Driving cross country, looking for route suggestions for views

[Scotzman]

Well, since I'm departing tomorrow I think I have a fairly solid approximate route. I'll be taking 88/86 W through NY, past the state high point in Ohio, Indiana, turning N through Michigan, across the UP, high point, Wisc high point, down to Illinois HP, Iowa HP, SD HP, over to WY, maybe to Yellowstone depending on time, then south.
Hope to post a few pics of the state HP when all is said and done.

 

[roadtripper]

Some ideas...

1 - Mr. Rushmore is open at night and the lighting ceremony is pretty cool. Definitely check it out. If you visit during the day, hike the up-close-and-personal "Presidential Trail"...it brings you much closer to the faces.
2 - don't miss driving through Badlands National Park. It's a 1-2 hour detour of the interstate on your way to the SD HP. Do a 1-2 mile hike in the park for the best perspectives of the park. All hikes are detailed on the park map given to you when you enter the park.
3 - don't miss Devil's Tower in WY between South Dakota and Yellowstone. Walk around the base of it.
4 - If you have limited time in Yellowstone, I recommend Lower Falls, Old Faithful, buffalo near the West entrance, Grand Prismatic Spring and Morning Glory Pool. Hike Mt. Washburn too if you have the time.
5 - Definitely drive through the Teton's on your way out of Yellowstone. Stop at Snake River Overlook.
6 - If you drive near Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota (which has highly worthwhile cave tours btw) you are almost guaranteed to see prairie dogs and buffalo

 

[Stan]

I wholeheartedly agree with roadtripper's suggestions.

Safe travels!

 

[Ledgehiker]

Driving Cross Country

Got this info for the IL highpoint from the Highpointers web site and that was the case when I did it several years ago. You might check before you go down there.

For one of the best cross country drives I've done I started in Kenmore Square and followed US 20 to the Pacific. Much of it is on "blue highways" only section on "real" Interstates was a section in Idaho. Lots of fun, very slow ( 13 days) but worthwhile



Charles Mound is located on private property, and therefore public access is limited. It is currently open to visitors only during the first weekend of June, July, August, and September. The owners have stated that they constantly receive requests to make exceptions to the above dates but if they did, they'd be open virtually every day. Therefore, there are no exceptions to these dates... Pets are not allowed on the property. There is no charge for access. Contact the owner below for more information and please remember to be mindful that you are on private property when visiting!

Wayne E Wuebbels
688 W Charles Mound Rd
Scales Mound, IL 61075-9343
[email protected]

Well, since I'm departing tomorrow I think I have a fairly solid approximate route. I'll be taking 88/86 W through NY, past the state high point in Ohio, Indiana, turning N through Michigan, across the UP, high point, Wisc high point, down to Illinois HP, Iowa HP, SD HP, over to WY, maybe to Yellowstone depending on time, then south.
Hope to post a few pics of the state HP when all is said and done.

 

[Scotzman]

Oh wow, good to know. Guess I'll be leaving that one off the list.

Got this info for the IL highpoint from the Highpointers web site and that was the case when I did it several years ago. You might check before you go down there.

Charles Mound is located on private property, and therefore public access is limited. It is currently open to visitors only during the first weekend of June, July, August, and September. The owners have stated that they constantly receive requests to make exceptions to the above dates but if they did, they'd be open virtually every day. Therefore, there are no exceptions to these dates... Pets are not allowed on the property. There is no charge for access. Contact the owner below for more information and please remember to be mindful that you are on private property when visiting!

Wayne E Wuebbels
688 W Charles Mound Rd
Scales Mound, IL 61075-9343
[email protected]

 

[Stan]

For one of the best cross country drives I've done I started in Kenmore Square and followed US 20 to the Pacific. Much of it is on "blue highways" only section on "real" Interstates was a section in Idaho. Lots of fun, very slow ( 13 days) but worthwhile

Yeah! getting off the interstates can be a hoot if you have the time ... a big if ... and there are places they can be very dull, too. US-50 traverses the country from Maryland to California and the stretch across the Great Basin in Nevada was called by Life Magazine, "the lonliest road in America." That stretch is anchored by Lake Tahoe at one end and Great Basin Nat'l Park near the other and the traffic was delightfully light as we passed through flat and unforgivingly harsh scenery surrounded by mountain ranges. As a matter of trivia, that area drains into no ocean, nor does Lake Tahoe. BTW, if you want a bar that's a lot of fun, look for the ones with all the motorcycles outside ... bikers hate a dull joint I'm told.

 

[weatherman]

Yeah! getting off the interstates can be a hoot if you have the time ... a big if ... and there are places they can be very dull, too. US-53 traverses the country from Maryland to California and the stretch across the Great Basin in Nevada was called by Life Magazine, "the lonliest road in America." That stretch is anchored by Lake Tahoe at one end and Great Basin Nat'l Park near the other and the traffic was delightfully light as we passed through flat and unforgivingly harsh scenery surrounded by mountain ranges. As a matter of trivia, that area drains into no ocean, nor does Lake Tahoe. BTW, if you want a bar that's a lot of fun, look for the ones with all the motorcycles outside ... bikers hate a dull joint I'm told.

I always wanted to take Route 6 from California to Provincetown or vice versa... winds up in Bishop, CA at the foot of the Sierras. If anything it might be even a bit lonelier than US 50 (not 53) as it winds through the UT and NV desert with a lot of N-S in addition to E-W. But I bet US-20 is prettier.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Yeah! getting off the interstates can be a hoot if you have the time ... a big if ... and there are places they can be very dull, too. US-53 traverses the country from Maryland to California and the stretch across the Great Basin in Nevada was called by Life Magazine, "the lonliest road in America." That stretch is anchored by Lake Tahoe at one end and Great Basin Nat'l Park near the other and the traffic was delightfully light as we passed through flat and unforgivingly harsh scenery surrounded by mountain ranges. As a matter of trivia, that area drains into no ocean, nor does Lake Tahoe. BTW, if you want a bar that's a lot of fun, look for the ones with all the motorcycles outside ... bikers hate a dull joint I'm told.

Stan - are you confusing US 50 with 53? US50 is the one usually referred to as "the loneliest road in America". I've driven it several times - it's a great route, especially in winter as the views of the snow-capped mountain ranges - and there are several - are excellent. You do have to fill-up whenever you see a gas station as it's tough to predict when you'll see the next one.

FWIW - the drainage area you refer to is also known as the Great Basin, whose western boundary is the Sierra mountain range.

Weatherman - As for US 6 - whether it begins or ends in Bishop, CA is a matter of perspective. Since I didn't live too far from Bishop, I always thought of it beginning in Bishop as there's a sign which says something like "Provincetown - 3,604 miles". I suppose there's a similar sign in Provincetown.

Edit: A friend of mine (ledgehiker) sent me this picture of the sign in Provincetown -



and here's one with my son on the Bishop side-