Rocky Mtns / Alaska / Bahama's

[AR Dave]

OK I would really appreciate help and suggestions in my next adventure! My two youngest teenagers and I are taking a summer trip. Total body weight 520 lbs. Time for trip about June 12 - July 18. Got to be back for Branson Convention.

1. Do we take the plane to certain destinations, rent a car for a few days, then fly to another place?
2. Would we be better off just taking a car?

Was thinking of swinging up by Mt Rushmore on the way to Yellowstone. Then just hitting different attractions all the way down the Rockies. Any suggestions on where to go would be great! I do see the Johnson Creek Fly-in scheduled June 27-29th.. Maybe we should fly over to over to New Mexico and then turn north? Finish at Yellowstone. Would like for them to see the Grand Canyon.

Thanks,
Dave

[GAHorn]

Dave, be certain to include Santa Fe (oldest town in N. America and the Gov't Square and museum. Take Traci and stay one block from the square in The Territorial Inn ..a B&B... and eat at all the little places around the square.)

Also be certain to stay at the lodges at Mesa Verde Nat'l park (Cortez, Colo). You can rent a car at the airport terminal (call ahead) and stay up at the lodges on the mesa. You can see "Ship Rock", the major landmark for the westward movement from your room balcony, and in-flight the wagon ruts are still visible. You'll need two days to see all the cliff dwellings and eat the fine food (buffalo steaks, quail, etc.) in the lodge restaurant. A stay here will restore one's faith in gov't run operations.... similar to Ark. state parks. Make reservations.

Just west of there is Monument Valley and Grand Canyon, Painted Desert and Petrified Forest.

[Abe]

Dave,
If you get over to Pacific NW, you gotta see Hell's Canyon....I'll give ya a guided tour down thru the canyon..and I'll show you a couple of other places that I think might be of interest to you and your teenagers too....Let me know if you'll be coming this way as my darn calender is filling up....Where ever you go, it will be a great trip with your two teenagers...

[3958v]

Dave I have done trips to the WY CO area several times in my 170 with my kids. Those trips are some of the best memories I have. You probably want to avoid Jackson in the Yellowstone area unless you want to pay twice what things normally cost. West Yellowstone has a nice camping area with heated showers. I have also flown into Riverton and Pinedale and rented a car to tour the Yellowstone area. Both FBOs were really nice and very accomodating. Northeast of Yellowstone is a highway known as the Beartooth Highway which has probably the best mountain senery this side of Alaska. South east of Jackson off Highway 189 is a really neat hot springs pool in the mountains which is a real treat regaurdless of how cool the weather is. Thermopolis also has hot springs which are near the airport. Last year my 15 year old daughter and I flew to Dubois WY and did a three day pack trip into the local Mts on horseback and we were able to enjoy the best trout fishing I have ever exprienced. The cost of that trip was actully very reasonable and provided my daughter what she cosidered the best experience of her childhood. Down in the Colorado area I flew into Ft Collins Loveland and rented a car to go to Rocky Mountain National Park. While the airport gives the appearance of really catering to the Jet crowd they have always been very nice and gotten me a rental car with no notice so I keep going back. It can be nice to pack your stuf in the rental car and fly up to Leadville ar some of the other mountain airports in the morning before the thermals start their stuff. just typing this makes me long to go back. There is no better way to see this great country than from your 170. Have fun Bill K

[AR Dave]

Exactly what I was hoping for on this subject! Had been thinking of flying to Jackson to rent the car, but will go with Riverton or Pinedale. Had just looked into the Rocky Mountain National Park area and thanks for reminding me about Mesa Verde George. Went to some of these places when I was a kid, some of the best memories I have also. Sure am glad to hear that flying the 170, with a family, is a positive thing!

Will be looking and planning on Google Earth.

[4583C]

I often think of the places I have been but want to explore more fully. One of those is the Black Hills of SD. We made an ovenight in Custer SD on the Kelowna trip and it is high on my list of places to return to. Frank and I got there late in the day and still managed to see Mt. Rushmore and the buffalo herd in Custer state park. I counted two hundred head and gave up as there were probably at least that many more. (Think "Dances with Wolves") Just be sure not to be there during the doo-rag rally in Sturgis! No rooms anywhere around and lots and lots of loud pipes saving lives! Due to headwinds and 60 mph ground speeds we only had an overnight in Kallispel, but that is another place high on my list of places to more thoroughly explore. If you use George's suggestion and go to the four corners area Durango would be a good base as there are a world of things to do there in addition to Mesa Verde... train to Silverton, whitewater rafting, hotsprings on the north end of town, and a glider base just north of that. Any of the suggestions made would make memories the kids will never forget!

[AR Dave]

I always wanted to grow up and live in Durango, until discovering Alaska. I can still visualize my sister and I running away from the train tracks, while the train passed, and then hurrying back to see what happened to our pennies. This would be right behind the little campground, our travel trailer was parked in, on the way to Silverton. Wasn't it called the million dollar hwy or something? We have a lot of KOA memories! Used to visit an uncle/aunt in Alamagardo, camp at Cloud Croft, slid down the dunes at White Sands, walked over the Grand Canyon, Pueblo Dwellings, up Pikes Peak on the Cog Train, Garden of Gods, Stuck on Monarch Pass when our Ford Country Squire couldn't get enough Oxygen, rode horses on a Dude Ranch in Crede Colo, etc.. Don't know exactly where all these places are located but we do have childhood memories from dragging that 20 foot Mobile Scout all over. Life is passing too fast!!!!!!!!

[futr_alaskaflyer]

*If you are flying anywhere near Mesa Verde than jaunt over to Lake Powell for an overflight, or land at Bullfrog or Cal Black Memorial (Halls Crossing) get picked up by Lake Powell Resorts folks and spend a night in the campground or in a lodge room.

Or shoot over to Monument Valley, land at UT25, and shop, eat, tour and spend the night at Gouldings Lodge and Trading Post.

[futr_alaskaflyer]

For Yellowstone you could go to Cody instead of W. Yellowstone, they have the "Nite Rodeo" every night during the summer and the Buffalo Bill museum. The big Buffalo Bill Stampede and Rodeo is the week of July 4th. Shuttles or rental car up into the park.

[blueldr]

The museum in Cody has one helluva Winchester gun collection too!

[AR Dave]

Maybe something like this?
Glennwood Springs area looks nice!

[GAHorn]

Looks like you're flying almost directly over the Palo Duro Canyon area of Texas, also. The second-largest canyon in the U.S., It's got one of only two buffalo herds in the U.S. that has remained genetically pure (free of cattle DNA) as well as several progams for the summer that are family oriented and historically captivating. (Teddy Roosevelt wanted to make it a federally protected area.) Cabin Rentals, Tent sites & RV sites with water & electricity.
Hiking and mountain bike trails. On-site horse rentals.
806-488-2227 ext. 100 http://www.palodurocanyon.com/

[Kyle Wolfe]

Dave, I too would vote for Cody. I could spend a few days in the musuem there.

And do Custer State Park in SD too. They'll let you fly around Mount Rushmore. I've always wanted to stay at the State Game Lodge in Custer. It was Calvin Coolidge's summer white house. And the state has an airport fairly close too.

http://www.custerresorts.com/resortsStateGame.php

http://www.airnav.com/airport/3V0

We just got back from turkey hunting near Custer and really enjoyed the scenery.

Sounds like a fun trip.

[AR Dave]

This is great - I've been getting PM suggestions also!
I remember going (as a kid) to an outdoor play somewhere out in West Texas. The play was called TEXAS!
Where was that? Hearing Palo Duro Canyon brought it to mind. Is that all in the same area?
BTW we're used to the free roaming Buffalo herds in Alaska!

I was hoping someone would suggest stops along our route which can be changed, thnks! Looks like we might take 3 weeks (just have to get back for the Convention) take it one day at a time. Make plans after breakfast each day! GAR's on me about pushing the weather!

Thanks for all the info and research links. I'm looking at it all. We're going to have to document this with vidoe and pictures.

[GAHorn]

Yes, the play may have been at Palo Duro. Or it may have been at Mesa Verde/Fort Davis (which also has Balmorrhea Springs, Alpine and the McDonald Observatory nearby). Star-Nights are Wednesday nites and the public is invited to look thru the telescopes and see all kinds of things. Jamie and I last went there about 8 years ago and saw Red Giants, Dark Holes, and all kines of Galaxies, etc. It was pretty exciting. Kid would love it. (Stay at Ft. Davis "Hotel Limpia" and you'll swear there's a gun fight gonna break out any minute out in the street. Great food too.)