Ohio to South Dakota - Montana Owners Club

tractor · 02-14-2006, 01:15 PM

Can any one recomend any campgrounds between ohio and south dakota.We will be using 70 and 90.I figure we will camp at least three nights there and back.

Montana Sky · 02-14-2006, 02:54 PM

Tractor,
Where in South Dakota are you going?

Bill Frisbee · 02-14-2006, 03:21 PM

More experienced RV travellers can probably cite 100 reasons why it is a bad idea ... but I go to the KOA website where they have a trip planner listing all the KOAs along your intended route. I am sure there are KOAs that are clinkers but in our relatively brief experience, they are a relatively consistent, affordable, and known commodity. One of our first trips after we retire will be from the Toronto area to Keystone, SD. Having made the trek through Chicago via I-90 and I-94 on numerous occasions (without the Monty), we will certainly be taking a route similar to the one you are contemplating on your trip when we head west ... well south of Chicago and up to Sioux Falls from the south. I have actually charted out a tentative route going from KOA to KOA and it seems to work out just fine.

Bill

Montana Sky · 02-14-2006, 09:41 PM

Bill,
I make my annual run from Spokane, WA to Nashville, TN via Chicago every October. I must admit that this is probably my favorite road trip that I do. I use I-90 East all the way to Sioux Falls, SD from Spokane, jump down I-29 South to the I-680 East bypass to I-80 East into Chicago. There are some really nice fuel stops between Rapid City, SD and Chicago and in my opinion the view is awesome as well. I sure hope you enjoy your time in the Black Hills when you get there.

Bill Frisbee · 02-15-2006, 12:49 AM

Montana Sky ...

Thanks for the tip. We were fortunate to spend several days in the Keystone/Badlands area two summers ago (without the Monty) but left with the definite feeling that there was a great deal that we had missed or did not enjoy as fully as we would have with more time. In addition to all the historical attractions in the area (including the Mustang Sanctuary), the views and vistas across the Great Plains are just breathtaking. We cannot wait to go back and hang out for a couple of weeks.

Bill

Bill Frisbee · 02-15-2006, 12:58 AM

Montana Sky ...

Do you take I-80 right through the south side of Chicago or do you avoid Chicago altogether and take another route down toward the Indianapolis area? A few years ago when we used to go to Milwaukee periodically the I-80/I-94 combination south of Chicago was in terrible shape ... rough, narrow, and crowded.

Bill

tractor · 02-15-2006, 01:41 PM

We are going to stay in custer at big pines camp ground.We are going in july so I need to be able to hook up to electric and put my slides out for the wife and dogs.

Montana Sky · 02-15-2006, 06:25 PM

Bill,
Having lived in Rapid City, SD I feel very blessed to have been able to call the Black Hills home. It is truly gods country out there. As far as the Chicago area I take I-80 right to I-65 South and stay on that all the way down to Nashville. I stay off of the I-90/I-94 up there, too much traffic and I dont want to deal with the tollway. There is only 1 toll I hit on I-80 before the I-65 exit. Back in October I-80 was under construction from Joliet, IL all the way to I-65, took a long time as they only had 2 lanes in each direction going. That project is supposed to be done by spring I had heard so this year should be smooth sailing. (HOPEFULLY) =)

Bill Frisbee · 02-16-2006, 01:18 AM

tractor ...

We are envious. It will be a couple of years before we are able to take our extended trip to the Black Hills. Having done the trek from Ontario through Flint and Lansing, Michigan and then I-94 through Chicago, I am convinced that we will go thru Buffalo and south of Lake Erie to your neck of the woods and then follow your route to SD. Our initial thoughts were to go thru Columbus to Indianapolis, Champaign/Urbana and out to the Kansas City area before heading north to Sioux Falls ... KOAing it along the way. Will now be checking out Montana Sky's recommendations as well. I hope you have as great a time in the Black Hills as we had and expect to have on our next visit. Except for being thrown from a horse while on a trail ride in the Badlands (missed the cactus and piles of equine biomass fortunately), it was one of the most memorable trips we have ever taken.

We hope you will report on any campgrounds you discover along the way. We would also like to spend a day or two exploring the Iron Nation and Good Soldier Creek Recreation areas west of Mitchell.

Bill

Emmel · 02-16-2006, 02:43 AM

Tractor, we live in the western Ohio area and will recommend a couple cgs for you. On I-70 in east Ohio starting in Springfield, Tommorow Stars . full hookup, $22 anight, next is Brookville , $30 a night for two people. Just inside Indiana is GrandPas Farm and Pow Wow cgs, both in the $20 a night area. All these cgs will accomodate slides and most have some sort of discount, Good Sam or AAA KOA. If you are going in the summer I suggest making reservations at intervals for daily driving, some cgs fill up on weekends. Been to the Black Hills, you will enjoy the whole area, lots to see.

sreigle · 02-17-2006, 02:28 PM

Bill Frisbee, I towed I-80 around the south side of Chicago a couple of years ago but will never do it again. It is one thing to tow on one of the worst and roughest roads in the country but quite another to have to pay for the privilege. That experience put me in what Vicki would say is not a good frame of mind.

Tractor, in the Kansas City area we like Campus RV Park in Independence, MO. That's where we spend November, December, and a month in the summer while visiting our children and grandchildren. If you are farther west, in Kansas, we really like the Tuttle Creek State Park just NE of Manhattan, KS. No sewer hookups but they have electricity and water and very roomy sites.

Bill Frisbee · 02-18-2006, 03:12 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

Bill Frisbee, I towed I-80 around the south side of Chicago a couple of years ago but will never do it again. It is one thing to tow on one of the worst and roughest roads in the country but quite another to have to pay for the privilege. That experience put me in what Vicki would say is not a good frame of mind.

That is certainly consistent with my recollection! We will avoid Chicago by going through Tractor's area and then out to Kansas City (have bookmarked the Campus RV website)and then head up to Sioux Falls. An alternative is to loop north of the Great Lakes on the Trans Canada but need to do a bit more investigation.

Bill

sreigle · 02-18-2006, 03:44 PM

Bill, Campus stays pretty full. They have only 30 sites. Some months they are totally full. They usually have sites in the overflow area. Water and electric only in those sites.

Cyndy and Jack are the managers. If you call for a reservation and talk to one of them be sure to say 'hi' for us. They are retiring and are breaking in some new managers over a two year period that just began. So Cyndy likely will answer the phone althou it could be the new folks.

I don't remember if I mentioned it before but they have free very fast wifi and 72 channel Cox cable, also free. Well, we likely pay for it as part of the site rate.

If you have a little time in the area, you will be in Harry Truman's home town, both before and after his Presidency. The Truman home is there and can be toured. Also his Presidential Library. And you will be just a couple of blocks from downtown Independence. A great place to walk around and read the historical plaques in the sidewalks and on the walls. And you'll be about three blocks from the start of the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails.

If you happen to get a site next to Mark and Mary who live in a class A that is unmarked (actually is a Mountain Aire), be sure to tell them hello for us also. You'll know them by the new Chevy HHR they drive.

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