Denver to Rapid City

[greg121]

Looks like there are a couple of main possibilities with only a few miles difference between them. Going via Nebraska (385/79) or Wyoming (here a few alternatives for doing Cheyenne-Lusk-Rapid City).

Any particular reason (road conditions, things to see) for picking one over the other?

[jrp]

I go back & forth from my CO home to my SD home a couple times a year and haven't found a big reason to use one over the other (unless I know one route has a major repaving project going on). Just for variety I use one going up and the other coming back. I25 N to 18/85/18 to Hot Springs or I76 to Sterling/Sidney, Neb & 385 to Hot Springs. In either case I make sure to avoid the Denver area during rush hours.

[bbstacker48]

Thom, that's a good route, my brother and I just took that same route three weeks ago from Denver up to Hill City to stay at the Crooked Creek campground. Lots of hills to get there but still not a bad trip, we live in Brandon, SD so we get out to hills once or twice a year and never get tired of the scenery, we just don't go during the Sturgis rally any more. Hope you have a good safe trip.

[Thom02099]

greg121 wrote:
Looks like there are a couple of main possibilities with only a few miles difference between them. Going via Nebraska (385/79) or Wyoming (here a few alternatives for doing Cheyenne-Lusk-Rapid City).

Any particular reason (road conditions, things to see) for picking one over the other?

I'm doing pretty much the same thing tomorrow! Leaving Loveland and headed to Hill City to Rafter J. I'm taking I-25 to Cheyenne, then taking US 85 up through Torrington and on through Lusk, then taking US 18 east through Edgemont, then taking a SD 89 to US 385 in to Hill City. I've done I-25 up to the US 18/20 cut off between Wheatland and Douglas WY to Lusk, looking to do something different, hence US 85 route. It's in eastern Wyoming so, comparatively speaking it should be a bit flatter route. Don't know about scenery, will find out tomorrow!

Beware of MapQuest, though. If you use it, double check the route. I tried some scenarios with it, and MapQuest routed me to some farm roads in Wyoming, as shortcuts! Knowing a bit about those roads and their conditions made me pause a bit and re-examine the recommendations in total.