Looking for some routes/attractions recommendations. Milwaukee - Rally - SLC - Milw

Hey all,

It's 13 degrees here in Milwaukee. What better time to plan a trip to the MOA Rally?

Planning to take two weeks ( could be longer) to travel from Milwaukee to Park Rapid, MN (spend a couple days at my sisters cabin) to Great Falls (stay at my other sisters cabin) and then after the rally head south through the Rockies to Salt Lake City (open to other suggestions) before heading back to Milwaukee.

I've never had a multi-stop trip before that would involve camping and have never ridden in the Rockies so I am open to suggestions regarding routes and stops.

When camping for one-night-stands do people shoot for the KOA's (which sound kind of boring) or use state parks, county parks, etc.

What are you using for route planning? Basecamp, Mapquest, Google Maps, other? I've attached a first-pass map from Mapquest, showing what I am sure is the most boring route (are there ANY curves in North Dakota?).

Please let me know your experience and route suggestions.

Thanks for your help/suggestions.

Ski

Maybe I should have put this in the Ride to Great Falls Thread. Moderators?

The whole run of interstate running through North Dakota is pretty uneventful, most of ND is pretty uneventful!. When you get to the far west, watch out for a tourist stop on the north side of the road a few miles west of Belfield. There is an over look of the park valley and it worth the stop, Painted Canyon Visitor Center. Some people like to stay over in Medora and see the play. https://medora.com/do/entertainment/medora-musical/

You picked the worst route across North Dakota, unless you are hell bent in a hurry. ND200 to the north of I94 and US2 further north are both better routes. You get to visit small towns and find the ma and pa restaurants with all the pickup trucks in the lot. You get to meet locals as you go. Some of the towns have City parks with free or "donation" type camping. ND 11 or ND 13 to the south of I94 are also nice roads.

My favored route would be ND 200 to US 85, and then south on US 85 to US12, and then onward west.

skibumwi said:

Planning to take two weeks ( could be longer) to travel from Milwaukee to Park Rapid, MN (spend a couple days at my sisters cabin) to Great Falls (stay at my other sisters cabin) and then after the rally head south through the Rockies to Salt Lake City (open to other suggestions) before heading back to Milwaukee.

I've never had a multi-stop trip before that would involve camping and have never ridden in the Rockies so I am open to suggestions regarding routes and stops.

When camping for one-night-stands do people shoot for the KOA's (which sound kind of boring) or use state parks, county parks, etc.

What are you using for route planning? Basecamp, Mapquest, Google Maps, other? I've attached a first-pass map from Mapquest, showing what I am sure is the most boring route (are there ANY curves in North Dakota?).

Please let me know your experience and route suggestions.

Click to expand...

I-94 across ND is uninteresting until you hit Belfield in the western part of the state (and home of the Copper Kettle restaurant). If you do decide to take I-94, consider taking a 30-mile detour down the Enchanted Highway, which starts at Gladstone and ends at Regent. Consider a stay at the Enchanted Castle in Regent, which is a schoolhouse that the artist who created the Enchanted Highway sculptures has converted into a full-service lodging establishment with huge rooms, onsite restaurant and full bar, and free use of the gymnasium, weight room, etc. etc. It’s a fun place and reasonably priced. Regent’s only gas station is just up the street from the motel.

If you decide to take 200, consider swinging north through Parshall and New Town to reconnect with 200–while you can cross the river at Washburn, the ride past the coal mines and power plants isn’t all that interesting, and if you’re into geology or rockhounding there is an incredible geo-museum at Parshall—open only by advance arrangement (http://www.parshallnd.com/rockmuseum.htm and https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2153).

Be aware that both motel rooms and campsites may be $$$ and hard to get once you are west of Bismarck or Minot and until you are 50 miles or so into Montana—due to the oil boom. Book early!

Have a great ride,
DeVern

FANTASTIC FEEDBACK Y'ALL

Just what I was hoping for, anyone else?

Ski

The Enchanted highway is a bunch of huge metal sculptures, so ride it at your own risk. If you like that kind of thing, then great. I rode it once and was terribly disappointed, as were the rest of the group I was with.

https://www.ndtourism.com/regent/attractions/enchanted-highway

I’d skip ND entirely. Pick up Hwy 18 in southern WI and take it west, angling up to Badlands NP. From there the Black Hills and Needles Hwy in SD, then up to Devil’s Tower WY. West to Buffalo WY then 16 to Ten Sleep, 14 up Shell Canyon to Burgess Junction, then west on ALT 14 to Cody WY. North over Chief Joseph, then Beartooth Pass and on to the rally

Pete

The above ride Pete describes is like a return route I've considered. Have ridden it before and would welcome it again.

"travel'n" john

Guys, you missed the part where he is going to west central Minnesota on the way out. So he is looking for routes or interesting stuff from basically Fargo, to Great Falls.

Highway 18 looks interesting to me too, if I were going that way.

PoorUB said:

Guys, you missed the part where he is going to west central Minnesota on the way out. So he is looking for routes or interesting stuff from basically Fargo, to Great Falls.

Highway 18 looks interesting to me too, if I were going that way.

Click to expand...

I’d still drop down to Badlands and follow that route...

On the way home drop a little south and take 40 and 14 across northern Colorado.
This will take you through Steamboat Springs, Walden, and Fort Collins.
Poudre Canyon Hwy 14 is fun.
From Fort Collins work your way up to Scottsbluff and Alliance Nebraska.
From Alliance take hwy 2 through the Sand Hills to Grand Island Ne.

Great inputs all. The stop at Park Rapids is a must do.

Thanks everyone,
Ski