Best/shortest distance from RGV to Yellowstone?

[Mex-Busnut]

Dear Friends:

What would you reccomend as the best route to take from the Río Grande Valley to Yellowstone Park?

We have to save time on this leg of the journey, as my dear wife will be ending women's conference in La Feria (near McAllen, Texas) on Sunday September 11th,  and our daughter has to be in Madison, Wisconsin on the 18th. We would like to have 2 full days at the park. We might be able to push off from La Feria after lunch.

Thanks in advance!

[luvrbus]

You may want to check Yellowstone before planning a trip a lot of the park is closed due to slides

good luck

[opus]

Here you go: http://www.yellowstoneinsider.com/20110529789/news/articles/yellowstones-mammoth-tower-road-to-remain-closed-indefinitely.php

[Mex-Busnut]

Yikes! Thanks for the replies. O.K., so what other national or state parks would be sorta on the way? We love forests, animals, etc.

Maybe Grand Canyon?

[luvrbus]

You also have another problem in Yellowstone in Sept the white stuff called snow

good luck

[challenger440]

Well if there is no snow, Sept. is one of the best times to go.  Most of the tourist have gone home.  Animals are out in force looking for food for the winter.  jm

[Sean]

... the best route to take from the Río Grande Valley to Yellowstone Park?

... in La Feria (near McAllen, Texas) on Sunday September 11th,  and ... be in Madison, Wisconsin on the 18th.

Wow.  Well, there are as many different ways to go as there are posters on this board, and I could give you about half a dozen recommendations personally.  But, for starters, even if all the roads were open, Yellowstone is not even close to being "on the way" from McAllen to Madison.  In fact, depending on route, you are looking at between 1,400 and 1,600 additional miles (again as much as the most direct route between these two points) and a minimum of 28 additional driving hours.  You are looking at over 52 hours to drive from McAllen to Madison by way of Yellowstone, even if you made no stops/detours at all.  If you spent eight full hours in the saddle every day, you'd need six and a half days just to make the drive, leaving you no more than half a day at Yellowstone, and you really can't see anything in the park at all without a minimum of two to three days.

The most direct route on the Interstates from McAllen to Madison will take you around 26 hours.  For us, that's a minimum of five days unless we are going to a disaster.  If you can hack eight hours a day of seat time, though, you'd make it in three and a half days, which would give you a few days to see some sights.  On this route you will pass San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, OK City, Tulsa, Joplin (what's left of it), two Springfields (MO and IL), Saint Louis, and Rockford.  All of those places have interesting sights and parks, including The Alamo, the Gateway Arch, some capitols, and lots of scenery.

Large National Parks are probably not doable on this schedule.  Even Big Bend is enough of a detour to leave you no time at all.

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com

[artvonne]

We have to save time on this leg of the journey, as my dear wife will be ending women's conference in La Feria (near McAllen, Texas) on Sunday September 11th,  and our daughter has to be in Madison, Wisconsin on the 18th.

  If I were sitting in TX and had to have my daughter to Madison in 7 days, I would go more or less direct without a lot of screwing around. One journey you all might greatly enjoy would be to follow the Mississippi up from LA, hugging hwy 61 taking the great river road. Its very scenic, its filled with lots of great historic towns. Up in northern MO for example, youll pass through Hannibal, where Huck Finn was inspired by Mark Twain. And you can cut away from the river at any point to boogie to Madison if you run out of time.

  Ive traveled that river from its headwaters at lake Itasca, as far south as Memphis, and never saw much of it that didnt draw me back. Someday I hope to travel along it from Memphis south.

  If you make it up to Dubuque Iowa, you can wander off to the east and visit the house on the rock in Wisconsin.