I spent 3 weeks of August driving from California to Colorado with stops in Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota. I hope the pictures help show how beautiful this drive was. There were still so many sights I didn’t capture, but you’ll have to take my word for it.
Days 1-3: California
- Emerald Bay State Park best CA state park campsite I’ve stayed at so far
- Lassen Volcanic National Park
- Juniper Spur Range pretty views were worth the sudden rainstorm
Days 4-5: Oregon
- Crater Lake National Park
- Succor Creek State Natural Area unexpectedly pretty - trip highlight!
Days 6-7: Idaho
- Bruneau Dunes State Park
- Shoshone Falls probably best to visit in the spring
- Craters of the Moon National Monument
Days 8-11: Montana
Days 12-15: Wyoming
- Yellowstone National Park Norris Geyser Basin at sunset was a major highlight
- Grand Teton National Park
- Bighorn National Forest
- Devils Tower National Monument (aka Bear Lodge)
Day 16: South Dakota
On the drive to Sage Creek Campground in Badlands, I drove by a sunflower farm at sunset. I didn’t manage to get a good photo, but it was maybe the prettiest roadside sight on the whole drive. Certainly at least prettiest outside of Glacier where the views are superlative. I would not recommend the campground, however.
Day 17: Wyoming
(This was a long day of driving to Cheyenne, so I didn’t take any photos.)
- Taco Bell in Cheyenne, WY tried the dipping taco - not bad!
Days 18-20: Colorado
Perfect way to wrap up the trip. I was blown away by the milky blue color of Lake Haiyaha!