Westward Bound May 2022 and Photos

After our trip west in 2016, we said we would not make the long drive again… we would fly and rent a car.  However, our plans changed in December, 2021 when we thought, well maybe would could drive and see some new places along the way as well as return to those we enjoyed.

Thus the journey began… Starting in Lansing, Michigan, we drove 359 miles to Madison, Wisconsin. After a one night stay (Comfort Inn Madison – Downtown), we visited Olbrich Botanical Gardens (definitely would like to return) before heading to Apple Valley, Minnesota (276 miles).  We spent two nights in Apple Valley (AmericInn by Wyndham) to have time to take in the Minnesota Zoo. I did enjoy the zoo but the number of school groups with less than supervised kids was crazy.  We were glad that we had packed our lunch and could enjoy it in the quiet of our vehicle with a nice cool breeze (and for a lot less money than the eateries charged in the zoo).  On our way back to the hotel, we stopped at Abdallah Chocolates on 147th Street which is the factory for such as well as an amazing store.  Wow!

We proceeded to Medora, North Dakota (577 miles) for one night (AmericInn by Wyndham) to break up the drive. The location was charming and food downtown was great. Another reason for choosing Medora is because it is right next door to Theodore Roosevelt National Park which we had not visited before and were glad we did.  We only spent 2.5 hours there because we needed to continue to drive 450 miles to Gardiner, Montana.

In Gardiner, we had a three night stay at Yellowstone Big Rock Inn. I booked a room with a kitchen (full size refrigerator) which meant we could have our breakfast and pack our lunches before heading into the north entrance of Yellowstone National Park.  My brother and sister-in-law had camping reservations at Mammoth Springs Campground inside the park, a short 5 mile drive to meet up.  They were our tour guides inside the park as well as our dinner chefs while there.

Departing Yellowstone, we had a short 78 mile drive up to Bozeman where we stayed four nights at “Basecamp”, the home of my brother and sister-in-law. While there, we took in the Museum of the Rockies at Montana State University which was great (including a planetarium show on Montana Night Skies).

After four nights at Basecamp, our next drive was only 21 miles. As luck would have it, Howlers Inn in Bozeman had a one night opening at their wolf sanctuary/bed and breakfast inn. It has been on my bucket list. On arrival, I was even more excited that they had recently taken in two wolf pups (only a month old). I’m so glad we were able to stay here.

Then it was back on the road to Victor, Idaho (192 miles) for a three night stay (Cobblestone Hotel & Suites).  This was our ‘Basecamp’ for spending two full days in Grand Tetons National Park. It definitely was a cost saver at $150 per night over staying in Jackson, Wyoming (about $350 per night).  However, the drive into Grand Tetons was about 35 minutes each way up and over the Teton Pass, which can be a real gripper.

Continuing on, we left Victor and drove to Custer, South Dakota (499 miles) where we stayed two nights (Comfort Inn & Suites).  We enjoyed returning to Mount Rushmore and Custer State Park.

Winding down on our return home, we enjoyed a stop at Chamberlain, South Dakota, seeing the completed statue of ‘Dignity’ along the Missouri River after which we spent one night in Onalaska, Wisconsin staying at Comfort Inn Onalaska – La Crosse (total drive for the day, 675 miles).

On our final trip day we drove from Onalaska, WI to Lansing, MI (496 miles).  Total miles driven on this trip was 4,406. We were pleased that our van, heavily loaded with more stuff than we needed, was getting great mileage (often 32 mpg even climbing over the mountain passes). Gas prices for the trip were quite a bit lower than they were after we returned, making our total gas cost $750.

We accomplished our goal of seeing several new places.  I’d definitely enjoy seeing Olbrich Botanical Gardens when they are more in full bloom.  The number of bears we saw in Yellowstone this trip (including one REALLY close) was fantastic.  We were very fortunate to have been there one month ahead of the floods which impacted many areas of the park. The scenery in Grand Tetons was spectacular, wildlife not so much. Spending time with family is always great! Trip Highlight: the wolves at Howlers Inn B&B and wolf sanctuary.