Thursday, September 3, 2015

Rocky Mountain Roundup

Smiling Faces for the first Road Trip Selfie
The carful of kids are loading up and heading out to Jasper National Park--on paper, some 2,300 miles away but I never take the most direct route. I am on a quest to show the carful of kids the lower 48 so we will add Wyoming, Montana and Idaho to their state list along with the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia.

I have 22 days of adventure planned for the carful of kids. We will be driving through the most scenic parts of North America and I can't wait.

Here's what I have planned for the next three weeks:


Rocky Mountain Roundup


Day 1:
Depart Central Texas
Lunch break at Kincaid’s Grocery Market in Fort Worth
Visit The Holy City of Lawton in Cache, OK
Spend the night in Lawton, OK

Day 2:
Visit The Comanche Museum in Lawton, OK
Visit The Fort Sill Post Cemetery 
Tour Boot Hill Museum in Dodge City, Kansas
Spend the night in Garden City, KS

Day 3:
Depart Garden City, KS
Visit Scotts Bluff National Monument with a picnic dinner in the park
Spend the night in Hot Springs, SD

Day 4:
Depart Hot Springs, SD
Tour Wind Cave National Monument
Tour Jewel Cave National Monument
Visit Mount Rushmore National Monument
Spend the night at Key Hole State Park’s Camping Cabin, Moorcraft, WY

Day 5:
Depart Key Hole State Park
Tour Devils Tower National Monument
Spend the night in Shelby, MT 

Day 6:
Depart Shelby, Mt
Arrive Glacier National Park
Drive the Going to the Sun Road
Take the Lake McDonald Boat Cruise
Spend the night at the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn and Cabins in Glacier NP

Day 7:
Depart Glacier National Park
Cross the US/Canadian Border via Chief Mountain International Border Crossing
Arrive at Waterton Lakes National Peace Park
Tea at the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton NP
Spend the night in a Tipi at Crandell Mountain Campground in Waterton NP

Day 8:
Depart Waterton Lakes National Park
Arrive Banff National Park
Tour Cascade Gardens
Walk the Bow Falls Trail all the way to The Banff Springs Hotel
Swim at Banff Upper Hot Springs
Spend the night in Banff NP’s Two Jack Lakeside Campground in an oTENTik

Day 9:
Banff National Park Day 2 
Drive around Lake Minnewanka
Stop and hike at Moraine Lake
Hike around Lake Louise and walk through the Chateau Lake Louise Hotel
Spend the night in Banff NP’s Two Jack Lakeside Campground

Day 10:
Depart Banff National Park
Drive up the Icefields Parkway
Stop at Columbia Icefield Glacier Adventure for a Glacier tour
Walk around the town of Jasper
Spend the night in Jasper National Park’s Whistlers Campground in an oTENTik

Day 11:
Depart Jasper National Park 
Stop off Athabasca Falls
Drive through Kootenay National Park
Take a swim at Radium Hot Springs
Spend the night in Kootenay National Park’s Redstreak Campground in an oTENTik

Day 12:
Depart Kootenay National Park
Stop off for cherries at Donnie’s Cherry Stand
Spend the night in Belgrade, MT near the Bozeman Airport.
Say goodbye to Melissa and hello to Daddy.

Day 13:
Restock on supplies
Depart Belgrade/Bozeman
Drive to Yellowstone National Park 
Detour into Idaho for another state
Stop by Madison Junior Ranger Station
Explore Old Faithful Area
Take Midway Geyer Tour on a Vintage Bus
Dinner Reservations at the Old Faithful Inn
Spend the night at Old Faithful Inn—Old House

Day 14:
Old Faithful Inn tour
Hike to Morning Glory Pool in Old Faithful Area
Dinner Reservations at the Old Faithful Inn
Spend the night at Old Faithful Inn—Old House

Day 15:
Drive over to Lake Yellowstone area 
Stop at Hayden Valley to see wildlife
Tour Lake Yellowstone Hotel
Spend the night at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel’s Frontier Cabin

Day 16:
Drive to Mammoth Hot Springs area
Visit the North Entrance to see The Roosevelt ArchTour Fort YellowstoneWalk along the Mammoth Hot Spring BoardwalkSpend the night at the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel


Day 17:
Visit the Roosevelt Arch in Gardiner, Montana
Drive to Tower-Roosevelt Junction
Take a wagon ride out to the Old West Cookout in Pleasant Valley for dinner
Drive through Lamar Valley to see wildlife
Spend the night at the Roosevelt Lodge in a Roughrider Cabin


Day 18:
Depart Yellowstone
Drive along John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway
Tour Jackson Lake Lodge and attend a Ranger Talk
Dinner at the Pioneer Grill in Jackson Lake Lodge
Arrive at Grand Teton National Park
Spend the night at the Colter Bay Tent Cabins


Day 19:
Breakfast Wagon Ride
Walk around Jenny Lake area
Take Jenny Lake shuttle boat across to Inspiration Point
Spend the night at the Colter Bay Tent Cabins

Day 20:
Depart Grand Teton National Park
Walk around Jackson Hole, WY
Spend the night in Longmont, CO


Day 21:
Depart Longmont, CO

Take the Celestial Seasonings Tea Tour

Tour National Center for Atmospheric Research

Spend the night in Palo Duro State Park outside Armarillo, TX


Day 22:
Depart Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Arrive Home

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