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It's going to take you a lot longer than 3 days to get from Yellowstone to Chicago only driving 5 hours a day.
Day 1 - Yellowstone to Billings via the Beartooth - 4 hours or so
Day 2 - Billings to Rushmore area - 6 hours
Day 3 - Rushmore area to Sioux Falls - 6 hours
Day 4+ - Sioux Falls to Chicago - 10 hours
I think you misunderstood. :-)Quote:
So you think allow maybe 3 days to drive to Chicago from Yellowstone comfortably?
There are different levels of 'comfortable', but if you want to restrict your driving to 5-6 hours a day and sight see, you will need the 5 days [4 nights] as in your original plan. What I was actually suggesting is the first of those 5 days [29th] could be spent driving out of Yellowstone through Red Lodge while driving the Beartooth towards Billings, perhaps even as far as Sheridan WY[?]. The 2nd/3rd and 4th day to Rushmore, Sioux Falls,[Mitchel ?] and La Crosse before continuing to Chicago. These are suggestions based on driving the Beartooth, visiting Rushmore and keeping your driving to about 5-6 hours a day. To do the drive in 3 days would mean being on the road for around 9 hours a day with little time for stops.
I'll note that while you only mentioned Mt. Rushmore, there is much more to see and do in the Black Hills area. Just a few of the other highlights that are worthy of your time would be Devil's Tower (WY), Deadwood, Jewel and/or Wind Caves, and of course my favorite stop in the area, Custer State Park.
Then on your way east, also make sure you are giving yourself time for the Badlands. Many people only spend a couple hours just doing the loop drive off I-90, but this is also a spot you could easily spend a full day.
Yes I think I misunderstood the driving estimates for Yellowstone-Chicago. Now I am thinking about 1 week if we wanted to see badlands, custer state park, etc and still stay to 5-6 hours per day. I will do some more research tonight and post a draft for Yellowstone-Chicago to see what everyone thinks. I really appreciate everyones suggestions.
Another question- is Helena the best stopover for the drive from Glacier NP to Yellowstone?
It all depends on which way you go and what kind of time you are making. Possibilities are Great Falls, Helena, Missoula, Butte, and Bozeman.
Yellowstone → Billings (via Beartooth hwy) - 2.50 hours
Billings → Rapid City (Mt Rushmore, Custer State Park) - 5.14 hours
Rapid City → Badlands National Park (stay somewhere around there) - 1.19 hours
Badlands National Park → Sioux Falls - 4.3 hours
Sioux Falls → La Crosse - 4.35 hours
La Crosse → Chicago - 4.52 hours
(6 days, 5 nights in total)
We want to spend most of the last day in Yellowstone (hence only 2.50 hours travelling the first day) and some time in the Mt Rushmore/Badlands vicinity, hence the extra time on the third day. I have looked up some nice scenic drives/hikes through Custer & Badlands- it all looks fantastic!
Where is a good place to stay around Badlands National Park?
Is La Crosse anything special?
You really have a flaw with your driving times - in that you really aren't taking into account the extra time needed to take in the scenery.
The Beartooth is the biggest example. You might be able to physically drive from Yellowstone to Billings in just under 3 hours, but that's if you don't stop to enjoy the viewpoints and stops along the Beartooth. This past summer, I spent about 3-4 hours just driving from Red Lodge to the NW gate of Yellowstone. It was then about another hour from that gate to through the Lamar Valley to the main loop road of Yellowstone (where will you be staying in the park?). Its also about an hour from Red Lodge to Billings. My concern with your plan is that if you spend "most of the day" in Yellowstone, you could easily be looking at arriving in Billings well after dark.
Some of your other drive times are also unrealistic. Billings to Rapid City is also likely going to take you about 6 hours, and that's before you make other stops or start adding the extra miles to get to Rushmore and Custer which can add quite a bit more driving.
I think it would actually make a bit more sense to try to stay in Keystone than Rapid City, which would allow you to see Mt. Rushmore on the evening you arrive. Then you can focus on Custer and the Badlands on your second day, going via Iron Mountain Road (one of my favorite mountain drives with some great views of Rushmore), and taking in the Wildlife Loop at Custer.
LaCrosse is a nice stop, with the focus being on the Mississippi River and surrounding bluffs. Several attractions are included in RTA's map center.
Thanks for the feedback Michael.
How about this?
Yellowstone → Red Lodge (via Beartooth hwy) - 2.50 hours (1st night)
Red Lodge → Sheridan (stopping at Bighorn Canyon on way) - 4 hours (2nd night)
Sheridan → Keystone (seeing Rushmore that afternoon if we can) -4 hours (3rd night)
Keystone → Badlands NP (Scenic drives through Custer State Park on the way, exploring Badlands for the rest of day) - 1.15 hours (4th night)
Badlands National Park → Sioux Falls - 4.30 hours (5th night)
Sioux Falls → La Crosse - 4.35 hours (6th night)
La Crosse → Chicago - 4.52 hours
So 7 days and 6 nights now.
Hi Renee,
It's great to see you include the Big Horn Canyon in the plan. The Big Horn Mts do not often get a mention on folks' itenary, but for me were a great surprise the first time I stumbled upon them, and I still try to traverse them each time I am in the area.
From I-90 take 310 to Lovel and Alt 14 over the Big Horn Mts. A side trip up 37 takes you along the canyon, and further along Alt 14 there is a short side trip to the Medicine Wheel. The high plains of the Big Horn Mts abound with wildlife. My first experience with Nth American wildlife was here, when a moose stood in front of my car, and was not going to let me go till it was good and ready to move. I was so surprised and stunned, I failed to reach for my camera, and don't have any visual proof of the event.
With stopping and exploring it will take longer than four hours, but the actual driving time should be pretty close.
Lifey
Thanks for that information Lifey- I hope we see a Moose!
So how far up the 37 did you drive? For example on this map- http://www.nps.gov/bica/planyourvisi...CAParkmap1.pdf
Did you stop at anything else along the 37?
Then you headed back on the Alt 14 and towards Sheridan/Buffolo?