Driving through WY from Little Big Horn (Casper, Rock Springs: how much, hotel)

[jaeco]

We have just not nearly enough time to do this trip so am trying just to enjoy what I can. We will be in arriving in Salt Lake June 9....driving to West Yellowstone I guess, the west entrance....our main destination is Little Big Horn, Crow Agency. My daughter wants to see Yellowstone...I want to see everything but know we dont' have enough time. I am interested in interesting historical places....getting the feel if even for a min, of towns and etc. Too much country to cover to do much just enjoying the drive type trip. So, would you go West Yellowstone, MT, through Bozeman, then Billings to Crow Agency, then down to Sheridan and then through Rock Springs and back to SLC....OR would you hit Cody, down to Rock Springs and then on to SLC? Or some other way? I thought we'd head to the west entrance of Yellowstone, but we could instead of going through Idaho Falls, we could go up through jackson area, and angle over to Crow Agency. I love planning but this is getting to me...mainly because of the time we have. Thanks for any suggestions.

[sunsprit]

Would you like to give us a clue as to how much time you have for the Yellowstone travels?

If your real goal of this trip is to make it as fast as possible from SLC to Crow Agency, then there's ways to do it with a lot less stress than just trying to blast through Yellowstone in high tourist season.

[jaeco]

Sorry, I did leave that out. It's ridicuously short. We arrive in Salt Lake City June 9...and we have to be back there on June 14th. I know there is not enough time to see much of anything, but like I said, Little Big Horn is my destination....but even with my limited time I'd like to see a few things and want to choose the route that will help me achieve that. My daughter does want to go to Yellowstone...i'd just as soon spend a day or two in different towns and enjoy the scenery along the way type thing. We can go through Idaho Falls and be to the West Entrance of Yellowstone I believe late the night of the 9th, but then I wondered if even though it's a little longer, if we should go through Jackson and up that way. I don't want to spend every day in the car 10 hours, but by the same token I don't have to fly through everywhere. I'd rather see fewer places and enjoy myself as opposed to doing too much driving. I realize enough of that will be involved just because of what we're doing. I thought perhaps SLC to West Yellowstone, then Bozeman, then through Billings to Crow Agency, then maybe down to Sheridan and then through Rock Springs and on into SLC....or from Crow Agency could go to Cody then through Rock springs, then on to SLC....OR, go the Jackson route and try to map something out from there. I was in jackson last year for about four days so dont' care so much about being there but it would be okay too if that works out the best. Like I said, I'm interested in more historical, sort of unusual places...you know, the same old thing...the places locals would know not to miss if possible. Hope this gives a better idea. Thanks really for any help. I've wanted to make this trip for 25 years and always wanted to have a couple months. Realized recently I better just go...do what I can with the time I have.

[WyoNewk]

If you're a Western history buff, you really ought to make a pass through Cody and see the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. Cody is an hour east of Yellowstone, so you could make a short loop in the Park and exit the East Gate. The museum is a must see if you're interested in western heritage -- Indians, guns, western art, etc. While there be sure to visit the Irma Hotel downtown, which was built by Bill Cody and named for his daughter.

From there you could head east and swing through Greybull and Worland to Buffalo. Buffalo is a great old western town, and overnight accommodations at the historic Occidental Hotel would certainly be memorable. You'd be joining such notables on the guest list as Teddy Roosevelt, Butch Cassidy and the Hole-in-Wall Gang, Calamity Jane, Buffalo Bill, Tom Horn and others. (The Hole-in-the-Wall was just a bit south of Buffalo.) The area is also famous for the "Johnson County Wars," where cattlemen battled sheep ranchers in range wars.

The Bighorn foothills from Buffalo to Sheridan is rich in Indian/Western history -- Wagon Box Fight near Story, the Fetterman Battlefield and Fort Phil Kearny. While in the vicinity, you'd probably enjoy the Bradford Brinton Memorial near Big Horn. Sheridan is also very rich in history.

If you had a little more time you could find tons of history in the Black Hills area, but you'd be adding another 6 hours of driving time at a minimum -- probably best to save it for another trip.

[jaeco]

Thank you so much...This is exactly the type info I'm looking for. Buffalo sounds like a great place and hopefully we can try to get a reservation at the Occidental. I didn't realize how close Cody was to the east entrance to Yellowstone. I think now we'll drive from Salt Lake straight to Buffalo, hit Sheridan, Crow Agency, then on to Cody. From Cody I guess through the park and down through Idaho Falls back to Salt Lake City....Maybe from Cody not go all the way across, but maybe go through Jackson WY and down to Salt Lake. That part is up in the air, but I think the first part is pretty much falling into place. Thanks again. I'd totally forgotten about Fetterman, etc., and didn't realize they were so close there. Cant' wait for this trip.

[WyoNewk]

It sounds like your plan is falling into place. Rather than just taking I-90 all the way from Buffalo to Sheridan, you might want to exit the interstate a few miles north of Buffalo onto Piney Creek Road and take that into Sheridan. It'll take you past Story and near Fort Phil Kearny and the battlefields, Bighorn, etc.

The 50 miles between Cody and the Park, Wapiti Valley, is very nice in itself as it follows the Shoshone River most of the way. If timing works for you, you might plan another overnight stop in one of the many lodges near the East Gate such as Pahaska Tepee. Just steps outside the Park, it was Buffalo Bill's Original 1904 Mountain Lodge and probably the most historic of the lodges.

[jaeco]

We will definitely do that, get off at Piney Creek Rd, then on into Sheridan like you suggested. The Pahaska Lodge sounds great. Looks like we'll leave SLC the 9th and drive all the way to just outside Buffalo, maybe Casper or something. We'll have a van, four drivers, don't mind sleeping in the van the first night IF necessary/possible. Hopefully wake up the 10th in/very near Buffalo...Stay the 10th Occidental. Stay in that area that day and the next, staying right near Crow Agency the 11th at some cabin. Hopefully that will at least give me a taste of the area. Leave early/sometime on 12th....depending if I've had enough time at Little Big Horn...so leave the 12th, drive to Cody. Have to be back to SLC the 14th. I've heard several mentions of a lot of possible traffic in the park, so am wondering if we should just enter the east entrance, drive around or whatever, then exit from the east entrance and head down to SLC... Don't know how deep to go into the park, maybe exit the southern exit. I don't know... since we have to have people back to SLC airport by say noon on 14th. I plan on calling the park to see what they suggest. I realize traffic can't be predicted...breakdowns or whatever...but I don't spend a lot of time in national parks so maybe I'm underestimating the amount of traffic there is. I realize I'm cutting the park short but that's the best I can do this time around, and my interest was Little Big Horn all along. My daughter and her husband are more interested in the park but they say they'll be back...I may not...Thanks so much for your time!

[Claim Jumper]

Ditto on the Irma Hotel. I am not sure when Cody has there nightly rodeo events-worth it if you have never been. The Irma in Tourist season has a gun fight about every hour--i cant remember when it all starts but you could call the Hotel *which has excellent food* and see when the action starts-dates and times. And dont push yourself--relax and enjoy your trip and take lots of pictures.

http://www.irmahotel.com/cgi-bin/psg.cgi?view=10 Here is a link to the testament of the Irma Hotel. I ate there and the prime rib was dee licious!

[jaeco]

I'd love to stay at the Irma but they have no openings. I'm so excited about this trip but it's hard to relax in my planning....I really don't want to drive all day every day...I'd rather see fewer things and more of them, than try to drive for five days. The first part of the trip is in place, but I'm having trouble deciding from Crow Agency, from the battlefield, we have three days from there until we need to be back in Salt Lake City. So leave Crow Agency pm of 11th, want to go to Cody or Bozeman but think I need to skip one, then on I guess through Jackson and then onto Salt Lake City. I dont' care if we don't have reservations for every night, just hate to get stuck and have to spend too much for a night only to sleep and spend little time there, so am trying to vaguely plan around places we could stay. Would like to stay two nights somewhere for exploring...maybe Bozeman or Cody. Anyway, sorry...thinking out loud again. Thanks for your reply..I almost missed it. It makes me reconsider maybe spending the two days in Cody.....

[StealthRabbit]

I would skip Bozeman and save it for a different trip (Its out of the way, and you feel short on drive time).

I would definately want to hit the Tetons (just north of Jackson), preferably for morning sun (and to avoid afternoon showers).

If there was anyway to do it, I would include the NE entrance to Yellowstone, (down through Cooke City, MT) as it is lightly visited and spectacular drive. (Check to verify it is open, snow possibly will close that route in June, don't attempt it in the dark). I also like rte 14 and 14a from Sheridan to Lovell, as a faster but pretty scenic alternative

Speaking of dark.... you have the advantage of LONG days, but plan your travel wisely. When crunched for time I do a lot of night driving (occasionally sleeping in car via short naps), and much of your trip is conducive to that. Pick out the 'parched' zones and do them at night, or before dawn. There are even long stretches within Yellowstone that are heavily forested and not much to see. You will appreciate the lack of traffic in the park by traveling very early and late (dusk), & wildlife is often more prevalent during those times. You can really expedite your trip by keeping out of the prime areas during high traffic.

For route between SLC and Tetons, I would chose to go via Logan / Garden City /Bear Lake / SE ID and through the Star Valley of WY (Afton - Alpine) at least one of the directions. I'm not too high of a promoter of the Interstate highways in ID, UT, WY. the back roads are usually adequate fast and you can meet more local people and enjoy history. (the above route may test that theory ... canyons and passes, but really pretty).

Don't miss this -

...exit the interstate a few miles north of Buffalo onto Piney Creek Road and take that into Sheridan. It'll take you past Story and near Fort Phil Kearny and the battlefields, Bighorn, etc.... The Bighorn foothills from Buffalo to Sheridan is rich in Indian/Western history -- Wagon Box Fight near Story, the Fetterman Battlefield and Fort Phil Kearny. While in the vicinity, you'd probably enjoy the Bradford Brinton Memorial near Big Horn. Sheridan is also very rich in history.