TT

Hello,

My wife and I are driving from Eastern Montana to Kentucky in July and are planning on taking a route through South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas as we've not been that way. Plan to get to Mt. Rushmore (see it late afternoon/evening), spend the night in Rapid City or somewhere nearby and head to the Badlands the next morning. Am guessing we should plan on spending a full day in the Badlands park and staying somewhere near there that night (the lodge is booked). After leaving there, would prefer to stay off of the interstates for awhile and someone had recommended going down through Murdo, SD, Valentine, NE, and North Platte, NE as a nicer drive on the way toward Kansas City and St. Louis.

I guess my general request is for any suggestions from those of you more familiar with SD, NE, and KS for routes to take, places to see or stay. I know many folks want to get through those states as quickly as possible, but we don't mind drives through rural parts and really just want to see some of the heartland as it is for a few days.

Thanks!

Connie

As far as the Badlands, what do you plan to do there? We drove out and saw them but there didn't seem to be anything to DO. Didn't take too long.

Just today, someone who grew up in Nebraska told me there was really nice canoeing in the Valentine area.

boom_boom

If you're leaving from the Billings area, suggest you take I-90 across Wyoming then hit Spearfish, Lead and Deadwood en route to Mt. Rushmore. After the Badlands you could drive through the Pierre National Grasslands and visit the very touristy Corn Palace in Mitchell.
No real suggestions for Nebraska, but, if you turn south at Mitchell though Nebraska and into Kansas, the Esienhower Presidential Library and museum in Abilene, KS is worth a stop. There are historic frontier fort sites in all those states that you do an online search for more information.

Keith

There are many great stops in Kansas depending on what part of the state you will be going through. Some of the best may be farther west or south than you are planning to go. Are you willing to get away from the more direct route or should I limit suggestions to the northeast corner of the state?

Gardyloo

A few years ago on an April transcontinental trip (Philly > Seattle) we had to stay a little south from our normal route (I-90) through South Dakota due to snow.

We ended up taking Nebraska Hwy 2 through the Sand Hills. OMG, what a beautiful area, totally off (at least our) radar.

In your case, after Badlands (and I agree, a beautiful "two hour" national park) you could backtrack ever so slightly to one of the BIA highways leading down to Chadron NE (not a bad little town) then US 385 south to Alliance, thence SR 2 all the way to I-80 at Grand Island. It's really a great road.

Earlier, don't miss the Little Big Horn battlefield adjacent to I-90 in Montana, and a side trip to Devil's Tower is easy - see if those nice alien people have come back.

TT

Keith - was looking at Hwy 36 across the top of Kansas ... but, could swing further south if given a reason just ultimately, will end up in St. Louis then on to Kentucky.

edjim

Drove through Nebraska last summer. Agree with Gardyloo that area is remote, but beautiful.
I also wouldn't miss Devils Tower in Wyoming since you are so close, and the Black Hills have a few diversions.

WhereAreWe

July is not a great month to spend a whole day at Badlands. It will be pretty hot. There are a few trails but it's more fun to go off-trail wherever you want - but the snakes will be active and I wouldn't recommend wandering around in that heat anyway.

To me it makes more sense to spend most of that day in the Black Hills. If you have the time, just spend the morning driving through Badlands then head back to the Black Hills and spend another night there. From there it makes a lot of sense to head south and east through the Sandhills of Nebraska as already mentioned.

I would absolutely not head as far east as Mitchell - that drive is long and boring on the interstate and the Corn Palace is simply not worth the drive. You're far better off heading through Nebraska.

If you do decide you need lodging close to Badlands, Wall is only about 8 miles from the Pinnacles entrance.

Keith

US 36 is a good road and has interesting stops, if not big ones, including several Pony Express Stops (Hollenberg Pony Express Station in Hanover, Pony Express Barn & Museum in Marysville, and the Pony Express Museum in Seneca).

The Davis Memorial in Hiawatha is very unusual, open all day & free. You will pass the Brown County Agriculture Museum going to it. I find it less interesting, but it is huge.

Paul Boyer Museum of Animated Carvings in Belleview is quirky and very cool. http://www.kansastravel.org/boyergallery.htm

Pawnee Indian Museum State Historic Site near Republic is very good.

Alcove Springs is about 10 miles south of Marysville, It has the Springs, a seasonal waterfall and a neat history as a part of the Oregon Trail. The first recorded death in the Donner Party was here.

The Geographic Center of the Conterminous United States is even less interesting than it sounds, but the Worlds Largest Ball of Twine, 25 miles south in Cawker City, is more interesting. You can even add twine the giant ball and become part of the record.

If you like American folk art, Lucas is another 25 miles south of there. It has the Garden of Eden, Flying Pig Gallery, Grass Roots Arts Center (3 old stone buildings exhibiting outside art from around the state) and other fun things, all within walking distance in the tiny town. Last year they opened new public restrooms in the shape of the world's largest toilet.