diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 41f98d1714..53d2e2fd83 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 ### Features
 1. [#1863](https://github.com/influxdata/chronograf/pull/1863): Improve 'new-sources' server flag example by adding 'type' key
+1. [#1898](https://github.com/influxdata/chronograf/pull/1898): Add an input and validation to custom time range calendar dropdowns
 
 ### UI Improvements
 1. [#1862](https://github.com/influxdata/chronograf/pull/1862): Show "Add Graph" button on cells with no queries
diff --git a/ui/src/shared/components/CustomTimeRange.js b/ui/src/shared/components/CustomTimeRange.js
index 8b84f315ab..0b03629f74 100644
--- a/ui/src/shared/components/CustomTimeRange.js
+++ b/ui/src/shared/components/CustomTimeRange.js
@@ -3,71 +3,69 @@ import rome from 'rome'
 import moment from 'moment'
 
 import shortcuts from 'hson!shared/data/timeRangeShortcuts.hson'
+const dateFormat = 'YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm'
 
 class CustomTimeRange extends Component {
   constructor(props) {
     super(props)
-
-    this.handleClick = ::this.handleClick
-    this._formatTimeRange = ::this._formatTimeRange
-    this.handleTimeRangeShortcut = ::this.handleTimeRangeShortcut
   }
 
   componentDidMount() {
     const {timeRange} = this.props
 
     const lower = rome(this.lower, {
-      initialValue: this._formatTimeRange(timeRange.lower),
+      dateValidator: rome.val.beforeEq(this.upper),
+      appendTo: this.lowerContainer,
+      initialValue: this.getInitialDate(timeRange.lower),
+      autoClose: false,
+      autoHideOnBlur: false,
+      autoHideOnClick: false,
     })
+
     const upper = rome(this.upper, {
-      initialValue: this._formatTimeRange(timeRange.upper),
+      dateValidator: rome.val.afterEq(this.lower),
+      appendTo: this.upperContainer,
+      autoClose: false,
+      initialValue: this.getInitialDate(timeRange.upper),
+      autoHideOnBlur: false,
+      autoHideOnClick: false,
     })
 
     this.lowerCal = lower
     this.upperCal = upper
+
+    this.lowerCal.show()
+    this.upperCal.show()
   }
 
-  // If there is an upper or lower time range set, set the corresponding calendar's value.
   componentWillReceiveProps(nextProps) {
     const {lower, upper} = nextProps.timeRange
     if (lower) {
+      const formattedLower = this._formatTimeRange(lower)
       this.lowerCal.setValue(this._formatTimeRange(lower))
+      this.lower.value = formattedLower
     }
 
     if (upper) {
+      const formattedUpper = this._formatTimeRange(upper)
       this.upperCal.setValue(this._formatTimeRange(upper))
+      this.upper.value = formattedUpper
     }
   }
 
-  render() {
-    return (
-      <div className="custom-time--container">
-        <div className="custom-time--shortcuts">
-          <div className="custom-time--shortcuts-header">Shortcuts</div>
-          {shortcuts.map(({id, name}) =>
-            <div
-              key={id}
-              className="custom-time--shortcut"
-              onClick={this.handleTimeRangeShortcut(id)}
-            >
-              {name}
-            </div>
-          )}
-        </div>
-        <div className="custom-time--wrap">
-          <div className="custom-time--dates">
-            <div className="custom-time--lower" ref={r => (this.lower = r)} />
-            <div className="custom-time--upper" ref={r => (this.upper = r)} />
-          </div>
-          <div
-            className="custom-time--apply btn btn-sm btn-primary"
-            onClick={this.handleClick}
-          >
-            Apply
-          </div>
-        </div>
-      </div>
-    )
+  getInitialDate = time => {
+    const {upper, lower} = this.props.timeRange
+
+    if (upper || lower) {
+      return this._formatTimeRange(time)
+    }
+
+    return moment(new Date()).format(dateFormat)
+  }
+
+  handleRefreshCals = () => {
+    this.lowerCal.refresh()
+    this.upperCal.refresh()
   }
 
   /*
@@ -75,7 +73,7 @@ class CustomTimeRange extends Component {
    * the string literal, i.e. "'2015-09-23T18:00:00.000Z'".  Remove them
    * before passing the string to be parsed.
    */
-  _formatTimeRange(timeRange) {
+  _formatTimeRange = timeRange => {
     if (!timeRange) {
       return ''
     }
@@ -86,10 +84,10 @@ class CustomTimeRange extends Component {
       moment().subtract(duration, unitOfTime)
     }
 
-    return moment(timeRange.replace(/\'/g, '')).format('YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm')
+    return moment(timeRange.replace(/\'/g, '')).format(dateFormat)
   }
 
-  handleClick() {
+  handleClick = () => {
     const {onApplyTimeRange, onClose} = this.props
     const lower = this.lowerCal.getDate().toISOString()
     const upper = this.upperCal.getDate().toISOString()
@@ -101,7 +99,7 @@ class CustomTimeRange extends Component {
     }
   }
 
-  handleTimeRangeShortcut(shortcut) {
+  handleTimeRangeShortcut = shortcut => {
     return () => {
       let lower
       const upper = moment()
@@ -133,10 +131,66 @@ class CustomTimeRange extends Component {
         }
       }
 
+      this.lower.value = lower.format(dateFormat)
+      this.upper.value = upper.format(dateFormat)
+
       this.lowerCal.setValue(lower)
       this.upperCal.setValue(upper)
+
+      this.handleRefreshCals()
     }
   }
+
+  render() {
+    return (
+      <div className="custom-time--container">
+        <div className="custom-time--shortcuts">
+          <div className="custom-time--shortcuts-header">Shortcuts</div>
+          {shortcuts.map(({id, name}) =>
+            <div
+              key={id}
+              className="custom-time--shortcut"
+              onClick={this.handleTimeRangeShortcut(id)}
+            >
+              {name}
+            </div>
+          )}
+        </div>
+        <div className="custom-time--wrap">
+          <div className="custom-time--dates" onClick={this.handleRefreshCals}>
+            <div
+              className="lower-container"
+              ref={r => (this.lowerContainer = r)}
+            >
+              <input
+                className="custom-time--lower form-control input-sm"
+                ref={r => (this.lower = r)}
+                placeholder="from"
+                onKeyUp={this.handleRefreshCals}
+              />
+            </div>
+            <div
+              className="upper-container"
+              ref={r => (this.upperContainer = r)}
+            >
+              <input
+                className="custom-time--upper form-control input-sm"
+                ref={r => (this.upper = r)}
+                placeholder="to"
+                onKeyUp={this.handleRefreshCals}
+              />
+            </div>
+          </div>
+          <div
+            className="custom-time--apply btn btn-sm btn-primary"
+            onClick={this.handleClick}
+          >
+            Apply
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    )
+  }
 }
 
 const {func, shape, string} = PropTypes
diff --git a/ui/src/style/components/custom-time-range.scss b/ui/src/style/components/custom-time-range.scss
index 48f2e924bc..3cf69b9960 100644
--- a/ui/src/style/components/custom-time-range.scss
+++ b/ui/src/style/components/custom-time-range.scss
@@ -35,9 +35,11 @@
 }
 .custom-time--lower {
   margin-right: 4px;
+  text-align: center;
 }
 .custom-time--upper {
   margin-left: 4px;
+  text-align: center;
 }
 .custom-time--shortcuts {
   @include no-user-select();
@@ -179,13 +181,16 @@ $rd-cell-size: 30px;
     &.rd-day-next-month,
     &.rd-day-prev-month {
       cursor: default;
-      color: $g8-storm !important;
-      background-color: $g5-pepper !important;
+      visibility: hidden;
     }
     &.rd-day-selected {
       background-color: $c-pool !important;
       color: $g20-white !important;
     }
+    &.rd-day-disabled {
+      color: $g8-storm !important;
+      background-color: $g5-pepper !important;
+    }
   }
 }