Route Suggestions - Gunnison Home To Ontario

[marcopolo]

About six weeks ago, I got a lot of good suggestions as to what route to take from Ottawa to Gunnison. I'm essentially taking interstates down through NY and into OH, until I pick up the route Paul Mihalka is following from Cincinnati west (mostly Rt 50). Rather than just re-tracing my steps when I go home, I'm looking for other possibilities. In that original thread a month and a half ago, PhillyFlash mentioned NE Utah, Jackson Wyoming, Yellowstone, Cody WY, Red Lodge Montana, Devil's Tower Wy, and the Black Hills of South Dakota. At the time I dismissed it as perhaps taking too much time. My current plan has me leaving home Thursday, 15 June, arriving in Gunnison Monday, 19 June, and departing Friday 23 June. I want to be home by Friday 30 June latest. My current route is about 3500 kms/2200 miles and I can easily do that in the time alloted. However, I could very easily leave home on Monday 12 June, or even the Sunday. That's a long way of saying if anyone suggests a route through Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota etc., it would likely be longer than the outbound leg I've got mapped out now, but I could easily reverse the two, and do the longer route on my way out, and save my current route for the trip home.

 

The punch line: does anyone have recommendations for an interesting route from Gunnison back to Ottawa, Ontario that differs from my current outbound route? I'd prefer one that doesn't have me making loops way out of my way, but does put me through some interesting roads/places. I've never been in this part of the uS before, so it will be all new to me. I'm also not interested in being stuck behind hundreds of deadfully slow RVs, or ending up in places where it's impossible to find a room. I know, tall order, but it doesn't hurt to ask I figure.

[DavidEBSmith]

North into Wyoming, skirt the western edge of Wyoming up to Jackson and the Tetons, north into Yellowstone, east out of Yellowstone over Beartooth Pass, south to Cody, east on US 14 or 14A to Devils Tower, east to the Black Hills (Spearfish Canyon Road, Mount Rushmore), east through the Badlands. Then head for Minneapolis (doesn't matter which route across the Dakotas, it all looks the same). Up to Duluth, then either across the U.P. of Michigan or north around Lake Superior to Sault St. Marie, and 17 straight to Ottawa.

 

Or as PhillyFlash suggested, you could head west into Utah, then do the above, depending on how much time you have.

[steveknapp]

North into Wyoming, skirt the western edge of Wyoming up to Jackson and the Tetons

 

US191 was a wonderful route north...

 

The route north of lake superior...

 

 

[DouglasR]

North into Wyoming, skirt the western edge of Wyoming up to Jackson and the Tetons, north into Yellowstone, east out of Yellowstone over Beartooth Pass, south to Cody, east on US 14 or 14A to Devils Tower, east to the Black Hills (Spearfish Canyon Road, Mount Rushmore), east through the Badlands. Then head for Minneapolis (doesn't matter which route across the Dakotas, it all looks the same). Up to Duluth, then either across the U.P. of Michigan or north around Lake Superior to Sault St. Marie, and 17 straight to Ottawa.

 

Or as PhillyFlash suggested, you could head west into Utah, then do the above, depending on how much time you have.

 

I've gotta laugh about this! From a trip I just returned from, here's South Dakota:

 

 

North Dakota:

 

 

Black Hills!!!!!

 

 

 

 

Devil's Tower!!!!

 

 

 

Big Horn Mountains (between Cody area and Black Hills)!!!

 

 

Older photo of Sunlight (near Beartooths)!!!

 

 

Tetons from a while ago!!!

 

 

Jellystone from yesterday (had to "work" at Old Faithful, so I took the bicycle with me and played some):

 

 

 

 

If you need detailed routes I'd be happy to oblige. Once you're out of the Black Hills you're on your own, though! I don't feel the need to ever ride across the Dakotas again, no offense to anyone from there, but DAMN!

[Paul Mihalka]

I've gotta laugh about this! From a trip I just returned from, here's South Dakota:

 

 

North Dakota:

 

I MUCH prefer this to a Interstate packed with eighteenwheelers. Besides, with this traffic, few customers, means not much chance for flashing blue lights

[marcopolo]

DouglasR, I certainly would like to take you up on your offer of detailed routes if you have the time. Thanks to you, and the others. Looks like an interesting ride. I've already sketched something out in Mapsource, but it's always better to use specific roads from someone who's been there. Great pics; can't wait for the Dakotas! BTW, is Yellowstone a zoo that time of year, or are most kids still in school? Around here, elementary and high school kids don't get out until the last week of June.

 

As for Paul's commnent about flashing blue lights, I always have to remind myself that you mean police. Up here, flashing blue lights mean a snow plow. Police/fire/ambulance use red.

[DouglasR]

I couldn't even tell you what a NoDak or SoDak police car looks like, I never saw one in 1300 miles of riding that fine country. I saw this Wyoming officer just outside of Ten Sleep, though, with an unhappy biker:

 

 

Peak tourist season in Yellowstone is the first week of July, but it ramps up as early as NOW and runs pretty heavy through the end of August. There were quite a few folks on the roads yesterday and the South Entrance just opened last week. I saw a number of scooter riders, including two rugged individualists on fully outfitted GSA's. I was salivating.... It will be pretty busy in mid-late June, but it's certainly worth the effort to ride it. There just isn't anywhere else like Yellowstone.

 

 

September is my favorite time to tour Yellowstone, most of the kiddies are gone and traffic tails off tremendously. I bicycled from Fishing Bridge to West Thumb and back along Yellowstone Lake late last October (about 32 miles, I think) and saw three cars. It was about 55 degrees and GORGEOUS:

 

 

Marcopolo, if you PM me your address I'll get some free maps from my local Chamber of Commerce, mark them up and send them to you. Then we can go over them over a beer at the UnRally!

 

Doug

[PhillyFlash]

You should be able to ride the route that I suggested in about a week, so it should work fine in either direction.