This is a 17 days road trip with many destinations. The map to the right is the beginning of this road trip. Our primary detination is the southwest corner of South Dakota, specifically the Badland and the Black Hills.
Our definition of a road trip includes four key essentials: 1) folding chairs, 2) a cooler, 3) a freezer and 4) a hot-ligic. Our primary goal when selecting our lodging is to look for a balcony and/or a view. If cabins are available that is our first choice because they typically have the addition of more privacy. A lot of time the chairs on a deck/balcony are not very comfortable thus the need for our folding chairs. Another feature of our road-trips are self made lunches. We prefer the scenic routes to the major inter-states that do not have as many lunch options. Thus having a cooler with meats, cheeses, bread and cold drinks allows us to pull off anywhere and have a picnic lunch. But again our folding chairs are needed. Our next essential is our car-freezer which we use for ice and food storage. When we do eat out sometimes we have left-overs which we simple pop in our freezer for later use. There are also times when grab-n-go food service is the only dinner option(ex. national parks), as in not that good. In these situations we get a "good" take-out when we can and pop them in the freezer to be used when at less desirable dinner location. The last essential road-trip item is used to warm-up anything. We have a car-transformer so the hot-logic can be used while travelling. If we make sandwiches an hour before lunch and pop them in the hot-logic it allows the cheese to melt a bit and makes a better lunch-time experience.
Day #1=>One of our longer drive days, the objective for this day is to get out of California and across Neveda. Thus our destination for this day is Ely, Nevada, marked with an "A" on the map. After a long day of driving a comfortable room with easy food service was our goal, so we selected the Prospector Inn.
To get to Ely requires leaving I80 and heading southeast on Hwy50. This stretch of Hwy50 is sometimes referred to a the lonelest road in the US. Along this stretch of Hwy50, in the middle of no-where is a little town called Middlegate, population 17. The only business in this little town is a combination gas station, motel, and saloon which is home to some of the best burgers you will ever find...a MUST stop!!!
Day #2=>The objective for today is to make it through Utah and into Colorado. Specifically Fruita, Colorado, marked with an "B" on the map above. But unlike day-1 our route today will include some fabulous stops like the Great Basin National Park in eastern Neveda. This park has some great hikes but also so great drives like Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. Or if we feel like a short hike there is Mountain View Nature Trail. Upon arrival in Fruita we are staying at the Comfort Inn & Suites.
Our dinner plans are to repeat what we did when we first visited Fruita back in 2021. We start by getting take-out at the Rib City Grill then enter the Colorado National Monument Park and find a nice dinner location with a view!!!
Unfortunately we did not have time for hiking in the Great Basin National Park. We only had time for the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive because we did not want to miss the setting sun lighting at the beautiful Colorado National Monument.
Day #3=>Our day-3 destination is still in Colorado, point "C" on the above route map Grand Lake, Colorado. The drive time for this day should only be about 4 hours leaving us plenty of time to enjoy the sights. We wouldn't leave Fruita without first getting some morning light shots of the beautiful Colorado National Monument scenery. Our route will then take us by the Gore Range Overlook. The plan is to make it to Rainbow Bay pull off by lunch. Normally we try to find a nice view loaction and make lunch from our car cooler. After lunch we will head east on hwy-34 toward the Rocky Mountain National Park and our Grand Lake lodge the Gateway Inn. For dinner their Wild Bear Tavern looked fun because they advertise "meals with a view".
Day #4=>Looking at the route map point "D" looks like a short drive from Grand Lake. But we plan to take the Rocky Mountain Trail Ridge Road and enjoy the scenery. Our destination after our scenic drive is Cheyenne, Wyoming where we are staying at the Sure Stay Plus Hotel. Not sure yet but the Rib & Chop House looks like a fun place for dinner. But for breakfast The Bread Basket looks like the way to start day 5.
On this trip the summit on the Rocky Mountain Trail Ridge Road was clear. So we did the hike to the 12,000+ foot top, captured in our images.
Day #5=>The destination for this road trip is the southwest corner of South Dakota which we will reach on this day. Point "E" on the above route map is The Badlands of South Dakota which is also the farthest east we will go on the road trip. The actual drive time from Cheyenne is less than 6 hours so we have plenty of time for some sightseeing. Some possible sights are Scotts Bluff National Monument, or Chimney Rock National Historic Site, or Carhenge, or maybe we will do them all. Somewhere along the way when we find a nice view where we will get out our folding chairs and have lunch.
Our return trip to Car Henge was just as enjoyable as our first. It does not require much time but a real nice stop when in this part of Nebraska.
Day #6=>Our day 5 & 6 lodging is a cabin at Cedar Pass Lodge, our first 2-night lodge. The reason for our 2-night stay is to have more time to explore/hike/drive the 244,000 acres of the Badlands National Park.
The Cedar Pass Lodge and Badlands was a favorite from our 2021 trip so we allocate more time this trip.....still a favorite!!
Day #7 & #8=>Our destination for the next 4 days is the Black Hills which is 1.2 million acres, approximately 110 miles long and 70 miles wide of forest, mountains, lakes and a lot more. Today's drive time is less than 3 hours but does include passing through Rapid City, SD. Rapid City is a perfect location to stock up for the next 4 days of cabin living and relaxation. Our first Black Hills cabin is at point "F" on route map which is the Sylvan Lake Cabins. Our cabin is their honeymoon cabin, image on the right. There are a lot of Black Hill activities to occupy your time. Like the five Black Hill Towns described in this link. Featured in this link is the 1880 train that runs between Hill City and Keystone. The best viewing is from the outside train car. Also don't miss the 12-mile scenic drive to Mount Rushmore National Memorial".
The honeymoon cabin at Lake Sylvan was as secluded as advertized, so much so we had to put our chairs on the rocks behind the cabin to see the lake. While we were staying at Lake Sylvan we did manage to experience the 1880 Train as we had planned...5-stars.
Day #9 & #10=>Today we are simple moving from one cabin to another, from Sylvan Lake area to Keystone, still point "F" on route map. Our Keystone cabin is a lodge we stayed at in 2021 the Powder House Lodge. As in Sylvan Lake we reserved their honeymoon cabin. One of this nice things about this lodge is the dining that is a short walk for all cabins. We do plan on doing some more of the great Black Hills hikes, but as you can tell by the cabin images this is a great place to simple relax.
The Powder House Lodge was another do-over from a 2021 and trip. This visit was even better!!!
Day #11=>Sadly this is the day we are leaving the Black Hills, South Dakota and starting the westbound leg of this road trip. Our first stop outside of the Black Hills is "G" on the route map Bozeman, Montana and the Fox Hollow Inn. While in Montana we also want to check out Palisade Falls and the American Computer Museum. We are also looking forward to trying Dickey's Barbecue Pit for dinner.
We left the Black Hill on July 4th and headed for Bozeman, Montana. Along the way we enjoyed some great scenery and then the Bozeman fireworks show. In addition to the scenery we came across an unusual rest stop with a great outdoor museum with firefighting aircraft from the past. Before leaving Bozeman we were able to find our way to the Palisade Falls for a short but nice hike.
Day #12=>A short 4 hour drive day because we have places to see beside just driving. But at the end of the day we will be at "H" on the route map Idaho Falls, Idaho and the fabulous Hilton Garden Inn, which overlooks the Snake River. We booked an upper floor room with a balcony and view of the river. The plan is to arrive while it is still light out so we can enjoy the beautiful river walk along the Snake River. Which then calls for a relaxing dinner. Our definition of a relaxing dinner is to get dinner to go from Copper Rill and enjoy their upscale dinner with our balcony view.
Idaho Falls is always a special stop and lived up to its expectation!!!
Day #13 & #14=>Our last lodge before home is point "K" on the route map. About a 5 hour drive from Idaho Falls will allow time to explore the vast lava flows of the Crater of the Moon. Our destination for the next two nights is Almo, Idaho, the most isolated and remote town in Idaho. The Almo Inn started as three one room cabins but now has grown to 8 rooms and three cabins each with a different theme. We have reserved the "Dodge City" cabin and of course this Inn has the "Outpost Steakhouse" for dinner.
Along the way to our last stop at Almo, Idaho we did as planned and took in the Crater of the Moon which included short hikes and a drive thru the lava flows.
Day #15=>This is simple a travel day, destination "HOME"!!!