Sample route
Wall SD→
Rapid City SD→
Spearfish SD→
Devils Tower WY→
Lusk WY→
Cheyenne WY→
Estes Park CO
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Elevation:
Flat (<1,500 ft)
Moderate (1,500–3,000 ft)
Significant (>3,000 ft)
South Dakota
Badlands & Black Hills
Days 1–12 · Stops 6–8
Stop 6 · Days 1–3 · Recommended
Sleepy Hollow Campground
118 4th Ave W, Wall, SD · Full hookups 50A · 605-279-2100
Open 2026
Why This Stop
Best full-hookup base for the Badlands — two blocks from the park entrance road, walking distance to Wall Drug.
2018 Rate Paid
$40.22/night · 3 nights · $120.66
2026 Status
Open · ~$47/night · Pool removed 2026
Recommended Stay
We stayed 3 nights — you can do 2 if you're moving fast, but Badlands needs one full day minimum.
Priority
- Badlands sunset — Pinnacles Overlook
- Badlands morning loop drive + trails
- Wall Drug (30-min stop, not a day)
Stay if
Badlands is on your list. Two full days here, minimum. The sunset at Pinnacles Overlook is not optional.
Compress if
You've done the Badlands before. One night works as a transit stop on the way to Rapid City.
Booking
4–6 weeks out for July/August. All pull-through sites. Train tracks nearby — you'll hear them.
55 mi · 1h · I-90 W · Short run. Black Hills rise out of the plains dramatically.
Elevation↑ 659 ft↓ 233 ft
Stop 7 · Days 4–7 · Recommended
Rapid City RV Park & Campground
Rapid City, SD · Full hookups 50A · Heated pool · rcrvpark.com · 605-342-2751
Open 2026
Why This Stop
Highest stop density on the route — Needles Highway, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Mammoth Site, and Evans Plunge are all within 45 minutes.
2018 Rate Paid
$48.56/night · 4 nights · $194.24
2026 Status
Open · $48–$60/night
Recommended Stay
We stayed 4 nights — you can compress to 3 if you skip Crazy Horse or the Hot Springs south day, but not below that.
Priority
- Needles Highway (SC-87) — do this first
- Mount Rushmore (2–3 hrs, arrive early)
- Crazy Horse Memorial (optional if short)
- Mammoth Site + Evans Plunge — dedicated south day
Stay if
This is your first Black Hills trip. Four nights is not too many — Needles, Rushmore, Hot Springs, and the Mammoth Site each need a half-day or more.
Compress if
You've done Rushmore. Three nights still works if you skip Crazy Horse and the Hot Springs day.
⚠ Booking Warning
4–6 months out minimum. Avoid Aug 4–14 entirely — Sturgis Rally triples demand and rates. Jeremy booked January 11 for a June arrival.
48 mi · 45m · I-90 W · GPS: use 423 Hatchery Circle — default GPS route is closed seasonally.
Elevation↑ 1,962 ft↓ 1,542 ft
Stop 8 · Days 8–10 · Recommended
Spearfish City Campground
404 S Canyon St, Spearfish, SD · Full hookups 30/50A · Creek access · 605-642-1340
Verify 2026 Status
Why This Stop
The best campground in the Black Hills region — creek access, walkable town, and direct access to Spearfish Canyon, Deadwood, and Lead without doubling back.
2018 Rate Paid
$45.00/night · 3 nights · $135.00
2026 Status
⚠ Closing Sept 8, 2026 for water main repairs — expected closed through early summer 2027.
Recommended Stay
We stayed 3 nights — you can shorten to 2 if you drop Sanford Lab, but don't skip the canyon drive or Deadwood.
Priority
- Spearfish Canyon drive (US-14A — 19 mi, Bridal Veil Falls)
- Deadwood half-day (Saloon #10, Mt. Moriah)
- Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center, Lead (free)
Stay if
You want the best campground in the Black Hills and easy access to Deadwood, Spearfish Canyon, and Lead. Three nights is correct.
Skip if
Time is tight and you already did the Black Hills from Rapid City. Spearfish is not a shortcut — it's a third base camp.
⚠ Booking Warning
Opens June 1 the PRIOR YEAR — full hookup sites sell out within days. Jeremy reserved August 28, 2017 for a June 2018 arrival (295 days out).
Wyoming
Plains to Mountains
Days 11–15 · Stops 9–11
99 mi · 2h · I-90 W to WY-24 N · Devils Tower visible from 30+ miles out. The approach on WY-24 is worth savoring.
Elevation↑ 3,425 ft↓ 2,680 ft
Stop 9 · Day 11 · Don't Miss
Belle Fourche River Campground (NPS)
Devils Tower National Monument, WY · Dry camping — flush toilets, potable water, free firewood
Dry Camp · No Hookups
Why This Stop
One of the best single-night stops on the entire route — $20, no reservation, and you wake up 50 feet from the base of a national monument.
2018 Rate Paid
$20.00/night · 1 night
2026 Status
Open · $20/night · America the Beautiful pass covers entry + camping
Recommended Stay
We stayed 1 night — you won't need more. Do the Tower Trail twice and leave at sunrise.
Priority
- Tower Trail loop at dusk — 1.3 mi around the base
- Watch Close Encounters of the Third Kind in camp
- Sunrise view of the Tower from your site
Stay if
You're passing within 30 miles. This is a one-night stop with outsized impact. Do not drive past it.
Skip if
Dry camping is a hard no for your rig or your family. No hookups here — come with full tanks and empty tanks.
Booking
First-come, first-served. No reservations. Card only — no cash. Arrive by noon in summer. America the Beautiful pass ($80) covers entry + camping.
100 mi · 1h 45m · WY-24 S to US-85 S · Remote two-lane through grasslands. Fill fuel at Devils Tower or Sundance.
Elevation↑ 1,227 ft↓ 630 ft
Stop 10 · Day 12
BJ's Campground
Lusk, WY · Full hookups 50A · 307-334-2314 · Transit stop
Transit Only
Why This Stop
Breaks the Devils Tower to Cheyenne run into two manageable days — the Oregon Trail Ruts detour 30 miles south makes it worth the stop.
2018 Rate Paid
$37.00/night · 1 night
2026 Status
Open · ~$41–$43/night
Recommended Stay
We stayed 1 night — you shouldn't book more. Lusk is fuel and sleep between Devils Tower and Cheyenne.
Priority
- Oregon Trail Ruts, Guernsey — 30-min detour on US-26. Do it.
- Fort Laramie NHS (if you have 90 minutes)
Stay if
You need a night between Devils Tower and Cheyenne. Lusk is the right stop — nothing closer works for a 35-footer.
Skip if
You're doing Devils Tower as a day trip from Rapid City or Spearfish. Then Lusk is off your route.
Booking
Low demand. Call same week to confirm.
140 mi · 2h · US-85 S to I-25 S · Open Wyoming plains. Steady climb to 6,112 ft at Cheyenne.
Elevation↑ 1,555 ft↓ 459 ft
Stop 11 · Day 13
Sierra Trading Post — Overnight Boondock
Cheyenne, WY · Dry camping (lot parking) · Verify overnight policy before use
Dry Camp · Free
Why This Stop
Free overnight between Wyoming and Colorado — breaks the Lusk to Estes drive and gives you a morning in Cheyenne before the mountain climb.
2018 Rate Paid
$0.00 · 1 night
2026 Status
Verify before use — overnight policy may have changed. Call the store.
Recommended Stay
We stayed 1 night — you can skip Cheyenne entirely if you're willing to drive Lusk to Estes in one day (240 mi, 3h 30m).
Priority
- Tall Boots sculpture installation, downtown (free — 20-min stop)
- Wyoming State Museum (free)
Stay if
You need a night between Lusk and Estes Park. One night is exactly right — use the morning for the Tall Boots walk.
Skip if
You're willing to drive Lusk to Estes Park in a single day (240 mi, 3h 30m). Doable but long.
Colorado
Estes Park & Rocky Mountain National Park
Days 14–21 · Stop 12
87 mi · 1h 45m · I-25 S to US-34 W (Big Thompson Canyon) · Peaks above 9,600 ft. Canyon last 20 miles is narrow — requires attention with a 35-footer.
Elevation↑ 4,921 ft↓ 3,491 ft
Stop 12 · Days 14–21 · Recommended
Estes Park Campground at Mary's Lake
2120 Mary's Lake Rd, Estes Park, CO 80517 · Full hookups 50A · Heated pool · 970-586-4188
Open 2026
Why This Stop
Gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park — full hookups at elevation, 10 minutes from the RMNP entrance, with Trail Ridge Road, Bear Lake, and Red Rocks all accessible from here.
2018 Rate Paid
$52.19/night · 4 nights · $208.76
2026 Status
Open · $45–$70/night · Mid-May to mid-October only
Recommended Stay
We stayed 4 nights — you can do 3 if you drop Red Rocks and focus entirely on RMNP. Don't go below 3.
Priority
- RMNP Trail Ridge Road — book timed entry at recreation.gov before arrival
- Bear Lake Trail and Dream Lake loop
- Red Rocks Amphitheatre if a concert falls on your dates
Stay if
Rocky Mountain National Park is on your list. Four nights minimum — Trail Ridge Road, Bear Lake, and a rest day. This stop earns every night.
Compress if
Three nights works if you drop Red Rocks and focus on RMNP only. Don't go below three — you'll regret it.
⚠ Booking Warning
Opens 6 months out — fills same day. Request sites M01–M22. Also book RMNP timed entry separately at recreation.gov before you arrive.
Days in this sample (21 of 63)
Gold = this sample · Grey = in guide, not shown here
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Total documented
~$14,740 · 63 days