plan is leaving from NY to sturgis (3days) dsat at rush no more tent camping. (4 night 5 day) onto to devils twr over to little bighorn. onto Beartooth Pass. here is where it gets slowed down, Ive been to sturgis 3x. One guy in group will be his 1st time at sturgis. i have never made it out to little bighorn on onward. Im trying to make a loop through yellowstone somehow nd not sure how much time to adjust for this. Also want to hit Cheif Joesph Hwy. Any one have some ideas, then i want to end down by grand tetons etc. I will have tent stuff with me as well but not sure of the sites and how early they fill up in yellowstone.

 

Watch this page as summer goes along. Scroll down to the map. They show which campground still has vacancies as well as what time they filled up each day and the previous day. I've noticed Mammouth seems to usually be one of the last to fill up. Get there early as they don't take reservations.
https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm

 

The trick to camping in Yellowstone is get to the park early. If that can't happen the best thing is hit one of the many National park camping spots. There all over the place around Yellowstone. If your starting in Red Lodge, you can take a left onto Chief Joseph and on the Cody. Then enter the park from the east. (my favorite entrance) Then leave out of the south which will take you to the Tetons. Sounds like a really good time. I spent five days in Yellowstone and only scratch the surface.

 

I have reservations at Canyon CG in YS this year following Sturgis and Glacier. I have camped there in the past. Last year I camped in Cody. It is a two hour ride to get to the loop roads in YS. It is a great ride getting to the park. Don't forget Beartooth.


I have been to Little Big Horn. Not a whole lot to it but glad I stopped.


In years past, I have rode one loop both directions one day and ride the other loop the next day.

 

IMO Sturgis isn't worth enduring all the people without taking the route you're planning. Last time I went (don't laugh, 1995) I took a full 4 days to make sure I saw everything the ride has to offer.

Coming home, we rode from Cody WY to Auburn Calif with only gas and food stops. Over a 1,000 miles in 20 hours.. I slept for two days straight when I got home.

 

Get the national parks pass. It will save you money to get into all the parks.

We loved Little Big Horn, we thought it was very moving. Try to get there for a ranger talk.

 

I'm heading to Sturgis for the first time from Central MA. Would you mind share the route you are taking ? I'll be there on the 31st of July until Aug 6.

 

Skip Stugis, every thing is way more interesting west of there. Red Lodge MT is my favorite town to base out of. Great people good places to eat and drink and the smell of the pines and creek at night are incredible.

 

Little BigHorn definitely worth a stop, if you're looking for a place to camp nearby theres a nice KOA just a few miles west by Hardin.

 

If it were me I would spend a day in sturgis, then head west and spend as much time in yellowstone area as possible. You could spend 5 days doing bear tooth, chief joseph, yellow stone, and tetons and still not see everything. It takes way longer then you think to ride all those roads and through the park. Then on your way back spend a day or two in the black hills after the rally has ended riding the area and avoiding the crazies.