West Yellowstone to Door County, Wisconsin

[jeepgal]

Hi all, we're heading out in August from Portland, OR area towards Door County, WI. We have done the route to Yellostone several times, but not so much going east. We did Mt. Rushmore to Fishing Bridge one year.

My question is, what's the best route between West Yellowstone to get to Door County/Green Bay, WI? When I route it in Good Sam it has us go up through Montana and through North Dakota. Is this the best way? Also what are good stops along the way since we won't be able to do it in one day. We are towing our travel trailer.

Any advice is appreciated.

[2gypsies1]

West Yellowstone to Green Bay, Wisconsin:

via I-94 - 1347 miles

via I-90 - 1376 miles

Take your pick!

[Us_out_West]

We did the reverse a couple years ago. After being in Ellison Bay (Door County) for a month moved down to Kewaunee just East of Green Bay for awhile. Left Kewaunee for the Oregon coast on July 25th, 2014 and arrived in Island Park, ID 20 minutes from West Yellowstone on August 1.

Stops enroute were;

Rochester, MN overnight
Mitchell, SD overnight
Rapid City, SD 2 nights (visiting Mt. Rushmore)
Buffalo, WY overnight
Livingston, MT overnight

then on to Island Park.

We were/are never in a hurry so you should be fine with your time frame being a little quicker to get there.

Safe travels.

[jeepgal]

Thanks for the extra suggestions. We leave West Yellowstone on the 8th and our camp reservation in Door County is the 12th (with them knowing it could be 11th), so it gives us plenty of time for driving and stopping. We don't want to do more than about 10 hours or so on the road each day so we don't get too burned out. Also our anniversary is the 10th and it would be kind of nice not to be driving that day, but not necessary.

[dewey02]

CloudDriver wrote:
We took I94 across North Dakota back in 2014 on our way home from Yellowstone. The reason we went that way was so we could stop at Pompeys Pillar National Monument and Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park. Both places were very interesting historic sites.

If it fits your travel schedule, there is a campground at the fort with water/electric hookups.

Agree on North Dakota route.
Fort Abraham Lincoln is a GREAT stop, historically interesting and a nice campground. Also Teddy Roosevelt NP is along the interstate in North Dakota. A nice drive through the park is something you can do along the way.

[CloudDriver]

We took I94 across North Dakota back in 2014 on our way home from Yellowstone. The reason we went that way was so we could stop at Pompeys Pillar National Monument and Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park. Both places were very interesting historic sites.

If it fits your travel schedule, there is a campground at the fort with water/electric hookups.

[paulj]

Last time I drove Chicago to Seattle, I made a point of first going to Door County (where we'd camped a lot while living in Chicago).

From GreenBay I took WI29 to Eau Claire, and I94 to Billings. After Billings it was NW to Glacier and then west.

WI29 is mostly divided highway bypassing towns. Not full blown freeway, but fast and easy flowing. Midday through the Twin Cities wasn't a problem. We stayed with friends near Alexandria, and spent the next night in Miles City (one of the longer 1day drives).

Maps show I94 as shorter than I90 between Chicago and Billings. That's not obvious, but I think has to do with 94 being closer to the Great Circle. But the driving times aren't that different. I've used both.

94 in Minnesota is more interesting, but has the big cities. 94 in ND is straight and flat - and can be windy. Teddy Ros. NP is a nice break in the west. 90 in SD isn't any better, though it does have tourist traps like Wall Drug and the big heads.

The pros/cons of crossing the Big Horns (US16) v. approaching Yellowstone via Billings have been discussed in other threads (often).

[enblethen]

I would think about heading north up US 287 and angle north east to pick up US2.
It depends on your time availability. If short on time, go up and pick up I 94.

[jeepgal]

Ok, thanks! I will continue with our planning.

[dgminer]

we are looking at the same but on way back to California from Green Bay 90 looks the best way

[old_guy]

I think that is the way I would go. the I 90 is just north of Yellowstone and make the connections to green bay when you get back in the area