Summer (June) trip to Rocky Mountains and Yellowstone from Central Illinois

See our list of trips.

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Rocky Mountain National Park
or

Winding River near Grand Lake, Colorado
or

Stillwater Campground in the Arapaho National Recreation Area
or

Laramie, WY

Mammoth Hot Springs.

Morning to visit Devils Tower. Depart Devils Tower at noon.
Stop for lunch in Rapid City at 2:00 p.m.
Continue on to Mt. Rushmore National Memorial at 2:30 p.m., arriving there at 3:00 p.m.
Depart Mt Rushmore at 5:00 p.m.
Arrive at Wall, South Dakota at 7:30 p.m. Stop for dinner, gas, and stay for the night.
It would be 6:30, but we cross from mountain time to central time.
If camping, stay in Wall at Sleepy Hollow RV Park.

Stay at the Sunshine Inn (reviews) or the Days Inn in Wall (reviews).

Morning in Badlands National Park.
Depart Badlands around 11:00 a.m.
Arrive in Mitchell, South Dakota at 2:30 p.m. Stop there for a rest.
Depart Mitchell at 3:00 and continue on to Sioux Falls, SD.
Get gas and dinner in Sioux Falls at 4:15.
Depart Sioux Falls at 4:45, and arrive in Saint Paul at 8:45 p.m.

Stay at the Holiday Inn St Paul Downtown (reviews)

Costs. (Day, expense, Cost in 2011 U.S. Dollars, Cost in percent of median year-round full-time income)
(Thus 1,080 Myrfti is 10.8% of a median year-round full-time American income, while 230 Myrfti is 2.3% of median year-round full-time income. To convert costs into current dollars, simply multiply the costs in the far right column times the current median year-round full-time American income, and you'll have an idea of current costs. Otherwise, use a Consumer Price Inflation adjustment to 2011 with the dollar figures. The resulting cost estimates should be similar, at least if travel costs and incomes have matched inflation).
The two-person prices assume an adult couple sharing a bed, and the four-person costs assume a family of four with two children aged between 12 and 17.
I used $49,500 as the median year-round full-time income as a match to the 2011 prices. That should be fairly close to the right number.

2 persons $740
4 persons $740

2 persons $780
4 persons $780

Camping 6 nights:
2 persons $1,110
4 persons $1,590
6 persons $2,725

Never camping:
2 persons $1,650
4 persons $2,260
6 persons $3,760

Higher costs:
2 persons $1,090
4 persons $2,185
6 persons $3,275

Lower costs:
2 persons $755
4 persons $1,510
6 persons $2,260

2 persons $365
4 persons $600
6 persons $840

Total Costs

For four persons, this trip would cost between 10.5% and 13.25% of the median year-round full-time income. For two persons the costs would be between 7.6% and 9.3%.

Higher costs (no camping and full food budget):
2 persons $4,625
4 persons $6,560
6 persons $9,400

Lowest costs (mostly camping and 31% reduction in food budget):
2 persons $3,745
4 persons $5,215
6 persons $7,345

Average costs (half-way between most expensive and least expensive):
2 persons $4,186
4 persons $5,886
6 persons $8,373

To afford a vacation like this every two years, a typical family budget for a family earning 120% of the median year-round full-time income ($59,400 would be 120% of about the median income of $49,500 in 2013), might allocate money in this way each month:

Housing and utilities: 26.7% ($1,321 per month)
All taxes: 16% ($792 per month)
Car expenses (gas, insurance, maintenance, purchasing): 13% ($643.50 per month)
Groceries, food, and household supplies: 10.9% ($539.50 per month)
Savings for a trip like this every two years: 6.00% ($297 per month)
Savings for retirement: 6% ($297 per month)
Savings for children's college expenses: 5% ($247.50 per month)
Health insurance and health care expenses: 5% ($247.50 per month)
Savings for a bigger trip every three years: 3.8% ($188 per month)
Charitable giving: 2.2% ($109 per month)
Miscellaneous other expenses: 1.7% ($84 per month)
Clothing: 1.7% ($84 per month)
Other entertainment, Internet, cable television, movies, etc.: 2.0% ($99 per month)