ND / SD: Roadtrip planning TedRoosevelt and Black Hills

[ferret]

Hi, planning more legs of my upcoming road trip to and from Glacier NP in Sept. I've researched some tips and info from previous threads here, but wanted to see if anyone could add any insight to what I was going to try to do. Thanks!

ND:
Driving through MN to Fargo. Could use any info here. Likely stay at a motel here and get chow.
Next it's to Theodore Roosevelt NP, maybe stay at Cottonwood, pictures look like some sites might have trees. I'll have a few hours to do a little exploratory hiking.
Then it's on to MT

SD:
Driving from Buffalo, WY area to Devils Tower and camp.
Next day, do some site seeing at Rushmore and Crazy Horse in the morning. Then I'd like to hit a stream for some fishing, likely Spearfish Creek. So, I'm looking for a campsite/campground around there.
Then, it's on to Badlands and camp for another night (I'll have a tent too)

Any tips or additions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks again.

[DuneElliot]

I live in Sheridan, WY and just came back from a backpacking/hammocking trip in the Black Hills. I'm familiar with MT, SD and WY. What info would you like?

The Black Hills have ample hanging places...one of the best places for hammocking IMO

[OCDave]

Buffalo WY? Will you miss Big Horn Scenic Byway? I have passed that way but once, it haunts my dreams still. Reroute through Greybull if you can.

[DuneElliot]

Buffalo WY? Will you miss Big Horn Scenic Byway? I have passed that way but once, it haunts my dreams still. Reroute through Greybull if you can.

I'd certainly give my recommendations from ND, thru MT to WY and back to SD if the OP wants it. The scenic Byway is pretty, but I'd recommend Hwy 14 more, to anyone not hauling a big trailer. I could write a very very long post on the best places to see and routes to take but I need a little more info on time available and what the OP is most interested in.

[OCDave]

.... The scenic Byway is pretty, but I'd recommend Hwy 14 more, to anyone not hauling a big trailer.....

I thought Hwy 14 was the Big Horn Scenic Byway. Guess I will need to go west for extended drive. Perhaps August 21 for eclipse.

Thanks for the tip

[ferret]

Thanks, guys. Here's a little more detail. I basically have four weeks for this trip and its based around doing the 'Northern Circle' hike in Glacier with a friend of mine. I'm picking him up and dropping him off in Kalispell before/after the hike, but I'm driving from VA. So I'm trying to balance seeing/doing as much as I can without spending too many days just driving, but at the same time not taking too long. Some areas won't get the attention they deserve.

I'm basically starting with a couple long driving days, up to Michigan, through the UP, across to MN, and spending a couple nights in the Superior NF area.
Then it's a morning hike out and a 5-6 hour drive straight across to Fargo-ish for the night. This is basically a hotel night so I could drive farther to make the next day shorter, but I figured Fargo is Fargo and I've never been.
Then a straight shot on 94 to Theodore Roosevelt NP. I have a campsite reserved here atm. Depending on time I figured I would have at least few hours to tool around on a trail before camp.
The MT portion is still a bit of an open book. It should be Sept 6th when I leave TRNP and I have to be in Kalispell by midday on the 9th. I was going to drive across on 200 to around Great Falls. The hope is to find a nice spot to plop down and camp and fly fish during that time without too much driving.

Post hike and the drive home. Leaving Kalispell on early on Sept 18.
This section is still pretty flexible, but I'm dedicating around 5 days, 4 nights to get to La Crosse, WI by the 23rd of Sept. That last day being a long driving day. It's possible I could add a day to this portion though.
The idea here is to at least pass through Buffalo (I'm a Longmire book junkie) and hit the usual suspects, Devils Tower, Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and a half day fly fishing likely Spearfish Creek along 14. Then a day in Badlands NP.
I know the drive from Kalispell to Buffalo is really long so I might have to add a day here and spend less time somewhere else. Maybe even stop somewhere like Greybull beforehand. I was going to drive south and come across 16 to Buffalo, unless 14 is better? Nothing after Glacier is set in stone yet, but I have to start looking at reserving places that need it soon.

Due to time I dont expect to do any real backpacking unfortunately outside of the Glacier trip. The theme for the rest is basically camping, fly fishing, and photography. Any key sunrise/sunset spots are bonus.

Thanks for the help!

[Boothill]

Next day, do some site seeing at Rushmore and Crazy Horse in the morning. Then I'd like to hit a stream for some fishing, likely Spearfish Creek. So, I'm looking for a campsite/campground around there.

in spearfish canyon just up from roughlock falls are two campground, rod & gun and timon, of the 2 timon is better for hammocks, you can also hang your hammock anywhere on national forest land as long as you aren't within 200' of an established campground, you are not allowed to have a fire though, so that opens up a couple billion trees to hang from

one thing i would add is that there is tons of private land in the hills, most people are super nice but sometimes you will run across "that person" if you would happen to hang your hammock on private land by mistake

depending on what day you're going to be around i could meet up and throw a line with you

[DuneElliot]

I thought Hwy 14 was the Big Horn Scenic Byway. Guess I will need to go west for extended drive. Perhaps August 21 for eclipse.

Thanks for the tip

Hwy 16 is what they call the Bighorn Scenic Byway from Buffalo over to Ten Sleep. It's pretty, they both are, but I tend to think Hwy 14 is prettier...especially Shell Canyon. It traverses the Bighorns about 40 miles further north from Greybull to Dayton then you hit the interstate through Sheridan and down to Buffalo. Sheridan is worth a brief stop in too.

Thanks, guys. Here's a little more detail. I basically have four weeks for this trip and its based around doing the 'Northern Circle' hike in Glacier with a friend of mine. I'm picking him up and dropping him off in Kalispell before/after the hike, but I'm driving from VA. So I'm trying to balance seeing/doing as much as I can without spending too many days just driving, but at the same time not taking too long. Some areas won't get the attention they deserve.

I'm basically starting with a couple long driving days, up to Michigan, through the UP, across to MN, and spending a couple nights in the Superior NF area.
Then it's a morning hike out and a 5-6 hour drive straight across to Fargo-ish for the night. This is basically a hotel night so I could drive farther to make the next day shorter, but I figured Fargo is Fargo and I've never been.
Then a straight shot on 94 to Theodore Roosevelt NP. I have a campsite reserved here atm. Depending on time I figured I would have at least few hours to tool around on a trail before camp.
The MT portion is still a bit of an open book. It should be Sept 6th when I leave TRNP and I have to be in Kalispell by midday on the 9th. I was going to drive across on 200 to around Great Falls. The hope is to find a nice spot to plop down and camp and fly fish during that time without too much driving.

Post hike and the drive home. Leaving Kalispell on early on Sept 18.
This section is still pretty flexible, but I'm dedicating around 5 days, 4 nights to get to La Crosse, WI by the 23rd of Sept. That last day being a long driving day. It's possible I could add a day to this portion though.
The idea here is to at least pass through Buffalo (I'm a Longmire book junkie) and hit the usual suspects, Devils Tower, Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and a half day fly fishing likely Spearfish Creek along 14. Then a day in Badlands NP.
I know the drive from Kalispell to Buffalo is really long so I might have to add a day here and spend less time somewhere else. Maybe even stop somewhere like Greybull beforehand. I was going to drive south and come across 16 to Buffalo, unless 14 is better? Nothing after Glacier is set in stone yet, but I have to start looking at reserving places that need it soon.

Due to time I dont expect to do any real backpacking unfortunately outside of the Glacier trip. The theme for the rest is basically camping, fly fishing, and photography. Any key sunrise/sunset spots are bonus.

Thanks for the help!

As far as coming south from Kalispell I'd recommend taking 83 south and then 200 east to Lincoln and hang/camp for the night somewhere up Stemple Pass (there are signs and it is on the map). That road will then take you to I-15 and Helena. Once past Helena there are few hanging/camping opportunities until you hit the Bighorns. Coming over the Bighorns don't confuse 14A (Alt) out of Lovell with 14 out of Greybull. Of course if you wanted to fish then maybe 14A is better for you (not nearly as pretty and the road is a little scary) but there is some AWESOME fishing in the North Tongue River that flows parallel to the highway up top...flies and lures only. I caught my biggest fish ever in there.

[ferret]

in spearfish canyon just up from roughlock falls are two campground, rod & gun and timon, of the 2 timon is better for hammocks, you can also hang your hammock anywhere on national forest land as long as you aren't within 200' of an established campground, you are not allowed to have a fire though, so that opens up a couple billion trees to hang from

one thing i would add is that there is tons of private land in the hills, most people are super nice but sometimes you will run across "that person" if you would happen to hang your hammock on private land by mistake

depending on what day you're going to be around i could meet up and throw a line with you

Thanks! I'll check out Timon for sure. I dont mind finding sites in NF land, but I wont mess around anywhere near private property. Once my schedule is finalized I'll post it up. Fishing buddies will be welcome!

[ferret]

As far as coming south from Kalispell I'd recommend taking 83 south and then 200 east to Lincoln and hang/camp for the night somewhere up Stemple Pass (there are signs and it is on the map). That road will then take you to I-15 and Helena. Once past Helena there are few hanging/camping opportunities until you hit the Bighorns. Coming over the Bighorns don't confuse 14A (Alt) out of Lovell with 14 out of Greybull. Of course if you wanted to fish then maybe 14A is better for you (not nearly as pretty and the road is a little scary) but there is some AWESOME fishing in the North Tongue River that flows parallel to the highway up top...flies and lures only. I caught my biggest fish ever in there.

I'll definitely reroute to go through Greybull and 14, but I'd like to make a little more distance than Lincoln and Helena that day. I'll dropping my friend off at the airport super early that day so I'll have time. Though I heard can be a bit iffy in the morning with deer activity. Looks like Greybull has a KOA in town. Not the greatest, but it'll get me more time to take 14, Sheridan, and Buffalo the next day.