Yellowstone National Park is one of the most popular road trip destinations in the United States; people drive to Yellowstone from all corners of the country and for good reason!
The most direct route from Chicago to Yellowstone covers roughly 1,390 miles.
If you were to drive to Yellowstone from Chicago without stopping, it would take about 20 hours, depending on traffic and weather conditions.
Now that you have an idea of what the logistics of a drive from Chicago to Yellowstone entail, here are some of the top places to stop along the way.
You’ll find a variety of cool art exhibits at the Des Moines Art Center, which has an impressive collection from artists, including Georgia O’Keefe and Henri Matisse.
Even if you don’t have much time, you can stop to visit Falls Park in the center of the city, where you can view the impressive waterfalls the city is named after.
Covering over 250,000 acres, the Badlands holds stunning opportunities for hiking. Window Trail is a good option for an easy path that’s kid-friendly and doesn’t take too long.