Northern Rockies Family Camping Trip 2027

Oct 31, 2026 · Sarah Smith

Trip at a glance

This is a 12-day loop of about 3,600 miles from central Arkansas. You drive straight through on both ends, trading off among 4 drivers, so all 11 nights are spent at or near a park.

Route map

The loop runs out through Kansas to Colorado, north through Wyoming, east across South Dakota, and home through Sioux Falls and Kansas City.

The stops

Stop 1: Rocky Mountain National Park (July 24 to 25). We leave Little Rock before dawn and drive straight through, trading off among four drivers. By evening we'll be camped at Moraine Park, watching for elk in the meadow at dusk. The next morning we catch sunrise at Bear Lake, then drive Trail Ridge Road over the top of the Rockies at more than 12,000 feet.

Stop 2: Grand Teton National Park (July 25 to 27). Two nights camping right under the Tetons. We'll take the shuttle boat across Jenny Lake, hike up to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point, and keep going into Cascade Canyon if our legs are up for it. Then we'll go whitewater rafting on the Snake River.

Stop 3: Yellowstone National Park (July 27 to 31). Four nights in the world's first national park. Two nights camping at Madison near Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, and the Fairy Falls trail. Then two nights in a cabin at Canyon, with real beds and showers. From there we'll see the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, look for bison and maybe wolves at dawn in Lamar Valley, and climb Mount Washburn.

Stop 4: Beartooth Highway and Cody (July 31). We leave Yellowstone on one of the most scenic drives in America, climbing to nearly 11,000 feet on the Beartooth Highway. That night we'll be in Cody, Wyoming, for the Cody Nite Rodeo, followed by a hotel bed.

Stop 5: Black Hills (August 1 to 3). Two nights camping in Custer State Park, with an optional stop at Devils Tower on the way in. We'll drive the Needles Highway through granite spires, scramble on the rocks at Sylvan Lake, and watch for bison and the begging burros on the Wildlife Loop. Then we'll see Mount Rushmore.

Stop 6: Badlands National Park (August 3 to 4). Our last stop. We'll drive the Badlands Loop Road, climb the log ladder on the Notch Trail, and stop at Wall Drug for free ice water and a donut. That night we camp at Cedar Pass under some of the darkest skies in the country. In the morning we drive straight home.

Day by day

This plan uses Saturday, July 24 through Wednesday, August 4, 2027 as working dates. Drive times are approximate and don't include stops.

Driving straight through: rotate drivers every 3 to 4 hours or at each fuel stop, and have the off-duty co-pilot stay awake to navigate. Leaving before dawn means the hardest stretch, the final mountain approach, happens in daylight. Skipping the two motel nights each way also gives you back days, so this loop runs 12 days instead of 14. If you'd rather stay 14 days, a second night in Yellowstone or Grand Teton is the best place to put them.

Where to sleep

All the camping nights are in-park or state-park sites, so you'll be up early with no commute to the trailheads. With 5 people you'll probably want two tents. Check each site's occupancy and tent limits when you book.

Backup if you strike out on in-park campsites: Yellowstone's gateway towns (West Yellowstone, Gardiner) and the Bridger-Teton National Forest have private and forest campgrounds that book later and are easier to get.

Booking calendar

Two bookings are open now: Yellowstone lodges book 13 months ahead and Custer State Park books a year ahead. The in-park campsites all open in late January 2027 on a rolling 6-month window. Popular sites can be gone within minutes.

• Book one Western Cabin at Canyon Lodge for Jul 29 to 30 now. It's already open, and you can cancel for a full refund up to 30 days before arrival
• Book Custer State Park campsites for Aug 1 to 2 now, since reservations open one year ahead
• Make Recreation.gov accounts for both parents so you have two people trying for each release. Save payment info ahead of time
• Moraine Park, arriving Jul 24: opens around Jan 24, 2027
• Grand Teton, arriving Jul 25: opens around Jan 25, 2027
• Madison, arriving Jul 27: opens around Jan 27, 2027. Confirm on Recreation.gov, since it's new to that platform for 2027
• Cedar Pass in the Badlands, arriving Aug 3: opens around Feb 3, 2027
• Check whether Rocky Mountain NP needs timed entry in summer 2027. A campground reservation has usually counted as entry
• Buy the America the Beautiful pass ($80)
• Book a refundable hotel in Cody and the Snake River rafting trip by May 31, 2027
• Last day to cancel the Yellowstone lodge without penalty: Jun 29, 2027

Recreation.gov releases sites in the morning on the opening date. Check the exact time on each campground's page a few days ahead.

Activities for the crew

With kids aged 13 to 22, everyone can handle real day hikes and some adventure. Each park has at least one big outing, plus an easy option for a slower day.

Ideas for the older kids: give the 19- and 22-year-old a day to plan, or let them split off for a harder hike while the rest of you take an easier one. After a 16-hour drive, keep Day 2 hikes short. Save the first big hike for Grand Teton on Day 3, once everyone has had a night at altitude.

Gear and logistics

Plan for nights near freezing even in late July. Yellowstone campgrounds sit around 7,000 to 8,000 ft and often drop into the 30s.

• Sleeping: Two tents (a 4-person and a 2-person, for example), sleeping bags rated to 30°F, and sleeping pads
• Bear safety: One can of bear spray per hiker (it can't go on planes, so buy it out there or bring it in the car). Use the campground food lockers every night
• Layers: Rain shell, a fleece or puffy jacket, a warm hat, and sun protection for the high-altitude days
• Kitchen: Two-burner stove, a cooler (restock ice in towns about every 2 days), and a water jug
• Car: A cargo box keeps the cabin livable for 5 adult-sized travelers on long drive days. Before you leave, check the tires and spare; Beartooth Highway has long climbs
• Connectivity: Cell service is spotty in Yellowstone and Grand Teton, so download offline maps and the NPS app before Day 4

Sources

• Yellowstone National Park Lodges: reservations and cancellation policy
• Yellowstone campground reservations, 2026 to 2027
• RJourney: 2027 national park campground booking windows
• NPS: Grand Teton camping
• South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks: camping