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ststesting's avatar
ststesting
Explorer
Aug 13, 2020

STL > SD > WY Route

I'm trying to make some judgement calls without any experience. Judgement Guesses?

First trip in our trailer (minus the mini shakedown trip), tell me what I am doing wrong. Too aggressive?
22ft trailer, Wife and three kids (10, 3, 3) plus two older dogs.
Bringing mtbs, (I have a tandem the twins and I can ride on), and inflatable sups. We can get out a bit, but
are obviously limited on how much distance we can ride, hike, paddle.

The plan is
STL to Sioux Falls (The big day) 1 night (falls park)
Sioux Falls to Black Hills 3 nights (Rushmore, Needles, Badlands, 1880 Train)
Black Hills to Wapiti 2 nights (Drive Yellowstone South loop)
Wapiti to Cheyenne 2 nights Relax Day
Cheyenne to Lincoln 1 night
Lincoln to STL


Sioux Falls to Black Hills Leg
The Badlands - Stop there for a night trading one of the black hills nights or double back?
Was thinking I'd enjoy parking the trailer for 3 nights, but not if I have to double back that far.

Trade a Cheyenne night for a night in Grand Teton? We are so close, not sure when we'd go back, but that will create two rough driving days to get home, and not sure how much we be able to do there with the little ones.... Opinions please!

I imagine I'd regret squeezing a drive through Teton during the trip, regret not doing it after.
Roads and Routes
  • dedmiston's avatar
    dedmiston
    Moderator
    Aug 13, 2020
    I admire your go-big-or-go-home spirit, but I think you're goals are impossible.

    Day one of your trip from Seattle, WA to Sioux Falls, SD is about a 1,500 mile day, which will take you approximately 30 hours towing. Even if you figured out a way to do it without any stops to eat or pee and you had a fuel tanker refill you without stopping, I still doubt you could get there in 24 hours.

    Even if you chopped that drive into three days, they would be long days of 500 miles each.

    If you want your family to enjoy the trip, you should plan lots of Dairy Queen stops and figure out how to keep your days more reasonable.

    My family's distance record was just under 900 miles in one day and it was a fete of strength for all of us. We left Southern California at 04:00 and made it to Pocatello, ID around 21:00. It was grueling and we were all wiped out the next day. And that was with teenagers who were up to the challenge (it was the only way we could make it to Glacier, MT in two days).

    I can't urge you strongly enough, don't do it. It's not fun and it's not safe. Your family won't enjoy it and they'll find ways to share their displeasure with you.

    A comfortable pace is 300 miles a day. Your upper boundary should be 600 miles a day.

    A good rule of thumb is averaging 50 miles per hour. This includes sops for fuel, food, and bathrooms. Once you get your kids trained up, you'll be lucky to combine some of those stops into one, but don't expect to be that 50 MPH average by much.

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