Wyoming, South Dakota & North Dakota

Denver to Minneapolis

With spectacular National and state parks, rich Western heritage and lively cities, Wyoming, South Dakota and North Dakota make for an awe-inspiring road trip. See major monuments, historic towns, authentic art and culture, abundant wildlife and experience an unforgettable adventure in the Great American West.

Start: Denver

Finish: Sioux Falls - Minneapolis

Duration: 11 Days

Day 1-2: Denver

Denver

Denver, also known as the 'Mile High City' is located at the base of the majestic Rocky Mountains, 1,609 meters above sea level – exactly one mile high. Denver, Colorado is a walkable, outdoor city with 300 days of sunshine, brilliant blue skies and breathtaking mountain scenery. Explore the farm-to-table cuisine, local breweries serving craft beer and unique live music venues like the famous Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre. Visit the Denver Art Museum with its famous American Indian art and Western art collections, see the giant blue bear public art sculpture, shop at Cherry Creek or get an authentic western shirt at the iconic Rockmount Ranch Wear. Sports lovers can enjoy the city’s seven professional sports teams which entertain year-round. Denver combines historic Victorian brick buildings in Larimer Square and LoDo (Lower Downtown) with the bold architecture of today, all within a laid-back, walkable city center.

Collect your vehicle in Denver, the gateway to your adventure and road trip through the Great American West.

Day 3

Denver to Casper

On the drive to Casper make sure you stop in Cheyenne, the capital of Wyoming, about a 2 hour drive north of Denver. The Cheyenne Depot Museum, located inside the historic Union Pacific Railroad Museum, is a must- visit for train lovers and history buffs to re-live the romance of the railroad and currently exhibiting Big Boy 4014 the only operating Big Boy steam train of eight in the world.

Enjoy a western adventure full of pioneering history, awe-inspiring scenery and outdoor activities in Casper. Learn about the history of the west and tour historic trails, Independence Rock; visit the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center or the Mormon Handcart Center. Head to the North Platte River for a river float trip or fly fish for trophy trout (did you know... Casper was named the #1 Big Fish Destination by American Angler Magazine?) Keep an eye out for the wildlife such as pronghorn, mule deer or the occasional wild turkey and take a scenic drive up Casper Mountain. Casper is the quintessential blend of city comfort and spectacular mountain scenery and here you will wind down and spend the night.

Day 4

Casper to Rapid City

Rapid City is in an ideally central location, nestled among several national parks, monuments, memorials and state parks- all within a one-hour drive. It is the gateway to the striking Black Hills, iconic Mount Rushmore National Memorial and one-of-a-kind Crazy Horse Memorial. Other unique sights and attractions include Badlands National Park, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, Devils Tower National Park, Jewel Cave National Park, Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Monument.

Rapid City is known as the City of Presidents and here you will find various life-size bronze statues of U.S. presidents around the streets of downtown. Children and adults can learn about wildlife past and present at Reptile Gardens, Journey Museum and Learning Center, and The Museum of Geology. The Dahl Arts Centre and Art Alley offer a visual feast and Prairie Edge Trading Company and Galleries is perfect for Native American culture, arts and crafts. The city has fare to suit all appetites from fine dining to a classic all-American bison burger and chips and spend the night in Rapid City.

Day 5

Rapid City to Deadwood

From Rapid City head to Badlands National Park to hike or drive the dramatic colourful landscapes of rock formations, caves, spires and canyons. Spot a variety of wildlife, follow the fossil trail or scenic loop drive for incredible photo opportunities and call in to the Visitors’ Centre to find out the story behind this extraordinary park.

Deadwood was a once-lawless Gold Rush era town drawing a myriad people in search of their fortune and home to infamous characters like Wild Bill Hickok, Seth Bullock and Calamity Jane. Visit Mount Moriah Cemetery to see these three legendary figures’ graves or for living history visit Broken Boot Gold Mine for an underground mine tour, watch the historical reenactments such as shoot outs on Main Street or see the plesiosaur fossil or huge gold nugget at Adams Museum. For those after a spooky thrill, take a paranormal investigation tour of The Adams House, one of the town’s most haunted places. Numerous casinos such as Deadwood Gulch Saloon and Cadillac Jack’s Casino are on Main Street and other activities such as day spas, fine dining, shopping and outdoor adventures are plentiful. Spend the night in Deadwood before heading off to Medora, North Dakota, the next day.

Day 6-7

Deadwood to Medora to Bismarck

Stop at the DeVoto Cedar Grove - a memorial for conservationist and historian of the west, Bernard DeVoto, set in a lush haven of towering Western Red Cedar. The Lewis and Clark expedition camped alongside trees and wrote of extensively of their unparalleled beauty. After this journey to the Lolo Pass Visitors Centre right on the Idaho-Montana border which displays information about the Lewis and Clark journey across the Bitterroot Mountains.

For some boot- tapping fun and delicious western cuisine the nationally acclaimed Pitchfork Steak Fondue along with the Medora Musical, performed in natural outdoor Amphitheatre against the breathtaking badlands back drop is held from June – September each year. Step back in time at the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame which preserves the history and culture of North Dakota’s Native American, ranching and rodeo communities.

From Medora travel on to Bismarck, capital of North Dakota is where you will spend the night.

Day 8

Bismarck to Jamestown to Fargo

Learn about North Dakota’s rich history from its earliest geologic formation 600 million years ago to today, at the North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum in the State capital of Bismarck. Families will love the Dakota Zoo where Bengal tigers, American alligators, arctic foxes and African tortoises can be spotted. Take a trip to Abraham Lincoln State Park and tour the reconstructed military buildings and General Custer’s house or visit the five reconstructed Earth lodges at the 400 year old Mandan On-A-Slant Indian Village. The nearby Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site preserves the historic and archeological remnants of the Hidatsa, Northern Plains Indians.

Head East to Jamestown to see the world’s largest buffalo monument, Dakota Thunder which has been standing his ground since 1959. Also, in Jamestown is the Gingras Trading Post State Historic Site which preserves the 1840s home and trading post of Métis legislator and businessman Antoine Blanc Gingras. It is the oldest standing structure in North Dakota. Spend the night in Fargo.

Day 9

Fargo to Sioux Falls

Fargo is North Dakota’s largest city and offers many cultural, historical and entertainment experiences. Culture aficionados will love the Fargo Air Museum, Bonanzaville pioneer village, Plains Art Museum, Roger Maris Museum and the Fargo Theatre, an art deco movie theatre built in 1926 which hosts the annual Fargo Film Festival each March. For some of the best blues in the country visit Fargo Blues Festival held in July. Visit Art Alley, The Rourke Art Museum, the ‘Walk of Fame’, the painted train car mural at the Northern Pacific Depot or the many painted bison dotting Fargo for the perfect photo opportunity.

Families will cherish time spent at Fargo’s network of parks winding along the Red River, the Children's Museum at Yunker Farm or the Red River Valley Zoo. Football fanatics can watch NDSU Bison Football at the Fargo dome and shopaholics can head to Fargo’s downtown district. Whether you are after a longtime local favourite or up and coming brewery Fargo has an eclectic range of dining options.

Head south to spend the night in Sioux Falls.

Day 10-11

Sioux Falls to Minneapolis

While in Sioux Falls visit Falls Park for beautiful views of the cascading Falls of the Big Sioux River. The park covers almost 50 hectares and is part of a 42-kilometre bike trail system, which has a five-story viewing tower and historic relics. The park was named in TripAdvisor’s Top 25 parks in the USA. Visit Palisades State Park (30 minutes northeast of Sioux Falls) to rock climb the 50-foot quartzite cliffs or Great Bear Recreation Park for skiing. Sioux Falls also has a diverse food scene with many contemporary restaurants; visit CH Patisserie for pastries, Parker’s Bistro for fine dining or learn about the art of winemaking at Strawbale Winery. Then head northeast to Minneapolis where you will end your journey.

We hope you have enjoyed your adventures in the Great American West. See you again soon.

For more information on these itineraries visit The Great American West: Australia or The Great American West: New Zealand.

“Content and images in this road trip were provided by the Great American West States of Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota."

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