Ride to Logan, Utah from Buffalo, MN

[wftreg]

I am heading from Buffalo MN to Logan Utah and would welcome suggestions for a more scenic route. My plans are to avoid the interstate as much as is reasonable. I am particularly interested in finding a route that would take me through the badlands into Wyoming. Thanks!

 

[TripperMike]

Wish I could be of some help here, but I've never taken the time to ride county roads that far West. Always took the path of least resistance.....slabs. Your post got me to looking at the map for that area, some nice looking areas it seems. Maybe Hwy 12 out of Wayzata and just go go go. Lotta little towns though.

Time wise, how long are you thinking of? Should be a great ride.

 

[TomInPA]

Here you go LINK

I have ridden this route, and it's pretty hard to beat. This takes you via US 14 to the Badlands. That is just a short loop, but worth seeing. I find it irresistible not to go too fast along the badlands road to appreciate the scenery. The route goes on the better Black Hills roads to Mt Rushmore and exits via US 16A which you have to see to believe. The road not only switches back, it actually spirals. Before exiting the Black Hills I took you up Hwy 87 the Pinnacles road which has great rock formations and is very technical. You may want to exit north to see Devils Tower, or use the US 16 exit shown on the map past Jewel Cave.

Rather than directly to Logan, I recommend a northerly route through Gillette and Sheridan to take US14A across the Bighorn Mountains to Red Lodge Montana. This sets you up for the epic Beartooth Pass Highway 212 to Yellowstone's Northeast entry. From there it's straight south on 89 through the Tetons to Logan.

Good luck, let me know if you have any questions. I might have some lodging tips along the way.

 

[rickcorwn]

TominCA has pretty much nailed it, I did most of this on the way to NAFO just more than a week ago. A slight variance is I went to Cody then took the Chief Joseph Hwy aka hwy 296 to the west end of Beartooth rode that down to Red Lodge and turned around and rode it back then entered Yellowstone. I found Yellowstone to be beautiful and frustrating the tourists there got on my nerves pretty quickly and I exited the park sooner than I planned but I've been there before too.

 

[wftreg]

Wish I could be of some help here, but I've never taken the time to ride county roads that far West. Always took the path of least resistance.....slabs. Your post got me to looking at the map for that area, some nice looking areas it seems. Maybe Hwy 12 out of Wayzata and just go go go. Lotta little towns though.

Time wise, how long are you thinking of? Should be a great ride.

I am heading out July 5th and am taking two days to get to Logan. The last time I went there I headed South into Missouri and then into Colorado. I made it back from Logan in one twenty hour day, but I came back via Nebraska on the interstate…..it was hot and tiring. This trip to Logan is going to keep me off of the interstate and at a more reasonable pace and much more interesting terrain.

 

[wftreg]

Here you go LINK

I have ridden this route, and it's pretty hard to beat. This takes you via US 14 to the Badlands. That is just a short loop, but worth seeing. I find it irresistible not to go too fast along the badlands road to appreciate the scenery. The route goes on the better Black Hills roads to Mt Rushmore and exits via US 16A which you have to see to believe. The road not only switches back, it actually spirals. Before exiting the Black Hills I took you up Hwy 87 the Pinnacles road which has great rock formations and is very technical. You may want to exit north to see Devils Tower, or use the US 16 exit shown on the map past Jewel Cave.

Rather than directly to Logan, I recommend a northerly route through Gillette and Sheridan to take US14A across the Bighorn Mountains to Red Lodge Montana. This sets you up for the epic Beartooth Pass Highway 212 to Yellowstone's Northeast entry. From there it's straight south on 89 through the Tetons to Logan.

Good luck, let me know if you have any questions. I might have some lodging tips along the way.

Thanks this is very helpful! Lodging tips would be appreciated. In the past I have just thrown a tent on the back, but this trip I plan on treating myself.

Bill

 

[TomInPA]

You can do the ride in 2-days, but you'd thank me if you took 3 or 4. Ideally plan on staying somewhere near the Black Hills the first day. Take your time seeing Badlands and if you're feeling good do some touring in the Black Hills. If you're hanging onto the 2-day schedule, finish up in the Black Hills and hustle to Sheridan on Day 1. Be aware the first week of August is the Sturgis Rally. Accommodations will be nearly impossible anywhere near the Black Hills if you hit that, and the roads will be choked with slowly moving cruiser parades. If you spend the night in Sheridan, try the Holiday Lodge Motel. It's an old 50's joint with the best pool and nicest people you'll ever meet. Breakfast in Dayton at the Branding Iron Cafe.

We left Sheridan and rode 14A over the Bighorns, to Red Lodge, then crossed Beathtooth Pass, and took the Chief Joseph Hwy to Cody. You don't have that much time, so stay on 212 over Beartooth and just take the express shot through YellowStone and the Tetons. You'll finish late in Logan on day 2, or if you add another night in Cody, you'll have a better ride. If you do come to Cody, make a reservation at the Cody Motor Lodge. It is classic for motorcycles with walking access to the Irma Hotel and Restaurant and a liquor store next door LOL. Best rates, and clean, but you won't get in without a reservation in summer.

 

[wftreg]

You can do the ride in 2-days, but you'd thank me if you took 3 or 4. Ideally plan on staying somewhere near the Black Hills the first day. Take your time seeing Badlands and if you're feeling good do some touring in the Black Hills. If you're hanging onto the 2-day schedule, finish up in the Black Hills and hustle to Sheridan on Day 1. Be aware the first week of August is the Sturgis Rally. Accommodations will be nearly impossible anywhere near the Black Hills if you hit that, and the roads will be choked with slowly moving cruiser parades. If you spend the night in Sheridan, try the Holiday Lodge Motel. It's an old 50's joint with the best pool and nicest people you'll ever meet. Breakfast in Dayton at the Branding Iron Cafe.

We left Sheridan and rode 14A over the Bighorns, to Red Lodge, then crossed Beathtooth Pass, and took the Chief Joseph Hwy to Cody. You don't have that much time, so stay on 212 over Beartooth and just take the express shot through YellowStone and the Tetons. You'll finish late in Logan on day 2, or if you add another night in Cody, you'll have a better ride. If you do come to Cody, make a reservation at the Cody Motor Lodge. It is classic for motorcycles with walking access to the Irma Hotel and Restaurant and a liquor store next door LOL. Best rates, and clean, but you won't get in without a reservation in summer.

I completed the trip, and boy were you right! 600+ mile days in the heat was tiring and way too much. Although it is beautiful country and a wonderful trip, I passed many interesting stops and I was not able to take in some of the sights or routes that could have made the trip better. I soaked my shirt with water under my Mesh jacket and it would keep me relatively cool for about 40 minutes. Plenty of prong horns supervising along the highway. Going through Wyoming avoiding the interstate taught me a lesson about the need to scout for gas stations before leaving. I had to purchase some gas from a very nice couple in a bus at a rest area. Many of the little towns had no fuel, and with very spotty cell phone reception; it could have made for a problem.

All in all it was a good trip!

Thanks,

Bill

 

[TomInPA]

Glad it worked out. I also did the T-shirt soak on a cross-country trip, but have since gotten an evaporative cooling vest that lasts longer. Fuel stops are not too bad across most of that stretch, although there is nothing across 14A for quite a distance in the Bighorns. Once you clear the plains, its a great place to travel, and taking time to appreciate the sights is a very different experience from pushing through to make the miles. I rarely traveled less than 600 miles per day, and on back roads and twisties, the price is pretty high.

Ride report?