OK, so the part of your trip that has me interested is your return. Having drove I-94 and I-90 in the great states of Dakota, I'd recommend I-90.
Now we get to my area of expertise: Some recommended stopping points between Rapid City and Yellowstone. Obviously, there's Mount Rushmore, but don't forget the Crazy Horse monument (bigger than Rushmore, still in construction). Deadwood's a good place to gamble; the Old No. 10 Saloon has a free hold-em tournament at 11 a.m. every day for the first 10 guys to show up (or at least they did when I went there). If you stop in Sundance, eat at the Aro, drink at The Turf and stop by the Crook County Hospital (azom's birthplace). Devils Tower is worth a look. If you have the time, hike the trail around the base of the tower. Drive as fast as possible through Gillette. Buffalo's nice; eat at the Main Street Diner (greasy spoon but good food) or the restaurant right off I-25 at exit 299 (I forget the name, Bozeman Trail or something like that). Over the top, you have a few choices. You can go through Buffalo and go to Ten Sleep and Worland; the alternate route is to go via Sheridan and over the top to either Lovell or Greybull. I'd say go over the top to Greybull; Shell Canyon is beautiful. But Ten Sleep Canyon is nice, too. Cody is kinda touristy, the same way that the Pope is kinda Catholic. In Yellowstone, do as many things as possible during the early morning or late evening -- everyone and their 2.3 children goes to see the sights between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Lamar Valley is highly underrated and worth a peek if you can get to it. Go through the Tetons while you're there and try not to get ripped off in Jackson. If you're in a hurry to get back to Vegas, go over Teton Pass and hit I-15 in Idaho Falls. If not, go through Star Valley (advertises itself as America's Switzerland or something like that; it's not that good but it's very pretty), eat at the Polar King in Kemmerer (best burger I've ever had) and get to Salt Lake that way.
Yes, I have spent a lot of time in Wyoming. And no, I've never owned a pair of velcro gloves. ;D
Now we get to my area of expertise: Some recommended stopping points between Rapid City and Yellowstone. Obviously, there's Mount Rushmore, but don't forget the Crazy Horse monument (bigger than Rushmore, still in construction). Deadwood's a good place to gamble; the Old No. 10 Saloon has a free hold-em tournament at 11 a.m. every day for the first 10 guys to show up (or at least they did when I went there). If you stop in Sundance, eat at the Aro, drink at The Turf and stop by the Crook County Hospital (azom's birthplace). Devils Tower is worth a look. If you have the time, hike the trail around the base of the tower. Drive as fast as possible through Gillette. Buffalo's nice; eat at the Main Street Diner (greasy spoon but good food) or the restaurant right off I-25 at exit 299 (I forget the name, Bozeman Trail or something like that). Over the top, you have a few choices. You can go through Buffalo and go to Ten Sleep and Worland; the alternate route is to go via Sheridan and over the top to either Lovell or Greybull. I'd say go over the top to Greybull; Shell Canyon is beautiful. But Ten Sleep Canyon is nice, too. Cody is kinda touristy, the same way that the Pope is kinda Catholic. In Yellowstone, do as many things as possible during the early morning or late evening -- everyone and their 2.3 children goes to see the sights between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Lamar Valley is highly underrated and worth a peek if you can get to it. Go through the Tetons while you're there and try not to get ripped off in Jackson. If you're in a hurry to get back to Vegas, go over Teton Pass and hit I-15 in Idaho Falls. If not, go through Star Valley (advertises itself as America's Switzerland or something like that; it's not that good but it's very pretty), eat at the Polar King in Kemmerer (best burger I've ever had) and get to Salt Lake that way.
Yes, I have spent a lot of time in Wyoming. And no, I've never owned a pair of velcro gloves. ;D
