August recommendations for Sioux Falls through Minnesota

[kmcintyre]

We're heading from Boise to (near) Sioux Falls in August and then have 4 - 5 days in MN open before we have to be in Des Moines.

We're looking for suggestions on some highlights. I searched the forum and found some ideas :

Porcupine Mountains SP on the UP of Michigan on the Superior Lake shore
and
the scenic drive is along the Lake Superior shore from Duluth to the northeast

We'll have our dog and maybe road or mtn bikes.

Thanks.

 

[longhorn1]

K, Porcupine Mtn. SP is a neat place, spent 2 days before going to Pictured Rock National Lakeshore, staying at 12 mile campground. Check out our trip in our blog from June 2016.

 

[takesiteasy]

The North Shore of Lake Superior and the UP are both worthy and scenic destinations. With only 4-5 days you will use up a fair amount of your time driving (8-9 hours driving from Sioux Falls to either location, not including stops). You could easily spend a week or more exploring either location. August is busy camping season so you might want to make reservations.

If that is too much driving, there are some nice prairie parks and wildlife refuges in the southwestern part of Minnesota. In the southeastern part of the state there are beautiful blufflands along the Mississippi. Here's a link to Minnesota State Parks: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/map.html The Mississippi along the eastern border of Iowa has some interesting sites to explore also, including Effigy Mounds National Monument. You could also drop down into Nebraska to explore the Sand Hills area.

You can check our blog for some trip reports covering these areas and others.

I presume you will hit the Black HIlls and Badlands NP on your way past.

 

[kmcintyre]

The North Shore of Lake Superior and the UP are both worthy and scenic destinations. With only 4-5 days you will use up a fair amount of your time driving (8-9 hours driving from Sioux Falls to either location, not including stops). You could easily spend a week or more exploring either location. August is busy camping season so you might want to make reservations.

If that is too much driving, there are some nice prairie parks and wildlife refuges in the southwestern part of Minnesota. In the southeastern part of the state there are beautiful blufflands along the Mississippi. Here's a link to Minnesota State Parks: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/map.html The Mississippi along the eastern border of Iowa has some interesting sites to explore also, including Effigy Mounds National Monument. You could also drop down into Nebraska to explore the Sand Hills area.

You can check our blog for some trip reports covering these areas and others.

I presume you will hit the Black HIlls and Badlands NP on your way past.

Yes, we've done Badlands, Black Hills, Custer (one of my favorite State Parks ever).... can you point me to the year/date of your trips on your blog?

thanks.

 

[Bigfoot Dave]

I don't have a blog but we live in Duluth, MN and spend lots of time up the North Shore. If you would like to ask some questions please feel free to contact me at dmiller@nwoutlet.com
We have a place to park in our piney woods if you would like to stay in Duluth but I'd head North. It is a beautiful area. The UP of Michigan is beautiful too. We just love the rock and pine of the North Shore. You are right on the shore for most of the trip.
Camp on, Bigfoot Dave

 

[takesiteasy]

Yes, we've done Badlands, Black Hills, Custer (one of my favorite State Parks ever).... can you point me to the year/date of your trips on your blog?

thanks.

Here's some (feel free to p/m if you have questions). I'm sure you can find more info online as well:
North Shore and UP (part 1 and 5,6,7): http://travelswithrockythedog.blogspot.com/2015/09/lake-superior-circle-part-1.html
Another taste of the North Shore: http://travelswithrockythedog.blogspot.com/2013/06/north-house-folk-school.html
Southwestern MN: http://travelswithrockythedog.blogspot.com/2013/06/ancient-sites-and-symbols.html
Southeastern MN: http://travelswithrockythedog.blogspot.com/2012/10/whitewater-state-park-and-root-river.html

 

[kmcintyre]

Awesome trip reports and generosity of the people on this forum! We have a "few" months before departure so plenty of time to figure a route out .

Not sure of our route back to Idaho either from Des Moines but may hit Rooselvelt NP on the home and tour that area.

Thanks again and keep recommendations coming as you think of them!

Kevin

 

[Foy]

Best to be aware of the dates for the 2017 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally as you plan. Visiting anything in the Black Hills during early August as well as just traversing the area around Sturgis can be a surprising challenge given the over capacity condition of the highways, fuel plazas, food stops, rest areas, campgrounds, and motels.

You'll avoid lots of that by swing up I-94 from Billings, though you'll have lots of company along I-90 eastbound at least as far as Billings, as well as westbound on I-90 if you were to swing up that way on the return trip.

The Theodore Roosevelt NP and the National Grasslands around the NP units are very nice. Much of the area bounded by I-94 to the north, US 12 to the south, and the ND-MT state line to the west is laced with graded gravel and bentonite clay roads within the NG units. Be very aware of the term "impassible when wet", as bentonite roads are just that, at least for a few hours to a day or so after a heavy rain.

The western UP is very nice. The Porkies and on up the Keweenaw Peninsula are hilly to mountainous, verdant, warm in the daytime, and cool at night. One can camp right on the Lake Superior shore at the mouth of the Huron River northeast of L'Anse, then wind one's way some 40 miles through the Huron Mountains south to US 41 west of Marquette.

Foy

 

[kmcintyre]

Best to be aware of the dates for the 2017 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally as you plan. Visiting anything in the Black Hills during early August as well as just traversing the area around Sturgis can be a surprising challenge given the over capacity condition of the highways, fuel plazas, food stops, rest areas, campgrounds, and motels.

You'll avoid lots of that by swing up I-94 from Billings, though you'll have lots of company along I-90 eastbound at least as far as Billings, as well as westbound on I-90 if you were to swing up that way on the return trip.

The Theodore Roosevelt NP and the National Grasslands around the NP units are very nice. Much of the area bounded by I-94 to the north, US 12 to the south, and the ND-MT state line to the west is laced with graded gravel and bentonite clay roads within the NG units. Be very aware of the term "impassible when wet", as bentonite roads are just that, at least for a few hours to a day or so after a heavy rain.

The western UP is very nice. The Porkies and on up the Keweenaw Peninsula are hilly to mountainous, verdant, warm in the daytime, and cool at night. One can camp right on the Lake Superior shore at the mouth of the Huron River northeast of L'Anse, then wind one's way some 40 miles through the Huron Mountains south to US 41 west of Marquette.

Foy

Great reminder about Sturgis and info on roads. Thanks for the suggestions/info!

 

[longhorn1]

Kevin,
Foy had a wealth of Michigan info. Somewhere around the fall of 2015 in trip planning you will find my post loaded with great info from Foy, as well as my blog and our June 2016 trip. jd

 

[kmcintyre]

Kevin,
Foy had a wealth of Michigan info. Somewhere around the fall of 2015 in trip planning you will find my post loaded with great info from Foy, as well as my blog and or June 2016 trip. jd

I give it a search/look! Thanks.