Road Trips 2024

[target2019]

When you get to South Dakota, Crazy Horse Memorial is relatively close to Mount Rushmore. Fascinating story!

The Crazy Horse Memorial is a mountain monument under construction on privately held land in the Black Hills, in Custer County, South Dakota, United States. It will depict the Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse, riding a horse and pointing to his tribal land. The memorial was commissioned by Henry Standing Bear, a Lakota elder, to be sculpted by Korczak Ziolkowski. It is operated by the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit organization. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakota_people

For recent pictures:
https://crazyhorsememorial.org/visit/live-webcams/

 

[VanWinkle]

The area near Mount Rushmore has lots to offer especially Custer State Park and some funky road spirals on the way to nearby Mount Rushmore.

Yellowstone - you have to stop in Grand Teton NP first. Amazing scenery, lakes, and mountains. Although if you are approaching Yellowstone from the north that’s not practical.

Thanks for the info and we'll check out the Custer state park. We have seen the Tetons on a separate trip coming up from Colorado in the south. It is beautiful as you relate.

Vw

 

[target2019]

Nothing is planned yet for 2024 yet.

I keep reminding myself that I should take a tour of the various Pennsylvania areas my father's German immigrant ancestors settled in. This would include Lancaster, York, Lebanon, and Homestead.

 

[Car-Guy]

I'm 100% done with international travel. I did enough of that when I worked.

No fancy or exotic US travel planned in 2024 but:

I'm considering a Route 66 tour, or at least the sections that are still around from Oklahoma through Arizona. I've been on a few parts of it over the years but I would like to see as much of it that still remains that I can. The end destination for me is Vegas, but that's another story. Probably April/May time-frame but that's very flexible right now.

 

[pacergal]

Do you all use a RV or passenger vehicle for your road trips? We had a travel trailer but since sold it and are trying to line of a west coast trip for spring but NOT using a recreational vehicle just our SUV.

Take our regular car and stay in hotels. I did enough camping when the kids were young, made for more affordable vacations at that age. But I am done sleeping in a tent or yurt and cooking over a camp stove or fire.

 

[audreyh1]

Do you all use a RV or passenger vehicle for your road trips? We had a travel trailer but since sold it and are trying to line of a west coast trip for spring but NOT using a recreational vehicle just our SUV.

We no longer have an RV. We travel long distances in our Tesla SUV now. I think many folks here are using their car.

But an RV certainly qualifies for road trips. We did a 5 year road-trip in a motorhome once.

 

[Ronstar]

Sorry about that. I was just trying to keep threads straight but probably shouldn’t have bothered.

Your Glacier NP photo is just stunning!

Before I posted, I saw post 11 in this thread referring to a 2023 road trip and I mistakenly thought this was the 2023 thread.

 

[2017ish]

Do you all use a RV or passenger vehicle for your road trips? We had a travel trailer but since sold it and are trying to line of a west coast trip for spring but NOT using a recreational vehicle just our SUV.

Up til this year, we used my Honda Fit and stayed at Quality Inns and the like. DW's back, however, compelled an upgrade to a CSUV (Mazda CX-5), but we'll still stay at Quality Inn and the like. (OTOH, we tend to spend more on dinner/wine than on lodgings; there are some great restaurants in the outer reaches of flyover country!)

 

[Trailwalker]

We're road tripping to Arizona in late February, March, early April. Staying at our favorite place in the mountains above Bisbee for a month.

 

[audreyh1]

We're road tripping to Arizona in late February, March, early April. Staying at our favorite place in the mountains above Bisbee for a month.

What do you mainly do when staying there?

 

[Trailwalker]

What do you mainly do when staying there?

Most mornings, I hike with my dog (and sometimes DW) to the top of nearby Mount Ballard at 7366' elevation, but there are many hiking trails around Bisbee. The house looks over Old Bisbee and has a large patio with panoramic views. Many afternoons, I'll visit Old Bisbee Brewing Company.

There are a small number of public pickleball courts, which we will probably try this time. And there are countless day hiking trips to be made, using Bisbee as a base. I especially like the Cochise Trail in the Coronado National Forest and assorted trails in Madera Canyon. Last time, we were there in February, and there was some snow (that didn't last). In March, the weather should be warmer and spending lots of time outdoors. March is brutal is for us in Wisconsin.

 

[old medic]

Do you all use a RV or passenger vehicle for your road trips?

We have had several different campers over the years. 2 years ago switched to a toy hauler. Its was a great set up, have taken the ATV and trail bike on some trips, others the Harley. Even made sure that it would fit the SxS we have been thinking about getting. My accident has thrown a wrench into any of the plans.

 

[threeonesix]

It’s color season here in Western Colorado. This photo is Keebler Pass between Crested Butte and Paonia. Tomorrow we are headed to Deb’s Meadow east of Ridgway - they filmed part of True Grit there. Colors should be near peak.

Just returned from 2 weeks in Summit County, 10 miles NW of Silverthorne. The foliage is spectacular this year!

 

[COcheesehead]

Just returned from 2 weeks in Summit County, 10 miles NW of Silverthorne. The foliage is spectacular this year!

Yes it is!
We drove Owl Creek Pass yesterday - just east of Ridgway.

 

[explanade]

You are going to love the Grand Canyon. There will probably still be snow on the ground in April and pretty cool. Bring your jackets. Not sure if the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest are on your big loop plans but they are worth at least a quick look. Of course Carlsbad Caverns and Big Bend NP are big attractions in that part of the country but I'm sure you know that living where you do. The McDonald Observatory is in the "area too" but IMO, not much to see. NOTE: Charging stations are probably pretty sparse (if any) in the Big Bend area.

Really, it snows a lot in the Grand Canyon?


What are the lodgings like, because I know at in some national parks like Yosemite, the few hotels are booked maybe up to a year in advance and a lot of places require driving like 20-30 miles at least away from the park.

 

[Car-Guy]

Really, it snows a lot in the Grand Canyon?


What are the lodgings like, because I know at in some national parks like Yosemite, the few hotels are booked maybe up to a year in advance and a lot of places require driving like 20-30 miles at least away from the park.

Well the last time I visited the area, there was one or more lodges on (near) the south rim but we stayed in Flagstaff which is only a ~90 minute drive away. IIRC

I suspect there's been a lot of "tourist" improvements since I was there.

And yes, it does snow there.

 

[audreyh1]

Really, it snows a lot in the Grand Canyon?


What are the lodgings like, because I know at in some national parks like Yosemite, the few hotels are booked maybe up to a year in advance and a lot of places require driving like 20-30 miles at least away from the park.

There are several park lodges on the south rim. They seem to book up about 6 months in advance from what I’ve read.

https://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/

 

[audreyh1]

Not sure if the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest are on your big loop plans but they are worth at least a quick look.

OK, I checked these out and definitely worth a stop to hike sight see for a few hours. Looks amazing. So I added another night to the trip as otherwise we had a 418 mile drive that day from South Rim to ABQ, so really not time to visit. Good to break that drive up anyway. Thanks for the tip!

 

[braumeister]

from South Rim to ABQ

If that's your route, I recommend Walnut Canyon NM for a very interesting couple of hours. Just off I-40 east of Flagstaff (so is Meteor Crater).

 

[audreyh1]

If that's your route, I recommend Walnut Canyon NM for a very interesting couple of hours. Just off I-40 east of Flagstaff (so is Meteor Crater).

Thanks - definitely Meteor Crater as we’ve never seen a big one.

We’re also passing from Sedona through Flagstaff on our way to the South Rim.

We might swing by the Lowell Observatory visitor center.

 

[MichaelB]

My kids enjoyed the meteor crater as much as the Grand Canyon!

 

[audreyh1]

My kids enjoyed the meteor crater as much as the Grand Canyon!

We’ve seen very large volcanic craters, but never a meteor crater.

 

[Gearhead Jim]

Do you all use a RV or passenger vehicle for your road trips? We had a travel trailer but since sold it and are trying to line of a west coast trip for spring but NOT using a recreational vehicle just our SUV.

We've been using whatever Corvette we happen to own at the time over the last 20 years, the 1997-2019 all have good trunk space and we find them comfortable for long drives; if you avoid the stiffest suspension options. Some other folks of similar size find the interior very cramped, it seems to be a very individual thing.

When the road gets twisty or you need to pass pokey vehicles, the fun starts.
But most of the time we enjoy moderate cruising and enjoying the view. We've always had the transparent/removable top option. Cruising range is about 450 miles, runs on regular gas if you can't find premium in the boonies.

Not for everyone, but we love 'em.

 

[Trailwalker]

Do you all use a RV or passenger vehicle for your road trips? We had a travel trailer but since sold it and are trying to line of a west coast trip for spring but NOT using a recreational vehicle just our SUV.

Are you camping in the SUV or staying at an Airbnb/hotel? We use our travel trailer on shorter trips, but the price of gas on longer mileage trips sends us to to airbnb and usually to in search of the ones with good monthly discounts.

 

[a60dan]

We’ve planned a Jan-Mar first time snowbird trip to Florida with our travel trailer.

Bahia Honda SP in Keys, Jonathan Dickinson on east coast, Fort Meyers COE park, relatives in Bradenton Besch, Anastasia SP near St Augustine & Airstream Park In panhandle.

Our youngest son move to Kissimmee last year so they’re within a few hours for most of the trip.

Our last 2 camping trips did not end well. DW recovering from 2nd ankle surgery after tri-malleoar ((sp?) fracture on the ocean Path in Acadia NP.

Wish us luck