Have a month to kill need suggestions

[CrowdedCamperMom]

Okay ladies!
Military man will have about 4-5 weeks of down time between our current location and the next. We are hoping to see Yellowstone and some Midwest places... buffalo bill museum, let the kids chase a buffalo herd in Oklahoma. Maybe find some wild horses to watch. Our time frame will be March/April next year. So I'm in charge of the plan.

I know it will be winter weather most of those places but we will just look at the adventure as a colder one. Ha

Naturally I ask y'all! Any suggestions on places to stay a few days? Things to do with the kids?
I don't know where to begin!

[rvgrammy1953]

Where's the next location of training at? Let me know cause I can help with the military CGs....Rapid City has Ellsworth AFB with a nice cg, but will have to check on the dates that they open....you got Mount Rushmore &Custer State Park, plus Crazy Horse Monument to go see from there....Yellowstone & Cody have lots of stuff to see, but the weather maybe a little iffy in WY, plus there's no military cgs. in that area...(but there's a nice RV Park in the city of Cody...I think it's called Pioneer RV Park.)

I'll keep the "thinking hat" on...and let you know, if I come up with anything else....

[CrowdedCamperMom]

Where's the next location of training at? Let me know cause I can help with the military CGs....Rapid City has Ellsworth AFB with a nice cg, but will have to check on the dates that they open....you got Mount Rushmore &Custer State Park, plus Crazy Horse Monument to go see from there....Yellowstone & Cody have lots of stuff to see, but the weather maybe a little iffy in WY, plus there's no military cgs. in that area...(but there's a nice RV Park in the city of Cody...I think it's called Pioneer RV Park.)

I'll keep the "thinking hat" on...and let you know, if I come up with anything else....

New Mexico is next for us. Those are great suggestions! I'm going to start a planning notebook and put these on the list. We aren't adamant about mil camp grounds but we do have to make sure where we stay allows larger dogs. Arco is a belgian Mal and I think his breed is on the banned list at a lot of places. Boo.

[Azusateach]

I'm not very familiar with that neck of the woods so I can't help with campground suggestions, but I'd encourage you to see if you can get some sort of "statement" for Arco, showing that he's a retired military service dog. I've got a friend who travels with her retired military dog and she (the dog) wears a vest -- gets her into just about anywhere she wants to go. I think that breed restrictions are lifted if it can be proved that your pooch was a service dog. Would sure be worth looking into.

Laura

[CrowdedCamperMom]

I'm not very familiar with that neck of the woods so I can't help with campground suggestions, but I'd encourage you to see if you can get some sort of "statement" for Arco, showing that he's a retired military service dog. I've got a friend who travels with her retired military dog and she (the dog) wears a vest -- gets her into just about anywhere she wants to go. I think that breed restrictions are lifted if it can be proved that your pooch was a service dog. Would sure be worth looking into.

Laura

Oh! We have all of that! And his shiny badge. I didn't realize it might allow us to stay places. He does wear his vest on walks so he won't scare people. Lol.

[Bethers]

Lots of great places - just not sure they'll be open - you'll need to research opening dates, etc for that area. Even northern NM won't have state parks, etc open when you get down there... ask how I know! NM is one of my absolute favorite places - so much you'll be able to see/do when you get there! Enjoy your month between.

[avalen]

new mexico......on my list to stay for awhile is El Malpais and El Morro National Monuments and in between the two is the ice caves and Bandera Volcano. I stopped in there in June this year and it was beautiful, pines and lava beds and lots of things to check out, if you google those two you'll find they are very close together and the campgrounds are really nice considering they are free. (no hookups) The website
says if your going to walk the lava beds to wear good shoes to protect your feet but to be aware they will probably be destroyed by the
sharp lava.

[brendac]

I love Yellowstone and have been there 7 times so far.
Unfortunately YNP is closed to wheeled vehicles from early Nov to late April.
The only road that is open year-round is the very north road from Mammoth to the NE entrance.
I do know that in early March you may be able to take a snowcoach ride in through one of the commercial operators.


Here are two links you might find helpful.

http://www.nationalparktravel.com/yellowstone_facts.htm

http://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
Brenda

[linann]

Chico Hot Springs is about an hour north of Yellowstone. There is a hotel, restaurant, motel/lodge building and an outdoor pool and giant hot tub. Both are heated from a natural hot spring piped directly to the pool and hot tub. They don't have to use chlorine because there is so much water constantly flowing in and out. This place is very flexible -- even use their long driveway as a landing strip for local ranchers who fly over for a visit. Who knows, they might agree to let you park your rig for a few nights.

If it ends up being too cold that far north, you might take advantage of the southern route and spend some time in the Gulf Coast area and Texas. I'm sure the ladies in those areas will have lots of tips.

[snowball]

that is exactly what I was thinking that you ought to go south as the weather is much to iffy many things closed and it's cold in the northern regions...and the south at that time of the year will be great many cactus's blooming much to see...
sheila

[JudyJB]

How about WhiteSands NM and Carlsbad Caverns? They are in southern NM and so will be warmer. Kids would love barefoot hiking at White Sands and sliding down dunes on inner tubes. Kids like caves also. P