I've been thinking about this for some time now. I really want to unplug after 17 years of straight schooling. I decided I really want to spend 6-8 weeks doing a tour of the planes and Great Lakes. I'm thinking I want to go south east starting in Alberta and head for the border of S. Dakota and Nebraska then head northeast through Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and down to Detroit. Has anyone ever done a similar route and have any idea about free/cheap camping or routes that have proven to be fun or awe inspiring?
Reply to this Andrew,
Welcome to Travelblog. Travel is always an adventure. To best answer your question, we need to know a little about you. What do you like doing, and what would you like to see?
The Black Hills of South Dakota feature some incredible scenery, along with more tourist sites than most people can imagine. For a bicyclist, the roads can be pretty scary. Thankfully, the hills features two rail-to-trail routes: George S Mickelson and Centenial Trails. Badlands National Park next door is pretty special too in the scenery department.
Reply to this Ezra,
Thank you for your response. I'm really just looking to clear my head and unwind before I start graduate school, so I suppose the better the scenery the more fun I'll have. I like doing almost anything outdoors. Though, as this will be a long trip, I think that I will keep side trips for hiking and whatnot to a minimum. I think one of my goals is to go around or through Yellowstone. The Black Hills would also be fun, I do have some family roots there.
When you say scary, do you mean difficult or dangerous? I've heard of the "rail to trail" routes before, but I don't fully understand the concept, are they friendly to bike touring or do they require a mountain bike? I suppose my path will be dictated by the ease of finding camping spots. I would like to stay in as many free spots as possible which I believe is going "primitive" in any National Park or Grassland, though I haven't done the full research yet.
Reply to this Andrew,
By "scary roads", I mean narrow roads with lots of curves. Drivers have trouble seeing you, and they are not always polite when passing. Having said that, I know people who bicycled these type of routes and loved it.
A "rail to trail" is an old railroad where people took up the tracks and turned it into a bike path. Some are paved while others are gravel. Check the web or ask at local bike shops.
Yellowstone roads are narrow, filled with curves, and see lots of traffic. Ask the rangers how to do them safely. Unless you are willing to go out of your way afterward (into central Montana or central Wyoming) you will also need to contend with the Abathascoa and Big Horn Mountains, which feature 8-10% grades. The scenery is fantastic.
Free camping in any park is difficult. Rangers restrict people to developed sites, which cost $5 - $20 each. Free camping is possible on Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service land, which tends to be located off dirt roads.
Your trip sounds fantastic. Good Luck!
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