Salt Lake City loop

[Valerie Vaughn]

Hi everyone. I am trying to get some help for the second week of my roadtrip.

I have one week to do everything. I know I want to see Yellowstone/Grand Teton, and I also need to stop in Bozeman. My question is. Is there a loop that I could do so that I can begin and end in Salt Lake. I am not really seeing much else to do besides Yellowstone/Grand Teton area.

Please help!

[Mark Sedenquist]

Valerie,

I see several threads dating back to April 17th providing you with scores and scores of routing suggestions. Do you mean you don't have time to see more than Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons in the week (I can certainly understand that problem) but if your concern is not finding sufficient cool things to do, I would suggest using the search utility (above), search by your name and re-reading all of those careful suggestions.

mark

[Valerie Vaughn]

Everyone has been very helpful in giving me ideas for planning my trip and routes to take. I have my first week totally planned out now.

I was just curious if there was a good route to take which will be sort of a loop. I need to fly out of Salt Lake City, mainly because the drop fee for the rental is a lot cheaper.

So when I drop off my friend of in Salt lake, and get my mother I was curious if there was somewhere to go first besides Grand Teton and Yellowstone.

My point was I just am wondering if there is some sort of loop that I can take where I can see Bozeman, and the above mentioned parks, but also stop at any sights along the way.

I have a ton of places to see this first week which were reccommended by people on the boards, so I am seeing what they are saying.

I am sorry if this is sounding confusing or if my past messages have been clogging up the boards.

[Robert Schaller]

Salt Lake -- Evanston (WY) -- Kemmerer -- Fort Washakie -- Thermopolis -- Worland -- Sheridan -- Garryowen (MT) -- Pompey's Pillar -- Bozeman -- Yellowstone -- Grand Teton -- Bear Lake (UT) -- Promontory Point and SLC to end.

Time permitting, you could add in Devil's Tower (WY), Mount Rushmore (SD) or even get farther north into Montana (like Great Falls) before turning back south again toward Bozeman and SLC. The total driving time for this, including Devil's Tower and Great Falls is only 33 hours and 2 minutes. Bob

[Robert Schaller]

The part about the two minutes was a joke...

[Valerie Vaughn]

hehe, thanks Bob, this is exactly what I was looking for :-)

[Valerie Vaughn]

Hey Bob,

Just one question, although it is a loaded one..haha. What is there to do in these towns? Anything to do, see, etc etc? I am not familiar with them.

Valerie

[Robert Schaller]

Mostly historical sites and scenery. The cities mark the route so you can find it easily. Stop at South Pass (Oregon Trail site), Fort Washakie for Museum of the Mountain Man and Sacajawea's grave (they claim). You might also check out Medicine Wheel Natl Mnmt in the Bighorn Mtns. Then head over to Devil's Tower and the Black Hills to see Crazy Horse and Mount Rushmore. Back through WY to Little Bighorn Battlefield (Garryowen, MT) and then Pompey's Pillar off I-94 east of Billings. I'd drive up to Great Falls just for the scenery enroute. Then Red Lodge where "Liver-eatin' Johnson was sheriff once. He was the real "Jeremiah Johnson." He's reportedly buried at the Museum mentioned for Ft Washakie. Then, Yeelowstone and Grand Teton, and south through Bear Lake (where mountain men had rendezvous in the 1820s and 1830s). Finally, Promontory Point by Salt Lake -- the Central Pacific met the Union Pacific there in 1869 to complete the first transcontinental railroad -- with the Golden Spike, right?

Even without the attractions, the scenery on this route is worth the drive! And there is more besides what I've named. Watch out as you go for other places you can stop along the way -- you may find the ruins of a stage coach or Pony Express relay station. Bob