Help me plan a road trip. Map attached

Here is my rough (3rd draft) attempt at planning a road trip next summer. How long should a trip like this take? I get bored pretty quick at most places so wouldn’t want to spend too much time any one spot. But do plan to spend a few days at a couple fishing hot spots, one being in MN.

If this route goes close to anything I should see please speak up. I’ve been west a lot but never East. I live in central Texas BTW. Looking for advise for alternate routes, things to see, places to fish etc.

Trip will be mid-late June to beginning of August. We are already spending 6 days in northern Utah at Bear Lake for a family reunion the last week of July so the road trip is based off of that.

BTW – While I’m on this trip if anyone knows of good places to stay like BnBs please let me know.

And I have a river house in south Texas and a house in central Texas if anyone wants to do a home exchange in July. It’s Texas so will be brutal hot though.

I’d think about adjusting the route so you go across Northern MN on hwy 2, continue all the way across ND, and then cut South down the Western Dakotas to the black hills/badlands. It shouldn’t add that much more drive time but it’d allow you to get in seeing the ND badlands which are far prettier and very different than the SD badlands, and see Teddy Roosevelt National Park. Plus you’re swapping interstate for good highway. If I’m road tripping I’d rather take highways and then stop in small town diners/taverns/bars versus hitting chains and fast food joints. You get better views and a much better experience and feel for the different parts of the country doing it that way IMO. ND is a very underrated and beautiful state in the summer and I think that drive across the Northern MN forest opening up to the prairie, all the wetlands, and wide open expanses that ND offers is just beautiful.

It might add more time than I thought, but in my opinion it’d be well worth several more hours of drive time if you’re looking to see the country. Cutting across ND on 52 and then seeing the Garrison Dam is also a beautiful drive. A true slice of Americana. What’s cool about ND is it’s basically like going into a time warp back to the 1950’s in a lot of ways.

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I see you plan to be in the black hills… You also said it will be in Utah last week of July. Unless you are wanting to see the Sturgis Rally, I would plan to be in the hills before the Reunion in Utah. That area is beautiful and you should plan to spend 2 or 3 full days to see the sights.

^^^Good call on Sturgis. It’s August 6th-15th and you definitely want to plan to avoid it.

I’d whip a chitty in Sault Ste. Marie and chase the Wisconsin shore back down a bit, then cut over towards La Crosse

Stop in Algoma or on the Door peninsula for some salmon on the way!!

I’m due for one of these trips. I grew up in AZ and every year we’d drive to MN taking the longest route possible and seeing everything. My favorite memories.

How many people are you traveling with?

It looks as though you’ll already be hitting the north shore of Superior, and I assume Gooseberry falls area.

Itasca state park might be worth a visit. It’s the headwaters of the Mississippi. It’s filled with great walking and biking trails with bike rentals.

The Devil’s lake area as well as lake Sakakawea both in ND are worth seeing and fishing. Both have wonderful fishing and have very scenic spots. That would go along with jonser’s hwy 2 idea.

Take a mine tour or 2 of the copper mines in the U.P. Bring a sweater. In the heat of summer it’s 45 degrees down in those things. I’m a rock lover and found those pretty neat.

Also agree with jonser on NDs badlands. More color than SD. Not saying skip SD by any means. Stay in Medora right on the edge of Roosevelt park. Lots of hiking opportunities.

Going across HWY 2 and ND is a great idea as well. I will tell you however, while in those necks of the woods, restrooms and gas stations are few and far between. Not so much in MN but western SD and ND are both very much wide open spaces. Do not pass a gas station with out filling up. It may be a while till you see the next one. For sure if travelling past business hours. Lots of those small towns have CO-OPs and have 24hr gas, but only with their card. Visa is not everywhere I want be! They can take them at the counter inside but not at the pump.

Itasca Park was on the route but if we stay on the far north in MN I’ll go through Rainy River area instead.

It’s just the wife and myself. I’m just not sure yet on a 95 hour drive. Never been more than a 20 hour drive (or 40 round trip so I guess just double that LOL).

Not much is on the list. I just looked at Gooseberry and we will be driving right by that so can stop. I’ll have to look up everything you guys mention as I’ve never been or researched anything up there. This is why I’m getting started so early.

How long should a trip like this take? +/- 30 days?

Here are some thoughts from my years of RVing. This country has more to see than you can imagine, even beyond the well known places. Google is great for locating some of the less than obvious spots – like “things to see along I80 between xxx and yyy.” If this is your first long trip like this, you won’t see it all but you will find spots to visit next time. Be careful about reservations. Reservations tie you a schedule but ensure you are not sleeping in a car. Good luck.

Length of trip will depend on your discipline to stick to a schedule. If at your third stop you hit a super hot bite at a pretty location with perfect weather it might take you a few years to complete the whole thing.

Scrap the schedule. You have one place (Utah) you need to be at at a certain time. Leave home with a idea of where your first stop will be. The following morning do the same thing. Set your direction and route daily as the time dictates.

A vacation and site seeing trip is suppose to be relaxing. Treat it as such or it just becomes another job.

If you’re already going to Helena, definitely take a couple of days at Glacier National Park!
Also, I’d suggest hitting the black hills then going to ND to see Teddy Roosevelt NP and the Medora Musical, esp. if you have kids with you.

We also took a trip over to the SD Badlands, Rapid City, and tried to take in all the sites we could. On the way to Rapid City from Wisconsin we stopped at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. Being from a military family (Dad was Air Force) and I was Army I wanted to see it as we were going right by. My wife and I were the only ones at the center and at the launch site. They give a tour which if you’ve never been below ground in a launch facility is unreal. Didn’t look like anything from the road other than a house with a fence around it in the middle of nowhere. We checked out the Visitor Center to get tour reservations and Delta 1 launch control.

“The Minuteman Missile National Historic Site was established in 1999 to illustrate the history and significance of the Cold War, the arms race, and intercontinental ballistic missile development. This National Historic Site preserves the last remaining Minuteman II ICBM system in the United States.”

It is unreal the power of these arms and the amount of them during the cold war. It was real eye opening.

Hard to tell from your map, but it looks like you head north out of rapid city and not sure but it looks like the road “212” and you cross a very large and dangerous Indian reservation that I will never cross again, it comes up as a shorter route from rapid city to Billings, but it’s more of a semi route. I would stick on I 90 into Wyoming into Billings that way, or could go into the Big horns and head on that way which very nice drive also!

Some suggestions for the UP of Michigan. At the bridge continue North to the Sault Locks then across to Tequamanon falls then to Munising to take pictured rocks boat tour. Then on to Houghton Eat pizza at the ambassidor and enjoy a KBC widow maker beer.Then N up US 41 check out Calumet Mine take 41 N to copper harbor. Possible stay at Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. Try fresh Whitefish at small trailer next to brickside brewery (forgot name) or the Mariner if fish is out. Check out hunters point and Ft Wilkerson. You could spend 2 days in the Keweenaw and not see half the sites. On the way down take HWY 26 take Brockway Mt Rd to the top then 26 to Eagle Harbor and Eagle River another great place to eat is Fitzgeralds (need reservation) on 26 stop and see devil’s washtub, and the Jam Pot bakery. In Ashland try S Shore Brewery and Grill. In Duluth try Fitzger’s brew pub and grill. Sorry this was so long but so much to see in the UP.

If you are going across northern MN (Itasca to Duluth), you should stop at the Lost 40.

On your original map, I’d make a slight detour to Red Lodge, MT and go through the Beartooth pass.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. When I have more time I’ll create a route map for just the north (ND, MN, MI)

I’m looking forward to trying the food up there also. Sounds good!

BigWerm wrote:

If you are going across northern MN (Itasca to Duluth), you should stop at the Lost 40.

On your original map, I’d make a slight detour to Red Lodge, MT and go through the Beartooth pass.

Beartooth is nice, over looks to view very nice drive to red lodge! Lots of options form there on for sights!

BigWerm wrote:

If you are going across northern MN (Itasca to Duluth), you should stop at the Lost 40.

Lived here all my life and I have yet to go. This next summer I have to take the boys there.

We’ve done two road trips out west, and stumbled on Bear Lodge Resort in Burgess Junction WY, in the Big Horn National Forest, during the first one. This was an unplanned snow/sleet stop in early September. Returned by design the next year. Features great hiking all over, unpaved but easily passable roads going into some back country, open range cattle, and mountain men, cowboys and hunters to shoot the breeze with in the evenings at the bar/restaurant at the resort. Fly-fishing opportunities if you do that. Medicine wheel is one nice hike, but there are plenty others. We spotted elk on a couple hikes. Burgess Junction is not a town; just a location in the middle of nowhere with 3 resorts for outdoorsy stuff.
It’s a bit off the route you show, but if you go, take Alt. 14 to get in or out.
Sounds like youre planning a great trip!

CaptainMusky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>BigWerm wrote:</div>
If you are going across northern MN (Itasca to Duluth), you should stop at the Lost 40.

Lived here all my life and I have yet to go.

Me either, but my parents went last summer and said it was pretty cool. Besides the state bird (mosquito’s) trying to carry them away

Greenhorn wrote:

If you’re already going to Helena, definitely take a couple of days at Glacier National Park!

Agreed. Almost feels criminal to drive through the majority of MT without seeing Missoula or Glacier national park. I was just out there this fall, beautiful country to the western side of MT. If you’re interested in some awesome wade trout fishing in that area shoot me a DM. Had the afternoon of the ages one day out there. Be glad to share.

Also, I’m in Denver now and I’d probably avoid c25. Sure, it would probably be a little quicker to ride down the interstate even with the traffic and road construction, but it’d be a whole lot prettier if you cut down the state a little west up in the mountains.

gregory wrote:

Hard to tell from your map, but it looks like you head north out of rapid city and not sure but it looks like the road “212” and you cross a very large and dangerous Indian reservation that I will never cross again, it comes up as a shorter route from rapid city to Billings, but it’s more of a semi route. I would stick on I 90 into Wyoming into Billings that way, or could go into the Big horns and head on that way which very nice drive also!

Not sure if it is still going on or not but the reservations were blocking some of the highways this summer in South Dakota. It is a battle over the land. I would do a lot of research before crossing SD.
DT

tbro16 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Greenhorn wrote:</div>
If you’re already going to Helena, definitely take a couple of days at Glacier National Park!

Agreed. Almost feels criminal to drive through the majority of MT without seeing Missoula or Glacier national park. I was just out there this fall, beautiful country to the western side of MT. If you’re interested in some awesome wade trout fishing in that area shoot me a DM. Had the afternoon of the ages one day out there. Be glad to share.

Also, I’m in Denver now and I’d probably avoid c25. Sure, it would probably be a little quicker to ride down the interstate even with the traffic and road construction, but it’d be a whole lot prettier if you cut down the state a little west up in the mountains.

Can’t help but notice the route through WY/MT/ID/CO avoids mountains at all costs. I assumed the OP has no desire to see or drive through mountains.

I believe they fixed the problem there, yes they had a problem there! I believe South Dakota governor said if we can’t Cross across “your” land then I heard they cut them off from supplies. Yeah it was ugly. Most of the country have no idea about these large reservations that actually aren’t that friendly! I’ve had them turn off open sign at a gas station and lock the door and not sell us gas.

tswoboda wrote:

Can’t help but notice the route through WY/MT/ID/CO avoids mountains at all costs. I assumed the OP has no desire to see or drive through mountains

What kind of freak would do that?

The map is a rough draft still. We plan to narrow it down and go through some mountains.

Just trying to get an idea for length of trip (miles and days) and must stay in towns. Then I’ll work on better maps. Will probably be 3 maps (since I don’t need maps for anything within 500 miles from the start point)

BTW – we are going east first and ending up at Bear Lake July 23rd or so.