Northern Rockies Travel Guide - Mt. Rushmore to Yellowstone (Part 4)

The Northern Rockies Travel Guide is a resource for those planning a road trip in the region. It is especially useful for road trips running from Mt. Rushmore, South Dakota to Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, and adjoining areas. All the popular attractions are included, such as Mt. Rushmore, the Black Hills of South Dakota, Badlands National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and Grand Teton National Park. Many less famous destinations are also included. Details include descriptions, links to many references, and suggested visit times. Also, review our recommended travel itineraries. For easiest use, scroll map to top.

Using the Interactive Map

Place your mouse pointer on any item number (in purple) on the map. A brief description will appear. Click on the number for a link to detailed information below. Detailed Highway Map of Wyoming, Montana, & South Dakota in separate window

Northern Rockies Pull-Down Menu Black Hills of South Dakota Mt. Rushmore Area Northern Colorado Central Wyoming/Montana Yellowstone Area Travel Itineraries

Yellowstone National Park | Grand Teton National Park

Suggested Itineraries for Northern Rockies Road Trips

Itineraries Below      <Map Items 1-5>   |   <Map Items 6-10>   |   <Map Items 11-16>

(I) Big Loop from the East - 2 weeks **Best Trip** -

This is perhaps the best trip coming out from the East or the Midwest. Proceed west on I-70 heading towards Denver, Colorado. (You can also go west on I-80, then I-76.) Good stops along the way might include the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, or old Abilene, Kansas. If you want to visit Pike's Peak, leave I-70, and head west on I-24 to Colorado Springs. Detour will add at least at extra day.

To reach Boulder and Rocky Mountain National Park, head west on US-36 from I-70 (the E-470 Parkway bypasses downtown) or from I-76, reach the park directly on US-34. For a short visit (at least two nights) to the park, hike and camp in the Bear Lake area (campground reservations suggested). On your getaway day, drive the Trail Ridge Road west over the Continental Divide, following US-34 to Granby. This fatiguing drive will take much of the day. Proceed north on CO-125 to Walden where there is camping. For lodging, best to Laramie, Wyoming, an hour farther (CO-125 north, then CO-127 and WY-230 east).

Expect a lot of driving this day. From Laramie, proceed west on I-80. From Walden, CO-125 north, WY-230 west, WY-130 north. From Rawlins, head north on US-287. As the route veers west, it becomes progressively more scenic. To reach Grand Teton National Park, continue on US-287 through Dubois. Park entrance is about six hours drive from Rawlins. To reach Yellowstone National Park, take WY-789 north at Lander, then WY-120 at Thermopolis, then west on US-14-16-20 at Cody. You may want to stop overnight at Thermopolis or Cody. For those wanting to visit the hot springs or dinosaur center at Thermopolis, it's about a 70 mile detour from US-287.

Expect to spend at least two full days in Grand Teton and three full days at Yellowstone. Plan to exit Yellowstone out of the northeast entrance on US-212 which becomes the famous Beartooth Highway. Follow the route to I-90 and Billings, Montana (where there is camping and lodging). Use the Billings route if you want to visit the Little Bighorn Battlefield. To cut some mileage (Billings route adds 100 miles or more), or to spend some time in Cody, leave US-212 on the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, WY-236 to WY-120, then south. You can also leave Yellowstone via US-14 east to Cody and eventually I-90. This route is considered very scenic all the way to I-90. It's about an eight hour drive from Yellowstone to Rapid City, South Dakota.

The most direct route to the major attractions of the Black Hills, including Mt. Rushmore, is I-90 to Rapid City, then US-16 west. To reach Custer State Park, leave I-90 at Moorcroft and take US-16 east. (An interesting camping stop can be found at Devils Tower, north from Moorcroft on US-14.) The more interesting scenic route through the Black Hills is US-385 south from Deadwood. If you stay at Custer State Park, be sure to reach Mt. Rushmore via the amazing Norbeck Scenic Highway. Expect to spend two or three days in the Black Hills, just a few hours if you visit Mt. Rushmore only.

Badlands National Park is about an hour east of Rapid City on I-90, and can be toured in a couple hours as a drive-through.

(II) Shorter Loop from the East - 7 to 10 days or more -

For those with less time, this trip eliminates the Colorado part. Proceed west on I-90 across South Dakota. It would probably be better to stop at Badlands and the Black Hills on the return trip. This allows you the option of extra time at Yellowstone/Grand Teton (which are probably more exciting).

At Buffalo, Wyoming, leave I-90 at US-16 west for the scenic drive through the Big Horn Mountains. Watch for fields of wildflowers on the hillsides. At Worland, take US-20 through Thermopolis, a good stopping place (camping, lodging, hot springs). At Shoshone, take US-26 west through Dubois to Grand Teton National Park.

Expect to spend at least two full days in Grand Teton and three full days at Yellowstone. Plan to exit Yellowstone out of the northeast entrance on US-212 which becomes the famous Beartooth Highway. Follow the route to I-90 and Billings, Montana (where there is camping and lodging). Use the Billings route if you want to visit the Little Bighorn Battlefield. To cut some mileage (Billings route adds 100 miles or more), or to spend some time in Cody, leave US-212 on the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, WY-236 to WY-120, then south. You can also leave Yellowstone via US-14 east to Cody and eventually I-90. This route is considered very scenic all the way to I-90. It's about an eight hour drive from Yellowstone to Rapid City, South Dakota.

The most direct route to the major attractions of the Black Hills, including Mt. Rushmore, is I-90 to Rapid City, then US-16 west. To reach Custer State Park, leave I-90 at Moorcroft and take US-16 east. (An interesting camping stop can be found at Devils Tower, north from Moorcroft on US-14.) The more interesting scenic route through the Black Hills is US-385 south from Deadwood. If you stay at Custer State Park, be sure to reach Mt. Rushmore via the amazing Norbeck Scenic Highway. Expect to spend two or three days in the Black Hills, just a few hours if you visit Mt. Rushmore only.

Badlands National Park is about an hour east of Rapid City on I-90, and can be toured in a couple hours as a drive-through.

(III) Denver Loop - 7-10 days -

This shorter loop trip starting and ending in Denver can probably be done in a week. If you include Rocky Mountain National Park, add a few more days.

To include Rocky Mountain, head west on I-70, then north on US-40. The climb up to Winter Park is spectacular. At Granby, turn on US-34 east into the park. Consider staying at the Timber Creek campground for the night before crossing Trail Ridge the next morning. The campground is on the edge on a vast meadow rich in wildlife. Elk and deer wander through the camp early in the morning.

Expect a long driving day. Continue east out of the park on US-34, then proceed north on I-25. Leave the interstate on US-18 north, then US-85 north into Newcastle, Wyoming. Take US-16 east into Custer, South Dakota, where there is lodging. Camping can be found in town or at nearby Custer State Park. Expect to spend at least two days in the Black Hills. A detour to Badlands National Park will add a half day.

Continue West on I-90, then west on US-14 through the scenic Big Horn Mountains, Cody, and into Yellowstone. Expect to spend three days at Yellowstone and two days at Grand Teton. You can return by scenic US-287 to I-80 and then I-25 south at Cheyenne. If you are leaving from the Jackson area, it's easier to proceed south on US-191 to I-80 at Rock Springs and then east to Cheyenne.

(IV) Salt Lake City Loop - 7 days -

This loop offers some very scenic driving through western Wyoming and eastern Idaho. From Salt Lake City, head north on I-15. Leave the interstate at Brigham City on US-89 north. The route passes Bear Lake which has fishing and some good camping but can be warm in the summer.

Route US-89 becomes even more scenic as it enters Wyoming and the Bridger-Teton National Forest. If you'd like to camp in this area look for the excellent Allred Flat Campground which features huge sites deep in the woods. Where US-89 merges with US-26 the route follows the "Grand Canyon of the Snake River" with outstanding scenery. The route eventualy reaches Jackson, Wyoming.

Again, expect to spend two days in Grand Teton and three in Yellowstone. Plan to finish up in West Yellowstone to follow US-20 south in Idaho. Nearby Henry Lake offers very nice fishing and camping. Continuing south the route follow's Henry's Fork, one of America's premiere fly fishing spots.

US-20 reaches I-15 at Idaho Falls, which can then be followed south back to Salt Lake City. Expect very scenic driving south of Pocatello, Idaho.

(V) Southwest Loop - 2 weeks **Great Trip** -

This trip works through Las Vegas or Phoenix. From Phoenix, head north on I-17 to Flagstaff, then north on US-89 to Page, Arizona and on into Utah. Continue on US-89 north to I-70. Side trips to Lake Powell, Zion National PArk, and Bryce Canyon National Park are possible. From Las Vegas, follow I-15 north to I-70. Shift over to US-89 for any side trips. (Note that UT-14 above Cedar City is very strenuous.)

At exit 91 on I-70, take UT-10 north into a fascinating backwater of Utah where there are some wonderful small-town museums. In the village of Castle Dale check out the Pioneer Museum and the Museum of the San Rafael (natural history). Take a side trip into the desert to the Cleveland-Lloyd Quarry, one of the most productive dinosaur digs of all time. In Price, Utah, stop at the terrific College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum. From Price, follow US-191 north to Vernal, Utah. Stop there at the Utah Field House of Natural History. It has a large garden full of life-sized dinosaur models which kids love.

Take a side trip on US-40 to Dinosaur National Monument. This park has fabulous canyon country scenery including the famed Echo Park. It also has one of the world's great dinosaur quarries. The top of an entire mountain has been stripped, and many thousands of bones have been permanently exposed in place for the benefit of visitors. The entire complex is enclosed in a huge field house with other exhibits.

Continue north on US-191 (it's about 350 miles from Vernal to Jackson) for the exciting and scenic climb to Lake Flaming Gorge, noted for great fishing and houseboating. As the name denotes, the scenery is very colorful. At Flaming Gorge Dam, turn west on UT-44, then west on UT-43 at Manila. The route becomes WY-414 across the state line. Watch for outstanding vistas of Utah's Uintah Range to the south.

Just past the town of Mountain View, watch for signs to Fort Bridger State Park. The park preserves remnants of the 19th century fort, which was an important way station on the old Oregon Trail. It's definitely worth a stop for an hour or two.

When WY-414 crosses I-90, it becomes WY-412. Turn onto US-189 and continue north, then turn north on US-30 (a left turn). Make a brief stop at Fossil Butte National Monument. The ancient lakebed here is one of the largest fossil beds ever discovered. The visitor center has displays of fossilized fish.

Continue north on I-30, then take WY-89 north for 10 miles where it merges into US-89 north where it enters Wyoming and the Bridger-Teton National Forest. If you'd like to camp in this area look for the excellent Allred Flat Campground which features huge sites deep in the woods. Where US-89 merges with US-26 the route follows the "Grand Canyon of the Snake River" with outstanding scenery. The route eventualy reaches Jackson, Wyoming.

Again, expect to spend two days in Grand Teton and three in Yellowstone. Plan to finish up in West Yellowstone to follow US-20 south in Idaho. Nearby Henry Lake offers very nice fishing and camping. Continuing south the route follow's Henry's Fork, one of America's premiere fly fishing spots.

US-20 reaches I-15 at Idaho Falls, which can then be followed south back to Las Vegas. To reach Phoenix, move from I-15 to US-89 in southern Utah. This is faster than driving to Las Vegas, then following US-93 to Phoenix.

(VI) Southwest Loop with Black Hills - 2 weeks -

To add the Black Hills and Mt. Rushmore when coming from Phoenix, Las Vegas, or points west, use Trip-III, the Denver Loop, traveling from Denver (skip Rocky Mountain National Park unless you have a lot of time) to the Black Hills to the Yellowstone area. The fastest way to reach Denver is I-40 east to Albuquerque, New Mexico, then I-25 north. I-70 across Colorado is very scenic but can be slow going through the mountains. It is a good option from Las Vegas (I-15 to I-70 in Utah) but not convenient from Phoenix.

For the return from the Yellowstone area, use US-20 and I-15 south as described in Trip-V.

(VII) Glacier National Park Add-on - 5-7 days -

It's about 400 miles from Yellowstone to Glacier National Park. There are many places to camp. If you need lodging, look to stop in Missoula or Helena, Montana. This narrative is based on transiting the Going-to-the-Sun Road from west to east. This puts you on the outside edge of the cliffs where you have the best views. If you'd rather be on the inside, reverse this route and cross the park east to west.

From West Yellowstone, proceed north on US-191 to I-90, then west on I-90 to Missoula. On the map, US-93 seems the the most direct route north to the park. However the road has a fair amount of traffic and is not extremely scenic. Try WY-200 east for 30 miles, then WY-83 north. WY-83 is a beautiful scenic route, with state parks, lakes, forest, and pretty campgrounds.

Turn north on WY-206, then east on US-2 to reach Glacier National Park. Plan on spending at least three days and two nights in the area. When exiting the east side of the park, proceed south on US-89 to Choteau, then US-287 south to I-15 and points south. This route is fairly quick and provides an interesting glimpse of rural small-town Montana. Helena is about 35 miles south on I-15 from the junction with US-287.

To return to the southwest, proceed south on I-15. To return east, head east on I-90. To return to the Denver area, take I-90 east to Buffalo, Wyoming, then I-25 south.

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