Yellowstone trip on a budget, no camping.

[arakboss]

Looking for advice on planning a budget late September Yellowstone trip. We won't have the cash for $300 a night lodging in the park. We would also like to see Mt Rushmore and maybe Devils Tower, while we are there.

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[Xaevian]

Last time I camped in Yellowstone in late September, it was like 80 degrees midday, and 25 at night. We tent camped. Me and the kid had a great time, my other half, not so much, at least at night and early morning. Doesn't get lower budget than that. If comfortable lodgings are a must for you, you're likely to be unsatisfied with the cost, even for outside the park such as West Yellowstone. Cheaper than one of the lodges or villages, but not motel 6 cheap during tourist season. There is also Gardiner at the north entrance and Cooke City at the Northeast entrance. West Yellowstone is the most logical, hands down. It is on the border of the park and on the main road through the park. Hard to find anything under 200/night and you need to reserve like now. This stuff books out fast, like by June it would be too late. This last tourist season was in.sane.

 

[arakboss]

Last time I camped in Yellowstone in late September, it was like 80 degrees midday, and 25 at night. We tent camped. Me and the kid had a great time, my other half, not so much, at least at night and early morning. Doesn't get lower budget than that. If comfortable lodgings are a must for you, you're likely to be unsatisfied with the cost, even for outside the park such as West Yellowstone. Cheaper than one of the lodges or villages, but not motel 6 cheap during tourist season. There is also Gardiner at the north entrance and Cooke City at the Northeast entrance. West Yellowstone is the most logical, hands down. It is on the border of the park and on the main road through the park. Hard to find anything under 200/night and you need to reserve like now. This stuff books out fast, like by June it would be too late. This last tourist season was in.sane.

Good info, thank you.

 

[BBQ Guy]

Cooke City.
Lodging can be found for reasonable pricing.

 

[BBQ Guy]

Otherwise, camping. Be prepared for cold nights.

 

[arakboss]

Otherwise, camping. Be prepared for cold nights.

Wife isn't going to go for camping, we will check out Cooke City.

 

[Bam]

West Yellowstone is your best option to maximize your time in the park. If you stay at the North Entrance or Cooke City, you will waste a lot of time driving.

There is no way around it, even if you make your reservations now, and don't wait, you're looking at a minimum of $200/night.

And since you'll be in the are of Devil's Tower and Rushmore, take an extra day and visit Deadwood.

 

[BBQ Guy]

Wife isn't going to go for camping, we will check out Cooke City.

I love Cooke city.
We've been fortunate and were able to find a place last minute. We travel with very few things booked. It allows us the freedom to roam as we choose and not be tethered to booking/cancelation policies.

I'd say the best way to get into Cooke City would be over the Beartooth Hwy but September is pushing it for the road to be open. The scenery up there is breathtaking and someplace a man could wander for a lifetime.

 

[Xaevian]

You'll be much more comfortable outside the park anyway. Even the lodges are primitive by hotel standards. Last time I checked though, park lodging had over a year waiting list, so I never bothered. Gardiner and Cooke City work, but they are very small towns at the least popular entrances.

I love Yellowstone. You may inspire me to go this year if it is not as crowded as last year.

 

[SolidSnake]

Looking for advice on planning a budget late September Yellowstone trip. We won't have the cash for $300 a night lodging in the park. We would also like to see Mt Rushmore and maybe Devils Tower, while we are there.

If you're absolutely not going to camp (which will be the cheapest) you may want to look into renting a small sleeper trailer which if it is a short trip could reduce shelter costs.

 

[arakboss]

You'll be much more comfortable outside the park anyway. Even the lodges are primitive by hotel standards. Last time I checked though, park lodging had over a year waiting list, so I never bothered. Gardiner and Cooke City work, but they are very small towns at the least popular entrances.

I love Yellowstone. You may inspire me to go this year if it is not as crowded as last year.

We are hoping that by going in the second half of September that the crowds will be reduced.

 

[arakboss]

West Yellowstone is your best option to maximize your time in the park. If you stay at the North Entrance or Cooke City, you will waste a lot of time driving.

There is no way around it, even if you make your reservations now, and don't wait, you're looking at a minimum of $200/night.

And since you'll be in the are of Devil's Tower and Rushmore, take an extra day and visit Deadwood.

My wife read up on some recommendations that suggested staying at different locations throughout the trip so travel time back to your hotel was reduced from the different areas of the park. I think you are right about $200 being an expected nightly rate.

 

[kmk1012]

We tried to do Yellowstone in a single day, twice now. Realized that a week minimum is needed. Still, very beautiful to drive through, lots of wildlife but to really experience the park hiking is a must. Mt Rushmore is freaking awesome, even the drive in. Very cool rock formations leading up to it. My only thoughts about that place is I was a little shocked at how small it was in person. Also, one last point, if you get the chance visit Deadwood, that place is pretty neat as well. I believe the bar where Wild Bill Hickok is there still. Sounds like a fun trip for sure.

 

[arakboss]

We tried to do Yellowstone in a single day, twice now. Realized that a week minimum is needed. Still, very beautiful to drive through, lots of wildlife but to really experience the park hiking is a must. Mt Rushmore is freaking awesome, even the drive in. Very cool rock formations leading up to it. My only thoughts about that place is I was a little shocked at how small it was in person. Also, one last point, if you get the chance visit Deadwood, that place is pretty neat as well. I believe the bar where Wild Bill Hickok is there still. Sounds like a fun trip for sure.

We are planning for a week. The idea is, I will be putting .15 cents per minute I walk in my walking challenge into savings account and my wife will match it, that will be the budget for the trip. If I have reached a predetermined weight goal by the trip date, my wife and I will go together. If I haven't reached the predetermined weight goal by then. She goes and takes her son or a friend using the money I saved up from walking. Putting up the four firearms hasn't been enough to keep me on the wagon, so I'm upping my ante. We will likely put Deadwood on the list.

 

[Forester]

If you're absolutely not going to camp (which will be the cheapest) you may want to look into renting a small sleeper trailer which if it is a short trip could reduce shelter costs.

That's a good idea. We took our trailer a couple years ago and had friends who rented one.

 

[Forester]

You could see if John Dutton is hiring any more ranch hands and stay at the ranch.

 

[clanhanson]

Just a heads up, tent camping isn't allowed in most of the park these days due to increased Grizzly activity. It normally wouldn't be a problem, but most visitors don't take the time to ensure that no food, deodorant, etc is in the tent with them.

I would recommend staying at a hotel out of the park and driving in the morning. September is less busy so that's good.

 

[mrblond]

We are planning for a week. The idea is, I will be putting .15 cents per minute I walk in my walking challenge and my wife will match it, that will be the budget for the trip. If I have reached a predetermined weight goal by the trip date, my wife and I will go together. If I haven't reached the predetermined weight goal by then. She goes and takes her son or a friend using the money I saved up from walking. Putting up the four firearms hasn't been enough to keep me on the wagon, so I'm upping my ante. We will likely put Deadwood on the list.

Think they still do the trial of the Coward Jack McCall there.
My Grandma told me that her Uncle Tom was the Marshall that took him to his hanging in Yankton and Great grandad skipped school to see the hanging

 

[Tony617]

West Yellowstone is your best option to maximize your time in the park. If you stay at the North Entrance or Cooke City, you will waste a lot of time driving.

There is no way around it, even if you make your reservations now, and don't wait, you're looking at a minimum of $200/night.

And since you'll be in the are of Devil's Tower and Rushmore, take an extra day and visit Deadwood.

It is 400 miles to Devils Tower and the more than a 100 miles to Mount Rushmore. We flew into Rapid City, SD and rented a car at the airport. We visited Mount Rushmore twice. Once in the morning then we visited Crazy Horse Memorial in the afternoon, and then went back to Mount Rushmore being lite up at night. Mount Rushmore you pay for the day so that we drove back at night.

We visited Deadwood and the drove into Wyoming to see Devils Tower. Did not have cell phone service off of I-90 for road to Devils Tower. My wife and I made this trip before Labor Day weekend of 2008.

Our final day we visited Mount Rushmore in the morning and did some hiking around Mount Rushmore for a while then drove to the Rapid City commuter airport to fly home. Flew through Denver then back to SeaTac.

Taken by me back in 2008:

 

[ORhutner]

I guess I am in the minority on Mt. Rushmore. After about an hour there, seen it all and done it all. It was packed and really not enjoyable. Been there twice, once with the wife and another time on a hunting trip with my dad. Glad I went but wasn't the highlight of either trip. Hotel in the area was very reasonable in late September which was when my dad and I were there. We stayed at one of the 3-star chain hotels and it was around $100 for a room with two queens. If it were me and I was in the area of western SD, I would be putting all my time towards Badlands National Park instead.

Devil's Tower is amazing, been twice and would go again but was another location where after a couple hours you have seen/done it and you move on.

Badlands National Park is absolutely stunning. I thought we could do it in a day since it just seemed like a lot of driving, I was wrong. I didn't plan for how breathtaking and amazing the park would be. Yes there were people but nowhere close to what I would call packed. Pull outs would have 4-6 cars in the smaller ones, some we were the only vehicle. The SW portion of the park we had all to ourselves which was a 4x4 recommended section of the park and this was 100% true the last 1/2 mile of the road.

Cody is another great place to stay at a more reasonable rate either coming or going to Yellowstone. There is also the Buffalo Bill Center of the West Museum which is a must see. I couldn't tell you about the 4 other museums because it took me the entire day to get through the firearms museum but my wife said the other museums were great.