PA to Idaho, where should we stop?

[ali.andras13]

Hey everyone,

My father, cousin and I are planning a trip from PA out to Boise at the beginning of July. We plan on camping 90% of the time, and are more interested in national parks and hiking, but wouldn't mind a few hokey tourist spots along the way as well. The biggest pressor is time, with only about 10 days to head west (they are driving back without me and I think will just be powering through the trip). So far we are thinking of Mt rushmore and the Crazyhorse monument in SD, and we would like to spend a few days (2 or 3) in Yellowstone. Any suggestions, including routes we should take or other things to stop and see?

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

Wherever you start from in Pennsylvania, you will eventually be on I-80 across northern Ohio (assuming you are going to take the most direct route. Just a few of the places en route that you might want to consider stopping depending on your tastes (which you haven't told us about) include the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton OH (a bit out of the way), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Cuyahoga Valley National Park in the Cleveland area, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, the Field Museum and Wrigley Field in Chicago, the Amana Colonies in Iowa, several landmarks along the old Oregon Trail which followed the Platte River (as does I-80), Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Great Salt Lake, Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, the Thousand Springs stretch of the Snake River, and a personal favorite of mine Bruneau Canyon. But even those are just scratching the surface.

On the other hand, you've actually indicated that you want to head a bit north of the most direct route, taking I-90 out of Chicago rather than I-80. In that case some of the basic sites along that route would include Wisconsin Dells, the Circus Museum in Baraboo WI, the Corn Palace in Mitchell SD, Wall Drug, the Badlands and Mount Rushmore, and Devils Tower. Then, if you're going to include Yellowstone and have the time, stay on I-90 into Montana and visit the Little Bighorn and then take the Beartooth Highw2ay (US-212) to Yellowstone before finishing up on I-15/I-86/I-84 into Boise.

AZBuck