“Welcome back to Part 2 of My Family’s Ultimate Road Trip!”
Leaving Custer and the Black Hills was difficult for us. We were so enamored by all that this beautiful area had to offer.
But there was more to explore. So off we went. The second half of our journey included stops in:
- Cody, Wyoming
- Yellowstone National Park
- Grand Teton National Park
- Jackson Hole, Wyoming
- Salt Lake City, Utah
CODY, WYOMING
Located about 6 hours from Custer, we arrived mid-afternoon and checked into the Cody Cowboy Village. This motel was perfect for us with comfortable rooms, a pool and in close proximity to the sites we planned on visiting.
Here’s a little history about this beautiful town.
Cody was founded in 1896 by Colonel William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody. He was very impressed with the region when passing through this region in the 1870s, especially its close proximity to Yellowstone National Park. Cody returned in the 1890s to start the town. Many of the street signs are named after the men who accompanied him: Alger, Beck, Rumsey, Bleistein and Salsbury.
We spent two nights in Cody and it didn’t disappoint. On our first night, what would two kids from New York want to go see? A real Western gunfight, of course!
THE CODY GUNFIGHT
reenacts an old time gunfight. It’s free and quite entertaining and runs through the summer months.
Our next day was mostly spent visiting the…
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
This expansive center includes five world class museums and many activities. You can spend a few hours or a few days exploring all it has to offer.
The museums include:
Buffalo Bill Museum — This museum explores stories of the American West. It includes possessions of Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley.
Plains Indian Museum –Stories of the Plains Indians come alive in this museum. You can view artifacts from the 1800s as well as artwork from today’s Native artists.
Cody Firearm Museum –— Firearm enthusiasts will enjoy this museum.
Draper Natural History Museum — Here, one can explore all that is Yellowstone. It’s immersive and kid friendly.
Whitney Western Art Museum — Art from Russell, Moran, Remington and Beirstadt can be
Our last night in Cody was spent attending the …
Cody Stampede Rodeo
Our kids loved learning how to lasso and meeting real life cowboys!
It was now time to leave Cody and head to the centerpiece of this road trip…
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
Although Cody is closest to the East entrance to the park (about 50 miles), we chose to drive a bit further so we could start at the Northern part of the park. This strategy allowed us to cover the park from North to South.
We stayed in the Yellowstone Village Inn in Gardiner, Montana to start this journey. It was situated just a few miles from the North entrance to the park. The views were stunning.
For most visitors to the park, their focus is on the Old Faithful area to see this famous geyser. Unfortunately, they miss out on so much of what else this National Park has to offer.
Northern Range of Yellowstone
In order to get into the North entrance, you need to drive through the Roosevelt Arch.
This arch was constructed under the supervision of the US Army at Fort Yellowstone. In 1903, the arch was dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt who laid the cornerstone at a ceremony. Interesting note: Roosevelt never returned to the park after this ceremony.
At the time, this arch was the most important gateway to Yellowstone. It is only decorative in nature but it is a “grand announcement” that you’re entering this amazing park.
Starting from the North at Roosevelt Arch, we made our way to our first stop and checked into Canyon Lodge.
Roosevelt Arch 
So many views…
The Northern range of the park is probably the most underrated and under visited. It is only about 10% of the Yellowstone area but is a huge mecca for wildlife. Bison, elk, mule deer and pronghorn can all be seen on any given day. We went back to the Lamar Valley a couple of times just to view the wildlife.
Mammoth Hot Springs
A visit to Mammoth Hot Springs is a must. These springs are very different in appearance from other thermal areas in the park. The limestone structures look like you’re walking in the Arctic.
Two boardwalks, an upper and a lower one, allow you to view this natural wonder.
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
We checked out of Canyon Lodge and headed towards our next stay in Grant Village. From here, we visited this beautiful canyon. It’s not as big or grand as the Grand Canyon in Arizona. But nevertheless, it’s stunning.
To read about my family’s Grand Canyon adventure, click here:https://followmyyellowbrickroad.com/?page_id=735
For hikers, there are trails that run along the rim. If you’re a bird lover, you may see some Osprey who come here in late Spring to mate and lay eggs.
Thermal Springs
Yellowstone contains more than 10,000 thermal features. We spent time driving through the park and stopping at all these amazing thermal springs.
We took a break from driving and hiking and took an old fashion stage coach ride. What fun!
Last stop in this amazing park was a stay at Old Faithful Snow Lodge.
We had a photo stop at Isa Lake near Old Faithful Village which is located exactly on the continental divide at 8000 feet.
Of course, we got to see this famous geyser. A storm was brewing in the background when it blew. Amazing photo!
GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK
While staying in Yellowstone, we headed over to Grand Teton for a fun morning of hiking and just taking in this breathtaking mountain range.
A hike around Jenny Lake was a highlight.
JACKSON HOLE
We spent the late afternoon walking around Jackson Hole . The town square features an arch made from antlers from nearby National Elk Refuge.
We finished off our day here watching the “Jackson Hole Town Square Shootout,” had yummy Mexican food for dinner and headed back to our lodge in Yellowstone.
That was a VERY interesting drive in the dark!
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
All great adventures have to come to an end. We drove over to Salt Lake City to catch our flight back home.
We viewed Temple Square with its expansive geneaology center and walked the grounds.
Read more about my family’s top religious and spiritual sites visited so far by clicking here:https://followmyyellowbrickroad.com/?p=2207
A final dinner before our early morning flight out.
What a road trip!
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I hope “My Family’s Ultimate Road Trip” inspired you to visit these amazing places.
Let me know what you think. Looking forward to your comments.