To the West with the Milligans, 2017
Trip Overview
This was our plan - but it didn't quite work out this way.
We will take 6 days to drive to Glacier National Park. After spending 10 days at Glacier we will spend 16 days driving home - touring Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, and several other state parks and landmarks. On this page you will find just an outline of where we will be each day in three sections: On the way to Glacier, Glacier National Park, and On the way home. For more detailed plans and report of our journeys see the Westward Daily Journal, Glacier Daily Journal, and Eastward Daily Journal pages.
What Happened to the Plan
We stayed on the plan until we got to Glacier. Once there we were evacuated from Lake McDonald due to fire. We changed every reservation after that. You can see what we did and changed on the Journal pages (see the menu bar) - along with some pictures; but is how we spent our days in order:
Here are some statistics of our trip.
We will take 6 days to drive to Glacier National Park. After spending 10 days at Glacier we will spend 16 days driving home - touring Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, and several other state parks and landmarks. On this page you will find just an outline of where we will be each day in three sections: On the way to Glacier, Glacier National Park, and On the way home. For more detailed plans and report of our journeys see the Westward Daily Journal, Glacier Daily Journal, and Eastward Daily Journal pages.
What Happened to the Plan
We stayed on the plan until we got to Glacier. Once there we were evacuated from Lake McDonald due to fire. We changed every reservation after that. You can see what we did and changed on the Journal pages (see the menu bar) - along with some pictures; but is how we spent our days in order:
- 1 day to Illinois
- 1 day across Iowa
- 2 days in South Dakota
- I day in Wyoming
- I day in Montana
- 6 days in Glacier
- 2 days in Red Lodge, Montana
- 8 days in Yellowstone
- 5 days in Tetons
- 2 days in Cheyenne
- 1 day in Nebraska
- 2 days in Missouri
- 1 day in Kentucky
- 3 days with Meredith in Franklin
Here are some statistics of our trip.
- On the road for 35 days
- Total miles: 6943 miles - 266.59 gallons of gas and got 27.1 mpg for the trip
- We visited 10 states: Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri
- We visited 9 national parks/monuments/forests: Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Devils Tower, Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Verdawoo, Medicine Bow, Black Hills, Custer
- We visited 4 state parks: Custer State Park, South Dakota, Curt Gowdy State Park, Wyoming, Lake of the Ozarks State Park in Missouri, and Kentucky Dam Village State Park in Kentucky
- We drove on 6 scenic highways: Lincoln, Big Horn, Beartooth, Wyoming Centennial, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Roosevelt
- We stayed 2 nights in a motel, 7 nights in park lodges, 22 nights in campgrounds, and 3 nights with family.
On The Way To Glacier National Park
Map on our trip out to Glacier - with stops along the way
Map on our trip out to Glacier - with stops along the way
Stops Along the Way to Glacier National Park
Monday 8/21
Jefferson City to Normal, Il.
Time Zone: EST - CST
Drive Time 8 hours, 21 minutes Miles: 568
Baymont Inns and Suites, Normal Bloomington
Tuesday 8/22
Normal, IL to Sioux City, South Dakota
Time Zone: CST
Drive Time: 7 hours 16 minutes Miles: 505
North Souix City, SD KOA Camping Cabin
Wednesday 8/23
North Sioux City, SD to Custer State Park
Time Zone: CST to MST
Drive Time: 6 hours and 19 minutes Miles: 446
Custer State Park Campground Tent Site
Thursday 8/24
Explore Custer State Park and Mt. Rushmore
Time Zone: MST
Friday 8/25
Custer State Park South Dakota to Greybull, MT
Time Zone: MST
Drive Time: 5 hours 20 minutes Miles: 314
Greybull, MT KOA Camping Cabin
Saturday 8/26
Greybull, WY to Great Falls, MT
Time Zone: MST
Drive Time: 5 hours and 36 minutes Miles: 336
Best Western Plus Heritage Inn
Sunday 8/27
Great Falls, MT to Glacier National Park - Logan Pass Visitors Center
Time Zone: MST
Monday 8/21
Jefferson City to Normal, Il.
Time Zone: EST - CST
Drive Time 8 hours, 21 minutes Miles: 568
Baymont Inns and Suites, Normal Bloomington
Tuesday 8/22
Normal, IL to Sioux City, South Dakota
Time Zone: CST
Drive Time: 7 hours 16 minutes Miles: 505
North Souix City, SD KOA Camping Cabin
Wednesday 8/23
North Sioux City, SD to Custer State Park
Time Zone: CST to MST
Drive Time: 6 hours and 19 minutes Miles: 446
Custer State Park Campground Tent Site
Thursday 8/24
Explore Custer State Park and Mt. Rushmore
Time Zone: MST
Friday 8/25
Custer State Park South Dakota to Greybull, MT
Time Zone: MST
Drive Time: 5 hours 20 minutes Miles: 314
Greybull, MT KOA Camping Cabin
Saturday 8/26
Greybull, WY to Great Falls, MT
Time Zone: MST
Drive Time: 5 hours and 36 minutes Miles: 336
Best Western Plus Heritage Inn
Sunday 8/27
Great Falls, MT to Glacier National Park - Logan Pass Visitors Center
Time Zone: MST
On The Way Home
Map of our journey home - with stops along the way
Map of our journey home - with stops along the way
Wednesday 9/6
Glacier National Park to Red Lodge, MT
Time Zone: MST
Drive Time: 7 hours and 6 minutes Miles: 456
Tent Site Red Lodge KOA
Thursday 9/7
Explore Red Lodge - stay at KOA
Time Zone: MST
Friday 9/8
Drive to West Yellowstone through Beartooth Highway and Yellowstone Park
Drive Time: 4 hours 11 minutes
Time Zone: MST
Saturday 9/9 through Monday 9/11
Touring Yellowstone - leaving from West Yellowstone KOA
Time Zone: MST
Tuesday 9/12
Tour and Drive to Headwaters Flagg Ranch area of the Grand Tetons
Flagg Ranch Headwaters Camping Cabins
Time Zone: MST
Wednesday 9/13
Thursday 9/14
Touring Grand Tetons
Time Zone: MST
Friday 9/15
Flagg Ranch to Laramie, WY
Time Zone: MST
Drive Time: 6 hours 53 minutes Miles: 399
Laramie KOA Tent Site
Saturday 9/16
Tour Curt Gowdy State Park and Vedauwoo Rock Formations of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.
Time Zone: MST
Sunday 9/17
Laramie, WY to Grand Island Nebraska
Drive Time: 5 hours 49 minutes Miles: 411
Time Zone: MST to CST
Grand Island KOA
Monday 9/18
Grand Island, NE to Lake of the Ozarks State Park, Kaiser, Missouri
Time Zone: CST
Drive Time: 6 hours 52 minutes Miles: 446
Campground Yurt A1 - we will spend 3 nights here
Tuesday 9/19
Wednesday 9/20
Tour Lake of the Ozarks State Park and Ha Ha Tonka State Park
Time Zone: CST
Thursday 9/21
Lake of the Ozarks State Park to Franklin, TN
Drive Time: 7 hours 54 minutes. Miles: 482
Time Zone: CST
Friday 9/22
Visit Meredith and Matt
Saturday 9/23 or Sunday 9/24
Return home
Glacier National Park to Red Lodge, MT
Time Zone: MST
Drive Time: 7 hours and 6 minutes Miles: 456
Tent Site Red Lodge KOA
Thursday 9/7
Explore Red Lodge - stay at KOA
Time Zone: MST
Friday 9/8
Drive to West Yellowstone through Beartooth Highway and Yellowstone Park
Drive Time: 4 hours 11 minutes
Time Zone: MST
Saturday 9/9 through Monday 9/11
Touring Yellowstone - leaving from West Yellowstone KOA
Time Zone: MST
Tuesday 9/12
Tour and Drive to Headwaters Flagg Ranch area of the Grand Tetons
Flagg Ranch Headwaters Camping Cabins
Time Zone: MST
Wednesday 9/13
Thursday 9/14
Touring Grand Tetons
Time Zone: MST
Friday 9/15
Flagg Ranch to Laramie, WY
Time Zone: MST
Drive Time: 6 hours 53 minutes Miles: 399
Laramie KOA Tent Site
Saturday 9/16
Tour Curt Gowdy State Park and Vedauwoo Rock Formations of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.
Time Zone: MST
Sunday 9/17
Laramie, WY to Grand Island Nebraska
Drive Time: 5 hours 49 minutes Miles: 411
Time Zone: MST to CST
Grand Island KOA
Monday 9/18
Grand Island, NE to Lake of the Ozarks State Park, Kaiser, Missouri
Time Zone: CST
Drive Time: 6 hours 52 minutes Miles: 446
Campground Yurt A1 - we will spend 3 nights here
Tuesday 9/19
Wednesday 9/20
Tour Lake of the Ozarks State Park and Ha Ha Tonka State Park
Time Zone: CST
Thursday 9/21
Lake of the Ozarks State Park to Franklin, TN
Drive Time: 7 hours 54 minutes. Miles: 482
Time Zone: CST
Friday 9/22
Visit Meredith and Matt
Saturday 9/23 or Sunday 9/24
Return home