Chicago to Seattle 2 – 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 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. While the other half is more classic and touristic (especially in the Yellowstone and Grand Teton area). 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 first half).
Day 1 – Land in Chicago and enjoy the afternoon in the city
Lodging location: Chicago
Day 2 – Visit Chicago
Lodging location: Chicago
Days 3,4 – Drive west to South Dakota, 14 hours drive divided to two days
Lodging location: first night along the way, second night Medora
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 east to west) are – Devil’s Lake State Park, Mirror Lake State Park, Lake Maria State Park, Maplewood 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 5 – Visit the southern unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, short drive
Lodging location: Medora
Day 6 – Drive south to South Dakota (it is possible to add to this day activities from day 12), 4 hours drive
Lodging location: Rapid City
Day 7 – Visit Badlands National Park, short drive
Lodging location: Rapid City
Day 8 – 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 9 – Drive west to Montana, on the way visit Devils Tower National Monument, 6 hours drive
Lodging location: Billings
Day 10 – Drive to Yellowstone National Park through the Beartooth Highway (not suitable for long RVs), 2.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Cooke City
Day 11 – Visit the Lamar Valley, the Tower Fall and Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park, 1.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Gardiner
Day 12 – Visit the Upper, Midway and Lower Geyser Basin of Yellowstone, 2 hours drive
Lodging location: West Yellowstone
Day 13 – Enjoy some more time in the Geyser Basins and drive to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and enjoy this canyon’s wonderful waterfalls and views, 1-2 hours drive
Lodging location: Canyon (or Lake Yellowstone)
Day 14 – Drive south to Grand Teton National Park through Hayden Valley and Lake Yellowstone and visit Grand Teton National Park, 3 hour drive
Lodging location: Jackson
Day 15 – Drive west through Craters of the Moon National Monument, 4.5 hour drive
Lodging location: Twin Falls
Day 16,17 – Drive west to Seattle, 9.5 hours drive divided to two days
Lodging location: first night along the way, second night Seattle
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 east to west) are – Shoshone Falls (in Twin Falls), Bruneau Dunes State Park; Boise, Columbia River Gorge and Mount Rainier National Park (visiting these sites may add a few hours to the total driving time).
Day 18 – Visit Seattle
Lodging location: Seattle
Day 19 – 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.
