Colorado-South Dakota
Denver, Boulder & ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, COLORADO
CHEYENNE, WYOMING
CUSTER STATE PARK, MT RUSHMORE & CRAZY HORSE MEMORIALs, & WIND CAVE NP, SOUTH DAKOTA
hudson-Meng Bison Kill Education Center & Scottsbluff, Nebraska
Summary
Massive monuments, vast grasslands, brilliant blue skies, towering forested peaks, crisp mountain lakes, abundant wildlife, charming towns and a cosmopolitan city... what more could you want from a vacation? Custer State Park holds its own against any National Park in our humble opinion, and that's what's drawn us here several times over the years.
Trip Tic
For: Families, Couples Travel Days: 8 Mileage: 860+/- Car Hours: 15.5 (one 4.5+ hour driving day) Temps: 45-85° F (summer)
Route Map
Itinerary Outline
Day 1
- Arrive at Denver International Airport
- Drive 40 minutes to Boulder, Colorado to grab a snack on the Pearl Street pedestrian mail or hike/bike the paved Boulder Creek Path that runs right through the middle of town
- Drive 50 minutes further to Estes Park and begin acclimating to the elevation with a nap and lots of hydration
- Lodging: St. Mary's Lake Lodge (an alternative to consider is the YMCA of the Rockies)
Day 2
- Hike the easy .6 mile Bear Lake loop trail and then to Alberta Falls (1.2 miles round trip) from the Glacier Gorge trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park (park/trail map)
- Have a bite at one of the Park concessions before driving up the Old Fall River Road (it's one way) and looping back down via Trail Ridge Road, stopping along the latter at Hidden Valley and/or Beaver Ponds as you near the end of the drive
- Window shop and dine in Estes Park
- Lodging: St. Mary's Lake Lodge
Day 3
- Start the day by hiking the .9 mile Sprague Lake loop or .75 mile Lily Lake loop
- Drive 1.75 hours to Cheyenne, Wyoming
- Explore the Cheyenne Depot Museum, experience a Gunslinger Show, or, if your travel falls conveniently, attend a horse barn dinner show, or a Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo
- Lodging: Marriott Towneplace Suites Cheyenne
Day 4
- Drive 4.75 hours from Cheyenne to Keystone, South Dakota
- Visit the Mount Rushmore National Memorial
- Lodging: Custer State Park Resort (there are several lodge and cabin locations within the Park)
Day 5
- In Custer State Park, drive Wildlife Loop Road, stopping as desired, and then hike the 1 mile Sylvan Lake Shore Trail loop
- Visit the Crazy Horse Memorial, pan for gold at Wade's Gold Mill in Hill City, take in a play at the Black Hills Playhouse
- Lodging: Custer State Park Resort
Day 6
- Drive 25 minutes to Wind Cave National Park and take a cave tour
- Drive 1.25 hours to visit the active archeological dig at the Hudson-Meng Bison Kill Education and Research Center
- Drive south on Route 385 through the Oglala National Grasslands then head northwest on Route 26, The Western Trail Scenic Byway, aka the Oregon Trail used by early pioneers, stopping at points of interest along the way to Scottsbluff, Nebraska
- Lodging: Hampton Inn & Suites Scottsbluff
Day 7
- Drive 3.5 hours to Denver, Colorado
- Walk one of the city's many parks, visit the Botanic Gardens, Union Station, or take in a ball game at Coor's Field
- Have dinner at Sputino
- Lodging: The Westin Downtown Denver
Day 8
- Breakfast at Crepes n' Crepes' downtown location and then head to REI's flagship store to climb the indoor rock wall
- Depart from Denver International Airport