Places of interest on a western trip.

[rebellee]

Places we visited and enjoyed on our trip this last May include North Cascades Nat'l Park, Chihuly Museum and Gardens in Seattle (next to the Space Needle), Olympic Nat'l Park including Hurricane Ridge and Hoh Rain Forest, Mt. Rainier and Mt. Saint Helens. Columbia River Gorge and Crater Lake too. The KOA in Port Angeles WA was fine and Pacific Beach State Park (in WA) was awesome.

[Dennis King]

I will try to put in order and you can reverse it. I have been to Yellowstone and Jackson Hole 6 times. Start with Corn Palace is Sioux Falls then to Wall Drug then right across from Wall Drug enter the Badlands going to Scenic SD PostOffice and Bar and General Store and Gas Station and Outside Jail cells for photo ops! On the edge of Pine Ridge Reservation a great trip all it’s own! Head out to Rapid City from Scenic SD and see Bear Country just a drive thru park but pretty neat since you are there already! The Needles Highway in the Blackhills then Mt Rushmore then Crazy Horse Monument then Deadwood then Sturgis, Careful first SATURDAY IN August it is amazing with 500-600,000 bikers but prices on everything go up. Devils Tower Spearfish Canyon, Custers National Park has lots of Buffalo up close! Then to Wyoming at Sheridan at Buffalo Bill Hotel and Bar the Sheridan Inn then to Beartooth Highway and Custers Last Stand And a little place called Top of the World then back to Big Horn Canyon National Park into Cody Wyoming through Dayton and Shell and Powell. Be sure to see the rodeo every night from June Thru August in Cody Wy. Then to Buffalo Bill Cody Gun Museum can spend a whole day in there! Don’t miss Irma’s Hotel and Bar circa 1800’s You can still stay in the rooms there and they have gunfights in the street after dinner! Irma’s Restaurant bar and hotel has best food anywhere around! All the prime rib you can eat and huge breakfast buffets! You have to get the huge blueberry pie with vanilla ice cream! The dam outside of Cody on way to Yellowstone! Stop a few minutes and take a tour to see the conditions they had to work in to build it! Then to Jackson Hole! Make reservations at any place you want to stay 6 months to a year in advance. You have to see the lodge at Yellowstone by Old Faithful! Very limited places to stay in park in an rv if it is very large. But you can check that out easily enough! As you can probably tell one of the Best trips I ever took! Wish I were going again! Actually I might just do that again next year!!! Have Fun!!!

[Sandy B]

Lots of people mentioned Mt Rushmore,but no one mentioned that you should most definitely see it at night with the lights on it. The lighting ceremony was the surprising highlight of our trip - and that included a 4 day backpack into the Tetons.

[Vince and Charlette]

Dennis King you did a great job of reviewing the sites. We've been to a number of them and agree. Just something about those old days that seem so attractive. Thanks for the writeup.

[OldBob]

Many years ago we visited Meteor Crater in Arizona and Monument Valley in Arizona and Utah. Perhaps it's just me but I thought Monument Valley was the most spiritual place I had ever been. I feel the same way today.

[atemplesr]

Visit Deadwod South Dakota.Go to the cemetery where Wild Bill and Calamity Jane are buried.

[Bob Gowryluk]

Originally Posted by Quiroule

We are planning a trip from Quebec to Seattle WA next summer.

We will be going via Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Washington and add Wyoming and South Dakota on the return part.

We plan to visit Portland, Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Custer state park and would appreciate any info on places worth visiting along the way.

Thank-you

If you are prepared to take a ferry from Vancouver or Port Angeles I recommend you visit Butchart Gardens in Victoria - not to be missed!

[Sgtmac]

If you are in South Dakota might as well stop at the Corn Palace. Only a few mile north off of I-90 near Pierre, South Dakota. Entire building is decorated with corn cobs. Different theme for the seasons.

[fazzer698]

Hello, We have traveled to South Dakota many times and are just blown away with the Badlands in South Dakota. There is a beautiful small Campground located in the National Park itself called Cedar Pass Campground. There are probably 40 small sites with some having electric only, with water and sewer dump located at the site. This place is so quiet and just amazing place in America to be. the Park loop is about 25 miles of beautiful rock formation mountains and wildlife galore. This is a must see! You must reserve these spots as soon as possible. Take any that are available. Also if you are into military history, sign up online for a tour of The Minute Man Missile Silo Tour (a decommissioned Nuke Site). Its the only one in the US. Also Custer State Park, Keystone SD for shopping. If you would like any other inforamtion or some beautiful pictures I can email these to you. You can email me at Fazzer698@verizon.net and i will be happy to provide you what you may need. My son is a Deputy Sheriff in South Dakota, and I do have a lot of insight on the state and its happenings.

Good Luck
Mark V
US Army Vet !3B

[crinteastwood]

Somewhat surprised that nobody has even mentioned Canada as worthwhile seeing. Banff and Jasper National Parks, Calgary, home of the Stampede, even the prairies of Saskatchewan with over 100,000 lakes and rated as some of the best fishing anywhere and Manitoba, where the Great Plains begin. The gateway to the true north and Alaska - you dont just do a round trip up here either. Not trying to be a nationalist, but we have a ton to offer up here, and for our U.S. friends the favorable exchange on your dollar makes us a super affordable country to visit and well worth your time to see a country that lots of people miss out on.

[UpAndDownTheWest]

I would recommend Glacier NP, Priest Lake and Leavenworth WA.

[Stetay]

Definitely Mt Rushmore, there is a wildlife loop in Custer through the black hills. Stop in town and get a big bag of carrots to feed the wild burrows

[Craig and Carol]

Agree with all of the Black Hills attractions. We loved the Crazy Horse site and Mt. Rushmore.
Spent a week at the Beaver Lake Campground in Custer in September. The Purple Pie Place and Maria's Mexican food truck on the main drag in Custer are not to be missed: excellent pie and ice cream in the former and outstanding Mexican in the latter (don't let the food truck dissuade you). The Powder House Steakhouse in Keystone, near Mt. Rushmore, is an excellent place to eat: fair prices and good selections. The ice cream at the Mt. Rushmore site is incredibly good. Yep, we graze as we travel.
Fly fishing in the Black Hills is also very good should you be interested. The Spearfish Fly Shop in Spearfish and the Dakota Angler in Rapid City are both excellent sources of information. Caught some beautiful native brown and rainbow trout...
Do be careful with your speed as you come from Crazy Horse and Mt. Rushmore from the north into Custer...the speed limit changes quickly, I didn't respond quick enough, and a very nice officer let me off with a warning.

[DanMistyMiler]

I have not seen the Wounded Knee Memorial mentioned. There is also the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center and the Pine Ridge reservation. The reservation has a couple of museum areas at the tribal office and university.

[ronncda]

It sounds like you will be traveling Hwy 2 much of your trip. If so, stop in Stanley ND. for a whirl-a-whip at the local Rexall store. It is an easy and fast stop that you'll love. Last place in the US to get one, and very much worth the stop. Havre MT offers Dino digs if you are into big old ancient mammals. HWY 2 is good; however, you will not be permitted in to Glacier on the "Going to the Sun" Hwy in a large RV so the detour. I would head north into Canada; passports needed to Waterton, up to Banff then across. Follow the signs back in to the US
I live in ID. so I would say, take a look at Wallace ID. if you find yourself entering ID on I-90. Nice RV park (Wallace RV park) within walking distance to everything in this hysterical town. I must tout my home town of CdA ID too; however, there are places closer (and cheaper) to town than Blackwell Island RV. Depending upon your needs and transport issues, do some research for other alternatives.
Once you arrive on the coast; the OR. coast is one of the prettiest places you'll ever see and should be a #1 bucket list. Frankly, I would blow off Seattle and Portland and dedicate the time to the OR. coast but reservations are a MUST for anywhere on the coast in WA or OR. Having said that, Packwood WA is the closest thing to being in Banff in the US. On the Cowlitz river and in the shadows of Mt. Rainier, the wild elk are walking in town and in the very central RV park
If you decide to do the Canadian rte, Banff is a must as is Lk Louise. Remember that BC (British Columbia) means (bring cash). I would avoid because I'm cheap.
Going back...a lot of things have been mentioned and you'll do your research as to your desires. If you go to Cody WY via Yellowstone NP, do some research as to your e-bound route. There are some passes enroute to Sheridan WY that flatlanders may not be comfortable with. The detour would be to Billings/Bozeman MT. then east.
Let's talk Billings...not a very attractive town but they boast of having more than a few micro breweries. You'll need transport but you can spend at least a day or 2 simply taste testing. If you happen to belong to FO Eagles, you'll find that the Billings aerie will allow you to stay in their very large parking lot, boon docking only (SHHH this is not for publication). Call ahead to verify. You must be a card carrying member.
The Black hills are another beautiful place. Deadwood during Rodeo is very fun and it is close to the scooter ride in Sturgis. Wall drug must be one of the biggest tourist traps in the Mid-west; however, the grasslands visitor center (also in Wall SD.) is awesome. The badlands of SD are an incredible side trip as you come out of the Black Hills. BTW, do not forget your old peoples pass to get your discount . The Teddy Roosevelt Grasslands NP is very cool, in my opinion; however, it is somewhat remote and very wide open
My 2c
Ron

[GrandmaX10]

Columbia River Gorge and sights along the way - waterfalls etc. The Oregon coast and of course the redwoods.

[IDguy]

Originally Posted by Quiroule

We are planning a trip from Quebec to Seattle WA next summer.

We will be going via Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Washington and add Wyoming and South Dakota on the return part.

We plan to visit Portland, Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Custer state park and would appreciate any info on places worth visiting along the way.

Thank-you

The best part of your trip could be going north of Lake Superior.

[Mlbs]

The road (Alt 14) between Cody and the Big Horn National Park to HWY 90 is beautiful in a car but please do NOT take the RV or Motorhome. Way too dangerous and very scary.

[Idcruiserman]

Ft Abraham Lincoln state park in Mandan. Ditto on Teddy Roosevelt park, Enchanted Highway, Cody museums, Yellowstone, and LittleBig Horn monument. Ft Union trading post, Devil's Tower, Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman. Just touching the surface. So much to see.

[IDguy]

Originally Posted by OldBob

Many years ago we visited Meteor Crater in Arizona and Monument Valley in Arizona and Utah. Perhaps it's just me but I thought Monument Valley was the most spiritual place I had ever been. I feel the same way today.

Try Chaco Canyon.