Early Summer Trip East of the Mississippi...Suggestions??

I live near Chicago and i am going to Sioux Falls, S.D. for a good friends wedding at the end of May/Early June.

I am thinking I would like to take the week after the wedding off and do some wheeling/exploring and hiking or kayaking or whatever....some cool stuff.

So what i am wondering is if anyone has any good ideas or experiences in S.D./ Nebraska/ Iowa/ Colorado(i know they have alot).

So i will be driving from Chicago to Sioux Falls, S.D. and then probably to Colorado Springs, CO. to see my cous. And then back to Chicago after that. So anywhere in those routes would be fine.

I'll take any suggestions.

I would definitely try to head out to the Black Hills, near Rapid City. Mount Rushmore is awesome, and the Badlands are really sweet.

Gotta agree with Begster, the Badlands and Black Hills are a must see in that area. Also look into the Buffalo Gap Nat'l Grasslands, theres a road that takes you along side the Badlands and is very scenic.

Also, a cool old saloon in Scenic,SD. Dirt floors still, and usually only open on weekends.

Then you have the tourist trap of Wall, SD. Cool little town but awful touristy.

Custer Nat'l Park over where I mentioned is a great drive through the mountains (unfortunately it is paved road). But it offers some great scenic outlooks and a nice drive, with great wild life as well.

Either the thread title needs changed or everybody needs to look at a map.:sure::moon: JIM.

ILLXJ said:

Either the thread title needs changed or everybody needs to look at a map.:sure::moon: JIM.

Click to expand...

Everytime i saw the title i immediately thought Maine, till i actually read it. I just didnt want to be the guy to teach geography here.

Watch, someone will read the title and not the thread...

If you're headed to Colorado, you can't beat the San Juan Mountains around Ouray and Silverton

You could do worse than this route. Hits the Rockies, Ouray-Silverton-Durango, then over to Shiprock & over to Blanding & Moab, continue up through CO & WY to Jackson Hole & the Tetons, then through Yellowstone & head back to Chicago. The dongle to the Custer Battlefield only if you are interested in that sort of thing.

Look IntrepidXJ's posts for the names of some roads in the Utah area to take as side routes.






http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=colorado+springs,+CO&daddr=US-285+to:Camino+del%2FNavajo+Trail%2FS+Townsend+Ave%2FUS-550+to:Camino+del+Rio%2FCO-550%2FNavajo+Trail%2FUS-160+to:US-160+to:UT-191+to:I-70+E+to:I-70+W+to:CO-40+to:US-191%2FWY-373+to:US-191%2FUS-26%2FUS-89+to:Grand+Loop+Rd%2FUS-89+to:US-212+to:44.555249,-107.556152+to:I-90+E+to:chicago,+ILL&hl=en&geocode=%3BFWbTSwIdDlqt-Q%3BFW4XSwId3PeR-Q%3BFbSsOAIdFM-R-Q%3BFRaqMwIdHHJ4-Q%3BFZiySQIdDtR5-Q%3BFQZ-VgIdwnaC-Q%3BFXxTVgIdWNuC-Q%3BFXSCZgId3geA-Q%3BFUgNdgIdRDZ9-Q%3BFUC_nAIdxqxp-Q%3BFQR8qgIdzOdm-Q%3BFQaQrQId4A92-Q%3B%3BFRh5twId1mWY-Q%3B&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=13&sz=8&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14&sll=44.84808,-106.699219&sspn=2.445768,5.300903&ie=UTF8&ll=41.459195,-105.710449&spn=10.338091,21.203613&z=6

ILLXJ said:

Either the thread title needs changed or everybody needs to look at a map.:sure::moon: JIM.

Click to expand...

I just assumed he would make it a round the world trip, Atlantic, Europe, Asia, Pacific then hit the "west coast" driving to SD. This effectively keeps him East of the Mississippi for the entire trip right?

skjimmel99,
Excellent route. I have driven all of that on asphalt on various trips west or back east. Definitely captures some of America's best scenery.

John