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Hello all,
My sister and I are driving from Seattle to Washington, DC this week and can use all the suggestions that you can throw at us.
The only thing that we really would like to see this trip is Old Faithful. After that, anything goes.THANK YOU in advance!
I am not sure how much we can drive in one day - i was thinking about 8 hours?? sometimes longer if necessary?
DQ
Plan using 500 mi/day as a baseline. This accounts for fuel, food, and potty breaks. Google Maps assumes running at speed limit without pause.
Plan to have some extra time in the schedule to allow for weather. This time of year there can be snowstorms. (We had one here in Colo. two weeks ago!)
Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !
Tell us a bit more about your trip. How much time do you have? Is it one way or a round trip and what are your interests. Once we get a better picture of the trip it will help to fill in the blanks. As above, 500 miles per day is a good baseline for 9-10 hours of travel with basic short breaks and to fill with gas, eat etc etc. So you are looking at a timeline of 5.5 days minimum plus any detours and major stops you may like. You really need to add a minimum of a day to venture into Yellowstone NP but you could easily spend 3 days there seeing the basics.
Have a look at a good map and search around the forums and road trip planning pages here at RTA and when you have a couple more dots on the map and can answer the questions put to you, post up a rough idea of an itinerary and we can make meaningful suggestions and help fill in any blanks.
On this trip, we really don't have a lot of extra time. It is a one-way trip, but our first across the country. (We are also traveling with a parrot.) If we have no side trips other than Yellowstone, I guess we'd like a pretty (long) drive. We are not dawdlers and want to get to our destination, but we have no problems stopping to see something unique.
Maybe an overnight in Loveland, CO, where we have a friend? Is it not possible to travel to Yellowstone just to see Old Faithful?
As for interests, this week it's scenery (although my bucket lists contains the Mt. Rushmore, the Cadillac Ranch, and the biggest Ball of Twine in the US (or northern hemisphere).
Thanks
Anything is possible but it still comes down to the time you have ? 5 days means you will only have time to drive the direct route in a safe manner, a week would allow a bit of time for going off the beaten path, 10 days a lot more and so on. A detour to Loveland adds almost 200 miles to the most direct route. Although Old Faithfull wouldn't add much more in the way of mileage to this route, the park speed limits, possible congestion and getting to see Old Faithful spout could easily add half a day. If you are using Google time estimates as a guide and hope you can do the trip in 2 or 3 days, (for example) then please don't, it's not realistic or safe. We could list thousands of attractions but until we have an understanding of your chosen route and time available it wouldn't actually mean much.Quote:
We are not dawdlers and want to get to our destination, but we have no problems stopping to see something unique.
Maybe an overnight in Loveland, CO, where we have a friend? Is it not possible to travel to Yellowstone just to see Old Faithful?
Yellowstone saw its busiest September EVER last month. Also, the Beartooth Highway closed for the season 3 days ago (10/10).
Donna
Update:
We are in Superior, Montana. The drive across Lookout Pass was a bit hairy/scary! We saw some snow!!!! (hated it!)
OK - where next? Should I be afraid of going through Butte to Yellowstone? We are getting up early to leave for Yellowstone; what do you suggest?
DQ
Take exit 256 off I-90 at Cardwell, MT-359 to Harrison Mill, US-287 to US-191 into West Yellowstone into the park.
Note - this is from the NPS site:
Traffic delays around Old Faithful
A structural issue has been identified with the Old Faithful overpass and has been closed. A new four-way intersection has been put into place south of the overpass. All traffic is being routed there. Expect delays.
Hi there- we got a late start this morning - we are headed east on I-90 just west of Drummond. What do you think about visiting Virginia City?
Oops Virginia City’s website says that it’s closed due to Covid. :(
Us-287 was just gorgeous; thank you for the suggestion.
Driving in the park was easy, and fast. One back-up as a herd of bison walked into the road.
There was a slight detour in to see Old Faithful, but it wasn't bad.
We are staying in a terrific place called Evergreen Motel in West Yellowstone, and want to go back into the park tomorrow. Where should we go?
We will probably want to leave the park around 3ish to continue West - which route do you suggest????
would something like -- devil's tower, Wyoming, then Mount Rushmore, then Custer State Park, then Wall Drug, then the badlands, corn palace, spam museum Chicago, etc. Would this work??? We found the route on the Adventurous Woman Blog....
Its worth heading to Canyon village and the 'Grand canyon of the Yellowstone', it's amazing ! Unfortunately the Beartooth Highway (US212) has closed for the season so you could travel down to Yellowstone Lake and west to Cody on US14 and Alt 14 to Bighorn canyon. If you still have some time to spare you might want to consider heading a bit further south from Yellowstone and take a peak at the Grand Tetons. Have fun !Quote:
We are staying in a terrific place called Evergreen Motel in West Yellowstone, and want to go back into the park tomorrow. Where should we go?
We will probably want to leave the park around 3ish to continue West - which route do you suggest???
I think you mean continue East, not west?
I'm glad you found the Evergreen! I posted about that place a few years ago.
Be careful on US-14 and Alt-14, it's snowing.
In my opinion, one of the most underrated scenic/historic areas of the US is the one surrounding Rapid City SD. If you can spare it a couple of days, you'll be well rewarded. The obligatory stop is of course Mount Rushmore, but there's also Devils Tower, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, the Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer State Park, the Mammoth Site and Badlands NP. A bit farther east on I-90 there's also the obligatory kitsch stop: Wall Drug.
AZBuck
Yikes! Snow? Am i making a mistake going to cody and the rapid city area?
Not necessarily, just be careful. It's not a lot of snow, which is actually leaving the area, it's just a few slick road stretches.
Wyoming road conditions: https://map.wyoroad.info/wtimap/index.html
South Dakota road conditions: https://www.safetravelusa.com/sd/
Well, we were turned around at Canyon Village and had to retreat to West Yellowstone. We then drove north on 191 to Bozeman and then east to Buffalo, Wyoming, where we stayed overnight in the totally WONDERFUL Occidental Hotel (except we were almost the only ones wearing face masks). Our room in the hotel is filled with antique furniture, there's a clawfoot bathtub in the bathroom, and it's just delightful.
We have a loose plan for today - Devil's tower, then Crazy Horse, then Mt Rushmore, then Custer State Park (buffalo corral, where they do the bison winnowing>??) Wall Drug, then the Bad Lands Loop.
We probably can;t do all this today, is that right?
Hi - I have a report coming, but i have a question. We are in Sioux Falls SD tonight. Which route back to DC do y’all suggest???
How much time do you have at this point before you need to be back in DC?
I just read the thread, if I understand the timing correctly, you only have two days to reach DC? Is that correct?
If so, by the fastest possible route you are 1273 miles from DC. Which means that would need to be on the road at least 11 hours of travel per day.
Anyway, the fastest route is I-90 to Chicago and onto I-76 and on into Washington.
So, not much time for sight seeing.
Mark
I hate to disagree with Mark, but that route will catch you up in Chicago traffic and cost you a ton in tolls. This route is only about an hour longer and has zero tolls:Quote:
Anyway, the fastest route is I-90 to Chicago and onto I-76 and on into Washington.
I-29 to I-880 to I-80 to Davenport IA
I-74 to Indy, take the I-465 south bypass
I-70 to Columbus, take the I-270 south bypass
I-70 to Wheeling, take the I-470 bypass
I-70 to Washington PA
I-79 to Morgantown WV
I-68 to Hancock MD
I-70 to Frederick
I-270 into the DC area
If at all possible, take at least part of a 3rd day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by glc
This sounds like a plan. We forgot about the tolls. And driving through/around Chicago IS a cluster- you know what.
THANKS everyone!
Any more input? thank you!!!
dq
This "shun-pike" route through Morgantown and Hancock not only avoids the obnoxious tolls and traffic of the PA Turnpike, it's also really pretty! At this time of the year, fall leaf peeping may not be in its prime, but I'd guess it would still be pretty!Quote:
I-70 to Columbus, take the I-270 south bypass
I-70 to Wheeling, take the I-470 bypass
I-70 to Washington PA
I-79 to Morgantown WV
I-68 to Hancock MD
I-70 to Frederick
Donna
Thank you!