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I'm beginning to plan my road trip out to Yellowstone for next summer. Roadtrip will last about 2- 3 weeks. I will be traveling with a small R- Pod, so I hope to camp most of the way out and back Would like to start in June and take a more southerly route and then a northern route on the way home.
Does anyone have suggestions for the best routes to take?
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Best routes are hard because what is best for you depends upon so many variables. For example, time is a huge one and the difference between 2 and 3 weeks is quite significant in your case.
Did you have any specific ideas already for your North and South routes? I-90 would be the logical, direct route for at least I've is your legs, but you could go north or south from there for the opposite direction.
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I like your idea of taking different routes out and back; its one thing I always try to do on my own RoadTrips. Also, I suspect that since you'll be towing a trailer, even if only "a small R-pod", that you'll want to avoid both large cites with their traffic and highways with tolls as much as possible. Finally, it might make a difference where you're starting from in New Hampshire, but only a slight one, so I've used Concord for rough planning purposes. What I'm going to suggest are two very broadly defined routes to get you started. You can easily alter them to get to attractions nearby as you wish.
West-bound on a southerly route: Start out by taking NH/VT-9 and NY-7 to the Troy/Albany area and use I-87/I-90 to connect with I-88. Switch to I-86 at Binghamton. At Erie PA use I-79 to drop south to I-80 and then switch to I-76 around Youngstown OH. Make another drop south on I-71 to Columbus and there pick up I-70 to Indianapolis where you'd get on I-74 to the quad Cities and I-80. I-80 will take you through Iowa and Nebraska (where it follows the Platte River and the old Oregon Trail) to Rawlins, WY. Your final push would then be on US-287/26/191 to Yellowstone.
East-bound on a northerly route: NB!! I am going to suggest that you return through Canada. That assumes that travel restrictions will be lifted by next summer and that you will have no problems crossing the border(s). Leave Yellowstone on US-14 to the Sheridan WY area and get on I-90 which goes through Rapid City (lots to see and do) to Tomah WI, A little 'backroading' on WI-21 will take you to Oshkosh and I-41 north to Green Bay and US-41 north from there. At Menominee MI take MI-35 to enjoy the drive along the lake front to Escanaba where you'd rejoin US-41. Next up are US-2/I-75 to Sault Ste. Marie and cross into Canada where you simply follow the Trans-Canada Highway to Montréal, then Autoroute 10 (A-10) and A-55 to Stanstead and I-91/I-93 home.
The above are, of course just a starting point and can be altered to suit your own goals. I'd also point out this list of campgrounds along major Interstate Highways, again - just as a starting point.
AZBuck
Thank you
That is a great start for me to start planning.
We are going to take about 2 weeks to do this trip.
Bear in mind that if you do go through Canada, you're going to need a passport. You also have to be careful of what's in your rig - only 7 days worth of food and drink, only so much liquor including beer, and firearms are also restricted. Any prescription drugs you are carrying should be in their original bottles with the pharmacy name on them.
Two weeks is really, really pushing it. As AZBuck mentioned, three weeks is better. It's AT LEAST a five day drive in each direction, especially trying to pull a trailer. If you have 14 or 15 days, there goes 10 days for just doing the drive. If you want to enjoy it, take more time.
Donna