Seattle to Washington DC this week - please help us plan!

[dqquinn]

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

[noFanofCB]

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!)

[Southwest Dave]

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.

[dqquinn]

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

[Southwest Dave]

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?

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.

[DonnaR57]

Yellowstone saw its busiest September EVER last month. Also, the Beartooth Highway closed for the season 3 days ago (10/10).


Donna

[dqquinn]

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

[glc]

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.

[dqquinn]

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?

[dqquinn]

Oops Virginia City’s website says that it’s closed due to Covid. :(