dklein2

We are contemplating driving from Chicago area to Yellowstone next summer -- it would be a two week trip. I'm looking for advice from ohers who have done the same thing. Lots of questions -- How long did it take? Did you take I80 or I90? Any recommendations on where to stay along the way? Would you have wished you paid the extra money and flown after it was all over? If you did it again, what would you repeat -- what would you avoid? Thanks in advance for all replies!

cd

We did this in August. We drove 80 to Yellowstone and 90 back. My husband says he would do the same again but then he does love to drive and it is a looooong drive, we really got to see how much vacant land there is in the good ole USA! We made good time on 80 but I absolutly HAVE to recommend leaving Yellowstone by the Northeast exit into Montana,driving the Beartooth Hwy and the Chief Joseph Hwy. It is the most beautiful scenery and the switchbacks are awesome! Then back to Cody Wy and on to 90. Of course you could come in that way also but Chief Joseph Hwy was tops on our list for scenery! It is stunning and not to be missed IMO. We stopped in Deadwood SD (on 90) for a day and night and enjoyed it..visited Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Janes graves, drove south to Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, NEEDLES HWY in Custer State Park and Iron Mountain Hwy in Custer State Park. These two Hwy's are also MUST drive's IMO. On Needles Hwy, at one point, your car in the tread and an iron mountain the needle. Very interesting.As you drive Iron Mountain Hwy, you see many views of Mt Rushmore. It took us two days to get to Jackson WY and we just stayed in economical lodges along the way. I would also recommend staying in the Teton area. Jackson is a charming town but we drove on the Jackson Lake Lodge in the Tetons and the view's are great. We took a Snake River Raft trip from the Lodge which was wonderful! From there it is just a hop, skip and a jump to Yellowstone which we enjoyed tremendously. You are in for a treat.Would I have flown? No. The drive is long, very long, but so worth all the places we visited. What would I avoid? NEVER let your gas tank get below a quarter of a tank....sometimes you don't have a gas station for a very long time.

cd

I might have confused you. I should have said on the trip OUT from Chicago to Jackson Wy was two days.

dklein2

Thanks CD for the prompt and very detailed reply!!!

dklein2

I'm back with a couple more questions for cd. How far did you get on your first day drive on 80? Did you make it into Nebraska? And how many hours did you drive that first day and then the second? We are thinking of putting as many miles as possible the first day and hoping we can make it at least 1/2 way through Nebraska. Is that too optimistic? And it sounds like you had no problem with getting a hotel along the way, so that would mean the freedom to drive as far as you possibly could, correct? Thanks again!

cd

Hi dklein
We drove, I believe, 1100 miles that first day (we are 2hrs south of Chicago). Stopped at Ogallala, Nebraska. We had no problem with not having reservations enroute. But it was the last 2 weeks of August so school was back in.(We did have Teton, Yellowstone, Deadwood, and Custer State Park reservations) We arrived earlier than we expected on that second day so had to stay in Jackson Wy as our reservations for Teton National Park were not until the next day. We had problems with a hotel room there as it is a very touristy town, but we ended up at the Super 8 for around $100.00. It was nice with a good breakfast. We shoped, walked the town, had a good dinner and drinks and was in the Tetons the next morning by 10:00am and belive it or not our room was ready! If interested in Teton National Park go to: http://www.gtlc.com/