Trip advice

[Battis]

We're tossing around two trip choices for this June:
1st: fly to, and stay in, Rapid City, SD. From there, visit the Badlands, Walls Drug, Deadwood, Custer State Park (love the Needles Highway), Devils Tower, Mt Rushmore, back to the Badlands (love the Badlands). We visited all these places (except Devils Tower) a few years ago. Great trip.

2nd: fly to Las Vegas and drive to Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon Nat. Park, Arches Nat Park, etc. I lived in SLC way back, and have skied Utah many times, but never went to southern Utah.

#1 is my first choice even though I've visited those places. Less driving, some of the best scenery in the country.
I think Da Wife favors #2 because we haven't done it yet.

Any opinions?

[Pressman]

Take your wife's idea. There's more to see than time to do it
Ken

[winelover]

I've been to all those places. My advice would be to go the Yellowstone National Park..............your a days drive away, if staying in Rapid City. Yellowstone foreshadows them all.

Winelover

[Battis]

We've been to Yellowstone twice in the past couple years. Great place.

[Screwbolts]

Crazy Horse Memorial IMHO is a Must, Mt Rushmore is dinky compared to Crazy Horse!

[Wayne Smith]

If you do #2 get a book on the geology of the area. It is fascinating and you get to see what most of us only get pictures of. (LOML is a geologist)

[Beerd]

it never hurts to keep wifey happy.
..

[Hickory]

The first weekend in June you will be allowed to walk up to the face of Crazy Horse.
But, I'd make the wife happy first!

[Bookworm]

Crazy Horse Memorial IMHO is a Must, Mt Rushmore is dinky compared to Crazy Horse!

Last time I was at Crazy Horse, the flat of his outstretched arm was cut. The hole under his arm was just started, it was big enough to park a dozer in.
That was around 1974 ? 75 ?

[bedbugbilly]

Never been either of your choices but my wife and I would love to sometime in the close future.

That said . . . . you've don #1 and not #2 . . . . we had some friend who pretty much did #2 with their two teenage children about a year ago . . . they loved it! They sent us pictures and it was absolutely beautiful. I'd go with #2 -keep the wife happy and see something new to both of you . . next trip after this one, do #1 . . . unless you enjoy #2 so much you want to repeat it.

Whatever way you go . . . enjoy and have fun!

[MrWolf]

The longer you don't do #2 the worse it gets

Sorry couldn't resist. Best to keep the wife happy. Have fun and good luck

[johnho]

We just did No. 1 on your list. Great trip. Forget Crazy Horse, a real tourist trap IMO. You can see it from the road and not pay the cost to drive up closer.

No. 2 would be my pick as you haven't done it before. And definitely get a geology guide book as already mentioned. I would also add Death Valley if you can. Fantastic place.

[Wag]

Personally, I'm a huge fan of So. Utah. Bryce Canyon is at the top of that list but Zion is a gorgeous place to visit, too. If you can, include Antelope Canyon in your trip but if not, Zion has the Zion Narrows which is also breathtaking.

Some other slot canyon visits https://www.earthtrekkers.com/slot-canyons-american-southwest/

Also, Moab is a great recreational area you'll love, too.

If you had more time, I'd suggest a lot of other places, including The Grand Canyon or even Chiricahua National Forest but that's WAY south, although that would be a great trip to include Tombstone and Karchner Caverns. And probably a flight into Phoenix.

Have fun!

--Wag--

[Echo]

Do #2, and take a side trip to Flagstaff (not that far) and see the Lowell Observatory (Percival Lowell discovered Pluto from there, and Pluto starts with his initials) - outstanding. You will drive across, or alongside, Boulder Dam. Also, the Museum of North AZ - Lots to find out about NAZ, and you will see the tallest WHEELS you have ever seen, used to haul tree trunks. And Bearizona, an outdoor wildlife exhibit just West of Flag, where you drive among bison, elk, wolves, bear, &cetera. LOTS to see between Lost Wages and Flag...
(Last time I was at that Museum, as I was walking along w/GF, outside, she mentioned that she was tooting with every step - I said I thought it was that truck at the bottom of the hill back-firing. The Flagstaff Truck came up several times after that - she is mentioned in my signature block)

[corbinace]

#2 if you think the Dakotas are pretty, you will find the Southwest even more so.

Happy wife, happy life. Plus, you will be able to agree with her when she says how much she enjoyed the area.

Having been to and enjoyed both areas, I find the Dakota attractions to be good because of the minimal diversity of terrain. It is not the same with the Southwest, in my opinion. The Southwest features ever changing landscapes, and when you think you have experienced all it has to hold, visit in a different season.

I guess I might sound like a advertisement, but the area cannot be seen in only one vacation, it will take many.

Have fun whichever trip you take, travel is my drug of choice, take a hit for me.

[Battis]

On my last 3 trips out there, we averaged 1800 miles. I was thinking that Rapid City would be a good base - everything is 2 hrs or less away. But, southern Utah looks great, and it might be the winner.
We visited the Crazy Horse monument last time. Do you think they'll ever finish it? They're doing a great business as it is. One of my favorite sites was Salem Sue, the cow you can see from outer space.
It took me awhile to get used to seeing 5 hours down the highway. 80 MPH speed limits and no tailgaters. Great country out there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem_Sue

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

#1 will be busy/heavy traffic in June.

#2 will be HOT in June.

I'd rather be HOT, than be in a crowd.

I've never seen the stuff mentioned in #2...and I'd love to see it, but maybe in Late March or Early April.
That's my 2¢

[MT Gianni]

I shot at a meet in Vegas in June. We started at 5 and were off the range by 9 due to the temps. I would prefer trip 2 but would only go late April-early May or late September.
I also think a lot of the Black Hills. They are some of the prettiest places outside the Northern Rockies I have seen but they are no comparison to Montana. I spent 25 minutes in Crazy Horse once and have no desire to return. Do what you two decide on.

[popper]

My son did both last year in a jacked up rubicon with 2 kids. Can be done but then need a vacation afterwards. Moab to black hills, Estes is a lot of miles from Texas.

[Gar]

Ditto what JonB said, #2 will be HOT, probably too hot to do any hiking in the parks. The drive through the parks is worth it.

I'm partial to the Black Hills, ridden there many times. There is just too much to see and do and too many roads to ride in a weeks time.
If you end up with trip #1, stop in at the Fish Hatchery in Spearfish, it's free and worth the time to see it. Also the cafe at the south end of Spearfish Canyon has the best hot chocolate!
Oh, Belle Fourche, SD, just north of Spearfish is worth a visit. The monument for the Geographic Center of the USA is located at the visitor's centers, it's worth a T-shirt.

[quilbilly]

In June, Zion will be a circus with traffic. I would suggest Cedar Breaks followed by Bryce Canyon then head over to Canyonlands via scenic back roads. You could also head to Cedar Breaks via a short stay in Ely, NV then head across to Cedar City stopping along the way to see Lehman Caves in Great Basin Nat. Park. You would miss some of the 110 degree heat that route as you gain 4,000 feet in elevation after LV.

[Battis]

It looks like #2. I said OK, she hit the BUY button. The Black Hills, Badlands, etc are some of my favorite places on the planet, but I really should branch out. I do not like traveling but I like when I get there.
A few years ago, while staying in Yellowstone, I had an elevation episode. I called my DR and he said, "Get lower." We drove down to Jackson and I was fine, even when I came back to Yellowstone. Never had a problem before, hope it doesn't happen again.
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm taking notes.

[Beerd]

drink plenty of water to help prevent altitude sickness.
..

[quilbilly]

drink plenty of water to help prevent altitude sickness.
..
Ditto's on that!!! At 6,000-10,000 feet and 10% humidity, the air will suck water out of you with a straw even if it isn't that hot. Bryce NP, Cedar Breaks Nat. Monument, and Great Basin NP all have their best viewpoint and paved roads at 9,000 feet plus. The meadows at that elevation in June will have good wildflower displays especially along the road heading east from Cedar Breaks passing the lake. Plan on drinking at least 1-1/2 gallons of water a day and more. I misjudged that once on a Nevada deer hunt and it was almost a fatal mistake.