Minneapolis-Rushmore-Colorado Rockies-Omaha-Minneapolis Loop
Hi,
Here is the rough plan of my summer roadtrip. As you can see, this is a tight schedule, covering a pretty long distance. I'd like to know if this is a feasible plan. I have never done a trip this long.
Day 1: Minneapolis to Chamberlain (Overnight in Chamberlain)
Day 2: Chamberlain-Badlands-Wall Drug-Mt Rushmore-Rapid City (Overnight in Rapid City)
Just want to stop and linger in the Badlands but won't spend that much time. Stop briefly in Wall Drug. I know this day looks quite tight.
Day 3: Rapid City-Needles Highway (if not done in Day 2)-Loveland, CO (overnight in or near Loveland)
Day 4: Loveland-Rocky Mountain National Park (Overnight near Grand Lake or somewhere inside the park)
Day 5: Rocky Mountain National Park-Georgetown-Pikes Peak (if too late in the day that the Peak is closed, then visit in Day 6) (overnight in Colorado Springs)
Day 6: Colorado Springs-Denver (stop and linger) -North Platte, NE (overnight in North Platte)
Day 7: North Platte-Des Moines (overnight in Des Moines)
On this day, probably stop briefly in Lincoln and Omaha and see a few things
Day 8: Des Moines-Minneapolis
On this day, see Des Moines for about 2 hours before heading back.
Are there too many long days of driving?
Does the plan accommodate enough time for Mt. Rushmore, Badlands, and the Rocky Mountain National Park, the three most important destinations of this trip?
I'm most interested in mountains and lakes, so the Colorado part is the most important. Should I spend more days in the Rocky Mountain National Park?
Are there any scenic train journeys I'm missing here?
Thanks. Really appreciated it!