This summer my family is taking a trip to Yellowstone National Park. We are going to be going to Badlands and Mt Rushmore on our way. And staying at Yellowstone for 4 days. Then either going north to Montana or south to Colorado. Has anyone ever been there and know some places we should stop? We’ve thought about Crazy Horse. I’m in the planning phases so would love to know some places that maybe we aren’t finding online.
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If you are traveling through northern Wyoming, near Shell WY, there is a wonderful place called Dinosaur Dance Floor on BLM property. It shows footprints of over 20 different dinos and is very fun to visit. Also, Thermopolis has a great dino museum. Cody is a great place to stay the night on the east side of Yellowstone because it has a nightly rodeo and downtown shoot out. I hope that helps 
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Thank you. I hadn’t heard of that!
I went on a motorcycle trip with my Dad last year up through and around Yellowstone and while we didn’t do much stopping we did go to the Wild Bill Museum in Cody WY. I thought it was really cool!
Our family also took a trip to Mount Rushmore last year and so while you are near Mount Rushmore you should definitely check out Cosmos Mystery area. Our kids loved it! Bear Country USA and Reptile Gardens were really fun for our kids too. We didn’t go to Crazy Horse (just looked at it from the road). Here is a post Erica did about our trip.
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If you come south toward Colorado and like western history, two places to stop are Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument, Crow Agency, MT http://www.nps.gov/libi/index.htm
and Fort Laramie National Historic Site, Fort Laramie, WY http://www.nps.gov/fola/index.htm both of which have a Junior Ranger Program. Junior Ranger Programs are a fun way to learn some things about the National Park Service areas you visit.
If you go through Casper, WY another history stop is the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center. http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/NHTIC.html
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Hope you enjoy your trip! We live about 2 1/2 hrs from Yellowstone so we visit every summer some of our favorite spots are old faithful, mammoth, and the grizzly and wolf discovery center. It is beautiful just to go for a drive through the park and so much to do! Another spot my kids love is bear world. We visit several times a year because it’s even closer and have fed baby bear cubs and done their little tours. Jackson is beautiful as well. My kids have also enjoyed silver city. Sorry this is a little fragmented! Hoping you enjoy your trip!
Thank you everyone for all the great advice! We are leaving soon and will be gone for 3 weeks. Going all the way to the Pacific Ocean and then back through Yellowstone on our way back. Definately going to Mt Rushmore, Bear Country and Badlands in South Dakota. In Montana we are stopping at Little Bighorn and Glacier National Park. Then on to Washington, Oregon and Redwood National Park in California. Then back through Yellowstone for about 4 days! So excited! I think this is a trip my kids(and I) will never forget!!
We live by the Redwood National Park! It is gorgeous. Your whole trip sounds like a dream come true!
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I admit, I’m a bit jealous. I’d love to visit all those places!
In the eastern part of South Dakota is DeSmet, home to the Laura Ingalls Homestead. You can even stay in a covered wagon!
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