Ann Arbor to Glacier NP...

Hey there,

I'm driving solo from Ann Arbor, Michigan to Glacier National Park in July, and I fully admit to some naiveté about the northern plains! So I was hoping for suggestions off the beaten path.

I do have some time to play with, as my goal is essentially to leave Ann Arbor around 8 a.m. on Day 1, and get to Glacier the evening of Day 3.

I'm not especially interested in seeing Minneapolis, Mount Rushmore, or the Badlands on this specific trip, so would anyone by chance have any ideas?

I'm most likely going through North Dakota to Montana as opposed to taking the southern route, then up to Montana.

I'd love any ideas you have.

Thanks!

-Justin

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

The Northern Plains actually have a number of great things to offer, but let me first advice you to seriously rethink your plan of making this trip in 3 days.

Ann Arbor to Glacier is a 2050 mile trip on the most direct route - which involves taking I-80 through Iowa, then up I-29, and across I-90 through SD, WY, and MT, before heading North to towards Glacier on I-15. 37 hours is the fastest you can possibly expect to make this drive, which means you'll be looking basically 3 consecutive 13 hours days on the road by yourself. That's not including any stops other than quick breaks for fuel, food, and brief rest breaks. Making the trip via I-94 or any other route is just going to add more time to an already exhausting trip.

At best you aren't going to have any time to see anything off the beaten path, and at the worst, the fatigue factor will start to make this dangerously close to being an unsafe goal.

If you can give yourself more time, making the trip across US-2 could be a lot of fun, or there are several things along I-94 that I've found interesting in the past, but you simply don't have time for any of them right now with the plan you've made for yourself.