1

What time of year? If between now at Sept 15th, good luck with reservations.

2

SoloHobo,

Sorry about that...would have made sense to explain that this is for next June 2013.

Thanks.

3

Yes, the Corn Palace is recommended. I skipped it on my first trip thru SD 'cause I thought it was probably a tourist trap. Then when I saw it years later, I realized I'd been wrong.

Skip Mt. Rushmore (you'll see it as you pass on the road) and head over to the Crazy Horse Monument which is still in progress. A lot less crowded.

4

I have spent a fair amount of time in Yellowstone (9 trips in past 11 years), and there is always more to see and always new places to explore. That said, you can do a decent tour of Yellowstone in 4 days. Bzookaj has good suggestions on how to break up the hotels.

I'd spend 2 nights in Roosevelt or Mammoth as he suggests. Spend at least one full day exploring the northern part of the park, spending morning and evening in the Lamar Valley (fantastic for wildlife, especially wolves, black bears and grizzlies), and walk around Mammoth in the afternoon. Another day for hiking in the northern part of the park: Trout Lake, Hellroaring Creek, etc.

Third day: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Norris Geyser Basin, Sulfur Cauldrons. Fourth Day: Old Faithful Geyser Basin and other geothermal features in that area.

That's a pretty good and unrushed time in the park. I have done very similar trips with first-time Yellowstone visitors and they always had a great time.

5

If you can, I would drive from Spearfish, SD(on the northern side of the black hills) across the middle of Wyoming on why 90 over the Bighorn mountains (SPECTACULAR DRIVE!!) and into Grand Tetons. I would definitely not miss the Tetons - these mountains are so beautiful and in my opinion, even better than Yellowstone (for different reasons, of course). The drive from Spearfish to Grand Tetons goes from desert to mountains to desert - a crazy canyon drive and then more desert (through the depressed Arapahoe and Shoshone Indian reservations) and up the back entrance to the park with incredible views as you approach the Tetons. Also, the small town of Buffalo, WY is worth a lunch (or breakfast) stop. Super cute. From the Tetons, it's only a short drive into Yellowstone.
The pass through the Bighorn Mountains is breathtakingly beautiful with alpine and then classic red-stone desert vistas. It's also uncrowded and very pristine. I've also been on I-94 which is the northern option, and it is an inferior choice by far. If you have a choice for a driving route, you should try route 90 out of Spearfish, at Buffalo, head west on hwy 16, and then at Riverton, west toward Jackson on 26/287.
Have fun!

6

Thanks everyone...this is all great info...

Next/last problem:

Do we attempt to make this trip in one of our small sedans (Kia Forte or Spectra), or start saving for the extra $1200+ it's going to cost to rent an SUV or minivan?

I probably know the answer already. :(

7

That depends on your wife, your finances, how much baggage you will be carrying, and how tolerant your wife and kids are to playing sardines. That will be your call. My first wife DECREED a minivan when my kids were 15, 12 and 9.