Traveling Route Suggestion from Craters of Moon to Reno

[Capebuild]

In looking at the map.... car traveling from Craters of the Moon in Idaho to the Reno area destination looks a bit challenging (like maybe a shortage of gas stations )
Any thoughts or suggestions as far as routes would be appreciated. Not sure I want to spend 8 or so hours driving through the desert (but then again, maybe I should be adventurous )
We don't necessarily have to go to the Reno area but do need to wind up in the San Fransisco area...so we could go further north then down.... or somewhere else from the
Crater of the Moon area.

Thanks for any suggestions!

John

[tony.latham]

Gas up in Arco and you're good to go... Jackpot is 150 miles... Wells is about the same I think and plenty of pumps between there and Reno. I'd get on Google Earth and find a boondockable campsite or two.

Arco to Jackpot is about my least favorite part of Idaho... Are you going through Stanley, perhaps?

Tony

[twisted lines]

I don’t care for the 4 lane, desert drive 80 fastest straitest most um stops & Donner pass, Reno, Tahoe, Sacramento, Don’t see it but I guess that’s where northern Cali Starts; body count

I like The road to the north 140 or south 50 there are deserted, desert!
50 Still gets ya to Reno.
140 gets ya closer to Crater lake.

[Capebuild]

Gas up in Arco and you're good to go... Jackpot is 150 miles... Wells is about the same I think and plenty of pumps between there and Reno. I'd get on Google Earth and find a boondockable campsite or two.
Arco to Jackpot is about my least favorite part of Idaho... Are you going through Stanley, perhaps?
Tony

Thanks Tony. I've been looking at FreeCampsites.net and there seems to be plenty of that available in Nevada. No experience with that so need to educate myself a bit. And thanks for the gas fill up tips. should be fine.
So far my wife and I have been "roughing" out our routing via google maps (started with GAIA but finding for interstate and local road travel and mapping, Google seems to work well) then we'll go back and fine tune our travels. Not sure we'll be as far north as Stanley but when all solidifies, who knows. Are you near there? It would be fun to visit and meet even if for breakfast or... whatever.

Twisted.... thanks for the thoughts on 50 and 140. I've gone through Donner Pass before driving at 5am and foggy.... interesting . .... Will check out 50 and 140.
EDIT: Just did some looking at RTE 50. I see it's "The loneliest road in America"
Thanks


John

[tony.latham]

Are you near there? It would be fun to visit and meet even if for breakfast...

I'm in Salmon. Two hours downriver from Stanley. The reason I asked, is that Stanley Basin is one of the most beautiful places in the west.



How do you think you'll get to Craters?

You might download the Public Lands App. You can boondock on BLM or USFS about 99% of the time. That's 61% of Idaho and 63% in Nevada.

Tony

[twisted lines]

EDIT: Just did some looking at RTE 50. I see it's "The loneliest road in America"
Thanks
John

It is said if you drive it you’ll know why
If that would bother you disregard!

Favorite town Austin; biggest hill Austin.

[Capebuild]

How do you think you'll get to Craters?

Our plan (up till late last evening) was to go to Fishing Bridge in Yellowstone WY and then head over to the Craters of the Moon area.
However now I'm rethinking this route (and stops) and from the Black Hills (Custer State Park) heading down more southerly through Wyoming,
clipping Utah and then heading through Nevada. I would like to go to Canyonlands but for the trip out, that is probably a bit too far south....
and maybe best to hit that on the return trip. As you can see, this is still a work in progress.

The Stanley area does look pretty nice.
Will keep you posted.


John

[tony.latham]

more southerly through Wyoming, clipping Utah and then heading through Nevada...

When are you heading out? After the West cools a bit? We dearly love our southern Utha trips but we do 'em in April/May.





Tony

[rjgimp]

I've been looking at FreeCampsites.net ..


John

That's a fantastic resource. We went out to Alliance NE for the eclipse in August 2017 and found a great site in Oacoma SD just across the Missouri river from Chamberlain. On the way west we were at a nice back in spot right on the river bank with a little fire pit and we liked it so much we stopped there again on the way back east on the other end at somewhat of a crude boat ramp. The whole site looks like about 40 acres or so. It's at <43.793001,-99.391574> I have a few pictures, I'll see if I can find them.

I'm searching through it now for options for an upcoming swing through MO, TN, & KY.

[Capebuild]

Great video, Tony.... kind of looks like Bandolier .... but looks great.

We are back to going all the way through South Dakota to Fishing Bridge and through Yellowstone and on to Craters of the Moon.

I looked at those coordinates Rob... we will be going right through there.....so maybe we'll check out that boondock site you mention. Thanks!

One unexpected stop off is now Sheboygan Wisconsin and to the John Michael Kohler Arts Center. One of those places that wasn't on my radar but looks really great.

John

[western traveler]

John, I have to jump in and say if you are coming from the east I highly recommend going through Cody WY and stopping for a visit at the Buffalo Bill Cody Museum on your way into Yellowstone. It is worth every mile extra you may travel to get there. The Indian exhibit is a moving experience!
Have lunch out on the lawn as it takes a good while to see.
The Irma Hotel is an experience to wonder through and has a decent breakfast.

https://centerofthewest.org/
https://www.irmahotel.com/?utm_source=GBP&utm_medium=Web

[Modstock]

Beware of googlemaps in Idaho. It has a tendency to follow random dirt farm roads as a shortcut.
Stick to the major interstates. Double check routes with a good old fashioned paper map .

Sent from my SM-A115AP using Tapatalk

[twisted lines]

Beware of googlemaps in Idaho. It has a tendency to follow random dirt farm roads as a shortcut.
Stick to the major interstates. Double check routes with a good old fashioned paper map .

Sent from my SM-A115AP using Tapatalk

I found one of those trying to go inland above SF years ago,
I had to call in late for a very important date

[Capebuild]

John, I have to jump in and say if you are coming from the east I highly recommend going through Cody WY and stopping for a visit at the Buffalo Bill Cody Museum on your way into Yellowstone. It is worth every mile extra you may travel to get there. The Indian exhibit is a moving experience!

Thanks for the tip, Ralph. Going through Cody, I believe, is in the plan so we will make it a point to go to the Cody Museum. Sounds great. Looked at Irma's menu..... looks good too and looks like a fun place to visit. South Dakota looks really interesting. At first I though we'd just "zip" right thru.... but there's a lot to take in there. On another note, glad you're recovering well and feeling back to normal (somewhat) from the current covid.

[RJ Howell]

South Dakota looks really interesting. At first I though we'd just "zip" right thru.... but there's a lot to take in there.

We have family on the east side of SD and tend to travel SD off the Interstate (which I believe I mentioned to you before) if you run below interstate speeds, which I do, takes very close to the same amount of time and rural SD is pretty cool!
We spent two weeks in the Black Hills many years back and still only got a taste of them. We've put some time into Custer State Park and loved the area! Next time through looking to run down into Wind Cave National Park and lower portions of the 'Hills'.

Sounds like a great trip planned!