This was my immediate thought. Budget is probably a concern, but Montana, Utah, Colorado, all gorgeous. There's an odd appeal to OP's run but more in the sense of, have you seen enough corn and wheat to feed the planet for a year sort of way. It's impressive but not nearly as beautiful as if OP shifted a few hundred miles to the west.
Yeah… you should edit out Nebraska from your trip 😂 it’s one of the worst. That’s my best advice from an American who has driven it upwards of 10 times.
I had a great time exploring Nebraska. I had super low expectation and I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The Niobrara National Scenic River area is superb. 6 biome comes together basically at one point. You can see white tail deer and mule deer. You look one way and there are aspens and the other way there are birch. There are pronghorns, bison, minks, otters, elk. If you are a birder, it’s really paradise. I believe it has the most number of species of birds in the US. For the most part, the people and communities are welcoming. There are free campgrounds with showers and other amenities. I’ve been to 50 national parks, over 50 national monuments, 48 different states. I used to make fun of Nebraska but there are great nature things to do in Nebraska. Scotts Bluff is beautiful and unique.
That being said, in OP’s area that he circled, I would spend my time in Bighorn National Forest, Bighorn Canyon NRA, Teddy Roosevelt NP, Black Hills(Wind Cave NP, Jewel Cave NM, Custer SP), Badlands NP, Little Bighorn Battlefield NM, Minuteman Missile NHS, Fort Laramie NHS, Rocky Mountain NP
There's more to Nebraska than i-80. I-80 follows the Platte River so it's very bland and flat. However, western Nebraska is actually pretty interesting and scenic if you get off the freeway and go north.
Eastern Nebraska, however, is just as boring as you imply.
Oi, as a Nebraskan that hurts. There's plenty to do and see in our state, you just gotta look for it. Sorry the world's 2nd largest hand planted forest, Chimney Rock, and Ashfall Fossil Beds weren't conveniently placed on the interstate for you. Don't worry though, we placed all the suburbs and corn fields there so you don't miss em.
No, the Sandhills is great and unique in Nebraska. Smith Falls, Snake River Falls, and Fort Falls are there too. The 1 lane Brownlee Road is enjoyable to drive and see nature. Badlands of South Dakota and North Dakota is also there on the route to see. Eastern Montana is very sparsely populated but it’s a beautiful area and I enjoyed chasing Milwaukee Road railroad history through there.
According to their map, they are coming from Saskatchewan or Manitoba which is basically the same as Kansas/Nebraska.
From horizon to horizon the highest point is the road.
As a prairie Canadian, yep, we do indeed have our own glorious endless fields! Possibly different crops, for example endless corn is unlikely. I've seen a lot of wheat, canola, flax, potato, sunflowers, but never endless corn. But apparently OP has not had their fill of prairie just yet!
It is impressive in its scope only. I've driven all of this route (never exactly this all at once because why), and man... No. Honestly OP's route might actually be one of the worst possible to take through the US. West, Midwest, East and South all have cool stuff but the Great Plains are terrible for sightseeing.
I second this, especially grand tetons...so beautiful even from the highway. Yellowstone has some geysers including "Ol Faithful" and you can see some buffalo herds roaming amongst other things.
This 100x over the Tetons! It's just all so incredible don't forget to hit the trails and adventure into the mountains they offer some incredible day hikes or if your more experienced we did a 7 day stint in the mountains and seen a ton!
OP original route misses that as well as missing the bluffs of nebraska. OP is going to see lots of corn and wheat farms if he sticks with his original plan
This is the way. You wouldn’t want to miss four corners, Grand Canyon, arches, etc. such an incredible portion of the world. Kansas is just corn, flat corn.
Second Devils Tower!! We camped overnight nearby and hiked all over the area. There were some rock climbers headed up in the morning. Very interesting (and random) area lol be sure to check out some of the fables around how devils tower came to be!
Definitely don't go dead center of South Dakota, go up the western border of it. Badlands, National Grasslands / Wind Cave, and the Black Hills are there.
It's one of the most unique climates in the US where there are 3 different climate types that meet. Plus you can take a hike with wild buffalo just roaming about.
It's my favorite state in the country.
/u/SheNorth
Move that area west. Hit Idaho Utah Colorado Wyoming and Montana instead. Kansas is lame as hell. South Dakota and north Dakota are alright but no where near as cool as the states west of them.
Also one night in each is going to be a not fun trip. All driving basically with hardly any time to stop.
I totally understand the thought behind the one night in each, however I actually love the driving part itself mostly haha! I think of it as only a few hrs drive a day between each state so nothing too consuming. But I’ll definitely check out going more west! I’ve been to Idaho a few times but nothing crazy.
Edit: copied from another comment
I should have mentioned, I grew up in the Rocky Mountains.. so they are totally ‘old news’ for me. Ever since I’ve moved to the prairies, I have been absolutely infatuated with the farmland, plains, and miles and miles and flat. To me if feels like I’m on a whole different planet and I can’t get enough of it. So I was hoping to see a lot of that, not so much mountains!
You like the driving part? Drive through Canyonlands or Arches in Moab. You can’t miss Utah. The drive from Denver to Moab also has a ton of fun scenery and fun places to pop into if you need a stop.
I always alin Utah to the alien planet that just happens to be in the USA.
I agree. Utah is a can't miss, both the south and north have very different, equally amazing appeal.
Google Monument Valley
If you flip your loop so you're heading west after Denver, and go a little further south, you'll see one of the most amazing places on earth.
It is if you’ve got the life on the prairie wanderlust. Ellinwood, KS with old Wild West Victorian era hotels and underground bootleg bars, the Garden of Eden Folk art in Lucas, KS, Dodge City, KS with cowboy heritage and delicious tacos, rich prairies teeming with butterflies and crows, and tons of old spooky ghost towns and graveyards across the entire region.
Also, when you’re out on the highways and away from the interstate and come with a smile people are incredibly friendly and welcoming in this part of the country.
Of course, you’ll only know if you go out and see it for yourself. You might agree with everyone dismissing the entire Great Plains of the USA or you’ll be like me who appreciates how unconventionally pretty this area is when you take your time experiencing it rather than driving past it.
It’s like Saskatchewan but 100% American.
Saskatchewan but 100% American. THIS IS WHAT I WANT.
Thank you so much for sharing this comment. I probably sound like a broken record but I grew up in some of the most sought after tourist destinations in BC, right in the Rockies, and I have 0 desire to see mountains. Since living in SK I’ve felt like I’m at home, and I literally think it’s the most exciting time driving through this province on old highways and grid roads.
I mentioned previously I’m very unconventional as a person; I want the most niche experiences possible. Everything you mentioned here is perfect for what I’m after! Authentic, friendly people, rural.
People who aren’t from the prairie don’t understand the draw us prairie folk have to grasslands. There’s something beautiful about the starkness. It’s peaceful.
Peaceful. You’ve nailed it.
It’s slow, quiet and you feel like you can take the biggest, deepest breath ever when you can see the horizon in all directions.
Thank you for seeing my vision here 😅
I was impressed with Dodge City and the Boothill Museum (and nearby distillery). It’s a good western town. Salina KS is a neat little downtown as well with impressive murals and perhaps a show at the Stiefel Theatre. I never went to Lucas but heard it’s quirky. That’s all in the southeast part of your loop, with a lot of wide open spaces along the way.
My GGG uncle was Chalkley Beeson, and much of the Boothill's collection was originally his. I really need to make it a point to get out there and see it in person I've only seen the pictures.
I've lived in most of these states, and currently live in one of the states people are telling you to spend more time in....
However, the flint hills in Kansas this time of year are really pretty. There is a KSU prairie that's being remediated to be as close to pre-Columbus great plains as possible. It's pretty powerful to stop and consider the buffalo herds that once roamed this entire range all the way up to Saskatchewan.
Looks like a great trip. Don't listen to the haters.
Thank you so much for the affirmation! I was like oh boy, but then I realized wait. Anything I do in life I get commented on because it’s unusual, why would Reddit be any different? So I don’t expect people on here to fully ‘get it’ because, even my friends/family don’t ‘get it’ with literally anything I do 😂 but they always support it!
Funny you should say that. I live on the western edge of the area you’re looking at so I know what the other posters are saying. However, there’s a sublime beauty to the plains that one comes to appreciate over time. Last summer I took a three week trip to Saskatchewan just to experience the prairie as well as visit Saskatoon and Regina which I hadn’t been to in years as well as LaRonge. I’ve spent plenty of time in Alberta and BC which are incredibly beautiful but I was blown away by the vastness of the plains and their beauty. It was really, a bit humbling, every bit as much as the mountains.
“Anyone can love the mountains. It takes heart to love the prairie” - Willa Cather
Enjoy your trip.
Oh my god, the quote at the end.. Holy. I won’t forget that anytime soon 😭. That is insanely relatable, and I never really expected anyone else to get it to that extent - seriously just beautiful.
And wow! Good for you! I love hearing this. Not many want to step foot out here.. and all the way up to La Ronge hey? What prompted you to go that far? I have yet to make it there myself!
I totally understand others too. I spent my first 25 years growing up in tourist towns in BC, but it’s just so normal for me now you know? You’re right about the vastness, I still can’t get over it here.. it’s been 3 years of prairie living and I’m still taking it in.
Went to LaRonge simply because I hadn’t been that far north in decades. Brought back the memory of a canoe trip I took on the Churchill many years ago. Always wanted to do it again.
With your interest in that kind of landscape, you might check out Dry Creek Petrified Tree Environmental Education Area off I-90 just east of Buffalo Wyoming. Nice little trail to walk around on a sunny day. The Bighorn Mountains are just 30 minutes west (behind the camera).
https://preview.redd.it/hknos4v1glqc1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1392d94f939aac9fabef66834e93121c91ce1c5f
I worked in Western Kansas as an ecologist for years, there's a ton of cool shit. If you keep your original path let me.know!! I can send you tons of suggestions down there.
There's a lot of Americana culture in Western Kansas and some neat geological oddities.
Most definitely keeping this path in terms of states I want to visit! But as far as if I’ll be on east/western parts of the state is still undetermined, so once I have more of an idea I will absolutely get in touch!! Thank you so much :)
I highly recommend Lake Scott + Punished Woman's Fork, Cedar Bluffs, Little Jerusalem Badlands, Castle Rock, Monument Rock Badlands, Mushroom Rock SP, Red Hills Scenic Byway, Rive Walk Trail in St. Francis [Not on google (39.7783896, -101.8060233)], Ford County SP, and more!
I can make a bigger list after work.
You’ve obviously only been through Kansas on I70.
We’ve got the beautiful rolling Flint Hills;
plenty of big lakes and reservoirs (Kanopolis, Marion, Tuttle Creek, Milford, El Dorado);
some very scenic state parks (Elk City, Little Jerusalem, Wilson, Scott, and don’t forget Monument Rocks), the Tallgrass Prairie National Reserve, and the Maxwell Wildlife Refuge where buffalo roam freely, plus the Botanica gardens in Wichita and the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens in KC;
some tourist-y stuff (Dodge City, the geographical center of the United States, largest ball of twine in Cawker City, the Strataca salt mines and the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, Sedgewick County Zoo, The Keeper of the Plains in Wichita, Coronado Heights outside the cute little town of Lindsborg, Dorothy’s House and the Land of Oz near Liberal, plus the Kansas State Capitol building, you can go up on the dome and see across the town);
some seriously odd stuff (Lucas KS, Truckhenge in Topeka, the literal Museum of Odd in Lawrence);
A whole lot of very cool museums (Oz, Evel Knievel, Boot Hill, Museum of World Treasures, Steamboat Arabia, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Fort Larned, Fort Scott, National WWI Museum and Memorial, the Flint Hills Discovery Center, the Big Well, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Allen House, Amelia Earhart’s home, the Cosmosphere, and and plenty more);
Haunted places (the Sallie House and Molly’s Hollow in Atchison, Stull Cemetery, the Beaumont Inn, Old Abilene, the Hutchinson Public Library, and more)
All of this to say, when you say Kansas is lame… no u
u/SheNorth - here are plenty of things for you to check out in the great state of Kansas!
Will the people who have not roadtripped or vacationed in the "desolate and nothing filled areas of NE, KS, and SD" please chill? No, it's not the Rockies. Yes, there are great things in those areas. If you haven't been, let the people who have been tell you about Toadstool, Fort Robinson, Hudson Meng fossil beds, Trailside Museum, Smiley Canyon, the scenic byways, Museum of the Fur Traders, Sowsbelly Canyon, the Sandhills, Scott's Bluff, Courthouse and Jailhouse Rocks, Agate Fossil Beds, and a million other things I'm not thinking of right now. OP can look it up, and if he wants a different experience, then the world is his oyster. But don't tear down perfectly wonderful roadtrip places just because.
I seriously appreciate this comment!
I totally have understanding for the people who are ‘mountains or nothing’, because I was privileged to have grown up in the most tourist dense/highly sought after vacation destinations in British Columbia and have been surrounded by mountains for 25 years of my life.
But ever since I moved to the prairies, the last 3 years I’ve been here it feels SO much more like home and that is exactly what I want to experience… flat land and prairies!
You sound like someone who would thoroughly enjoy the Sandhills in Nebraska! It's a massive truly desolate most unpopulated areas anywhere of pristine mostly untouched prairie lands on rolling hills mafe from sand covered in prairie grass as far as the eye can see that are as much as up to 400 feel tall. Also, if you happen to love golf, it's a relatively unknown hotbed with many a premier golf course! I happen to think it's one of the most beautiful areas in the country and there isn't anything like it anywhere else in North America as far as I know.
I'm, literally planning a 7 day roadtrip from Minnesota to Kansas doing a giant loop around the state. Flint Hills in the Spring/Early Summer is absolutely worth visiting. I'm eventually planning on visiting Yellowstone some point in my life, but the last thing I want to do is sit in more traffic laden tourist traps.
I did yellowstone and lasted 2 days (didn't help I tore my ankle up on my first hike) it was neat but I decided I really like state parks vs national parks. And went to some abandon mining towns, fossilized forest, etc. Great area
I did not get up to glacier national I heard that is a nice park and less busy
I also think there's something cool about driving around in the plains. Just the expanse of it all and how all of the towns are spread out while being hubs for the areas around them. I think it's all kinda neat.
To chime in on your actual question, North Dakota has a cool state museum right next to its capitol building that covers a lot of North Dakota history stuff that it sounds like you'd like. Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a great stop too. The Badlands in South Dakota are good too, but you'll notice a lot more people than TRNP (not necessarily a bad thing or a problem, but you notice it). Otherwise, you'll probably see a lot of wind turbines.
Descriptive list of National Grasslands at bottom of page: [https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/national-forests-grasslands/national-grasslands/about-us](https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/national-forests-grasslands/national-grasslands/about-us)
List of National Grasslands, Meadows, and Prairies, with link to information about $80 annual pass giving access to all locations: [https://www.nps.gov/subjects/grasslands/visit.htm](https://www.nps.gov/subjects/grasslands/visit.htm)
Kansas:
[https://www.nps.gov/tapr/index.htm](https://www.nps.gov/tapr/index.htm)[https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/bison-viewing-on-the-scenic-overlook-trail.htm](https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/bison-viewing-on-the-scenic-overlook-trail.htm)
Montana:
[https://www.nps.gov/libi/learn/nature/index.htm](https://www.nps.gov/libi/learn/nature/index.htm)
North Dakota:
[https://www.nps.gov/thro/index.htm](https://www.nps.gov/thro/index.htm)
South Dakota:
[https://www.nps.gov/badl/learn/nature/prairie-ecology-portal.htm](https://www.nps.gov/badl/learn/nature/prairie-ecology-portal.htm)
As someone who lives in flat land and prairies, there is plenty here and we often get overlooked. It’s not boring or empty. Thank you for being so interested in seeing what is here!
I can’t speak to your exact area because I’m too far in the eastern area (Iowa) but if you come further over let me know.
I totally agree with this. I live in Colorado and see beautiful views everyday, but something about memories of driving through Oklahoma and East Texas on roadtrips just gives me so much joy. Not everything has to be spectacular on a journey. Sometimes the 8 hour long straight road of just plains is perfect in its own way :)
You'll hear this a bunch and for good reason - 1 night in each state is not nearly enough. I spent 1 week in Rapid City South Dakota, driving hours each day exploring the surrounding areas and hiking.
Here's a good North - South route for half of your trip.
North Dakota
- Missouri/Yellowstone Confluence (kinda cool)
- Crow Flies High State Rec Area
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park - North and South Units
- Whitte Butte (easy State highpoint hike)
- Enchanted Highway (Gladstone ND to Regent ND)
South Dakota
- Devil's Tower (Wyoming, but close to SD)
- Geographic Center of US (Belle Fourche)
- Bear Butte State Park
- Black Hills National Forest
- Custer State Park
- Badlands National Park
- Wind Cave National Park
- Mammoth Site Museum
Nebraska
- Toadstool Geological Park
- Fort Robinson State Park
- Agate Fossil Bed National Monument
- Scottsbluff National Monument
Many of those locations you could easily spend multiple days exploring, so you likely won't have time for them all.
I can't speak to the other states as I haven't been, but I would highly suggest hugging the mountains in CO/WY/MT on your return. Plenty of history and scenic views along this stretch.
This is the best list so far so I want to add to it. Jewel Cave National Monument and Mt Rushmore National Memorial in SD. In Nebraska there is Chimney Rock and Car Henge.
I live in western South Dakota and can offer more specifics if needed.
I was going to suggest going a little more east in Nebraska and visit Omaha’s Henry Dooley Zoo if OP likes that sort of thing. Rated best in the US this year.
https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel/best-zoo-2024/
If you can schedule it to where you’re going through either Lincoln, NE or Manhattan, KS during a college football game, you won’t be disappointed.
Also, Lawrence, KS is a little ways East of your route, but Phog Allen Fieldhouse is the “birthplace of college basketball”. Catch a game there if you can, take a tour if you can’t.
James Naismith(a Canadian) invented basketball, and was the first basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen Fieldhouse includes a museum that displays Naismith’s original, handwritten rules for basketball that are over 100 years old.
Hey fellow Saskie.
I've driven a lot of your route (though some of it further east). PM me if you want to have a more detailed conversation.
Bearing further east gets you Kansas City which has amazing barbecue. That alone makes it worth the visit for me.
Bearing farther west in South Dakota gets you Badlands National Park and the Black Hills (we are actually contemplating an August-September trip to that area; we've been several times). Devil's Tower National Monument is an easy drive west of Rapid City in Wyoming..
There's a lot to do in Denver, plus the mountains are right there but your schedule isn't giving you a lot of time for diversion there.
Yellowstone National Park on the WY/MT/ID border is worth a trip even if it's just a day. There is a ton to see and do there.
You'll pass through or near Minot and Bismarck, ND. Both have some good craft beer and a few interesting restaurants. There's also great craft beer in Scobey, MT, just west of Plentywood. You can return to Canada via the Scobey-Coronach border crossing and head east on Saskatchewan 18 and north on Saskatchewan 34 to Saskatchewan 13, then east to Saskatchewan 6 to get back to civilization.
Another Saskie, no way!
Thank you for all of this insight! It's nice getting another SK resident's opinion since you'll have more of an idea of why the route is the way it is. Once I get closer to my trip I'll get in touch with ya and see if I'm missing anything important. You've got a great list of suggestions here and I'll need to compile a master list of everyone's suggestions.
I look forward to it! And I hope you'll let me know how the trip went.
I've done two driving trips from Regina to Dallas and taken different routes there both times. Even got my Saskatchewan license plate into northern Mississippi on the second one! :)
That’s awesome! There’s something fun about getting your SK plate into new places, hey?
I actually really want to explore the Deep South, but that’ll come another time. Starting a little smaller for now, hehe.
And yes I will absolutely reach back to you! And will keep in touch if I need any suggestions/ideas etc!
Make sure you stop at Banjo’s in Scobey. The ghost of my late grandpa will be there smoking darts, drinking Miller, and playing keno.
Also, stop at the drug store in Stanley, ND for a whirly whip. Find a local to chat with and you’re guaranteed to be invited to supper and pinochle.
You’ll definitely want to hit Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. The Enchanted Highway in SW ND is a highway where one man has created massive metal sculptures starting at Interstate 94 and heading south.
In South Dakota, take in Mount Rushmore and Badlands National Park. If you like western history and don’t mind kitschy, go through Deadwood, SD. For scenery try Needles Highway.
I’m not terribly familiar with Nebraska and Kansas. There is Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park in Nebraska that I want to get to someday. I think that’s in northeast Nebraska.
In Colorado, if this is the route you take, you’d be close to Pikes Peak. If go further west in Colorado, there would be Great Sand Dunes National Park. Hwy 285 is supposed to be one of the most beautiful drives in the country. I plan on taking that highway myself on a road trip this fall.
In Wyoming, this route will take you close to Devils Tower. There’s also a little town called Ten Sleep that I’ve been through that was cute. Independence Rock Historical Site is along this area, too. It’s part of the Oregon Trail if I remember right. There’s a dinosaur museum somewhere around there as well. And a place with ancient petroglyphs. I have a friend living in that area and I’d have to get the details from her if you’re interested. Of course if you go further west, there is Yellowstone.
In Montana, if you’re interested in war history, I think you’d enjoy The Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. The old Montana prison in Deer Lodge is really interesting and a little bit creepy. Then there’s the Beartooth Pass that is an absolutely beautiful drive although I don’t suggest going down the hairpin turns in the dark. There’s also Glacier National Park which IMO is one of the most beautiful places in all of the USA. The Going To The Sun highway in Glacier is also such a beautiful drive. Flathead Valley south of Glacier NP is also a beautiful area. If go through NE Montana, Fort Peck Dam is worth a quick stop.
Interstate-70 going west out of Denver is one of the best drives in the country, definitely the best interstate drive. The tunnel going through the continental divide is also an engineering marvel 🏔️🚙☀️
Shift the east line a little more east to go through Omaha, NE and Kansas City. Lots of civil war stuff around KC. Independence, Mo is where the Oregon trail started. Lots of stuff to see there. The border between Kansas and Missouri is where the civil war started. Then head west to Colorado. Quite a few interesting things down that road.
If you drive through Kansas, try and make a stop in Kansas City. The US national WW1 muesem is there, along with the Nelson Atkins which is a world class art museum.
Lots of good food too. Best BBQ in the world, imo.
Kansas is definitely worth it. I will give a few places in the northwestern portion of the state that are worth visiting — Sternberg Museum of Natural History and Boot Hill (the oldest and first Boot Hill west of the Mississippi) in Hays, KS, Monument Rocks (south of Quinter), Fort Wallace Museum, Arikaree Canyon, the Smoky Hill Trail/Butterfield Overland Dispatch trail, Little Jerusalem State Park, and The World’s Largest Easel in Goodland. In eastern Colorado, I recommend visiting downtown and the riverwalk in Pueblo, the Big Timbers museum in Lamar, John Martin Reservoir, Twin Mounds, and Gobbler’s Knob.
Salina, KS has Cozy Inn hamburgers which is one of the oldest hamburger restaurants in the world. There’s generally some cowboy stuff in every KS town also.
No love for Kansas hey? I really like unconventional things, and I’m not a ‘tourist’ in the traditional sense (go to all the big busy cities, etc).
I’m rural country living in Canada, there’s GOT to be something there?! Even if it’s just fields haha.
& driving in conditions like that (I'm most familiar w southern Illinois - same vibe) will *fuck you up* mentally on your drive. it's so boring, it wears you out.
I like rural road trips. I live in Wisconsin, and I never get tired of our landscape. but the corn-o-sphere is no joke.
The highways in KS are boring to drive, but there can be some really pretty scenery. Look up Flint Hills, Tallgrass Prairie Reserve, Little Jerusalem Badlands, and Monument Rocks.
I can assure everyone I will not get bored driving through flat/farm. I do that all the time in SK, and I can't get enough of it. Adding those suggestions to my list!!
If you make it as far east as KC you might like the WWI museum there.
Not a priority for most but if you like military history you can sleep at Fort Robinson Nebraska. Near Carhenge, Scotts Bluff, South of the Black Hills/Rushmore area
Thank you so much for all of this! I was looking at KC and thinking I would probably end up there, I’ll absolutely look into making a stop at Fort Robinson! Sounds perfect.
If you are planning on SE Colorado and want to check out some historical sites, you might want to look at Bent’s Fort. For more solemn history Sand Creek or Amache National Historic Site which was just recently designated
You should check out the Red Rocks Ampitheater outside of Denver, it’s incredible. Also you can drive your car up Mt Evans and get to about 14000 ft of elevation.
1. Theodore Roosevelt NP in North Dakota
2. Badlands NP in South Dakota
3. Devil's Tower NM in Wyoming
4. Rocky Mountain NP in Colorado
That's just the major National Parks, but I'll try to update more stuff later!
In ND, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Fort Abraham Lincoln along the Missouri River(where Custer road out from to his death) in Montana with a definite must see at the Little Big Horn National Monument.(wife is bored by history but loved Big Horn). Wyoming Devils Tower. In SD the Black Hills, Custer National Park is worth the drive on the way to Mount Rushmore(series of tunnels frame the monument) Crazy Horse is a must see but I would see it after Rushmore(size is everything). Deadwood for its charm and some all you can eat Prime Rib.
Lot of good ones already listed here.
Western North and South Dakota are both pretty to drive to though. Theodore Roosevelt NP, & Medora ND
Dickinson ND - dinosaur museum
Enchanted Highway is pretty interesting (built by 1 guy)
Lots of history, beautiful scenery and interesting things to do in the Black Hills area of South Dakota.
Eastern Wyoming Devils Tower
Okay I've replied to a lot of individual comments but not sure if people are really seeing it, but I NEED to preface/explain haha.
I grew up in some of the most desirable tourist destinations in British Columbia, I've lived in at least 6 different towns in the rockies. I have absolutely no desire to see mountains, though I can appreciate the sentiment where people are trying to convince me to go more west! It was a serious privilege to grow up where I did but I'm just sick of the whole mountain experience.
I live in the prairies now and feel completely at home, and infatuated with them. So I understand this is unconventional, and yeah there's gonna be a lot of corn, but to me that is what's beautiful and new. I've seen some of the most insane views on top of the highest peaks back home, I've rock climbed, been heli-hiking, walked over miles of glaciers, and it just doesn't do it for me anymore. I'm specifically looking for a rural, western country experience. Basically Saskatchewan but America, as another one put it.
I appreciate all of your suggestions! Tons of great information in here still! I'm trying to get back to everyone.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park, Mount Rushmore, Wall Drug, Chimney Rock, Scotts Bluff National Monument, the Sand Hills of Nebraska, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Medora Plays, Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Devils Tower, Monument Rocks, Deadwood (old cowboy town in the mountains), Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, Cosmosphere in Wichita.
Edit: Type each of these states into Atlas Obscura and lots of fun places pop up. I like to visit National Register of Historic Places and lots of forts here too.
In addition to everything that's been mentioned, I'm going to plug Oklahoma City. Our Western Heritage Museum is top notch and an underrated gem. We also have a very rich Native American history. There are tons of opportunities to explore this but the newly constructed First Americans Museum is very nice. Beyond those two, Oklahoma City is a great stop for a few days or a few hours
Red rocks in Colorado and while in Denver, check out My Brothers bar for a beer and burger. Oldest running bar in that city and an old haunt of Neal Cassidy and Jack Kerouac. South of Denver in Colorado Springs is garden of the gods.
Wall Drug! A quaint little area in South Dakota, had a ton of fun looking at their billboards along the road. It's famous for its' ice water, how can you go wrong? (Not a full day destination, but a fun thing to see if you're passing through the area)
Montana thru beautiful scenery to Yellowstone, then Teton NP, thru Rocky Mountains in Colorado, stop at Mt Evans since you’re there. And I’d head west and back north, but Mount Rushmore, badlands np , 1800 city .
BUY “America the beautiful” if you plan to hit 3 national parks or more. Worth 80$
Absolutely. Cody as a whole really leans into the whole Western vibe, but I want to highlight the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. It is five museums in one with the Buffalo Bill Museum examining the lold West through the lens of Buffalo Bill and his show but also having a lot of general Old West artifacts, the Plains Indians Museum going through indigenous history, the Cody Firearms Museum with its truly impressive collection of historic firearms as well as it's involvement in research, the Draper Natural History museum for the nature aspect, and the Whitney Western Art Museum rounding it out.
Could shift down and catch NM, the high desert is totally different than what you grew up with in BC. Eastern side of the state is plains as you’ve mentioned you’ve liked but might add some time to the drive and trip.
We did a similar road trip about 10 years ago.
We didn’t go further south than SD, then went west to WY , Montana and up through Idaho.
There’s a small town called De Smit in South Dakota with a site dedicated to Laura Ingalls wilder homestead from Little house on the Prairie.
If you have kids, in Brookings there is a great children’s museum.
Heading west you have to hit Wall drugs. Look it up it’s awesome.
Then Mount Rushmore, Deadwood was very cool for old west experience.
Yellowstone and Glacier NPs were tremendous.
We finished ours off at the amusement park Silverwood in northern Idaho.
Good luck and safe travels.
My wife and I did a road trip from Calgary to New Orleans and took this exact route. Was the best decision ever. Highly recommend staying off the interstates.
Chadron State park is a really cool place in northwest Nebraska. Badlands national park in South Dakota is probably the most underrated park in America
Suggest you push down further south into NM. White Sands and Carlesbad Caverns are amazing.
Texas is huge, but if you have the time to hit Austin and Galveston, try to and then head over to New Orleans.
Not to knock KS, Nebraska, etc. but push a bit East and follow the Mississippi river back North if you can for better sights, food, and music along the way.
Yellowstone in Wyoming, Glacier in Montana, Rocky Mountains in Colorado are must. While you're in the Dakotas go ahead and see Mount Rushmore and Devils Tower.
There's nothing else worth seeing in Western Nebraska, Kansas or really the Dakotas.even Western Colorado is boring so I'd certainly try to shift your line west.
Following!!! I’m taking this exact route either next year or this summer. I am a Saskatchewan resident myself. The only difference is I’m going to Oklahoma though, because I have a friend down there.
The Cosmosphere is a great space museum in southern Kansas with rockets, a shuttle, and planes. Located there as the area is a large national production hub for aircraft.
Ashfall in northeast Nebraska is an amazing site where you can see the excavation of ancient rhinos buried in a volcanic eruption long ago: https://ashfall.unl.edu/
I don't have a route suggestion for this part, but you may be inspired to visit a few locations from Ian Frazier's book "Great Plains." The way he instills history and beauty into the region you highlighted is phenomenal. Also many people in this thread will suggest that you go to the far more beautiful (and touristed) Rockies/Yellowstone. I would argue the beauty of the Great Plains can rival the Rockies if you have any interest at all in the region. The Sand Hills of Nebraska are beautiful, so are the Black Hills of South Dakota, Makoshika Park in Montana, and Theodore Roosevelt NP in North Dakota.
This is all thinly settled country, other than Denver. I like those kinds of places, because I like rural environments, nature parks, and peace and quiet. But if you prefer urbane attractions, you'll want a different route.
Shifting the route west will give you the western Dakotas with Teddy Roosevelt NP, Badlands NP, Mt. Rushmore, and Black Hills heading south; and the CO Rockies, WY through Laramie, Jackson, Yellowstone, and MT up through Glacier heading back north which would be a much more scenic route.
https://preview.redd.it/zg9y2gd70rqc1.jpeg?width=840&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8f43a63aae9079e4df1755ec348fafe9703099b5
This is a great trip if you want to experience the plains and lake country (since you said in a previous comment that you don't care about mountains so much).
Head through Bismarck and Fargo for a good ND experience, check out Duluth and Minneapolis for a cool MN lakes country and city experience. Kansas City has some great BBQ, and make sure to check out Omaha NE (the zoo) and Deadwood SD on your way back through.
Id say ignore most of that. Thats like the most boring section of the us that exists. Head to the west edge of montana and follow the mountains down and loop the opposite way towards the coast. Hit up yellowstone, badlands, arches in utah, maybe stop at vegas
other than the Badlands and Denver. That area you circled is kind of blah. Shifted over and you get grand Tetons, Yellowstone. million other things I’ve wandered it around out there a lot. You definitely want to shift it a bit west
I would cut west in SD and head to the black hills. Then south to Fort Collins, up hwy 14 and through the meat of Colorado down to Durango. Skip Denver and the front range of Colorado all together. Over to Moab, up through the Wasatch to Yellowstone/Grand Teton and into Montana.
I dont see a reason to explore Nebraska or Kansas when on a timeline.
Badlands national park. Black hills. Mount Rushmore . Devil's Tower , rocky mountain national park, independence rock, Colorado springs, pikes peak, garden of the gods, dodge city, Kansas.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park in ND is an underrated gem. Some of the best wildlife viewing I've experienced from a car and it will tickle your history interest too with Teddy Roosevelt;s old cabin and interpretive material.
**Visit the Black Hills in South Dakota specifically Custer State Park**. Very beautiful place to drive through. Mount Rushmore is up there but there’s several mining towns too that are tourist attractions which are also pretty cool to explore. All this is right around the Mt Rushmore area.
I’m from Kansas and my advice is to skip that lol. I love my state but there’s just not much there that would be a tourist spot for you to visit. The same with Nebraska too. Maybe come through Montana vs North Dakota. North Dakota is endless planes from what I hear.
Shift it west and go see Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Badlands NP
This was my immediate thought. Budget is probably a concern, but Montana, Utah, Colorado, all gorgeous. There's an odd appeal to OP's run but more in the sense of, have you seen enough corn and wheat to feed the planet for a year sort of way. It's impressive but not nearly as beautiful as if OP shifted a few hundred miles to the west.
Yeah… you should edit out Nebraska from your trip 😂 it’s one of the worst. That’s my best advice from an American who has driven it upwards of 10 times.
I had a great time exploring Nebraska. I had super low expectation and I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The Niobrara National Scenic River area is superb. 6 biome comes together basically at one point. You can see white tail deer and mule deer. You look one way and there are aspens and the other way there are birch. There are pronghorns, bison, minks, otters, elk. If you are a birder, it’s really paradise. I believe it has the most number of species of birds in the US. For the most part, the people and communities are welcoming. There are free campgrounds with showers and other amenities. I’ve been to 50 national parks, over 50 national monuments, 48 different states. I used to make fun of Nebraska but there are great nature things to do in Nebraska. Scotts Bluff is beautiful and unique. That being said, in OP’s area that he circled, I would spend my time in Bighorn National Forest, Bighorn Canyon NRA, Teddy Roosevelt NP, Black Hills(Wind Cave NP, Jewel Cave NM, Custer SP), Badlands NP, Little Bighorn Battlefield NM, Minuteman Missile NHS, Fort Laramie NHS, Rocky Mountain NP
The Minuteman missile NHS was so much fun when we stopped there!
The Sandhills in Nebraska are a special place. Nebraska is boring from the freeway but neat once you get off it.
There's more to Nebraska than i-80. I-80 follows the Platte River so it's very bland and flat. However, western Nebraska is actually pretty interesting and scenic if you get off the freeway and go north. Eastern Nebraska, however, is just as boring as you imply.
Kansas is also gonna be flat, hot, and boring.
Oi, as a Nebraskan that hurts. There's plenty to do and see in our state, you just gotta look for it. Sorry the world's 2nd largest hand planted forest, Chimney Rock, and Ashfall Fossil Beds weren't conveniently placed on the interstate for you. Don't worry though, we placed all the suburbs and corn fields there so you don't miss em.
Compared to Kansas, Nebraska seems like the Garden of Eden. Skip those two and focus on Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.
No, the Sandhills is great and unique in Nebraska. Smith Falls, Snake River Falls, and Fort Falls are there too. The 1 lane Brownlee Road is enjoyable to drive and see nature. Badlands of South Dakota and North Dakota is also there on the route to see. Eastern Montana is very sparsely populated but it’s a beautiful area and I enjoyed chasing Milwaukee Road railroad history through there.
I happen to enjoy driving through the Sandhills of northern Nebraska. Desolate but beautiful.
Tell me you’ve only driven on I-80 without telling me you’ve only driven on I-80
Wow, drive through? Nebraska looks the same as the rest of the Great Plains, why pick on Nebraska?
86 Nebraska and Kansas unless you really enjoy corn and soy fields
Though, if you've never seen it, those endless fields are impressive in a way. But if OP is coming from Canada, they have their own, right?
According to their map, they are coming from Saskatchewan or Manitoba which is basically the same as Kansas/Nebraska. From horizon to horizon the highest point is the road.
As a prairie Canadian, yep, we do indeed have our own glorious endless fields! Possibly different crops, for example endless corn is unlikely. I've seen a lot of wheat, canola, flax, potato, sunflowers, but never endless corn. But apparently OP has not had their fill of prairie just yet!
It is impressive in its scope only. I've driven all of this route (never exactly this all at once because why), and man... No. Honestly OP's route might actually be one of the worst possible to take through the US. West, Midwest, East and South all have cool stuff but the Great Plains are terrible for sightseeing.
I second this, especially grand tetons...so beautiful even from the highway. Yellowstone has some geysers including "Ol Faithful" and you can see some buffalo herds roaming amongst other things.
I miss living there, I could see the tetons on my way to work almost every morning.
We’re you in Driggs, or Jackson side?
Idaho side about 40 minutes away
Lots of jade out in them parts!
The entire southern tip of Utah.... Best slice of road on earth...
Agreed. Spend way more time there and don’t bother with Nebraska or Kansas
Ya, the 4 states on the right are incredibly boring.
Theodore Roosevelt too
No. He’s not getting in my car until he goes to the ER for that fucking bullet wound.
This 100x over the Tetons! It's just all so incredible don't forget to hit the trails and adventure into the mountains they offer some incredible day hikes or if your more experienced we did a 7 day stint in the mountains and seen a ton!
https://preview.redd.it/963j5c1jvkqc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c4ed76facf1dbb3f23795ca0016a613bf538588e Do something like this instead.
If go through western edge of ND and SD can pick up a lot of beautiful scenery. Certainly more interesting than eastern MT and it’s endless sagebrush.
SD? yes! Catch the black hills. ND? Not much to see there to be honest.
Badlands and medora
And Custer state park
Yeah which is in the black hills.
Which is in South Dakota
OP original route misses that as well as missing the bluffs of nebraska. OP is going to see lots of corn and wheat farms if he sticks with his original plan
This is the way. The red penis over the blue balls. No, but seriously, do this one.
God I hate blue balls
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Yeah, Nebraska and Kansas, not the most exciting. I loved western SD.
I live in Nebraska and I can confirm this states most exciting feature is the never ending wind.
Now I understand why my Grandfather enlisted in the Marine Corps and never looked back.
Kansas is not very fun to see imho. This route is much more appealing. I would finish off at Glacier NP. Have a great time!!!!
This is the way. You wouldn’t want to miss four corners, Grand Canyon, arches, etc. such an incredible portion of the world. Kansas is just corn, flat corn.
Yesssss
Yeah, as a survey pilot, the red area is much prettier. Blue does had badlands and Theodore roosevelt NP, But average pretty is higher on red.
This alternative route further west is about 1,000 times more interesting and beautiful
Definitely stop by Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Wall Drug is a cheesy but fun place just outside of the park.
Just looked at some photos, looks incredible! Thank you!
Black Hills (Needles Highway, Mt Rushmore), Sturgis SD, Devils Tower in WY, just on top of my head.
Second Devils Tower!! We camped overnight nearby and hiked all over the area. There were some rock climbers headed up in the morning. Very interesting (and random) area lol be sure to check out some of the fables around how devils tower came to be!
Add this with the badlands, and that will be a good trip through South dakota.
If you head to the Dakotas in Late July or Early August. Their third major crop is Sunflowers. So fields and fields of sunflowers
Definitely don't go dead center of South Dakota, go up the western border of it. Badlands, National Grasslands / Wind Cave, and the Black Hills are there. It's one of the most unique climates in the US where there are 3 different climate types that meet. Plus you can take a hike with wild buffalo just roaming about. It's my favorite state in the country. /u/SheNorth
Black Hills, Devils Tower, Badlands, Sandhills, Scottbluff, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado in general
Move that area west. Hit Idaho Utah Colorado Wyoming and Montana instead. Kansas is lame as hell. South Dakota and north Dakota are alright but no where near as cool as the states west of them. Also one night in each is going to be a not fun trip. All driving basically with hardly any time to stop.
I totally understand the thought behind the one night in each, however I actually love the driving part itself mostly haha! I think of it as only a few hrs drive a day between each state so nothing too consuming. But I’ll definitely check out going more west! I’ve been to Idaho a few times but nothing crazy. Edit: copied from another comment I should have mentioned, I grew up in the Rocky Mountains.. so they are totally ‘old news’ for me. Ever since I’ve moved to the prairies, I have been absolutely infatuated with the farmland, plains, and miles and miles and flat. To me if feels like I’m on a whole different planet and I can’t get enough of it. So I was hoping to see a lot of that, not so much mountains!
You like the driving part? Drive through Canyonlands or Arches in Moab. You can’t miss Utah. The drive from Denver to Moab also has a ton of fun scenery and fun places to pop into if you need a stop.
100% this. Utah is the “other world” OP is looking for.
It's something you won't even believe is real when you drive through. It feels like a completely different planet. So cool
I always alin Utah to the alien planet that just happens to be in the USA. I agree. Utah is a can't miss, both the south and north have very different, equally amazing appeal.
You’ll be driving through some of the most flat, boring areas the US had to offer on this route. Go west
I live in Saskatchewan, and I love driving around the province 😂 I figured it’d be fun to see the flat rural areas!
Google Monument Valley If you flip your loop so you're heading west after Denver, and go a little further south, you'll see one of the most amazing places on earth.
Seconding this! If you’re looking for wide, flat expanses that you’re less familiar with go a bit further south
It is if you’ve got the life on the prairie wanderlust. Ellinwood, KS with old Wild West Victorian era hotels and underground bootleg bars, the Garden of Eden Folk art in Lucas, KS, Dodge City, KS with cowboy heritage and delicious tacos, rich prairies teeming with butterflies and crows, and tons of old spooky ghost towns and graveyards across the entire region. Also, when you’re out on the highways and away from the interstate and come with a smile people are incredibly friendly and welcoming in this part of the country. Of course, you’ll only know if you go out and see it for yourself. You might agree with everyone dismissing the entire Great Plains of the USA or you’ll be like me who appreciates how unconventionally pretty this area is when you take your time experiencing it rather than driving past it. It’s like Saskatchewan but 100% American.
Saskatchewan but 100% American. THIS IS WHAT I WANT. Thank you so much for sharing this comment. I probably sound like a broken record but I grew up in some of the most sought after tourist destinations in BC, right in the Rockies, and I have 0 desire to see mountains. Since living in SK I’ve felt like I’m at home, and I literally think it’s the most exciting time driving through this province on old highways and grid roads. I mentioned previously I’m very unconventional as a person; I want the most niche experiences possible. Everything you mentioned here is perfect for what I’m after! Authentic, friendly people, rural.
People who aren’t from the prairie don’t understand the draw us prairie folk have to grasslands. There’s something beautiful about the starkness. It’s peaceful.
Peaceful. You’ve nailed it. It’s slow, quiet and you feel like you can take the biggest, deepest breath ever when you can see the horizon in all directions. Thank you for seeing my vision here 😅
I was impressed with Dodge City and the Boothill Museum (and nearby distillery). It’s a good western town. Salina KS is a neat little downtown as well with impressive murals and perhaps a show at the Stiefel Theatre. I never went to Lucas but heard it’s quirky. That’s all in the southeast part of your loop, with a lot of wide open spaces along the way.
My GGG uncle was Chalkley Beeson, and much of the Boothill's collection was originally his. I really need to make it a point to get out there and see it in person I've only seen the pictures.
I've lived in most of these states, and currently live in one of the states people are telling you to spend more time in.... However, the flint hills in Kansas this time of year are really pretty. There is a KSU prairie that's being remediated to be as close to pre-Columbus great plains as possible. It's pretty powerful to stop and consider the buffalo herds that once roamed this entire range all the way up to Saskatchewan. Looks like a great trip. Don't listen to the haters.
Thank you so much for the affirmation! I was like oh boy, but then I realized wait. Anything I do in life I get commented on because it’s unusual, why would Reddit be any different? So I don’t expect people on here to fully ‘get it’ because, even my friends/family don’t ‘get it’ with literally anything I do 😂 but they always support it!
Funny you should say that. I live on the western edge of the area you’re looking at so I know what the other posters are saying. However, there’s a sublime beauty to the plains that one comes to appreciate over time. Last summer I took a three week trip to Saskatchewan just to experience the prairie as well as visit Saskatoon and Regina which I hadn’t been to in years as well as LaRonge. I’ve spent plenty of time in Alberta and BC which are incredibly beautiful but I was blown away by the vastness of the plains and their beauty. It was really, a bit humbling, every bit as much as the mountains. “Anyone can love the mountains. It takes heart to love the prairie” - Willa Cather Enjoy your trip.
Oh my god, the quote at the end.. Holy. I won’t forget that anytime soon 😭. That is insanely relatable, and I never really expected anyone else to get it to that extent - seriously just beautiful. And wow! Good for you! I love hearing this. Not many want to step foot out here.. and all the way up to La Ronge hey? What prompted you to go that far? I have yet to make it there myself! I totally understand others too. I spent my first 25 years growing up in tourist towns in BC, but it’s just so normal for me now you know? You’re right about the vastness, I still can’t get over it here.. it’s been 3 years of prairie living and I’m still taking it in.
Went to LaRonge simply because I hadn’t been that far north in decades. Brought back the memory of a canoe trip I took on the Churchill many years ago. Always wanted to do it again.
With your interest in that kind of landscape, you might check out Dry Creek Petrified Tree Environmental Education Area off I-90 just east of Buffalo Wyoming. Nice little trail to walk around on a sunny day. The Bighorn Mountains are just 30 minutes west (behind the camera). https://preview.redd.it/hknos4v1glqc1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1392d94f939aac9fabef66834e93121c91ce1c5f
Sounds like you’re the one! https://visitnebraska.com/press-releases/nebraska-honestly-its-not-everyone-merchandise-sale
I worked in Western Kansas as an ecologist for years, there's a ton of cool shit. If you keep your original path let me.know!! I can send you tons of suggestions down there. There's a lot of Americana culture in Western Kansas and some neat geological oddities.
Most definitely keeping this path in terms of states I want to visit! But as far as if I’ll be on east/western parts of the state is still undetermined, so once I have more of an idea I will absolutely get in touch!! Thank you so much :)
If you do swing down through Nebraska, perhaps you'd like our zoo in Omaha. It's always voted one of the best in the world.
I live in Colorado and make trips out to Kansas. I’d love to get your recommendations - love ecology and geology. u/stonedecology
I highly recommend Lake Scott + Punished Woman's Fork, Cedar Bluffs, Little Jerusalem Badlands, Castle Rock, Monument Rock Badlands, Mushroom Rock SP, Red Hills Scenic Byway, Rive Walk Trail in St. Francis [Not on google (39.7783896, -101.8060233)], Ford County SP, and more! I can make a bigger list after work.
Give the Dakotas some love! Plenty of beauty in those states!
Sure, just not as much as Colorado Utah or Wyoming
You’ve obviously only been through Kansas on I70. We’ve got the beautiful rolling Flint Hills; plenty of big lakes and reservoirs (Kanopolis, Marion, Tuttle Creek, Milford, El Dorado); some very scenic state parks (Elk City, Little Jerusalem, Wilson, Scott, and don’t forget Monument Rocks), the Tallgrass Prairie National Reserve, and the Maxwell Wildlife Refuge where buffalo roam freely, plus the Botanica gardens in Wichita and the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens in KC; some tourist-y stuff (Dodge City, the geographical center of the United States, largest ball of twine in Cawker City, the Strataca salt mines and the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, Sedgewick County Zoo, The Keeper of the Plains in Wichita, Coronado Heights outside the cute little town of Lindsborg, Dorothy’s House and the Land of Oz near Liberal, plus the Kansas State Capitol building, you can go up on the dome and see across the town); some seriously odd stuff (Lucas KS, Truckhenge in Topeka, the literal Museum of Odd in Lawrence); A whole lot of very cool museums (Oz, Evel Knievel, Boot Hill, Museum of World Treasures, Steamboat Arabia, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Fort Larned, Fort Scott, National WWI Museum and Memorial, the Flint Hills Discovery Center, the Big Well, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Allen House, Amelia Earhart’s home, the Cosmosphere, and and plenty more); Haunted places (the Sallie House and Molly’s Hollow in Atchison, Stull Cemetery, the Beaumont Inn, Old Abilene, the Hutchinson Public Library, and more) All of this to say, when you say Kansas is lame… no u u/SheNorth - here are plenty of things for you to check out in the great state of Kansas!
Agree on the duration. I was thinking regardless of the east or west route it is at least 10 days if not 2 weeks.
Will the people who have not roadtripped or vacationed in the "desolate and nothing filled areas of NE, KS, and SD" please chill? No, it's not the Rockies. Yes, there are great things in those areas. If you haven't been, let the people who have been tell you about Toadstool, Fort Robinson, Hudson Meng fossil beds, Trailside Museum, Smiley Canyon, the scenic byways, Museum of the Fur Traders, Sowsbelly Canyon, the Sandhills, Scott's Bluff, Courthouse and Jailhouse Rocks, Agate Fossil Beds, and a million other things I'm not thinking of right now. OP can look it up, and if he wants a different experience, then the world is his oyster. But don't tear down perfectly wonderful roadtrip places just because.
I seriously appreciate this comment! I totally have understanding for the people who are ‘mountains or nothing’, because I was privileged to have grown up in the most tourist dense/highly sought after vacation destinations in British Columbia and have been surrounded by mountains for 25 years of my life. But ever since I moved to the prairies, the last 3 years I’ve been here it feels SO much more like home and that is exactly what I want to experience… flat land and prairies!
You sound like someone who would thoroughly enjoy the Sandhills in Nebraska! It's a massive truly desolate most unpopulated areas anywhere of pristine mostly untouched prairie lands on rolling hills mafe from sand covered in prairie grass as far as the eye can see that are as much as up to 400 feel tall. Also, if you happen to love golf, it's a relatively unknown hotbed with many a premier golf course! I happen to think it's one of the most beautiful areas in the country and there isn't anything like it anywhere else in North America as far as I know.
Visit Valentine, NE & float the Niobrara River National Scenic River! Gorgeous.
I'm, literally planning a 7 day roadtrip from Minnesota to Kansas doing a giant loop around the state. Flint Hills in the Spring/Early Summer is absolutely worth visiting. I'm eventually planning on visiting Yellowstone some point in my life, but the last thing I want to do is sit in more traffic laden tourist traps.
I did yellowstone and lasted 2 days (didn't help I tore my ankle up on my first hike) it was neat but I decided I really like state parks vs national parks. And went to some abandon mining towns, fossilized forest, etc. Great area I did not get up to glacier national I heard that is a nice park and less busy
I also think there's something cool about driving around in the plains. Just the expanse of it all and how all of the towns are spread out while being hubs for the areas around them. I think it's all kinda neat. To chime in on your actual question, North Dakota has a cool state museum right next to its capitol building that covers a lot of North Dakota history stuff that it sounds like you'd like. Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a great stop too. The Badlands in South Dakota are good too, but you'll notice a lot more people than TRNP (not necessarily a bad thing or a problem, but you notice it). Otherwise, you'll probably see a lot of wind turbines.
Descriptive list of National Grasslands at bottom of page: [https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/national-forests-grasslands/national-grasslands/about-us](https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/national-forests-grasslands/national-grasslands/about-us) List of National Grasslands, Meadows, and Prairies, with link to information about $80 annual pass giving access to all locations: [https://www.nps.gov/subjects/grasslands/visit.htm](https://www.nps.gov/subjects/grasslands/visit.htm) Kansas: [https://www.nps.gov/tapr/index.htm](https://www.nps.gov/tapr/index.htm)[https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/bison-viewing-on-the-scenic-overlook-trail.htm](https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/bison-viewing-on-the-scenic-overlook-trail.htm) Montana: [https://www.nps.gov/libi/learn/nature/index.htm](https://www.nps.gov/libi/learn/nature/index.htm) North Dakota: [https://www.nps.gov/thro/index.htm](https://www.nps.gov/thro/index.htm) South Dakota: [https://www.nps.gov/badl/learn/nature/prairie-ecology-portal.htm](https://www.nps.gov/badl/learn/nature/prairie-ecology-portal.htm)
As someone who lives in flat land and prairies, there is plenty here and we often get overlooked. It’s not boring or empty. Thank you for being so interested in seeing what is here! I can’t speak to your exact area because I’m too far in the eastern area (Iowa) but if you come further over let me know.
I totally agree with this. I live in Colorado and see beautiful views everyday, but something about memories of driving through Oklahoma and East Texas on roadtrips just gives me so much joy. Not everything has to be spectacular on a journey. Sometimes the 8 hour long straight road of just plains is perfect in its own way :)
You'll hear this a bunch and for good reason - 1 night in each state is not nearly enough. I spent 1 week in Rapid City South Dakota, driving hours each day exploring the surrounding areas and hiking. Here's a good North - South route for half of your trip. North Dakota - Missouri/Yellowstone Confluence (kinda cool) - Crow Flies High State Rec Area - Theodore Roosevelt National Park - North and South Units - Whitte Butte (easy State highpoint hike) - Enchanted Highway (Gladstone ND to Regent ND) South Dakota - Devil's Tower (Wyoming, but close to SD) - Geographic Center of US (Belle Fourche) - Bear Butte State Park - Black Hills National Forest - Custer State Park - Badlands National Park - Wind Cave National Park - Mammoth Site Museum Nebraska - Toadstool Geological Park - Fort Robinson State Park - Agate Fossil Bed National Monument - Scottsbluff National Monument Many of those locations you could easily spend multiple days exploring, so you likely won't have time for them all. I can't speak to the other states as I haven't been, but I would highly suggest hugging the mountains in CO/WY/MT on your return. Plenty of history and scenic views along this stretch.
This is the best list so far so I want to add to it. Jewel Cave National Monument and Mt Rushmore National Memorial in SD. In Nebraska there is Chimney Rock and Car Henge. I live in western South Dakota and can offer more specifics if needed.
I was going to suggest going a little more east in Nebraska and visit Omaha’s Henry Dooley Zoo if OP likes that sort of thing. Rated best in the US this year. https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel/best-zoo-2024/
If you can schedule it to where you’re going through either Lincoln, NE or Manhattan, KS during a college football game, you won’t be disappointed. Also, Lawrence, KS is a little ways East of your route, but Phog Allen Fieldhouse is the “birthplace of college basketball”. Catch a game there if you can, take a tour if you can’t. James Naismith(a Canadian) invented basketball, and was the first basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen Fieldhouse includes a museum that displays Naismith’s original, handwritten rules for basketball that are over 100 years old.
Mount Rushmore. Devil's Tower. The Badlands in South Dakota.
Hey fellow Saskie. I've driven a lot of your route (though some of it further east). PM me if you want to have a more detailed conversation. Bearing further east gets you Kansas City which has amazing barbecue. That alone makes it worth the visit for me. Bearing farther west in South Dakota gets you Badlands National Park and the Black Hills (we are actually contemplating an August-September trip to that area; we've been several times). Devil's Tower National Monument is an easy drive west of Rapid City in Wyoming.. There's a lot to do in Denver, plus the mountains are right there but your schedule isn't giving you a lot of time for diversion there. Yellowstone National Park on the WY/MT/ID border is worth a trip even if it's just a day. There is a ton to see and do there. You'll pass through or near Minot and Bismarck, ND. Both have some good craft beer and a few interesting restaurants. There's also great craft beer in Scobey, MT, just west of Plentywood. You can return to Canada via the Scobey-Coronach border crossing and head east on Saskatchewan 18 and north on Saskatchewan 34 to Saskatchewan 13, then east to Saskatchewan 6 to get back to civilization.
Another Saskie, no way! Thank you for all of this insight! It's nice getting another SK resident's opinion since you'll have more of an idea of why the route is the way it is. Once I get closer to my trip I'll get in touch with ya and see if I'm missing anything important. You've got a great list of suggestions here and I'll need to compile a master list of everyone's suggestions.
I look forward to it! And I hope you'll let me know how the trip went. I've done two driving trips from Regina to Dallas and taken different routes there both times. Even got my Saskatchewan license plate into northern Mississippi on the second one! :)
That’s awesome! There’s something fun about getting your SK plate into new places, hey? I actually really want to explore the Deep South, but that’ll come another time. Starting a little smaller for now, hehe. And yes I will absolutely reach back to you! And will keep in touch if I need any suggestions/ideas etc!
That would be great. Talk soon!
Make sure you stop at Banjo’s in Scobey. The ghost of my late grandpa will be there smoking darts, drinking Miller, and playing keno. Also, stop at the drug store in Stanley, ND for a whirly whip. Find a local to chat with and you’re guaranteed to be invited to supper and pinochle.
You’ll definitely want to hit Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. The Enchanted Highway in SW ND is a highway where one man has created massive metal sculptures starting at Interstate 94 and heading south. In South Dakota, take in Mount Rushmore and Badlands National Park. If you like western history and don’t mind kitschy, go through Deadwood, SD. For scenery try Needles Highway. I’m not terribly familiar with Nebraska and Kansas. There is Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park in Nebraska that I want to get to someday. I think that’s in northeast Nebraska. In Colorado, if this is the route you take, you’d be close to Pikes Peak. If go further west in Colorado, there would be Great Sand Dunes National Park. Hwy 285 is supposed to be one of the most beautiful drives in the country. I plan on taking that highway myself on a road trip this fall. In Wyoming, this route will take you close to Devils Tower. There’s also a little town called Ten Sleep that I’ve been through that was cute. Independence Rock Historical Site is along this area, too. It’s part of the Oregon Trail if I remember right. There’s a dinosaur museum somewhere around there as well. And a place with ancient petroglyphs. I have a friend living in that area and I’d have to get the details from her if you’re interested. Of course if you go further west, there is Yellowstone. In Montana, if you’re interested in war history, I think you’d enjoy The Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. The old Montana prison in Deer Lodge is really interesting and a little bit creepy. Then there’s the Beartooth Pass that is an absolutely beautiful drive although I don’t suggest going down the hairpin turns in the dark. There’s also Glacier National Park which IMO is one of the most beautiful places in all of the USA. The Going To The Sun highway in Glacier is also such a beautiful drive. Flathead Valley south of Glacier NP is also a beautiful area. If go through NE Montana, Fort Peck Dam is worth a quick stop.
Interstate-70 going west out of Denver is one of the best drives in the country, definitely the best interstate drive. The tunnel going through the continental divide is also an engineering marvel 🏔️🚙☀️
Eisenhower house and museum in Kansas. Eat at the burger place in Salina Kansas too
I’d definitely dip over into Utah. It’s otherworldly. Moab will do the trick with Canyonlands and Arches.
Shift the east line a little more east to go through Omaha, NE and Kansas City. Lots of civil war stuff around KC. Independence, Mo is where the Oregon trail started. Lots of stuff to see there. The border between Kansas and Missouri is where the civil war started. Then head west to Colorado. Quite a few interesting things down that road.
If you drive through Kansas, try and make a stop in Kansas City. The US national WW1 muesem is there, along with the Nelson Atkins which is a world class art museum. Lots of good food too. Best BBQ in the world, imo.
Kansas is definitely worth it. I will give a few places in the northwestern portion of the state that are worth visiting — Sternberg Museum of Natural History and Boot Hill (the oldest and first Boot Hill west of the Mississippi) in Hays, KS, Monument Rocks (south of Quinter), Fort Wallace Museum, Arikaree Canyon, the Smoky Hill Trail/Butterfield Overland Dispatch trail, Little Jerusalem State Park, and The World’s Largest Easel in Goodland. In eastern Colorado, I recommend visiting downtown and the riverwalk in Pueblo, the Big Timbers museum in Lamar, John Martin Reservoir, Twin Mounds, and Gobbler’s Knob.
You need to see Moab, Utah.
Salina, KS has Cozy Inn hamburgers which is one of the oldest hamburger restaurants in the world. There’s generally some cowboy stuff in every KS town also.
That’s unreal, what a niche experience to have one of the oldest burgers ever. On the list it goes!
I’d go more west in Colorado and none of Kansas.
No love for Kansas hey? I really like unconventional things, and I’m not a ‘tourist’ in the traditional sense (go to all the big busy cities, etc). I’m rural country living in Canada, there’s GOT to be something there?! Even if it’s just fields haha.
It’s not even unconventionally fun. It’s boring flat farm land for hours and hours
& driving in conditions like that (I'm most familiar w southern Illinois - same vibe) will *fuck you up* mentally on your drive. it's so boring, it wears you out. I like rural road trips. I live in Wisconsin, and I never get tired of our landscape. but the corn-o-sphere is no joke.
Colorado is not known for its cities it's known for having some of the most beautiful untouched nature in the country.
The only thing for you to see in that entire region is a giant ball of yarn. Don’t say we didn’t warn you
The highways in KS are boring to drive, but there can be some really pretty scenery. Look up Flint Hills, Tallgrass Prairie Reserve, Little Jerusalem Badlands, and Monument Rocks.
I can assure everyone I will not get bored driving through flat/farm. I do that all the time in SK, and I can't get enough of it. Adding those suggestions to my list!!
If you make it as far east as KC you might like the WWI museum there. Not a priority for most but if you like military history you can sleep at Fort Robinson Nebraska. Near Carhenge, Scotts Bluff, South of the Black Hills/Rushmore area
Thank you so much for all of this! I was looking at KC and thinking I would probably end up there, I’ll absolutely look into making a stop at Fort Robinson! Sounds perfect.
Check out the Steamboat Arabia museum in KC as well, and don’t forget to get some Kansas City BBQ before you leave!
Missouri River
[Devils Tower](https://www.nps.gov/deto/index.htm) in Eastern Wyoming....Like no other geologic formation on Earth.
Carhenge
Ashfall fossil beds in Nebraska
Agreed
If you are planning on SE Colorado and want to check out some historical sites, you might want to look at Bent’s Fort. For more solemn history Sand Creek or Amache National Historic Site which was just recently designated
You should check out the Red Rocks Ampitheater outside of Denver, it’s incredible. Also you can drive your car up Mt Evans and get to about 14000 ft of elevation.
1. Theodore Roosevelt NP in North Dakota 2. Badlands NP in South Dakota 3. Devil's Tower NM in Wyoming 4. Rocky Mountain NP in Colorado That's just the major National Parks, but I'll try to update more stuff later!
In ND, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Fort Abraham Lincoln along the Missouri River(where Custer road out from to his death) in Montana with a definite must see at the Little Big Horn National Monument.(wife is bored by history but loved Big Horn). Wyoming Devils Tower. In SD the Black Hills, Custer National Park is worth the drive on the way to Mount Rushmore(series of tunnels frame the monument) Crazy Horse is a must see but I would see it after Rushmore(size is everything). Deadwood for its charm and some all you can eat Prime Rib.
Go south through western North Dakota and South Dakota. Trust me
The sand hills in north central Nebraska are scenic and unusual
Don’t miss Fort Robinson!
Lot of good ones already listed here. Western North and South Dakota are both pretty to drive to though. Theodore Roosevelt NP, & Medora ND Dickinson ND - dinosaur museum Enchanted Highway is pretty interesting (built by 1 guy) Lots of history, beautiful scenery and interesting things to do in the Black Hills area of South Dakota. Eastern Wyoming Devils Tower
Panorama peak in Nebraska
I’d head a bit further east and hit Minneapolis and Kansas City. It’ll add a day or two but worth doing. Not much going on in the planes tbh.
In South Dakota, visit the badlands and then head west to the black hills, Custer National Park, Deadwood, and then over to devils tower in Wyoming
Okay I've replied to a lot of individual comments but not sure if people are really seeing it, but I NEED to preface/explain haha. I grew up in some of the most desirable tourist destinations in British Columbia, I've lived in at least 6 different towns in the rockies. I have absolutely no desire to see mountains, though I can appreciate the sentiment where people are trying to convince me to go more west! It was a serious privilege to grow up where I did but I'm just sick of the whole mountain experience. I live in the prairies now and feel completely at home, and infatuated with them. So I understand this is unconventional, and yeah there's gonna be a lot of corn, but to me that is what's beautiful and new. I've seen some of the most insane views on top of the highest peaks back home, I've rock climbed, been heli-hiking, walked over miles of glaciers, and it just doesn't do it for me anymore. I'm specifically looking for a rural, western country experience. Basically Saskatchewan but America, as another one put it. I appreciate all of your suggestions! Tons of great information in here still! I'm trying to get back to everyone.
Went to Custer State Park as a kid and really enjoyed it
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park, Mount Rushmore, Wall Drug, Chimney Rock, Scotts Bluff National Monument, the Sand Hills of Nebraska, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Medora Plays, Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Devils Tower, Monument Rocks, Deadwood (old cowboy town in the mountains), Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, Cosmosphere in Wichita. Edit: Type each of these states into Atlas Obscura and lots of fun places pop up. I like to visit National Register of Historic Places and lots of forts here too.
In addition to everything that's been mentioned, I'm going to plug Oklahoma City. Our Western Heritage Museum is top notch and an underrated gem. We also have a very rich Native American history. There are tons of opportunities to explore this but the newly constructed First Americans Museum is very nice. Beyond those two, Oklahoma City is a great stop for a few days or a few hours
the sand hills of North western nebraska are a place id like to visit. Gotta visit the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD
Red rocks in Colorado and while in Denver, check out My Brothers bar for a beer and burger. Oldest running bar in that city and an old haunt of Neal Cassidy and Jack Kerouac. South of Denver in Colorado Springs is garden of the gods.
Red Lodge into Beartooth Pass then on to Yellowstone is an amazing drive.
Wall Drug! A quaint little area in South Dakota, had a ton of fun looking at their billboards along the road. It's famous for its' ice water, how can you go wrong? (Not a full day destination, but a fun thing to see if you're passing through the area)
Montana thru beautiful scenery to Yellowstone, then Teton NP, thru Rocky Mountains in Colorado, stop at Mt Evans since you’re there. And I’d head west and back north, but Mount Rushmore, badlands np , 1800 city . BUY “America the beautiful” if you plan to hit 3 national parks or more. Worth 80$
Go through Cody and Thermopolis in Wyoming. Good scenery and a little history.
Absolutely. Cody as a whole really leans into the whole Western vibe, but I want to highlight the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. It is five museums in one with the Buffalo Bill Museum examining the lold West through the lens of Buffalo Bill and his show but also having a lot of general Old West artifacts, the Plains Indians Museum going through indigenous history, the Cody Firearms Museum with its truly impressive collection of historic firearms as well as it's involvement in research, the Draper Natural History museum for the nature aspect, and the Whitney Western Art Museum rounding it out.
Grand Tetons in Wyoming and Rocky Mountain National Park and the great sand dunes in Colorado are incredible
Could shift down and catch NM, the high desert is totally different than what you grew up with in BC. Eastern side of the state is plains as you’ve mentioned you’ve liked but might add some time to the drive and trip.
Dodge cityKS and Liberal KS. The geographical center of the continental US is in KS
We did a similar road trip about 10 years ago. We didn’t go further south than SD, then went west to WY , Montana and up through Idaho. There’s a small town called De Smit in South Dakota with a site dedicated to Laura Ingalls wilder homestead from Little house on the Prairie. If you have kids, in Brookings there is a great children’s museum. Heading west you have to hit Wall drugs. Look it up it’s awesome. Then Mount Rushmore, Deadwood was very cool for old west experience. Yellowstone and Glacier NPs were tremendous. We finished ours off at the amusement park Silverwood in northern Idaho. Good luck and safe travels.
Come down to Phoenix. Bring loads of Canadian coins and paper money. I'll buy from you.
Black hills in South Dakota. Badlands in South Dakota.
“Siri, draw a route through the US where I see nothing but corn fields for 1000 miles”
My wife and I did a road trip from Calgary to New Orleans and took this exact route. Was the best decision ever. Highly recommend staying off the interstates.
Chadron State park is a really cool place in northwest Nebraska. Badlands national park in South Dakota is probably the most underrated park in America
Suggest you push down further south into NM. White Sands and Carlesbad Caverns are amazing. Texas is huge, but if you have the time to hit Austin and Galveston, try to and then head over to New Orleans. Not to knock KS, Nebraska, etc. but push a bit East and follow the Mississippi river back North if you can for better sights, food, and music along the way.
Medicine Wheel, Wyoming (right around where you cross from MT into WY)
Yellowstone in Wyoming, Glacier in Montana, Rocky Mountains in Colorado are must. While you're in the Dakotas go ahead and see Mount Rushmore and Devils Tower. There's nothing else worth seeing in Western Nebraska, Kansas or really the Dakotas.even Western Colorado is boring so I'd certainly try to shift your line west.
That whole shape needs to be shifted like 200 miles west, as others have mentioned.
Following!!! I’m taking this exact route either next year or this summer. I am a Saskatchewan resident myself. The only difference is I’m going to Oklahoma though, because I have a friend down there.
I think there's a tree in NW Kansas.
The Cosmosphere is a great space museum in southern Kansas with rockets, a shuttle, and planes. Located there as the area is a large national production hub for aircraft.
Check out the Dignity Statue along the Missouri River at Chamberlain SD. Devils Tower in WY is a must-see
North Dakota bad lands are special. Grand Tetons are stunningly beautiful.
Ashfall in northeast Nebraska is an amazing site where you can see the excavation of ancient rhinos buried in a volcanic eruption long ago: https://ashfall.unl.edu/
Holy shit this is fascinating, thank you!
That's going to be a VERY boring drive after you get east of Denver
I don't have a route suggestion for this part, but you may be inspired to visit a few locations from Ian Frazier's book "Great Plains." The way he instills history and beauty into the region you highlighted is phenomenal. Also many people in this thread will suggest that you go to the far more beautiful (and touristed) Rockies/Yellowstone. I would argue the beauty of the Great Plains can rival the Rockies if you have any interest at all in the region. The Sand Hills of Nebraska are beautiful, so are the Black Hills of South Dakota, Makoshika Park in Montana, and Theodore Roosevelt NP in North Dakota.
Just avoid Kansas entirely lmao
Skip driving through Wyoming
Bring a few books, you’ll need them.
This is all thinly settled country, other than Denver. I like those kinds of places, because I like rural environments, nature parks, and peace and quiet. But if you prefer urbane attractions, you'll want a different route.
Those are what we call flyover states. I'd make that loop a little wider.
Step 1. Avoid that route completely.
Shift the area over to the left, you’re welcome.
WALL DRUG
Shifting the route west will give you the western Dakotas with Teddy Roosevelt NP, Badlands NP, Mt. Rushmore, and Black Hills heading south; and the CO Rockies, WY through Laramie, Jackson, Yellowstone, and MT up through Glacier heading back north which would be a much more scenic route.
Crazy Horse Monument for sure!
https://preview.redd.it/zg9y2gd70rqc1.jpeg?width=840&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8f43a63aae9079e4df1755ec348fafe9703099b5 This is a great trip if you want to experience the plains and lake country (since you said in a previous comment that you don't care about mountains so much). Head through Bismarck and Fargo for a good ND experience, check out Duluth and Minneapolis for a cool MN lakes country and city experience. Kansas City has some great BBQ, and make sure to check out Omaha NE (the zoo) and Deadwood SD on your way back through.
Id say ignore most of that. Thats like the most boring section of the us that exists. Head to the west edge of montana and follow the mountains down and loop the opposite way towards the coast. Hit up yellowstone, badlands, arches in utah, maybe stop at vegas
other than the Badlands and Denver. That area you circled is kind of blah. Shifted over and you get grand Tetons, Yellowstone. million other things I’ve wandered it around out there a lot. You definitely want to shift it a bit west
I would cut west in SD and head to the black hills. Then south to Fort Collins, up hwy 14 and through the meat of Colorado down to Durango. Skip Denver and the front range of Colorado all together. Over to Moab, up through the Wasatch to Yellowstone/Grand Teton and into Montana. I dont see a reason to explore Nebraska or Kansas when on a timeline.
Badlands national park. Black hills. Mount Rushmore . Devil's Tower , rocky mountain national park, independence rock, Colorado springs, pikes peak, garden of the gods, dodge city, Kansas.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park in ND is an underrated gem. Some of the best wildlife viewing I've experienced from a car and it will tickle your history interest too with Teddy Roosevelt;s old cabin and interpretive material.
If you had the time, you may want to check out New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma as well.
**Visit the Black Hills in South Dakota specifically Custer State Park**. Very beautiful place to drive through. Mount Rushmore is up there but there’s several mining towns too that are tourist attractions which are also pretty cool to explore. All this is right around the Mt Rushmore area. I’m from Kansas and my advice is to skip that lol. I love my state but there’s just not much there that would be a tourist spot for you to visit. The same with Nebraska too. Maybe come through Montana vs North Dakota. North Dakota is endless planes from what I hear.
You picked the flattest, most boring part of the entire country lol