Heading Northwest from New Orleans

[sircampsalot2]

Hi, I'm new to the Forum. I have lurked but never posted here. I am looking to take a trip up to South dakota to see the Mt Rushmore, I plan to take 35n out of dallas and work my way up to I-90 then go west. I suck at finding things to see and do so I figured i would post here and see if anyone has any good ideas. I only have 9 days to go there and be back for work. I plan to leave in the Morning 16th of July and be back home on the 24th, I like Scenery and also would like to go to some sort of town festival somewhere Inbetween if any body knows of something like this please let me know where and what days i can see them. Thanks alot Is there a place to post pics of my trip on this forum when i get back?

[Mark Sedenquist]

Hi, I'm new to the Forum. I have lurked but never posted here.

Nice to see you out here in plain sight -- As we say, lurkers are always welcome but posters are revered. I am on the road myself at the moment and so don't have easy access to some of my festival information, but I would certainly recommend heading north on the River Road. I will post more info later.

Thanks alot Is there a place to post pics of my trip on this forum when i get back?

Eventually we will add more features that enable easy-to-add photographs, but for now if the images are small ~ 50 K or so, you can use the image tool (looks like mtn and sun) above.

Mark

[PNW Judy]

Welcome. I love your name, SirCampsALot2.

You might try this festival website. It might be a good starting point. Most states also have information about festivals on their tourism websites as well. So you could do a search for each state you're going through for their tourism website and see what they have listed.

Other things you might enjoy seeing in the Mt. Rushmore area are Deadwood, Wall Drug, Crazy Horse Memorial, Wind Cave, the Badlands, and Devil's Tower.

[Robert Schaller]

If you get as far as Montana, you might make a stop at the Little Bighorn Battlefield. It takes about 1/2 day to see the visitors center exhibits (including a set of buckskins Custer actually owned -- pretty cool) and to take the scenic drive around the battlefield. It's hot there on summer afternoons, so if you can plan to be there in the morning, that's the most comfortable time.

[flsts00]

you can not forget to ride through the park on needles highway to see mt rushmore.

[sircampsalot2]

Thanks for the info and Reply's I didnt get to leave today I came down with a case of the Kidney stones! OUCH. Oh well I had to put it off til next week but this will give me time to check out the links yall gave. Thanks alot

[Mark Sedenquist]

I am looking to take a trip up to South dakota to see the Mt Rushmore, I plan to take 35n out of dallas and work my way up to I-90 then go west.

Serious bummer about those kidney stones -- but better now than on the road! Your original post was entitled "Heading North from New Orleans" but your specified route has a start in Dallas -- so I am confused. If indeed, New Oleans is a start point -- there is a book you could read today while you are resting and waiting for those little pesky nodules to do their thing... I find Tim Steil's Highway 61 Revisited to be one of my all-time favorite resources for this section of the USA.

No matter what your route is -- If you like live music -- there is one place you really need to consider including -- every summer in the town square at Mountain View, Arkansas, locals and tourists gather when it turns cool at night and jam all night long -- bluegrass, country, jazz, you name it. Plus, of course there is a state park dedicated to Ozark music and the crafts of the area.

Another thing, after you leave Rushmore (here is a web cam of the faces -- not as good as being there, but...) drive over to the Badlands NP -- very cool.

Hope the recovery goes well!

Mark

[sircampsalot2]

Thanks again for the links they are very useful, I am leaving from new orleans and driving to Lafayette,La for the night and then to dallas,tx and on up from there. Sorry i wasnt clear it does look confusing after reading what i wrote LoL. I am feeling very well know and am Anxious to get started on my trip, I have been thinking about taking a road trip all year and have just recently decided to take the plunge. I have family in West Virginia that want me to come visit but I have been there before and have decided that its time to see some of this great country that I havent seen before. So, I guess the family will have to wait til Thanksgiving. I have been up HWY61 all the way to Memphis and it is a nice scenic route (I was raised in St Francisville) so i decided to take a more westerly route. I read everyones posts so please everyone post about how your trip went it gives me something Interesting to read! Thanks alot for the help. Mark