We're driving from Chicago to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons and back in early/mid August and seeking itinerary advice for the trip (both directions). Two moms in 40s/early 50s and two girls (7 and 12). We're thinking of taking I90 out there, first night around Worthington MN, second around Gillette WY, then onto Yellowstone through east entrance. Any thoughts about this route/plan? Things to see along the way? And thinking of taking a more southerly route back for variety, any advice on which way and what to see? Would like to make the trips out and back in 3 days each way.
Drive from Chicago to Yellowstone and back
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If you can make it as far as Luverne MN the first night that will allow for a short stop in Mitchell SD to see the Corn Palace. Second night I would plan on seeing the sunset and light show at Mt. Rushmore. Stay in Rapid City.
Third day stop to see Devil's Tower on the way to Yellowstone.
Were you planning on coming south as far as Salt Lake City on your way back? Eastern Wyoming is interesting but most of Nebraska on I-80 is rather boring IMO.
I would bit the bullet and drive the entire first day all the way to Rapid City, SD.
See Mount Rushmore, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Crazy Horse, Mammoth Site, Badlands National Park. I would suggest staying at Custer State Park Resort
Devils Tower would be a good stop as mentioned.
From there I would continue over to Red Lodge. Drive The Beartooth Hwy into Yellowstone. I hope you plan to stay in Yellowstone for 3 or 4 days. It's a big park with a lot to see. Grand Tetons needs at least a full day and really more than that.
I don't know that I would go the southern route. You could swing down south and hit Rocky Mountain National Park, but I think your time would be better spent in Black Hills/Mount Rushmore area or Yellowstone/Tetons.
Unless you have 2 rested drivers, don't try to drive from Chicago to Rapid City. It is 14+ hours. Luverne is about 8.5 hours from Chicago.
There is no sense to arriving at Mt. Rushmore dead tired.
I wouldn't drive all the way to Rapid City in one day either.
However, Luverne doesn't make sense. Sioux Falls is less than 30 minutes away and has far more lodging/restaurant options. Mitchell (home of the corn palace) is about an hour past Sioux Falls (9.5 hours from Chicago). Chamberlain is an hour beyond that but is fairly small. Those 3 (Sioux Falls, Mitchell and Chamberlain) are really your best options that get you a good ways to Rapid City but aren't so far from Chicago that you're completely exhausted.
Personally I wouldn't base your itinerary around the Corn Palace. It's a curiosity more than anything. I drove past it at night and just looked at the murals on the outside - you can go inside but the main draw is the outside murals. Inside are just photos of previous years. I would not stop early or rearrange an itinerary to see it during normal visiting hours, if you get to Mitchell after regular hours just go look at the outside and move on.
So, my vote would be to push on to Chamberlain (make a reservation in advance) and stop in Mitchell either coming or going to see the outside, just don't waste a lot of time there. Day 2 drive through Badlands National Park (stop at the Minuteman Missile Site on the way). Drive the main road through Badlands, stop and do a few short hikes (it will be hot), drive up the Sage Creek dirt road far enough to see the big prairie dog town if you want, and then backtrack a little to exit the Pinnacles entrance. The entrance/exit road at Pinnacles will take you directly to Wall and I-90. Grab some lunch at Wall, visit Wall Drug and then head to Rapid City and the Black Hills.
I appreciate spiro's desire to see all those places in the Black Hills but I think that's way too much for the time you want to spend. See Mt. Rushmore, drive through Custer State Park and then pick one of the national caves to visit. Stay somewhere central to those 3 things, then drive up Spearfish Canyon the next day to get back onto I-90, stop at Devils Tower and push on to either Cody or Yellowstone.
On the way back, you'd really have to get off the interstate in Nebraska to see anything interesting. Head to Scotts bluff to see Chimney Rock, then drive to Alliance and take the Sandhills Scenic Byway (Hwy 2) from Alliance to Grand Island and back onto I-80.
http://www.visitnebraska.com/things-to-do/road-trips/byways-itineraries/99-sandhills-journey-scenic-byway
Beyond that, the Henry Doorly Zoo is Omaha is supposed to be really good.
Personally, I would allot more like 3.5 or 4 days for the drive out and 2 or 2.5 days to get back. There is far more stuff to do on the northern route through the Black Hills, and the southern route I just described is mostly driving and scenery rather than stopping at various attractions.