"Chicago to Chicago via The Black Hills" United States of America Travelogue by pedroswift

United States of America Travel Guide: 282,696 reviews and 647,539 photos

Go West Young Man- Devils Tower - United States of America

18 Days on the Road

Overnight Stops: Chicago, IL,; Janesville, WI.; Winona, MN; Bloomington, MN ; Mitchell, SD.; Wall, SD.; Spearfish, SD.; Custer, SD.; Chandron, NE; Sidney, NE.; Council Bluffs , IA.; Council Bluffs , IA.; Amana, IA.; Cedar Rapids , IA.; Chicago , IL

Wisconsin Dells - Badlands

Chicago, IL. to Janesville, WI.
day --miles driven -- Depart-Destination ---Notes-o/nite accom. dining. Hilite in bold type -- H/way # eg.66 italic.
Day 1 -- 95 miles – Chicago IL. - Janesville, WI via I90 Microtel Inn. Ate Damons – ribs OK.

Day 2 -- 115 miles -- Janesville, WI –Winona, MN. Drove to Lower Wisconsin Dells. I hour boat trip.Shuttle to Upper Dells for 3 hour boat tour. Drove to Mississippi R & state line to Winona. Motel - Westgate. Dined Mexican.

Day 3 --120 miles -- Winona, MN –Bloomington, MN. Riverside drive along Mississippi R. Very good. Visited Mall of America outskirts of Bloomington. Shops plus plus. O/nite Super 8.

Day 4 -- 275 miles -- Bloomington, MN –Mitchell, SD. Via Mankato and 60W Excellent Info centre at SD border. To Sioux Falls. Corn Palace at Mitchell.. Motel – Super 8. Dined Chef Louie Very good not a burger to be seen..

Day 5 -- 225 miles –- Mitchell, SD. – Wall, SD. Via I90 . Stop Missouri Overlook for photo. Lunch at exit 169 in Old Railway carriage diner.. Exit 131 at Cactus Flat to Badlands National Park $10 entry. O/night Super 8 at Wall. After forgettable dinner drove 40miles to Badlands Visitors Centre for 9pm, 45minute talk on Wounded Knee Massacre.

Mt Rushmore - Devils Tower - Jewel Caves

day --miles driven -- Depart-Destination ---Notes-o/nite accom. dining. Hilite in bold type -- H/way # eg.66 italic.
Day 6 -- 100 miles –- Wall, SD – Spearfish, SD... after early morning photos of Badlands. then B/fast drove to Robert’s Prariie Dog Town. Bison as well. I90 to Rapid City to Mt Rushmore National Monument. very well organised parking, walks, displays, videos. Picnic lunch in car park then thru’ Hill City, Deadwood, to Spearfish Super 8. & ate at Bay Leaf Restaurant – very good but see more recent reviews.

Day7 -- 170miles -- Spearfish, SD – Spearfish, SD. south via Spearfish Canyon to Savoy (Lodge), Cheyenne Crossing, thru’ Four Corners into Wyoming then north on 585 to Sundance (coffee). Thence to Devil’s Tower National Monument (1st N.M. in USA) – great visitor centre. North to Hulet & Alva and east to Belle Fourche. Spectacular country side (colourful gorges thru limestone) thence Spearfish to o/nite at Royal Rest Motel and dine at Bay Leaf .

Day 8 -- 100 miles -- Spearfish, SD – Custer, SD... Drove through Rapid City to Ellsworth Air Force Base Guided tour included visit to Titan Missile Silo. Great static displays. Then to Custer State Park to Sylvan Lake. Tried Lodge (no accom.- full). Walked around Lake then headed to Custer. o/nite Chalet Motel – ok. Dined at Wrangler – so so.

Day 9 --100 miles -- Custer, SD – Custer, SD... awoke to pea soup thick fog. What do you do when you can’t see the scenery?? Go underground!. Jewel Cave National Monument Drove in fog 14 miles west to take1.5 hours underground tour. Elevator down to 376 foot level followed by 720 steps up and down. 9º centigrade constant temperature – take water proof warm jacket. Custer State Park, Legion Lake, Wildlife Loop, Mt Coolidge Fire Tower (no view still foggy) o/nite at Custer, Chief Inn . dined at Grill –good.

Custer- Needles - Fur Trade Museum - Scott's Bluff

day --miles driven -- Depart-Destination ---Notes-o/nite accom. dining. Hilite in bold type -- H/way # eg.66 italic.

Day 10 -- 120 miles --Custer, SD – Chandron, NE... drove to Sylvan lakes thru’ tunnels on the Needles Rd. Iron Mountain Road. Mt Rushmore framed by tunnel. Keystone east to 79 and south Hermosa, Nebraska Border to Chadron. Good visitors centre.o/nite at Westerner Motel . dined at Chinese –good.

Day 11 -- 205 miles -- Chadron, NE – Sidney NE... Museum of the Fur Trade at James Bordeaux Trading Post Then west on 20 to Fort Robinson State Park to Harrison then south on 29 and Scotts Bluff National Park, good visitor centre – lots of Oregon Trail info. Drove to top to watch approaching storm. Thence to Chimney Rock – Oregon Trail Marker. Kept on edge of giant storm heading south on 385 to Sidney. Motel 8 …dined at Dudes Steak House & branding iron bar. Enjoyable- good steak.

Day 12 -- 405 miles -- Sidney, NE – Council Bluffs , IA... Followed Oregon Trail along North Platte River to N Platte City to see Buffalo Bill’s House (1886). Coffee at Kearney on the I80E to Grand Island, York, Lincoln, Omaha to Council Bluffs.o/nite at Super 8 Motel . dined at Mexican in Market Area of Omaha –good.

Strategic Air Com'd Museum - D.M. Capitol Building

day --miles driven -- Depart-Destination ---Notes-o/nite accom. dining. Hilite in bold type -- H/way # eg.66 italic.

Day 13 -- 220 miles -- Council Bluffs , IA – Amana, IA... Strategic Air Command Museum Ashland (Omaha) Then west on 80E to Des Moines Capitol Building to Cedar Falls (floods). o/nite Super 8 dined at ?? very civilized German Restaurant next door(even had china coffee cups & saucers)
5s3

Day 14 -- 40 miles -- Amana, IA – Cedar Rapids , IA... to Amana Colonies north of 80 thence to Cedar Rapids. Sheraton Four Points. Dined – picnic at Palisades-Dows Preserve Observatory – moon watching.

Day 15 -- local -- Cedar Rapids , IA... to Herbert Hoover’s Library Museum. Pm visit to Iowa City Old Capitol & Musem of Natural History at Uni. of Iowa. Ate at Chinese.

Day 16 -- local -- Cedar Rapids , IA... Czech & Slovak Museum & Library & restaurant for lunch. Brucemore House historical site.guided tour. Ushers Ferry Historical Village.dined in Hotel.

Day 17 -- local -- Cedar Rapids , IA... esoteric activities. dined at Gaslight pub

Day 18 -- 117 miles -- Cedar Rapids , IA – Chicago , IL - via routes 380, 80, 88, 274, 190W returned car to Avis. Stay Days inn Mannheim St South. dined in Hotel.

Day 19 -- local -- Chicago , IL -- hotel shuttle to O’hare then train/bus to Navy Pier. Boat trip along coast. Lunch at Joe’s Beepa Jazz Club. Combo meal big so shared between us. Field’s Department Store shopping. Dined in Days Inn Italian Rest.
Day 19 -- Chicago O’Hare and silver bird to the West.

Wrap-up

Can't call it a Summary: So much to see & do - it has to be long.

2500 miles approx . Easily modified to fewer miles by doing a one way car hire & departing from out west.
16days +/- in easy stages
To see: 7 US States, Prairies, Mountains, major rivers. And many scenic byways.
Lots of great sites meaningful for both US citizens and visitors from afar

Historic Trails:

Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, Oregon Trail ,
Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail, Pony Express National Historic Trail
Historical landmarks

National Parks/Monuments:

Badlands National Park;
Mount Rushmore National Memorial;
Jewel Cave National Monument;
Chimney Rock National Historic Site;
Scotts Bluff National Monument

Note : If you intend to visit more than two National Parks or Federal Recreational Lands you may wish to purchase an annual or lifetime pass

State Parks and Scenic B/ways + for Aviation Nuts

Chadron SP ; Fort Robinson SP ;
Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historic Park ;
Black Hills State Forest ; Museum of the Fur Trade;

For Aviation nuts:
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
Strategic Air Command Museum Ashland (Omaha)
Ellsworth Air Force Base

Happy Trails to You