Glacier Park, Yellowstone, and Black Hills

[RandyRMc]

RV821RL will be taking trip from Bay Area to Glacier Park, Yellowstone, Black Hills, then back to Bay Area via Wyoming/Utah between Aug 20 and Sept 1, 2011. 2-3 days on the ground in each place and 2-3 days to get back.

Any help with what to see (besides the obvious), must see side trips, where to stay (cool hotels or B&B's), what to look out for (besides the mountains), will be greatly appreciated as wife an I have not been flying in those areas before.

Randy & Laura
7A 600 hrs
Canada / Mexico / Southwest

[aerhed]

You can fly right in here last I heard. If you time it right you can tap into blues, rock or country at the saloon. Lotsa folks from Jackson pop in there for a quickie weekend.
http://www.chicohotsprings.com/index.html

[Bavafa]

My wife and I are planning on a trip to the same area the second weekend in July (7th-11th) and be interested in any feedback regarding cool places to visit. We are specially interested in Missoula and Kilespell and activities around these cities. The flight will be from Sacramento area and would like a scenic route back.

[tommylewis]

You can no longer fly into Chico Hot Springs. You used to be able to land on the road leading into the resort. We did it once in a c182, but too many accidents happe Ned so they close d the road to landings.

[roadrunner20]

Flew to Yellowstone(WYS) last August.
Had a great time & is only 2 miles from the West gate & minutes from town.

Free Camping available on the field.(fenced in, no bears). Made wife happy.
Hot showers, bikes, wagon to move your stuff to your campsite.
Tie down 50 feet from your campsite.
Free WiFi, morning coffee at the FBO. Fantastic people running the FBO.
Had a great time with nightly campfires and other campers on site.
Unfortunately, could not get my wife to leave for the excursion to Glacier.
If interested, I can send you photos of the campsite.

[farmerclyde]

Landed at Spearfish this spring. The Holiday Inn has free shuttle to the airport. We had the shuttle take us to Deadwood for $10 round trip. While at Deadwood we ate at Kevin Costner's Night club. Great food.

Kevin Faust
RV6
Long Prairie MN

[az_gila]

Try Rapid City (KRAP) for Mt. Rushmore - lots to do around there.

Ask at the FBO (WestJet) to get you in the historic Alex Johnson hotel - the hotels on-line presence is somewhat lacking...

It was the hotel in the movie North by NorthWest.

[Steve]

Another vote for WYS. I've stayed at the airport campground 3-4 times and rode one of the airport bicycles into town for provisions. It's a smooth 2 mile trail ride through the forest into town. I've also rented a Budget car at the FBO and stayed in a motel in town.
I've only flown into Glacier once but the airport is down the block from the Hilton garden Inn. It was a quick up and back flight for brunch in a friend's Mooney.

[Chino Tom]

There are great old hotels in Yellowstone Park. Renting a car at WYS
is a great way to go. The Holiday Inn in West Yellowstone is ok as is
Clubhouse Inn. But the two best park hotels are the Old Faithful Inn
and the Lake Hotel. Both were built around 1900 and have much history.
Old Faithful is the busiest place in the park, but staying at the Old Faithful
Inn is neat, especially if you stay in the original part with the community
bathrooms (we stayed in the newer section). The Lake Hotel is on Yellowstone Lake and feels much more remote than Old faithful. The rates
aren't that bad, but it might be diffucult getting reservations this late in
the year. Have fun!

[RandyRMc]

Thx to all for the replies. We will definitely check into availability of the older hotels, Alex Johnson and Lake. Didn't know Kevin Costner had a restaurant so will get to Deadwood to check that out.
Really appreciate the tips.
Randy