Illinois to Wyoming sites to see?

LIKE2BUILD wrote:
I'm doing some early planning for trip in summer of 2017. My son will graduate HS in May of 2017 and we'd like to take an RV trip to see the sites before he heads off to college. We'll be traveling from Central Illinois and thought we'd make Yellowstone our end destination. We'll probably also see Grand Teton NP while in that area.

I'd like suggestions on routes and sites to see along the way. We'll have 2 weeks for the trip, so we certainly don't have time to see everything. The Black Hills and Mt Rushmore seem like pretty good places to see but I'm not sure what else we should enter as waypoints.

The truck is a 2014 RAM with 6.7L Cummins so mountains aren't a problem. We may be upgrading to a 5th wheel, but it whatever we buy I'll be sure to stay within truck limits.

Thanks for all suggestions.

KJ

Lot's of good info - but I'll add my .02's - First off we need to stretch the 2 weeks to 17 days - you will need to have everything packed and leave as soon as you get home on Friday, trust me that 4-6 hour jump will be awesome later - Head to Rt 36 Hannibal and just drive as hard as possible to get to Golden (<900 miles two days) Son's going to College and might enjoy the tour of Coors :W Neat town see if you could get a reservation at Golden Clear Creek - in town and on the Creek - then head out the next morning to Vernal (Dino NM everyone loves to see the real Bones in those Rocks - plus the Green River is great - (will drive by Flaming Gorge just not enough time) - to Alpine,Wy another long drive - to Jackson - to Tetons - To Yellowstone 4 days - Cody to Black Hills to Home.

We packed a lot into the trip and I put the Black Hills (Rushmore) on the ride home as it's a drive through at this point and everyone will be ready to get back.

If you put the waypoints in that I've given you it might just work - a lot of long driving days but at least there is something to see and do almost every day.

Hope this is of some help and not too much "ME".

BOL,