Seattle to Chicago 1 – This trip includes 6 anchors: the wonderful city of Chicago, Theodore Roosevelt, Badlands (and its surroundings), Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, and the charming city of Seattle. The first half of this route leads from Seattle to the Yellowstone and Grand Teton area. The second half of this route leads to the least touristic, off the beaten path America – that of the small and remote towns, that of the Wild West and that of traveling through endless prairies and plains of corn and wheat – east of the Rocky Mountains. In terms of scenic beauty – Theodore Roosevelt and Badlands do not have dramatic landscapes but they have an exceptional charm, and it is also a perfect place for wildlife viewing. In contrast, in the Yellowstone and Grand Teton area (which are the icing on the cake of this trip) the views are more dramatic and the topography is more impressive (and the amount of wildlife you can expect to see is exceptional). This is a great route, ideal for coast-to-coast travelers. It should be noted that the route includes relatively long drives (especially in the second half).
Day 1 – Land in Seattle and enjoy the afternoon in the city
Lodging location: Seattle
Day 2 – Visit Seattle
Lodging location: Seattle
Day 3 – Enjoy one more day in Seattle
Lodging location: Seattle
Day 4,5 – Drive west to Idaho, 9.5 hours drive divided to two days
Lodging location: first night along the way, second night Twin Falls
Please note: it is advised not to make reservations for the first night and to decide when to stop according to how tired you are; points of interest along the way (located from west to east) are – Mount Rainier National Park , Columbia River Gorge, Boise, Bruneau Dunes State Park, Shoshone Falls (in Twin Falls), (visiting these sites may add a few hours to the total driving time).
Day 6 – Drive east through Craters of the Moon National Monument to Grand Teton National Park, 4.5 hour drive
Lodging location: Jackson
Day 7 – Enjoy a day in southern Grand Teton National Park plus participate in outdoor activities (rafting, horseback riding etc.) near the town of Jackson, less than 1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: Jackson
Day 8 – Drive north to Yellowstone National Park through Hayden Valley and Lake Yellowstone, 3 hour drive
Lodging location: Canyon (or Lake Yellowstone)
Day 9 – Visit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and enjoy this canyon’s wonderful waterfalls and views and drive to West Yellowstone, 1 hour drive
Lodging location: West Yellowstone
Day 10 – Visit the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone, 1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: West Yellowstone
Day 11 – Visit the Midway and Lower Geyser Basin of Yellowstone and drive north to Gardiner, 2 hours drive
Lodging location: Gardiner
Day 12 – Visit the Mammoth Hot Springs and then drive east to Cooke City, on the way visit the Tower Fall and the Lamar Valley, 1.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Cooke City
Day 13- Drive east through the scenic Beartooth Highway (not suitable for long RVs), 2.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Billings
Day 14 – Drive east to South Dakota, on the way visit Devils Tower National Monument, 6 hours drive
Lodging location: Rapid City
Day 15 – Visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park, and/or the Black Hills (including Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway), 1-2 hours drive
Lodging location: Rapid City
Day 16 – Visit Badlands National Park, short drive
Lodging location: Rapid City
Day 17 – Drive north to South Dakota, 4 hours drive
Lodging location: Medora
Day 18 – Visit the southern unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, short drive
Lodging location: Medora
Days 19,20 – Drive east to Chicago, 14 hours drive divided to two days
Lodging location: first night along the way, second night Chicago
Please note: it is advised not to make reservations for the first night and to decide when to stop according to how tired you are; points of interest along the way (located from west to east) are – Maplewood State Park, Lake Maria State Park, Mirror Lake State Park, Devil’s Lake State Park (see map, visiting these sites may add a few hours to the total driving time); it is also possible to add a day or two to the drive a spend them in Minneapolis (if visiting the city – don’t miss this park and this huge mall – that also has a water park and more attractions).
Day 21 – Visit Chicago
Lodging location: Chicago
Day 22 – Enjoy one more day in Chicago
Lodging location: Chicago
Day 23 – Fly home
– In order to fill this route with content – see our Central USA and Northwest USA destinations pages, where you can find articles that include suggestions what to do in various locations along this route.
