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Old 05-31-2022, 04:32 PM   #1
Table 5
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Default Roadtrip to Denver...looking for hot tips

So my family and I are looking to do a roadtrip from Calgary down to Denver in July to visit my wife's family....and so figured I'd ask if anyone who is familiar with the general route/area along the way, has any tips/insight to share. I've been to the states of Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado before, but seemingly always just passing through with no real time to stop.

Direct driving time seems to be about 17 hours, although with two kids under 10, we're looking to make the trip in about 4-5 days. The goal is to be somewhat efficient with the drive, but stop at interesting spots, and try to give the kids a few good roadtrip experiences along the way. We have a rooftop tent, so ideally would be looking to do a mix of camping and hotels.

Mostly looking for:
• Any particular route you find the most scenic?
• Interesting things to do or see or eat along the way?
• Recommendations of what towns to visit or stay in? Any towns to avoid? Jackson seems nice, but $$$.
• Any specific campgrounds you recommend?
• Is Yellowstone in July just a no-go? Alternatives if so?
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Old 05-31-2022, 04:52 PM   #2
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It's a bit out of your way, but if you take I-15 you can hop over to Craters of the Moon park, which is awesome for camping. Lava tunnels to explore during the day, cinder cone volcanoes to hike up, and the stars are incredible. If you do go that way, Dillon Montana has the Patagonia outlet store. It's been years since I went there, but they had great deals, so worth popping in on the way.


Jackson is a cool town, but really it's a busy lunch stop to pass through, for me. The views that way are great.
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Old 05-31-2022, 06:21 PM   #3
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Finding accommodations in the national parks at this point will be impossible. I would recommend either a detour through Yellowstone or through Salt Lake City and the various Utah parks such as Bryce, Canyonlands, Moab, etc.

On the way to Yellowstone, Three Forks and Big Sky are both cool places to visit. Idaho Falls or Pocatello are both decent stops on the way to Salt Lake if you don't want to do the 12 hour drive in one shot. If you go through Utah check out highway 65 just east of Grand Junction. I haven't been but it looks like a fun drive.
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Old 05-31-2022, 06:36 PM   #4
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Not really sure the Utah parks in July will be fun, unless you like the surface of the sun. I love them in April and October, but even then it can get too hot.
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Old 05-31-2022, 06:48 PM   #5
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Not really sure the Utah parks in July will be fun, unless you like the surface of the sun. I love them in April and October, but even then it can get too hot.
Definitely not ideal but I love that area and have been a number of times in the summer and I'll suffer through it. Places like Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, etc are not that bad because you can plan hikes in the shade. The Virgin River hike in Zion is my favorite when the sun is blasting down at 100+F. Moab and Arches is not as much fun in the sun though.
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Old 05-31-2022, 07:41 PM   #6
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I hear Wally World has some great attractions.
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Old 05-31-2022, 08:05 PM   #7
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When I breeze into that city, people gonna stoop and bow.
All them women gonna make me, teach em what they don’t know how…

Don’t miss the opportunity to play that song as you saunter your way into Jackson .

I would honestly wreck my health just to be able to tell the story.

If I live of course.

Gotta be worth it just to take your family’s picture with the sign?
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Old 05-31-2022, 08:11 PM   #8
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Might be the wrong state, but still might be fun. Lol.
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Old 05-31-2022, 09:11 PM   #9
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Have done this trip a few times in both one day, non stop travel as well as the scenic route hitting the parks along the way. The quick way is 14 hours or so once you cross at Coutts. Travelling the I25 through Wyoming is 400 miles of nothing, will make for a quick trip home. You could consider a detour over to Devils Tower its about two hours (each way) off the interstate but pretty neat.
https://www.nps.gov/deto/index.htm

On your way down, try to stop by the Lewis and Clark Caverns they are pretty cool and both you and the kids should enjoy. Give yourself a couple of hours here, and take the tour. Its nice stop to get out of the car and see something that will likely leave the kids in awe.
https://fwp.mt.gov/stateparks/lewis-and-clark-caverns

Yellowstone is a must, these accommodations, right at Old Faithful are both rustic and affordable, even a little fun for a night or two.
https://www.usparklodging.com/bookin...hp?prop=100200

In July Yellowstone can get pretty hot during the day, but cools down nice in the evenings, really busy but to be expected. One day for the north loop and one day for the south loop should give you enough time to see pretty much all you could want to in the park.

From Yellowstone you can head right south to Grand Teton, not a lot to see except for the Tetons themselves IMO. Lodging options below.
https://www.gtlc.com/lodges/colter-bay-village

Jackson; I describe it like Banff meets Taber, worth checking out for an afternoon. I like this Mexican restaurant there which, fun fact, has a small role in the Brian Laundrie, Gabby Petito case. https://www.merrypiglets.com/

Leaving Jackson and making your way to Denver is a long drive and have not found much of anything to see or do in this stretch, you will likely just wat to get to Denver at this point anyways. Outside of the NW, Wyoming is a dump, as is are areas of Montana you'd be driving through. They longer give tours of the Gibson guitar factory in Bozeman MT, regret that we never stopped to do this.

The Utah parks mentioned above are really a whole other road trip, I recommend seeing them all but are quite the detour and time commitment to squeeze into a trip to Denver.
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Old 05-31-2022, 09:14 PM   #10
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Right, Lewis and Clark Caverns are great, went there as a kid, loved it.
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Old 06-01-2022, 09:06 AM   #11
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Some really solid ideas in here so far, thank you! Lewis and Clarks Caverns is exactly the type of stuff I'm hoping for. I'm going to see if I can make the Yellowstone route work in some fashion, even if we can't directly stay in the park anymore. Unfortunately this trip idea only coalesced over the last week.

And yeah, while Zion, Bryce etc. are awesome I think that's a whole other trip on it's own. I did that circle route a few years ago, and it was fantastic, so will definitely need to go back with the kids.
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Old 06-01-2022, 09:29 AM   #12
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I made a very similar trip in 1989 in my early teens. I can definitely recommend Lewis & Clark Caverns. Really cool!

Yellowstone is also pretty interesting.

I can't remember much else. We stayed at a lot of KOA campgrounds along the way. I don't know if those even exist anymore or not but they almost always had a pool. Pools are generally a safe bet when kids are involved.
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Old 06-01-2022, 09:31 AM   #13
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For Yellowstone, if you can find the time try to go in from Billings (NE) using the Beartooth Pass. It is a cool drive.
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Old 06-01-2022, 10:26 AM   #14
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It’s a fantastic drive. I’d stay in the front ranges to avoid the crowds. Target Bozeman instead of the typical Great Falls stop. Then make your way to Cody Wy. A wonderful little town with lots of history. Then I’d go to Laramie. Another pretty college town with good hotels or camping.

If you’re into geology and dinosaurs, on your way back go through Vernal Ut and dinosaur national monument. They have built a large viewing area overtop of an intact bone bed. Different older dinosaurs than you can see around here. If you’re into geology (and who isn’t?) there’s many excellent guidebooks published by local groups that give recommendations on where to stop and stretch your legs and see the sights.
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Old 06-01-2022, 10:42 AM   #15
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Time it so the spouse has dozed off while driving through the emptiness of Wyoming so you can see what the top speed capability of you vehicle really is.
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Old 06-01-2022, 10:49 AM   #16
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Time it so the spouse has dozed off while driving through the emptiness of Wyoming so you can see what the top speed capability of you vehicle really is.
With the wonderful resistance of a rooftop tent, that should be exiting!



Buffeting!

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Old 06-01-2022, 10:55 AM   #17
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I last did this drive back in 2008, it's great - made it all the way to Pikes Peak. Just took my sweet old time. Don't forget to drive the Beartooth Pass, and don't count out staying in Cody, Wy (unless the presence of Kanye has made it unaffordable and/or ######y).


Depending on your route/itinerary, could be worth it.
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Old 06-01-2022, 11:04 AM   #18
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We stayed at a lot of KOA campgrounds along the way. I don't know if those even exist anymore or not but they almost always had a pool. Pools are generally a safe bet when kids are involved.
I managed to find an open site in a KOA campground in West Yellowstone. So I think we'll be doing that.

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Time it so the spouse has dozed off while driving through the emptiness of Wyoming so you can see what the top speed capability of you vehicle really is.
Fully-loaded Landcruiser with a rooftop tent? I'll be lucky to hit 100km/h.

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Old 06-01-2022, 11:13 AM   #19
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If Stampede isn't enough for you, you can hit up Frontier Days in Cheyenne. It's middle to end of July.
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Old 06-01-2022, 10:36 PM   #20
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If you go through South Dakota, check out Deadwood. It's been ~20 years since I was there, but it was surprisingly memorable. Very touristy then; I imagine far worse now.
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