two week roadtrip out west
May 9th, 2015, 01:23 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
two week roadtrip out west
Hello!
So my friend and I have two weeks for a roadtrip leaving from Madison, WI and ending up in St. louis, MO. Originally the plan was to go from Madison to Seattle down to San Fransisco and then back across to St. Louis (with stops along the way of course). But now I see that this is probably unrealistic for the time that we have (two weeks). Would you agree?
If so, I am trying to come up with a new plan that doesn't go quite as far as the coast. Two that I come up with are outlined below:
A) Plan 1:
1) Madison
2) Minneapolis
3)Glacier National Park
4) Yellow Stone National Park
5) Gran Teton NP
6) Denver
7) St louis
According to googlemaps this trip is about 50 hours of driving and 3,222 miles. According to a roadtrip planning website, however, it is more like 57 hours. Not sure which is more correct?
B) Plan 2:
1) Madison
2) Badlands
3)Yellowstone NP
4) Grand Teton NP
5) Zion NP
6) Bryce Canyon
7) Arches NP
8) Denver
9) St. Louis
According to googlemaps this trip is about 53 hours of driving and 3,500 miles. According to the roadtrip planning website its more like 67 hours of driving.
So, I am wondering for those who are experienced whether you can give me some advice on what to do? Is my original plan actually unrealistic? (to the coast). If so, what would you suggest instead? It doesn't have to be one of these two plans. It could be totally different or some aspect of one or the other.
I am very unsure about how many hours of driving is realistic for two weeks so would love some insight into that. Would also love some insight into what are the most "must see" desalinations and National Parks. There are soo many out West that I don't know which are the "best." (of course I know this is subjective but would appreciate any opinions/advice on which you would choose to go to if you had two weeks out west).
Thanks!
So my friend and I have two weeks for a roadtrip leaving from Madison, WI and ending up in St. louis, MO. Originally the plan was to go from Madison to Seattle down to San Fransisco and then back across to St. Louis (with stops along the way of course). But now I see that this is probably unrealistic for the time that we have (two weeks). Would you agree?
If so, I am trying to come up with a new plan that doesn't go quite as far as the coast. Two that I come up with are outlined below:
A) Plan 1:
1) Madison
2) Minneapolis
3)Glacier National Park
4) Yellow Stone National Park
5) Gran Teton NP
6) Denver
7) St louis
According to googlemaps this trip is about 50 hours of driving and 3,222 miles. According to a roadtrip planning website, however, it is more like 57 hours. Not sure which is more correct?
B) Plan 2:
1) Madison
2) Badlands
3)Yellowstone NP
4) Grand Teton NP
5) Zion NP
6) Bryce Canyon
7) Arches NP
8) Denver
9) St. Louis
According to googlemaps this trip is about 53 hours of driving and 3,500 miles. According to the roadtrip planning website its more like 67 hours of driving.
So, I am wondering for those who are experienced whether you can give me some advice on what to do? Is my original plan actually unrealistic? (to the coast). If so, what would you suggest instead? It doesn't have to be one of these two plans. It could be totally different or some aspect of one or the other.
I am very unsure about how many hours of driving is realistic for two weeks so would love some insight into that. Would also love some insight into what are the most "must see" desalinations and National Parks. There are soo many out West that I don't know which are the "best." (of course I know this is subjective but would appreciate any opinions/advice on which you would choose to go to if you had two weeks out west).
Thanks!
May 9th, 2015, 02:28 PM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 323
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I believe it's approximately 18/19 hrs. from Minneapolis to West Yellowstone (95% by I-94, not counting VERY possible road construction). Not sure of your realistic time from Madison to Minneapolis.
When do you intend to travel? Are you reserving lodging? Many popular areas are already quickly booking up for the season. We spent 6 days at Yellowstone late last June (not counting travel time). It was enough time to leisurely visit the sights, although one could spend more time for activities.
I would suggest visiting Yellowstone for from 4 to 6 days, then either drop down to visit Grand Tetons NP OR spend several days in the Black Hills in South Dakota/Rapid City area (stop along the way at Devil's Tower), then continue on SD interstate to the MN state line, where you could pick up I-90 going South. Sioux Falls to Omaha would be approx. 3 hrs, then again 3 hrs or so to Kansas City. You could also see the SD Badlands along your way home; short loop back to highway would be 1/2 day tour. There's always more to see/do than a person is aware of; give yourself ample time to enjoy the areas. If you choose this trip, be aware that North Dakota also has Badlands on I-94. ND's are red coloring, where SD's are white. Medora, ND is a small, quaint tourist town you could book for the night. They have shops, small museums, shows, etc. You could also drop down in MT near Billings and see Custer Battlefield National Monument, if you're interested in history. Then either take Beartooth Hwy over the mountains into the valley for great views (takes 3-4 hrs to drive) or continue to Bozeman & take a "tamer" road into West Yellowstone.
I would save Zion/Bryce Canyon/Denver, etc. for another trip in itself.
When do you intend to travel? Are you reserving lodging? Many popular areas are already quickly booking up for the season. We spent 6 days at Yellowstone late last June (not counting travel time). It was enough time to leisurely visit the sights, although one could spend more time for activities.
I would suggest visiting Yellowstone for from 4 to 6 days, then either drop down to visit Grand Tetons NP OR spend several days in the Black Hills in South Dakota/Rapid City area (stop along the way at Devil's Tower), then continue on SD interstate to the MN state line, where you could pick up I-90 going South. Sioux Falls to Omaha would be approx. 3 hrs, then again 3 hrs or so to Kansas City. You could also see the SD Badlands along your way home; short loop back to highway would be 1/2 day tour. There's always more to see/do than a person is aware of; give yourself ample time to enjoy the areas. If you choose this trip, be aware that North Dakota also has Badlands on I-94. ND's are red coloring, where SD's are white. Medora, ND is a small, quaint tourist town you could book for the night. They have shops, small museums, shows, etc. You could also drop down in MT near Billings and see Custer Battlefield National Monument, if you're interested in history. Then either take Beartooth Hwy over the mountains into the valley for great views (takes 3-4 hrs to drive) or continue to Bozeman & take a "tamer" road into West Yellowstone.
I would save Zion/Bryce Canyon/Denver, etc. for another trip in itself.
May 9th, 2015, 04:51 PM
#3
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Personally, I'm a lover of long road trips, but I think you are planning for way too much in your two weeks. But, it all depends on how much of each place you want to see. Do you want to get a real experience at each place, or just see a highlight or two? If you are ok with just catching the highlights and enjoying the "getting there" instead of being there, then the trip is do-able. It also depends on how much time you want to spend driving each day.
As for actual driving times, I usually go by what mapquest says, give or take 30 minutes. Again, this depends on how much you want to stop and what you do at each stop. I personally like to hurry up and get wherever I'm going, so I tend to stop just for gas and the occasional fast food joint to grab lunch, or I pack food to eat in the car. I also plan for a little extra time if I know I'm driving through a city or somewhere I know has construction because you just never know about traffic in those areas. In the areas where there are long stretches of road with very little traffic, I usually can shave off about 30-45 minutes of what mapquest said it would take (I also tend to drive over the speed limit if there isn't much to see along the way).
I would suggest splitting that second itinerary in half, and either doing the northern half (as HotWheels suggested above) or southern half (Colorado, Utah). A big factor in determining which route you choose may be what time of year you are going. Summer can be very hot in the Utah parks and southern Colorado, but sometimes there are areas in Yellowstone and Grand Tetons that may be closed in the early spring due to snow (and even parts of RMNP near Denver). Fall may be a good time for either. If you don't like to stay in one place too long, you could throw a couple additions in to each area that would keep you moving a little more, but I don't think that would be necessary. You are going to want to give yourself a couple rest days in that two weeks time, or you will be burnt out before you finish.
As for actual driving times, I usually go by what mapquest says, give or take 30 minutes. Again, this depends on how much you want to stop and what you do at each stop. I personally like to hurry up and get wherever I'm going, so I tend to stop just for gas and the occasional fast food joint to grab lunch, or I pack food to eat in the car. I also plan for a little extra time if I know I'm driving through a city or somewhere I know has construction because you just never know about traffic in those areas. In the areas where there are long stretches of road with very little traffic, I usually can shave off about 30-45 minutes of what mapquest said it would take (I also tend to drive over the speed limit if there isn't much to see along the way).
I would suggest splitting that second itinerary in half, and either doing the northern half (as HotWheels suggested above) or southern half (Colorado, Utah). A big factor in determining which route you choose may be what time of year you are going. Summer can be very hot in the Utah parks and southern Colorado, but sometimes there are areas in Yellowstone and Grand Tetons that may be closed in the early spring due to snow (and even parts of RMNP near Denver). Fall may be a good time for either. If you don't like to stay in one place too long, you could throw a couple additions in to each area that would keep you moving a little more, but I don't think that would be necessary. You are going to want to give yourself a couple rest days in that two weeks time, or you will be burnt out before you finish.
May 9th, 2015, 05:45 PM
#4
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,304
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Going all the way to coast and back to St. Louis in 2 weeks is unrealistic. Madison to Seattle to San Francisco to St. Louis is 70 hours of driving, you would spend half the trip just driving with little time to stop anywhere.
I think HotWheels is on the right track. I would skip the Minneapolis overnight and go straight to the Badlands/Black Hills. Stay in that area for 3-4 days, then go to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons for about a week. Drop down to Denver for a couple nights, then head back to St. Louis.
I think HotWheels is on the right track. I would skip the Minneapolis overnight and go straight to the Badlands/Black Hills. Stay in that area for 3-4 days, then go to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons for about a week. Drop down to Denver for a couple nights, then head back to St. Louis.
May 9th, 2015, 06:25 PM
#5
Would this trip be entirely with your own vehicle? Motels or camping? What month?
If it is with a rental vehicle you could use my method which is taking a train and then renting a car at one of your destinations. Madison is close enough to Wisconsin Dells or Tomah that you could board the Empire Builder at either and ride 25/26 hours to East Glacier Park MT. Spend the night there and rent a car in the morning. Rent for 9 days and see Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Teton.
The advantage to this is that the train moves all night through country that you don't really want to drive through.
The rail distance from Tomah to East Glacier is 1307 miles which is a rather long 2 days drive.
For many years I slept in coach on Amtrak trains. My most recent trip was in roomettes using Amtrak Guest Rewards points.
If it is with a rental vehicle you could use my method which is taking a train and then renting a car at one of your destinations. Madison is close enough to Wisconsin Dells or Tomah that you could board the Empire Builder at either and ride 25/26 hours to East Glacier Park MT. Spend the night there and rent a car in the morning. Rent for 9 days and see Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Teton.
The advantage to this is that the train moves all night through country that you don't really want to drive through.
The rail distance from Tomah to East Glacier is 1307 miles which is a rather long 2 days drive.
For many years I slept in coach on Amtrak trains. My most recent trip was in roomettes using Amtrak Guest Rewards points.
May 9th, 2015, 06:52 PM
#6
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,304
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Don't use Amtrak on that route. The section between Minneapolis and western North Dakota has massive delays due to the oilfield trains having priority over Amtrak. You never know when you will get to Glacier or back to Madison.
May 10th, 2015, 07:01 AM
#7
I have to wonder how much the Amtrak detractors have ridden trains west of Chicago. For the past 2 years BNSF has been double tracking long stretches of rail in North Dakota.
Last time DW and I rode the Empire Builder we arrived in Cut Bank MT about 20 minutes behind schedule. We had a rental car waiting for us at the station. The next day we saw the east side of Glacier and returned the car at the station. The train was about 30 minutes late to Cut Bank that evening and we got back to Spokane 30 minutes early. We were back to Bend Oregon in time for lunch.
If you are driving from Madison to East Glacier, Bismarck ND is 700 miles (11 hours) and East Glacier is another 700 miles.
Good luck on finding a good hotel at a reasonable price in Bismarck with all the oil field activity.
Last time DW and I rode the Empire Builder we arrived in Cut Bank MT about 20 minutes behind schedule. We had a rental car waiting for us at the station. The next day we saw the east side of Glacier and returned the car at the station. The train was about 30 minutes late to Cut Bank that evening and we got back to Spokane 30 minutes early. We were back to Bend Oregon in time for lunch.
If you are driving from Madison to East Glacier, Bismarck ND is 700 miles (11 hours) and East Glacier is another 700 miles.
Good luck on finding a good hotel at a reasonable price in Bismarck with all the oil field activity.
May 10th, 2015, 07:33 AM
#8
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 323
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As WhereAreWe stated, there can indeed be delays due to the MANY oilfield trains. On the other hand, many new lodging properties have been built not only in Bismarck, but in virtually every city along I-94. With that being said, I believe the goal is to arrive in St. Louis to end the journey, not return to Madison. I originally recommended driving across NORTH Dakota, to Yellowstone, with a stop at the reddish hued Badlands/stay at Medora, ND and come into Yellowstone across Beartooth Pass - but driving from MN across SOUTH Dakota on I-90 also works; perhaps better. You could stay at Wall, SD and see the white hued SD Badlands for a half-day, or continue on to Rapid City/Black Hills, about an hour's drive West. Stay 3-4 days, drive to Devil's Tower/visit 1/2 day, then move on to Yellowstone & spend 3-4 days; this leaves approx. 2 days/nights to get to St. Louis.
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
LN
United States
10
Jul 21st, 2005 05:53 AM
