

Also, I%26#39;m not sure what you are planning to see in North Dakota, but with your time frame, I%26#39;d focus on SD and Yellowstone.

In Yellowstone, you will also need to consider in park vs. out of park lodging. If you are looking to stay inside the park, you should look into reservations soon if you haven%26#39;t already done so.

Please provide with some additional information when you have a minute and we will try to help more. Enjoy your trip planning.

We did the trip in 2007 from Wisconsin. Here is how our trip worked:

Thursday - Stayed in Sioux Falls after driving.

Friday - Left at 6 am did the Corn Palace (mitchell, not owrth the back tracking for you), then stopped at Petrified Gardens, then did the Badlands. Got to Rapid City around 6 pm that night.

Saturday - Left our hotel to see Mount Rushmore as soon as they opened, did Crazy Horse, Thunderhead Falls, and Bear Country. Went back to the same hotel in Rapid City for the night.

Sunday - Left Rapid City 6 am and began driving to Yellowstone. Stopped at Devil%26#39;s Tower (A Must Do) and the drove through the Powder River Pass (on the road to YNP and very senic). Stopped in Cody, WY for the night. We got there after all the museums were closed so we didn%26#39;t get to do any of the things here, but there are things to see and do.

Monday - Left at 7 am for YNP. Did the southern loop of the figure 8 and whaterver else we had time for (we had our 3 kids; 5, 2, and 1 with us so we were limited to hikes no longer than 3/4 miles). Stayed in Gardiner MT as our base.

Tuesday - Did more hikes and stayed in Gardiner that night.

Wednesday - My husband went fishing while I packed the bags and did some things with the kids around the hotel. Left our hotel and finished the northern loop. Went through the Bear Tooth Pass (Another Must Do) on the way home (we took the northern route though North Dakota for the way home). Stayed in Miles City MT.

Began driving home around 3 am since there was nothing else we wanted to see on the way home. Stopped for BK to let the kids out in North Dakota, otherwise only stopped for food and gas until we hit Wisconsin. We got home around 6 pm that night. This was also a day after the bridge collapse in Minneapolis so it took extra driving time there.

Home Thursday night.

We cut out one night in Gardiner since we were restricted to 3/4 mile hikes and had done all we could do. We also cut out a night in North Dakota and just drove straight through.

For you I would spend 2 days in South Dakota and spend 5-6 days in Yellowstone.

May I ask what the draw is to Bozeman?

Hope this helps. If you have any other questions please feel free to ask.

thank you so much for info. i will definitely see all the things you listed.

i have a free frequent flyer ticket with delta so was trying to get airports they service. i also have a goal of visiting all 50 states and these 4 are for this year.

as for things i like-its hiking, wildlife, nature and sightseeing. As a woman alone travelling sometimes i am limited to some things-therefore like hotels with free breakfasts and in populated areas.

i have all the chamber state books and have been researching. my thoughts were 4 days in the black hills area(sd)-2 in keystone and 2 in spearfish and drive 85 north thru north dakota and see badlands there (1 day). then to miles city, mt for sleep over. then continue on to yellowstone. don%26#39;t need bozeman visit- would like to know best place for yellowstone hotel stay. 3-4 days there and rest of week in grand teton area-leaving from jackson hole.

if there is better ways of travel or hotels recommended-i would appreciate. thanks for all the info. diana

On our Delta frequent flyer tickets we have always had to fly round trip in and out of the same airport. I would check with Delta to make sure of the requirements unless you have done this before and had good luck. That is why we flew in and out of Denver last year. And before in and out of Salt Lake City or Jackson Hole.

I%26#39;m probably about to blow your quest to visit 50 states here, but I really think I%26#39;d skip North Dakota for now. I was looking at your route, and to me it still seems like a lot of ground to cover. Based on your first post with your time element, I%26#39;m not sure how you will get any time in the Tetons. You need at least 2 nights here to give it justice. You are going to be amazed at the scenery here! Based on your recent post, it looks like you have 9 nights not including Jackson.

I know a person who decided to see both North and South Dakota in one trip (did not include Yellowstone), and she was disappointed with North Dakota but loved South Dakota. Although there is a Badlands region in North Dakota including T Roosevelt Nat. Park, you can also visit Badlands National Park in South Dakota to get a similar perspective, and it would be much more convenient for you. I just can%26#39;t see you going out of your way getting to ND. After seeing the Badlands of ND, your drive to Miles City would be about 2.5 hours. Then to get to get to Gardiner, MT (gateway town at the north entrance of Yellowstone) you would have about a 4-5 hour drive or about a 6 hour drive to West Yellowstone (gateway town at the west entrance).

To me, this sounds like an awful lot of driving.

For staying in SD, with 4 nights, I would not split my time between Keystone and Spearfish. You will have plenty of time to see the must sees I have on the list I gave you. Be sure to allocate one of your days to Custer State Park if you enjoy your wildlife. Of course, you will see even more in Yellowstone. I would choose to stay in Keystone for the duration of the trip. You could see Devil%26#39;s Tower enroute to Yellowstone. After seeing Devil%26#39;s Tower, you could continue on to Cody and spend the night. Then you could move on to Yellowstone and either stay inside the park or in West Yellowstone. (I have firsthand experience staying in West Yellowstone and liked it for the amenities it has). I prefer having access to TV, pools, internet, etc. Some prefer staying inside the park because it will get you to the sights faster, but your amenities will be more limited. West Yellowstone has some chain hotels that include breakfast, but some of the Mom and Pops do not include it. There are several restaurants, however.

When you stay in Jackson, I%26#39;d highly recommend the Buckrail Lodge. There is no breakfast included, but you will find plenty of restaurants in Jackson. The Lodge is immaculate, and each room is like walking into the master bedroom of a log home.

I hope this helps some. Please feel free to ask more questions.

If you are heading from North Dakota to Miles City (we stayed here on our way home from Yellowstone at Econolodge, not very fancy but large rooms with king beds and cheap) you will want to drive through the beartooth mountains. Very pretty and on the route to Yellowstone.

We stayed in Gardiner as our base. This worked well for us. Things were a lot cheaper outside of the park.

You are like us. When we vacation we want to see and do as much as possible. We don%26#39;t worry about the driving and I would suggest you keep your plans. A vacation is what you make of it and if you want to see all 50 states then a 5 hour detour is a must.

We don%26#39;t mind driving and are considering driving from central Wisconsin to Florida (even down to Sanibel Island).

Have a great trip!

You NEED to get to North Dakota. I also was on a 50 state quest. ND was #50. I actually had to make a special trip just to get there. I%26#39;d been to South Dakota a couple of times but never bothered heading north. There%26#39;s really not much there. We did the Medora Musical and spent a night around Fargo(nice State Museum).But I regret not getting to ND while I was in SD. GO FOT IT!

If you want lodging in Yellowstone,reserve it now. We stayed in a cabin at Yellowstone Falls. Good value.I thought Jackson Hole was a bit of a let down. Just too rich for my blood I guess. The Tetons are spectacular.Cody,Wyoming is a nice town with a surprisingly impressive museum. Lots of hotels there.

Totally understand the 50 state thing. I%26#39;ve got just GA, SC, DE and HI left to visit and regret not ducking over to DE when I was in D.C. a few years ago.

Assuming the split airport bit works out why not fly into Bismarck, ND? It would avoid a lot of back tracking to get back south. The badlands in ND are not as extensive as in SD and look a lot the same. Instead youc could go south on the Enhanted Highway and view the worlds largest metal sculptures. Then work your way down to the Black Hills. Maybe even take Hwy 73 to Phillip, SD and stay a night at Wall then visit the badlands there on the way to the hills.

A couple days minimum in the Black Hills (Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Caves, Custer Park, Deadwood, etc...). Devils Tower and Custer battlefield on the way to Billings. Then Beartooth Pass to Yellowstone. Many people recommend staying in the park but it will be extra busy there this year in Sept. with Labor Day so late. Might be hard to get in-park lodging. More lodging options at W. Yellowstone or Gardiner. A bit north of Gardiner is a Chico Hot Springs with a wide variety of room options from $49 (main lodge shared bath) to $490 (chalet). Figure three days at YNP then drive south to Jackson for a couple days.

If you end up needing to use the same airport on a straight R/T ticket then Billing%26#39;s would be a good choice.

Medora is worth seeing, so go to ND and make sure you see the show. They are still running it until Sept 6, so get up there by then.

From Medora, get on I-94 and drive until you get to Laurel, MT on I-90. At Laurel, get on US 212 to Red Lodge, a cute town where you can spend the next night (several nice hotels, including The Pollard). It is all flat, boring driving between Medora and Billings on the interstate and you can make good time. Stop at Pompey%26#39;s Pillar to stretch your legs for an interesting stop.

The following morning, drive to the park via the Beartooth Highway between Red Lodge and Cooke City, MT. Don%26#39;t go all the way to Bozeman on I-90. It is a nice town, but the Beartooth Highway is spectacular and should not be missed. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beartooth_Highway

Here is a link for road conditions:

鈥ot.gov/projects/beartooth/conditions.htm

The highway should still be open in early September, but in case of early snow, go in by way of Livingston and the Paradise Valley to Mammoth.

That won%26#39;t take too long, you%26#39;ll bag ND, and you%26#39;ll catch one of the most scenic drives in the world. You%26#39;ll be at the north end of the park with plenty of time to circle around, see everything and drop down to the Tetons. Keep your fingers crossed that winter does not start early (it is possible).