Where to from here? (Custer S. Dakota)

rexlion wrote:
Once you get to Minneapolis, the 'north shore' along Lake Superior is a must see. Palisade Head, the many fine waterfalls, Artist's Point at Grand Marais, and more. Be sure to stop for pizza at Sven and Ole's.

I don't know about Sven and Ole's, but I agree that's a great drive!

Once you get to Minneapolis, the 'north shore' along Lake Superior is a must see. Palisade Head, the many fine waterfalls, Artist's Point at Grand Marais, and more. Be sure to stop for pizza at Sven and Ole's.

Depends on how much time you have to spend. If you haven't seen Devils Tower Nat'l Monument, that's always nice. We like the campground inside the park -- no hookups but usually quiet. If it's too hot and you need AC, the KOA just outside the gate is good, as KOAs go.

If you want to see some scenery on your way to Billings and have an extra day or two, I'd leave I-90 at Buffalo and head over the Bighorns on Hwy 16, then at Worland head north to Greybull/Shell and take Hwy 14 to Dayton/Ranchester, then pick up I-90 again to the Little Bighorn Battlefield before proceeding to Billings.

Buffalo has some nice commercial campgrounds if you want hookups -- KOA and Deer Park are good, and for a great meal try the Winchester right near both of them. If you like NFS campgrounds, Tie Hack is about 15 miles up the mountain from Buffalo and usually has some sites available on weekdays if you get there by 3 or so. Sites are large, carved out of the pines. There's a nice mountain lake (reservoir) about a mile from Tie Hack, also North Fork and Middle Fork streams are both within a mile or two. Lots of NFS campgrounds along Hwy 14 in the Bighorns too, but I'm not that familiar with them. You won't need AC in the mountains.

If you have even more time, consider KarenS' suggestion, or just go to Cody for the museum if you don't have time for Yellowstone. Be advised, however, that the Beartooth Highway is true mountain driving. It's a beautiful drive -- one of the most beautiful ANYWHERE -- but it's steep and winding for a big 5er.

Would stay away from or pass through Western ND because of the oil boom.

In MSP - I recommend a couple of good parks- Mystic Lake Casino has a top notch RV Park.(Can dry camp to keep fees low)
Also Lebanon Hills Campground in Dakota County.
Willow River SP in Hudson WI (I-94) is another good bet if you prefer a rural setting but close to Twin Cities. Minnesota also has a good SP near Stillwater. (Interstate SP) Very scenic between Taylors Falls and Stillwater.

Our route was different but some of our experience may be helpful.

We did stay at the Spring Creek RV Park near Big Timber, MT and we enjoyed it so much we would like to go back for a longer stay. On this trip we were on the way to Glacier, not to Yellowstone, but Spring Creek is "handy" to Yellowstone.

On another trip from Custer's Gulch we drove straight up to Theodore Roosevelt for a short stay then straight across North Dakota to Minnesota. We stayed at Bismark/Mandan in the Lincoln State Park and enjoyed visiting the Lewis & Clark sites in the area.

We stayed at Country Campground in Detroit Lakes, MN and it was also one of our favorite campgrounds. Definitely another "go back to."

From Detroit Lakes our route turned sharply south as we were on our way home from there--across MN, IA, NE, KS, MO, AR, OK.

Theodore Roosevelt NP is wonderful. We were lucky enough to grab a site in the park and thoroughly enjoyed it and the loop through the southern part of the park. We didn't get to the northern part on that trip though. Devil's Tower is worth the stop too.

If you have time to go to Cody then north to Red Lodge, MT. Take the Beartooth Hwy/Chief Joseph scenic loop or stay on 212 into Yellowstone. You won't regret it. There a gem of a CG called Spring Creek Campground and Trout Ranch just south of Big Timber, MT. It's right on the Boulder River and you won't find a cleaner prettier campground with any friendlier folks anywhere. It's farther west so might not be convenient for you to get to.

Grey Mountain wrote:
The Little Bighorn Battlefield Battlefield National Monument is just off I-90 in SE Montana. Worth a visit.

GM

You might want to take in Devil's Tower in Wyoming and Pompey's Pillar in Montana. Both are worth a visit.

The Little Bighorn Battlefield Battlefield National Monument is just off I-90 in SE Montana. Worth a visit.

GM

I90 to I94 does not give you much variety in scenery. I90 skirts the Big Horn Mtns when it turns north toward Montana. But otherwise the terrain is as flat as South Dakota. The Black Hills where you are is the most scenic area for many miles around.

I94 does cross the Teddy Roosevelt Nat Park, which is a bit like the Badlands. There is also a TRNP unit in SD.

tgreening wrote:
I'm in Custer with a bit of time to kill. I'm thinking of taking 90 over to Billings, then 94 back through N. Dakota, and dropping down into the Minneapolis area. From there I'm good with what to do/where to go.

My question is if the Billings / N. Dakota route is worth the trip, or if I should consider a more southernly route back east?

Depends on how much time you have to kill and what you like.

I would go south Yellowstone-Jackson and then turn east or Yellowstone-Cody, then up over (really up and over) the Bighorn National Forest to Sheridan WY. Swing up to Devils Tower on the way east.

Last I heard ND is hard to find a decent place to camp because of the oil patch workers.