Cross Country Trip to Yellowstone

Take off a couple weeks from work and go see the United States.

ITINERARY:

Day 1 (Wednesday)

• Spend the day driving to Dearborn, MI (519 miles, 9 hours and 13 minutes)

Day 2 (Thursday)

• Spend the morning at the Ford Rouge Factory watching the assembly of Ford F-150s, visiting the multi-sensory Art of Manufacturing Theatre, learning about the Rouge at the Legacy Theatre, viewing historic vehicles, etc.
• Drive through Detroit, MI (10 miles, 17 minutes) and find a place to eat lunch
• Drive to Mackinaw City, MI (289 miles, 4 hours and 38 minutes)
• Walk around Mackinaw City, conduct a taste test of the various fudge shops in town, wade in Lake Huron
• Drive to St. Ignace, MI (8 miles, 13 minutes) and check-in for the night at the Comfort Inn Beachside (request a lake view room)

Day 3 (Friday)

• Watch the sun rise over Lake Huron from your private patio or deck
• Leave early, drive to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (126 miles, 2 hours and 47 minutes) and hike to Miners Castle Point, wade in Lake Superior at Miner's Beach, eat lunch, etc.
• Begin driving towards Medora, ND--drive at least to Duluth, MN (305 miles, 5 hours and 53 minutes) before finding a place to stay for the night

Sunrise over Lake Huron

Miner's Castle Point

Day 4 (Saturday)

• Continue driving to Medora, ND (570 miles, 9 hours and 38 minutes if you stayed in Duluth)
• Stop in Jamestown, ND along the way to visit the world's largest buffalo!!
• Drive the remaining distance and find a hotel around Medora

Day 5 (Sunday)

• Rest
• Visit the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, stop at the visitor center, and drive the scenic loop
• Drive to Rapid City, SD (238 miles, 4 hours and 14 minutes) and check into the Grand Gateway Hotel for one night
• Rest and then drive to Mount Rushmore National Memorial (25 miles, 36 minutes) arriving before 9:00 p.m. for the evening program

Mount Rushmore

Day 6 (Monday)

• Enjoy the hotel's slide and pool before checking out of the hotel
• Return to Mount Rushmore National Memorial to hike the Presidential Trail and go to the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center
• Drive to Devils Tower National Monument (132 miles, 2 hours and 23 minutes)
• Hike around Devils Tower and stop in at the visitor center to learn more about the history of the area
• Drive to Sheridan, WY (166 miles, 2 hours and 47 minutes), known for the best water in the United States according to a local resident, and stay the night

Devils Tower

Day 7 (Tuesday)

• Drive to Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park (251 miles, 4 hours and 32 minutes)
• Explore Upper Basin which includes Old Faithful Geyser, Firehole River Walk, Black Sand Basin, Biscuit Basin
• Briefly stop at Midway Geyser Basin to see the Grand Prismatic Spring
• If time (and energy), go to the Lower Geyser Basin for the Firehole Lake Drive and Fountain Paint Pots
• Check in to the Old Faithful Inn for 3 nights (make reservations here or anywhere else in the park WELL in advance - staying in the park saves you a lot of driving time)

Upper Geyser Basin

Day 8 (Wednesday)

• Visit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and take the time to do a couple of the Upper and Lower Falls' hikes
• Stop and see Sulpher Caldron and Mud Volcano
• Spend some time in the Lake Yellowstone area

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Lower Falls

Day 9 (Thursday)

• Go in search of wildlife (searching is required if you go during mid- to late summer, all other times are best to see a variety of animals)--Park Rangers recommended driving to the Tower Roosevelt area, which is a higher and less traveled point in the park
• On your way to Tower Roosevelt, stop at Norris Geyser Basin
• On your way back from Tower Roosevelt, stop at Tower Fall to see the fall and buy some ice cream

Tower Fall

"Hunting" for Bison

Day 10 (Friday)

• Leave Yellowstone and drive to Jenny Lake, WY via Grand Teton National Park (59 miles, 1 hour and 30 minutes)
• Visit the Jenny Lake Visitor Center and hike around Jenny Lake
• Drive to Jackson Hole, WY (26 miles, 50 minutes) and plan to stay for the evening
• Explore Jackson Hole
• Ride the Jackson Hole Alpine Slide

Day 11 (Saturday)

• Spend the day driving to Springdale, UT (574 miles, 9 hours and 37 minutes) and find a place to stay 2 nights

Day 12 (Sunday)

• Rest
• Explore Zion National Park by going to the visitors center, driving the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, visiting the Zion Lodge, hiking the Emerald Pools Trails, hiking to Weeping Rock, taking the Riverside Walk, enjoying the variety of views, etc.

Day 13 (Monday)

• Drive to Moab, UT (345 miles, 5 hours and 38 minutes) and check into a hotel
• Go into Arches National Park, stop at the visitor center, and explore the entire park (minus Delicate Arch, you will hike that tomorrow)

Day 14 (Tuesday)

• Check out of the hotel before 7:00 a.m.
• Hike Delicate Arch first thing in the morning (it is too hot in the summer to do this hike during the day)
• Begin the long drive home (2,033 miles, 33 hours)--at this point you should assess how you feel and decide how fast you want to get home (we chose the quick route and put in a couple consecutive long driving days)

Considerations from the Ride Home

• Drive home via I-70 until St. Louis, MO and then take I-64 
• Leave I-70 at Kansas City and drive south to spend a day at Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO
• Stop and see the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, MO
• Leave I-64 and drive south to Mammoth Cave National Park
• Stop at Louisville, KY and see Churchill Downs

D.C. to VA, TN, GA, SC, NC, VA and Back Again

Take a two week road trip to see the Mid-Atlantic.  Start in Washington, D.C. and visit various locations in Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia.

ITINERARY:

Day 1 (Monday)

• Spend the majority of the day driving from Washington, D.C. to Gatlinburg, TN (489 miles)
• Stop at Virginia Tech for lunch
• Check into the Bearskin Lodge for 4 nights

Day 2 (Tuesday)

• Visit the Sugarlands Visitor Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (2.1 miles from Bearskin Lodge)
• If you have children, get information about becoming a Junior Ranger (consider modifying your plans to participate in Ranger-led programs for children - our favorites were Slimy Salamanders and Geology Rocks)
• Drive the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail (hike 3 mile roundtrip to Grotto Falls) 
• Drive to Clingmans Dome (21.3 miles from Bearskin Lodge)

Black Bear on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail

Day 3 (Wednesday)

• Drive to Cherokee, NC (33.9 miles from Bearskin Lodge)
• On the way, stop at Mingus Mill, the Oconaluftee Visitors Center, and the Mountain Farm Museum
• Eat a picnic at the Oconaluftee Islands Park in Cherokee, NC
• Visit the Oconaluftee Indian Village
• Enjoy the evening on the lazy river at the Bearskin Lodge

View of the Great Smoky Mountains on the Way to Cherokee, NC
(pictures do not do justice to the amazing views in the park)

Mingus Mill

Day 4 (Thursday)

• Drive to the Cades Cove Visitor Center (27.6 miles from Bearskin Lodge)
• On the way, pull off to see Laurel Falls
• Visit Cades Cove (stop and see the various settlement sites)
• Explore other areas of interest in the park

Little Church in Cades Cove

Day 5 (Friday)

• Drive from Gatlinburg, TN to Anderson, SC (by way of GA - 227 miles)
• Do one last hike before leaving the Great Smoky Mountains - go to Deep Creek in the southern portion of the park and hike less than 1 mile roundtrip to Juney Whank Falls
• Drive through a portion of the Chattachoochee National Forest to Brasstown Bald Visitor Information Center (highest point in GA with a 360 degree view of GA, TN, NC, and SC)
• Leave for Anderson-Hartwell Lake KOA (if you like to camp - otherwise, find a cabin or hotel in the area) 
• Set-up camp 

View from Brasstown Bald

Day 6 (Saturday)

• Enjoy the campground (swim in the pool, play miniature golf, play basketball, play on the playground, roast s'mores)
• Other things to do include: Lake Hartwell, Isaqueena Falls and Stumphouse Tunnel, whitewater rafting, visit Clemson University (we enjoyed exploring the University)

Memorial Stadium ("Death Valley") at Clemson University

Day 7 (Sunday)

• Drive from Anderson, SC to North Myrtle Beach, SC (275 miles)
• Check into the Prince Resort for 2 nights (we got a better rate by booking our room by telephone instead of online)
• Take 39th Ave N and enjoy a peaceful walk on a boardwalk through the marsh and rivers north of the Resort (try to catch sand crabs)

Day 8 (Monday)

• Walk to the beach and spend the day
• Grab some ice cream in the evening at Fat Matt's Ice Cream
• Relax in the lazy river on the roof of the Resort

Fat Matt

Day 9 (Tuesday)

• Drive from North Myrtle Beach, SC to Williamsburg, VA (343 miles)
• DO NOT stay at the Howard Johnson Inn Williamsburg (recommend either using VRBO.com to find a vacation rental and select another hotel in the area)

Day 10 (Wednesday)

• Spend the day at Busch Gardens

Day 11 (Thursday)

• Spend the day at Busch Gardens

Day 12 (Friday)

• Drive home to Washington, D.C. (156 miles) 

West Virginia Mountain Vacation

Stay in a wonderful little cabin in Simoda, WV, which is only 3 hours and 15 minutes away from Washington, D.C.  

Washington, D.C. to Simoda, WV (Point B)

THINGS TO DO:  

1.  Slow down and rest (either in the comfort of the cabin or in a rocking chair on the porch)

2.  Roast smores in the fire pit outside the cabin

3.  Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area

Seneca Rocks

• Visit Seneca Rocks Discovery Center (11.9 miles north of the cabin)
• Hike to the observation deck at the top of Seneca Rocks (3 miles round trip, 1,000 feet ascent)
• Hike to the tower on top of Spruce Knob, the highest mountain in WV (9.7 miles west of the cabin) 

View from Spruce Knob

4.  Seneca Caverns

• Walk through the cavern (7.7 miles northeast of the cabin)
• Buy mining rough from gift shop and pan for gemstones, fossils, or arrowheads






Panning Area (Entrance to Caverns in Background)

5.  Cass Scenic Railroad State Park

• Visit the little town of Cass (43.1 miles southwest of the cabin)
• Glance in the Railroad and Logging History Museum
• Take a picnic and ride the train to Bald Knob Run, the third highest point in WV (take cash to by snacks at the Whitaker stop)
• Shop at the Cass Company Store afterwards (buy some ice cream)

Picnicking at Bald Knob Run

6.  Blackwater Falls State Park

Blackwater Falls

• Hike to Blackwater Falls (46.2 miles north of the cabin)
• Hike to Elakala Falls
• Hike to Lindy Point Overlook

7.  Other Ideas Include:  Smoke Hole Caverns (25.4 miles from the cabin), Canaan Valley Resort State Park (33.4 miles from the cabin), and Green Bank Science Center (35.4 miles from the cabin)


THINGS TO KNOW:

Spruce Knob's observation tower in the Monogohelia National Forest is the highest point in West Virginia.  It is free and definitely worth the drive to the observation tower.  There is a short, easy walk from the parking lot on a gravel walkway to the observation tower.  The tower is 2 flights of stairs up, no elevator.  There is a 1/2 mile "hike" that begins at the base of the tower.   This pathway is just as easy as the path to the tower.  There are 3 or 4 gorgeous places to stop and sit or climb around on some rocks while you enjoy the great view.  There are also several picnic tables.  There is no visitor center nearby, but there are some restrooms.

Seneca Rocks is also part of Monongohelia National Forest.  Admission is free.  The Discovery Center consists of a 12 minute video, a few interesting and informative displays about the animal and plant life in the area, a decent gift shop, and a little learning area for young children with picture books and puppets (oh yeah, let's not forget the important stuff: clean restrooms, diaper changing stations, and water fountains).

You can begin the hike to Seneca Rocks at the Discovery Center, but don't let anyone fool you--that's not where the trailhead is.  From the Discovery Center, you'll walk a quarter of a mile or so on a sidewalk that leads you through the parking lot of the Sites' Homestead.  The trailhead is just opposite of the home site.  The hike is a challenge and a great workout, but it is do-able.  At the observation deck you stand with the rocks to your back and have a beautiful view of the valley below.  It is a fun hike with switch-backs, steep climbs, and stairs in some places.  There are places to stop and rest on the way up, but there are not any overlooks and views of the distance until you reach the observation deck at the very end of the trail.  The best view of the rocks themselves is actually from the parking lot of the Discovery Center.

Seneca Caverns is several miles away from Seneca Rocks.  It is privately owned and only open seasonally and for several days a week--check the hours before you go.  The guided tour for the cavern starts inside the gift shop where the tourists are handed hardhats (for those of you who have hat-sharing concerns, we noticed that they did spray the hats after each use).  They come in useful for the times when the ceiling is low.  This cavern is more primitive than Lurray Caverns.  There are a few sets of stairs, several narrow openings, and low ceilings.  The walkway is entirely unpaved (a fact that Seneca Caverns employees are proud of), but it is not physically demanding.  It can get cool, so layers of clothing are a good idea but not imperative.  Carrying a child in a hiking backpack is difficult due to the low ceilings.

In addition to the caverns, there are also a few other minor attractions.  There is a structure set up to pan for gemstones.  Purchase a bag of mining rough from the gift shop and take it outside to search for a treasure.  The gift shop guarantees that each bag will provide something.  Chose a bag labeled “gemstones,” “arrowheads,” “fossils,” or “emeralds.”  This was a huge hit with our kids.  No need to wear any sort of special clothing for this event.  The other attractions offered are: a restaurant, a small and very simple put-put golf course, and a playground and picnic area (none of which we utilized, so we can’t tell you much about them).

Cass Scenic Railroad State Park's museum is small (only one room) but it provides a lot of facts about the railroad and the town.  Be prepared to invest time there if you want to develop an understanding of the history.  The displays are informative, but they are not a quick, easy read.  The information provides perspective on where the train will take you, so if this interests you, allow yourself the time to read through it.  The general store has a lot of fun souvenirs, as well as ice cream for sale and public restrooms in the back.

The train itself is an open-car train with wooden benches to sit on.   It is general seating and people begin boarding about 30 minutes early.  We were among the last riders on the train and the only seats left were right by the engine, which our kids loved.  There is an announcer providing a lot of information throughout the entire ride, but we had a hard time hearing him, and I’m wondering if the proximity to the engine was the cause.  The train whistle is LOUD and a fun highlight for the kids.  Be prepared for the soot to rain on you if you stand up and look out the windows.  If you want to avoid the soot, you’re probably pretty safe if you stay seated on the bench in the middle of the car.  Layers of clothing are a good idea in case you find the breeze a little chilly.

There are two trips you can take: 1) a trip up to Whittaker Train Station and then back to the Cass Station, or 2) a longer trip which stops at Whittaker for about 30 minutes, then continues on to the top of the mountain where you can get off and look around for about 45 minutes, then returns to Cass without a stop at Whittaker.  We chose to go all the way to the top and we were glad we did so we could enjoy the view.  However, if we’d only gone as far as Whittaker, we would’ve felt satisfied with a fun train ride and a nice view.  There is a snack shop at Whittaker, but nothing available for sale at the top.  Take cash if you want to buy something.  There is plenty of time for a picnic at either stop.

The three hikes we did in Blackwater Falls State Park are mainly in the shade and are fairly easy. As you drive to the Lindy Point trailhead, there is a sign about 1 mile before the parking lot which leads people to believe they need a 4-wheel-drive to make it there.  This sign is misleading.  The point where you need a 4-wheel vehicle is actually beyond the Lindy Point trailhead, so don't worry about driving the mile and parking next to the trailhead.  The parking lot for the Lindy Point trail only has room for about 4 cars, so be prepared to park further away if it’s crowded.  While there was no waterfall to be seen from the Lindy Point Overlook, it was a great view.  The Elakala Falls trailhead is in the parking lot of the lodge (plenty of parking).  It is a small waterfall with a bridge going right over the top so you can see the water on both sides of you.  The Blackwater Falls is a more impressive size, but you can’t get quite as close to it.  That particular hike is mainly stairs--more than 200--but it’s worth the view.  That trailhead is in the parking lot of the Trading Post--also plenty of parking.