Waco, TX to Mt. Rushmore, SD

[RollingRealtor]

Planning a trip from Waco to Mt. Rushmore. Would like info on routes (probably mostly major highways) and campgrounds and sites. Want to spend more time in the Mt. Rushmore area looking around than on the way. This will be first major trip. 36' Windsport 2009. Dolly with Cobalt. Thanks.

[wolfe10]

How much time do you have -- are you looking for most direct route or a scenic route?

If the latter, what kinds of things are you interested in?

Brett

[RollingRealtor]

We have about two weeks. Would like the fastest route to Mt. Rushmore area. Have never been to that area and don't specifically have any particular interests with the exception of historical areas.

[tbutler]

Welcome to the forum Rolling Realtor,

I checked with my GPS program. There is no interstate route that is anywhere near direct so you'll be taking some US highways to get the shortest route. I haven't driven all these roads but my experience with the US highways in the region indicate that they should be very passable. You will find them to be more interesting to drive than the interstate, you'll have to watch for signs particularly in towns as they weave and wander through small towns. Just take it easy (don't rush) with the motor home and you'll do fine. Get out your map and see how this route works for you...

From Waco you can take I- 35N to Oklahoma City.

You can pick up US 270N just west of OK City, at Seilling OK you would then take US 183N to I-70W

OR

If you prefer you could stick with I-35N to Wichita, KS where you would continue N on I-135 to Salina, KS where you could take I-70W. This route is a little longer but would be interstate all the way. The distance is greater but the time may be about the same!

Your next challenge will be to get to I-80 in Nebraska. Again, no interstate route even close.

Go west on I-70 to Wakeeney, KS and then turn north on US 283 which will take you to I-80 at Lexington, NE

Take I-80W to US 385N at Sidney, NE and stay on US 385 to SD Hwy 79N to Hermosa, SD

At Hermosa, take US 40 W to Keystone and then SD Hwy 16a south to Mt. Rushmore

Simple as that!

OR

You could take I-35 N to Kansas City, MO, then I-29 N to Sioux Falls, SD and I-80 W to Rapid City where you would take SD Hwy 79S to Hermosa and US 40W to Keystone and then SD Hwy 16a south to Mt. Rushmore.

The distance on this route is a little longer than the routes described above. My GPS programs shows it to be about 156 miles longer, 1216 vs 1372. I can't imagine it taking more time plus the driving should be about a simple as it can be. Plenty of big cities, either take the by-pass route or navigate the city traffic at non rush hour times!

When I'm driving routes like this (you indicated you want to spend more time at Rushmore than on the way) I like to travel 300 to 400 miles in a days driving. It looks to me like this could be easily driven in three days. We never stop at campgrounds when driving for distance. Kansas has great rest stops along the interstate with dump stations. We stay at highway rest stops if we can't find a Wal-Mart that is convenient. If not Wal-Mart, we'll look for large parking lots by empty store buildings and park on those if it isn't posted. Truck stops are way too noisy for us but if we are desperate we'll use them as well. If we go into a campground, it cuts into the travel day and that takes us longer to get to our destination.

Rushmore itself is a day visit. While in the area, be sure to see Custer State Park for the bison. The Black Hills have many opportunities for hiking and fishing. Near the town of Custer is the Crazy Horse Monument being carved (blasted) out of stone. There is a great museum there also. We have hiked up onto the Crazy Horse statue with Volksmarch on two separate occasions. They sponsor a walk onto the outstretched arm of Crazy Horse each spring. Don't miss that if your schedule allows. You'll be a short drive from Badlands National Park and that is something not to be missed though it can be intolerably hot in the summer. Wind Cave National Park just south of Custer State Park is also a great cave adventure and Jewel Cave National Monument to west of Custer is also interesting. There is a great excavation site at Hot Springs, SD that has mammoth bones exposed in their position where found and a nice museum to go with it. There are many interesting things to see and do in Rapid City and Sturgis is just north of Rapid City but don't go there during the Motorcycle Rally unless you really like crowds of motorcycle riders and their fans!

We stayed at the Custer/Crazy Horse RV Park just east of Custer on SD 16 Alt. That was in 2004! We found the park to be quite adequate and it was within a days touring of all the things listed above.

[Guest BillAdams]

It looks like 35N toward Topeka where you pick up 335. Here you either stay on the interstate (I70) and go into KC and up 29N to Sioux Falls or you take the US75 shortcut up to 29N and Sioux Falls. From there, go West on 90 to Rapid City and then into Mt. Rushmore. It's 63 miles longer (1317 vs. 1380) to stay on the Interstate highways and the lack of stoplights may make up for the difference.