What to see between Rapid city and Denver.

Hi!

We are planning a trip to Rapid City, and want to fly in to Rapid City and out from Denver, is there anyone who has any tips on what to see between Rapid City and Denver, if there is anything ;-)?

Norwegian girl:-)

What to see between Rapid city and Denver.

After you see the Black Hills- Custer State park, MT. Rushmore, caves and Crazy Horse as well as the Badlands then you can see Ft. Laramie on the way to Denver and stop at Cheyenne- the state capitol.

What to see between Rapid city and Denver.

Assuming summer travel...

Most of this would belong in the Wyoming forum but if you have the time for a little more round-about route.....

1. After touring the Black Hills

(LOTS to see...don%26#39;t miss Mt. Rushmore and Carzy Horse...but also Custer State Park, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave and much more)

...then exit the area via US 16 and Newcastle, Wyoming (WY). Then take US 85/18 south to Lusk, WY and then US 20 west to Interstate 25. This skirts the edge of the Thunder Basin National Grassland -- or take WY-450 to Wright and WY-85 south to Douglas, WY right through the grassland. The is an amazing topography especially in late Spring when green.

2. Take I-29 down to exit 73 south of Wheatland, WY

Here you have a choice...go to Saratoga, WY for a night at the hot springs or go to Cheyenne, WY and then to Denver.

If you have the time can can opt for going to Saratoga cut across to US 287/30 at Bosler, WYand take it west to Walcott, WY then take 130 south to Saratoga. There are two huge advantages to goign via Saratoga....1) the hot springs ( www.saratogainn.com ) and driving to Cheyenne via the Snowy Range Scenic Bypass (road opens in early June). Spectacular mountain scenery very much worth the side trip. Link to a photo I took: tripadvisor.com/…16989608

You can do the Snowy Range part form the east side as a ';up and back'; side trip from Cheyenne but to do it justice will require enough time to need to stop for a night and Saratoga Inn is a nice place for that. My motto for travel is ';see more, backtrack less';.

Another route via Saratoga (much longer) would be via Caspar, WY and WY-220 past Independence Rock where the Oregon Trail wagon trains stopped to carve their names on the top of the rock (climb up and see!). Then south to I-80 over to Walcott.

All this covers a lot of ground and is definitely not the direct route to Denver but if you have the time it also includes a lot of sights that define the American West.