Scenic Routes/Places to See in WY, ID, MT, SD & E. CO

[otrfun]

Giving some thought to heading NW from Kansas for 10-14 days with our truck camper. Have tentative plans to visit Mt. Rushmore and possibly a 2-3 day stay at Yellowstone (reservations permitting; have noticed occasional cancellation openings). Other than that our plans are open.

Can anyone recommend any of their favorite scenic routes and/or places to visit in WY, ID, MT, SD, and eastern CO? Visited western CO last year.

Thanks!

[Busskipper]

otrfun wrote:
Giving some thought to heading NW from Kansas for 10-14 days with our truck camper. Have tentative plans to visit Mt. Rushmore and possibly a 2-3 day stay at Yellowstone (reservations permitting; have noticed occasional cancellation openings). Other than that our plans are open.

Can anyone recommend any of their favorite scenic routes and/or places to visit in WY, ID, MT, SD, and eastern CO? Visited western CO last year.

Thanks!

IMHO - you need a LOT MORE TIME - or a lot Less States

SD - Go to Custer - see Rushmore at Night/Dusk - Wind and Emerald Caves NP - Sylvan Lake - Crazy Horse - Black Hills - Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway - Needles Highway - Iron Mountain Road - BadLands NP - Wall Drug - Custer State Park - Think that will take care of those Two Weeks.

Each of the other states you have mentioned, will deserve and require Equal or more time, Sorry but to just drive by or through these areas is just - IMHO not the way to Travel.

JMHO,

[dedmiston]

LadyRVer wrote:
CO: Cheyenne,

That's in Wyoming. 😉

[LadyRVer]

MT: Virginia City was interesting to me
Helena, Missoula, Billings, Butte

ID: Cour D'Alene (sp?)

SD: Spearfish (Chris's Camp), Deadwood, Sturgis, Wall Drug

CO: Cheyenne,

[mockturtle]

Sitting Bull Campground in Bighorn NF is beautiful and lots of bear and moose around. That entire area is worth a visit.

[IDman]

The area around Dubois, WYO is great. Not crowded as everyone goes onto Jackson Hole. Several nice USFS CGs NW towards Moran but stay on east side of Continental Divide to avoid crowds. Spectacular rugged snow-capped peaks, good fishing, and mosquitos the size of bumble bees until September. Should be okay then. Enjoy!!
There are a couple of nice RV parks in Dubois.

[mittshel]

ID 12 from Lolo Pass south is a fav of ours. We always camp at USFS CG Powell. Any road in Idaho is pretty hard to beat. Enjoy. Betsy.

[kknowlton]

Island Park, ID can be a good base camp for at least some of Yellowstone (about 15-25 miles from the west gate of the park, depending where in Island Park you land). From there you can also spend 1/2 day or so at Mesa Falls (beautiful)! and even head up to Virginia City MT - old mining town - or Hebgen Lake area (Quake Lake, etc.) Or south from there to the Tetons, via either ID 33 or (better route for RVs) US 26 - longer drive but pretty. Definitely you'd need reservations in the Tetons unless you can dry camp.

Craters of the Moon NP is a neat little park, and very different. You can camp there (hot & you have to dry camp) or base camp in Arco ID, about 20 miles east of the park; on US 20.

[otrfun]

Tyler0215, Islandman, thanks for your input! Much appreciated.

JAC1982, we look at I25 as the east/west division point for CO. We've given some thought to visiting Pikes Peak. That's about as far west (into CO) as we want to go on this trip.

[JAC1982]

When you say "Eastern" Colorado, how east are we talking? Actual Eastern CO doesn't have a whole lot of scenic anything as it's all flat and farming/ranching.

In WY there's too much to list... depends on your route.

[Islandman]

Several favorites we have enjoyed over the years: (1) MT 509 from Henry's Lake, ID west to Monida, MT in the Red Rocks Country, (2) MT 278 and MT 43 from Bannack northwest to Chief Joseph Pass thru the Big Hole Country, (3) US 12 from Lolo, MT westward to Lewiston, ID along the Lewis & Clark Highway and the Lochsa and Clearwater Rivers. Good camping spots along US 12, stop at the visitor center on Lolo Pass for more info.

[Tyler0215]

There's much more to see at Rapid City beside Mt Rushmore,the badlands, hill City Dinosaur dig,Lead, Sturgis. A side trip to Devils Tower In WY.
Cody as a great museum.