Driving from Chicago to CSP, Wyoming and Home

I%26#39;m planning a drive from Chicago to Mitchell, overnight then on to the Badlands and Custer for 3 nights. Leave the Black Hills and drive to Devil%26#39;s Tower then stay in Sheridan for 2 nights.

Leave Sheridan and go South to Laramie for 1-2 nights then

east to Lincoln for a night and the last day drive back to Chicago.

Am I planning too much driving for 10 days?

I want to see the country but not take on too much.

Thanks

Grizzlyman1

Driving from Chicago to CSP, Wyoming and Home

I don%26#39;t think you have too much driving planned-looks like your longest day in the car will be from home to Mitchell (9-10 hours) and then much shorter drives after that.

From Devil%26#39;s Tower we%26#39;ve always gone on to Yellowstone, so I%26#39;m not sure about your route after that-do you have your time planned in those areas? Regardless, the driving distances look very reasonable between the points you have mentioned.

Driving from Chicago to CSP, Wyoming and Home

Thanks for the quick reply. My plan is: drive from

Custer to Devil%26#39;s Tower, then on to Sheridan for 2 days. Then south to Casper, 487 to Medicine Bow to Laramie. One night or two depending on how much I find to do in the area, then east and home.

Look forward to being on the road.

Grizzlyman1

The Sheridan to Laramie day will be really short compared to other days. It would not be adding too much at all to divert a little west on US-30 to Walcott and take WY-130 over the Snowy Range Scenic Byway. One of the most scenic mountain drives in the USA. Would be a shame to be so close and have the time and miss it. That is, providing the drive will be in Summer.

If you can really do two nights in Laramie consider also stopping in Saratoga. If hotel budget permits the Saratoga Inn has really nice hot springs soaking pools that can soothe even the worst ';road butt';. Or even the historic Wolf Hotel and use the free city (aka Hobo) hot spring pool.

Then a really short drive over the pass and time enough to look around Laramie and spend a night there. Or see some things there and night in Cheyenne to get a little jump on drive home.

Another option from Casper which would make stopping in Saratoga better anyway might be to swing around on WY-220 past Independence Rock and down to Rawlins then over to Walcott on I-80. Independence Rock is very interesting with the pioneer name/date carvings and the Great Divide Basis has a very stark remoteness. Longer route that stopping at Saratoga would allow easily.