Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Westward Road trip....things to see?

Trip starts in south jersey and ends in Montana. Planning on leaving 4-15 or so. No set time to return but I figure I’ll spend a couple months out there checking things out. The reason for the trip is to look at a place to buy, hike, fish, wander the mountains and hopefully run across a bear during the spring season. I figure I’ll take the scenic route on the way out and back. I’m looking for any recommendations to make the trip more enjoyable. Great places to eat. Attractions to see....even if it’s just a drive by of the largest rubber band ball in the world or anything strange like that. It’s just me and the dog. I’m hoping to avoid major metro areas even if the detour adds time to the trip. I haven’t traveled thru much of the Midwest so I’m looking forward to it.

Rushmore

Time an arrival in Sheridan Wyoming to have breakfast at the Silver Spur Cafe. And in Bozeman at the Western Cafe. Great places for breakfast.

Some of the neat places will still be closed off in April, like the Beartooth Highway, and the Lamar valley in Yellowstone. Where in Montana are you planning to look? It’s a big place...

Blus mesa reservoir CO

Pintado canyon CO

Dinosaur natl monument CO/UT

Flaming gorge Reservoir UT/WY

Red desert WY

Wind River, WY

Yellowstone

Big Hole River MT

Schedule yourself a float trip or 2 on the Wind and big hole rivers...

The property I’m most interested in is around the Superior area. it’s not currently on the market but I think it’ll relist in the upcoming months. I’m keeping my options open. I may find something else I love on the way there or back

All of the above occur on what would be described as a big loop starting in colorado and ending up in montana. you'll want some time to do it all justice

Take the drive up to Copper harbor MI, and then back south and across the Superior shore of WI.
At houghton MI, on your way through you can get on a seaplane and be delivered to Isle Royale for a visit.
Be sure to Kayak out to the Sea Caves at Meyers beach near Cornucopia WI
The north shore of Superior up 61 from Duluth is spectacular

If you make it down to Sheridan, WY; go to King Ropes - quite a display of western "stuff" in there!

Superior, MT. I believe Ill be taking the northern route on the return trip. I’ve driven thru that area on the way to Canada to hunt but always in the fall. I’d like to check it out in summer. Beautiful area

Anything you run across outside of South Jersey is going to look like heaven.

I wouldn't sweat it.

Hunter4623: Be sure to do the Badlands National Park in South Dakota, then Custer and next do Mt. Rushmore and Chief Crazy Horse Monuments then do Devils Tower in eastern Wyoming, then spend a FULL day (before sunrise to after sunset!) on both "roads" in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming then a full day in Cody, Wyoming and the wonderful museums there. Then for sure try to do the Beartooth Highway in Montana (if it is open on your way out or your way back).
For sure do Yellowstone Park if open and right next door is Jackson Hole, Wyoming which is blisteringly beautiful in spring times and is open year round.
Eat at Bubbas in Jackson Hole, Wyoming (breakfast, lunch and dinners!).
Once done in Jackson Hole be sure to mosey over to "the Wind" - stunning, this area of Wyoming, and do some road exploring or short hikes.
Watch for shed horns in your travels and good luck on the spring Bear Hunting.
If you are a gun-nut type be sure and stop in at Shedhorn Sports in Ennis, Montana (just north 75 miles or so of West Yellowstone).
Enjoy the scenery in the Madison River country between West Yellowstone and Ennis.
Have fun - drive careful and steal TP along the way!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Clearly you haven’t been to north jersey. This place is heaven compared to there. South jersey is the reason we’re called the Garden State

.Come to Casper Wyoming. we have a couple of great museums on the Westward movement. The National Historic Trails Center and Fort Casper If you would like I can take you out on a covered Wagon trip on the Oregon and California trails. historictrailswest.com. If you just want to visit call me and we can meet for coffee or a drink.

I second that. Take US-2 west from St Ignace. Stay off the interstates as much as possible.

I can hardly drive a half hour anywhere in the region I outlined (CO/UT/WY/MT) without finding a place I'd love to live in forever.

OP, I hope you realize that what passes for spring for most people does not occur in the high country until sometime in June. If you could postpone your trip, you could see and do a lot more. I expect a lot of cancellations this summer in usually hard to get lodging in the national parks, so you could luck out if you want to spend the bucks.

Lots of great suggestions. Thank you

Cheyenne
I plan on staying out there until at least july. This should give me plenty of time to see quite a bit. I figure the experience of this group will ensure nothing slips thru the cracks which is likely if I just fly blind in this.

Take the West Virginia route. PA turnpike is about as scenic as a bobsled run.

I think the American Motorcycle Association museum is along the way in Ohio.

A good chance to stretch your legs.

Steer wide south of Chicago if you can. The traffic is killer.

Rapid City ?

In that case, given the amount of time you have, I would recommend that you read Stephen Ambrose's book Undaunted Courage, buy the journals of Lewis and Clark, and take in as much of the route as you can, much of which should be in the lower elevations. There are a lot of L&C historic sites in Montana. You could venture into Idaho a bit as well. You can do things like the Beartooth Highway, Yellowstone, the Tetons, and Cody on the back end. I am sure the Montana folks can give you insight on Glacier N.P. Have fun!

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