Month long road trip-Give me ideas for what to see.

Okay, it's T minus 7 days. The route is somewhat defined and I'm open for suggestions for additional cool stops along the way.

I'm assuming 5 weeks or so to make the full circuit but it'll be a "we'll get there when we get there" attitude and trip.

Here's the route (roughly):

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Major stops:

Madison, Wi,

Sidnaw, MI (for a week, waterfalling the UP)

Bemidji, MN

Devils Lake/Minot, ND

Williston/Ft. Peck Lake, ND

Great Falls, MT

Glacier National Park/Flathead Lake

Coeur d'Alene

Hell's Canyon

The Dalles/Hood River, OR (for a week(ish) exploring the Columbia River Gorge and Portland)

Redwood National Park, CA

Crater Lake, OR

Bend, OR

Boise/Idaho Falls, ID

Jackson/Yellowstone/Grand Tetons

Cody/Gillette

Badlands National Park, SD

Chamberlain/Sioux Falls, SD

Home (probably overnight in KC)

What's along the way that I'm missing?

When ya get close to R... Give me a shout....:yes:
 
@Nate...ummm...only if you want to ride in back with the dogs. :)

@CoJoe...now that's what I'm talkin' about! Right up our alley, thanks, we'll definitely be taking that side trip.
About an hour or so south of Redwood National Park is a small town called Ferndale, CA. Grab some snacks there, then head south out of town on Mattole Road, which takes you over the King Range to the Lost Coast. I lived in CA for 25 years and trekked all over the state, and IMHO this is the most spectacular scenery in CA, if not in the entire US.

It's an adventure, with a narrow, winding road that's not always in the best shape, but when you crest the King you'll be rewarded. And definitely continue down to the coast if you have the time. You'll join the coast at Cape Mendocino, the westernmost point in the Lower 48. Then continue to Petrolia and onward to Highway 101 and back north for a nice loop that will take the better part of a day, but will imprint memories into your brains that will last a lifetime.

Google "mattole road lost coast" for more info. Whether you go or not, have a great trip!
 
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The Dalles/Hood River, OR (for a week(ish) exploring the Columbia River Gorge and Portland)

Redwood National Park, CA

Looks like you'll be passing through Creswell, Oregon (just south of Eugene) on this leg. I fly out of Creswell. If you have the time, and weather and my schedule allow, I'd be happy to take you all up for an aerial tour in a C-172 rental of whatever in the area suits your fancy (such as Crater Lake or the Oregon coast.)

Boise/Idaho Falls, ID
I see you are sticking to I-84 on that leg. Fast but uninteresting, IMHO. It'll be almost as scenic as Nebraska. If you do drive it, may I suggest you take a quick turnoff south at Twin Fall onto U.S. 93 to have a look at the Snake River gorge in that area. Otherwise I think you'd find heading north from Mountain Home via U.S. 20 to Idaho Falls a more interesting route than I-84. Might be just as fast as I-84.
 
@Nate...ummm...only if you want to ride in back with the dogs. :)

You don't know how tempting that is.

Today's fun, Security "Engineer" asking why a patch that came out Saturday is triggering alerts on his scan tools today.
 
Tell him that the patch is designed to help his computer quit smoking. ;)

Thanks, Jim, I'll look into that.
 
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Highway 14 between Cody and Sheridan is supposed to be very scenic. And Medicine Wheel is up that road. It is a bunch of stones laid out in a wheel shape on top of a mountain. Indian artifact. I've not seen it but I want to drive that road some day.
 
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