Summer trip from Southeastern PA to Badlands South Dakota

Thanks again to everyone for all of the great information. I see some folks travel PA Turnpike to I70 to Indianapolis then I74 to I80 then I29 to I90 across SD.

I also see that others use I80 around Chicago to I90. This seems as if it would be quicker but is the travel around Chicago brutal enough just to avoid going this route all together?

CrazyJane22 - We are most likely not all that far away from you. We did the Badlands/Black Hills area in 2004. While I understand the route that others have suggested, we took the more direct route via I-80 & I-90. I think I-80 still gets a bad rap that it no longer deserves (even the Carbon County section has been repaired) and it takes you through some positively beautiful areas of the state. The cons: Yes, it does become a toll road further west and getting around Chicago is not fun. We timed our passage through Chicago to happen around 5 in the morning and it was still bumper-to-bumper.

Enjoy & safe travels.

I would like to offer up some of my experience with the Badlands. We traveled from SC to SD to PA where we left the camper to go into NYC. So I will give you some of my tidbits going backwards from PA.

- Upper Black Eddy, PA (Colonial Woods Camground) This is where we left the camper. Nice Campground in gorgeous countryside!
Upper Black Eddy, PA > Hershey, PA (Hershey Campground)
- Packed by nice facilities and easy bus ride to Hershey Park

Hershey, PA > Cambridge, OH (Salt Fork State Park)
- Beautiful campground, lots of Goose poo

Cambridge, OH > Clinton, IL ("Children of the Corn" Camground)
- I really can't recall the name, paid cash. It was late, we had to drive through corn fields and it was a scary place. Nuclear power plant nearby. Host said not to worry as he tested the water every day.

Clinton, IL > Clear Lake, IA (Oakwood RV Park)
- Excellent park in an adorable town on a beautiful lake. Wish we could have stayed the day as they were setting up for an arts festival the next day. Weather turned quite cool.

Clear Lake, IA > Oacomo, SD (Oasis Campground)
- Love this campground! Stayed coming and going. You overlook the MO river. Clean and neat. Seriously an oasis!
- Of Note: Take a detour to West Bend, IA to see the Grotto of the Redemption - absolutely mesmerizing. Found it on WeirdUSA.com (Iowa)

Oacomo, SD > Badlands Nat'l Park (Badlands/White River KOA)
- Outstanding campground and an absolute God send.
- Stayed 2 nights - Prairie dogs will steal your hearty and they, along with the Mtn goats, are everywhere! Stop at Hay Butte Overlook in the Park to see the Mountain Goats.

We allowed for 2 days in Badlands (though my mother was there for 4 and loved it, even in the heat...which is really was not a big deal and didn't slow us down for a minute) and 5 days for Black Hills.

Badlands > Hill City, SD (High Country Guest Ranch)
- Here, I could go on and on. The Black Hills are simply sumptuously amazing!!! We stayed at the High Country Guest Ranch as my mother had a cabin and they have spots for rvs. They have a huge stage where an Amer Indian troupe perform almost every night, horseback riding and more. Centrally located for 5 days of road trips covering every sightseeing loop. Fell in love with Custer Nat'l Park where the Bison and Buffalo roam around your cars.

Black Hills:

Mt. Rushmore & Custer State Park Loop:
Crazy Horse Monument is outstanding. It is a must see. Go to Rushmore first and you will fully appreciate what they are doing at Crazy Horse. The Gift Shop might pinch your wallets, but we let the kids get a little something as we totally wanted to support the efforts. They are building more than a monument. It's just amazing.

This loop is so captivating. They have tunnels cut out of the rock that are just wide enough for a bus to pass through. One such passage frames Mt. Rushmore perfectly! Beautiful mountain lakes one minute, then you descend into prairie land with roaming Buffalo. Each turn in the roadway is such a surprise.

Northern Hills & Devils Tower Loops:
If you do the Northern Loop to Deadwood, make an early start of it and go on out to Devil's Tower Nat'l Monument in WY - absolutely fascinating!

On your way towards Devil's tower, while you are still in the mountains, there is a itty bitty sign at an intersection on which stands the Spearfish Canyon Lodge stating that parts of Dances with Wolves was filmed up the ravine. Take that road to the left and drive up the passage. There is the neatest little picnic area amidst towering rocks with a wide stream that the kids just loved.

Southern Hills Loop:
Oh! One more must see - Mammoth Site @ Hot Springs, SD on the southern end of the southern loop. They have a great exhibit. Jewel Cave is down this way, but we couldn't get in, but we passed a neat old frontier fort that was neat to see.

Hope this helps. The only thing sad about visiting the Badlands/Black Hills and that you can only do it for the First Time once. Take your time and thoroughly enjoy it all!

Thanks to all of you that replied. I appreciate the input.

I've often imagined what the first pioneers heading west must have thought when they came to the Badlands. So close to the fertile Black Hills, but no knowledge of what lay ahead. They must have thought that they had reached the end of the earth. OTOH, they had been rolling past mile markers for "free ice water" at Wall Drugs since they passed Lake Michigan. :)

john&bet wrote:

Horsedoc wrote:
Gonna be hot in the Badlands in July and August.

Yes it can be, but it is a dry heat. No midwest/eastern humidity.

:B Yeah, so is an oven!

The Badlands is a 40 mile loop road thru the park that starts and ends at I-90. Several areas where you can pull over to explore along the way. But I wouldn't call it a destination. The Black Hills area has far more to see and do.

Horsedoc wrote:
Gonna be hot in the Badlands in July and August.

Yes it can be, but it is a dry heat. No midwest/eastern humidity.

We have been there many times, Sturgis is Aug 4-10 this year so advoid week before Wall Drug is neat and don't miss Crazy Horse. The drive thru the hills is nice. We stay off the turnpike ,usually take the few miles on it to Washington PA then 40 to Indy and work our way north. You can overnight at the Cabellas in Mitchell and visit the Corn Palace nearby.

A post in another thread noted that the Sturgis M/C gathering will be first two weeks of August, so be aware that camping opportunities will possibly be affected around there towards the end of July. I did Philly to the Badlands (and more) in 1964 but I'd assume there have been improvements. :)