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I’ve done the drive from Wisconsin to Utah a lot. Like, so many times. We counted the other day and since moving to Utah in 2016, we’ve driven across the US 19 times. 19!

They’ve pretty much all been between Wisconsin, Florida, and Utah with varying routes. We like to make stops along the way and have visited lots of national parks and monuments and state parks this way.

And I know there is a lot you could visit on a Wisconsin to Utah road trip but I’ve decided to just pick one rough route that we tend to do the most. I have it starting in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and ending in Moab, Utah.

It will take you through Minnesota, South Dakota, part of Wyoming, and Colorado. But I don’t have any stops in Minnesota included in this, I’m saving it all until South Dakota.

I’ve been to almost all of these places, except like, three or four. Wyoming also only has one stop because it’s practically in South Dakota. So basically this is a South Dakota and Colorado road trip.

I’m not including stops in Utah (except Moab, the destination) or Wisconsin because they’re the start and end points and I’m assuming you live in Wisconsin or Minnesota and are just leaving from home. I’m also assuming you’re doing this in the summer, but have included a few winter suggestions, too.

Also, this would work from Minnesota or even Iowa or Nebraska you just may need to go north a little if you want to do the South Dakota part of this trip. If you’re more interested in the Utah part of this, you can see some of the best places to go in Utah here.

I also just want to say, I haven’t stayed at all of these hotels (I have stayed at some of them) but they’re all hotels I would stay at in the future. Some are budget friendly, others are more of a splurge.

Wisconsin to Utah road trip map

National Park Goodies

• If you’re planning to visit three or more national parks within a year from your trip, definitely get the America the Beautiful pass. It will save you money in the long run if you’re going to more than three parks in a year. Buy the pass here.
• If you’re planning on doing a lot of hiking on your trip, or even at home, check out AllTrails! This is my favorite app to find, keep track of, and track my hiking activity. And it’s FREE! Sign up here.
• This Ultimate National Park Planning Bundle is a must-have. You get two ebooks and a planner, saving 50% by getting them as a bundle! If you want all the details, this is the bundle for you. Buy the Ultimate bundle here.
• This National Park Planner (one of the ebooks from the bundle above) is perfect if you just want some guidance in your planning. Buy the planner here.
• Get yourself a little National Park notebook to write all about your adventures while you’re on the road. These from Field Notes are all very cute! If you want one for all of the NPS sites (400+!) then this one is for you!
• Before your trip, get some national park apparel for your trip!
• Consider reading some of these books set in national parks before your big trip, on your adventure, or once you get home to take you back to the parks until next time.

South Dakota

First up is South Dakota. A place most people think is probably really boring, and maybe some of it is, but it’s also amazing and I love it. The eastern side of the state is, I think, less exciting, but the Black Hills area is incredible.

Corn Palace

We’re starting things off here in South Dakota with a midwest gem: the Corn Palace. This stop may not be for everyone but if you like cheesy roadside attractions, this is perfect for you. This is one of the few places I haven’t been, but someday I’ll go.

Badlands National Park

Now, the first national park of the trip, the Badlands! I’ve been here like, five times and have only done one short hike and I don’t even think we did the whole thing. I hope you can do more here than me.

The Notch Trail is the one that we did and it feels a little adventurous because you have to climb a log ladder! I would definitely recommend this one. If you want something a little longer, the Medicine Root Loop Trail is perfect.

If you decide to visit Badlands National park in winter, just be prepared for possibly freezing weather, like below. zero. And maybe snow, but it could be a little warmer, too, so just be prepared for anything.

Wall Drug

Wall Drug is the crown jewel of cheesy midwest tourist attractions. No matter which direction you’re coming from, you’ll see signs for Wall Drug for literally hundreds of miles advertising cheap coffee and free ice water.

It’s basically a giant drugstore mall/museum but it’s still a fun stop if you’re staying in Wall while you’re visiting the Badlands or even if you just want to stretch your legs driving through the area.

Wall hotels

Wall isn’t super exciting but it’s the most convenient place to stay if you want to be close to Badlands National Park. Rapid City is another option with more hotels and food to choose from.

• America’s Best Value Inn
• Best Western Plains Motel
• Travelodge

Wind Cave National Park

Not far from Badlands, you’ll find a lesser-known national park: Wind Cave! It’s also close to the Mammoth Site if you were planning on visiting that, too.

The main draw of the park is obviously the cave and in my two visits here, I still didn’t get to go into it. I think both times the elevator was under repair. But they offer a few types of tours depending on the amount of adventure you want.

If you don’t want to or can’t go into the cave, there is plenty of hiking you can do. Rankin Ridge is a great easy hike to the highest point in the park. It’s also a great park if you like wildlife. There are bison and prairie dogs all over and it’s actually right by the Custer Wildlife Drive!

Black Hills

The Black Hills area is my favorite place to go in South Dakota and one of my favorite stops on a Wisconsin to Utah road trip. There is so much to do here and I can’t wait to explore even more of it.

You could easily spend weeks here, but with just a day or two, a busy day or two, you can still see a lot. Mount Rushmore is just outside of Keystone, which is where I would recommend staying to explore the area.

There are two great scenic drives that loop through this area: The Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road. I prefer the Needles Highway and think there is more to do along that so if you can only do one, I’d pick that.

Two of those awesome things to do are hiking the Sylvan Lake Loop and the incredible Cathedral Spires Trail. I loved both of these and in the fall, they’re even better with pops of yellow all over.

Keystone hotels

Keystone is a classic tourist town but it’s the most convenient for visiting pretty much all of the Black Hills attractions, hikes, and drives, especially Mount Rushmore.

• Under Canvas Mount Rushmore
• Quality Inn
• Powder House Lodge

Wyoming

I only have one stop in Wyoming but it’s just barely over the South Dakota border in Wyoming: Devils Tower. This is super easy to add to a trip to the Black Hills and easy enough to take off of this road trip, too.

Devils Tower

Devils Tower is a massive geologic feature (is this considered a butte?) in eastern Wyoming made of igneous rock. It’s also known as Bear Lodge Butte (I guess it is) and different cultures in the area have different histories of the formation. You can read more about those right here.

There is a hike you can do around the base of it and if you’re really adventurous (and experienced) you can even rock climb here, which is wild to me!

Colorado

Colorado is really where this Wisconsin to Utah road trip starts to take off. I haven’t included every single thing to do in Colorado or place to go, but I have included quite a few. You’ll be able to check off a lot stuff from your national park bucket list here!

I didn’t really include cities/towns other than Denver because I haven’t been to them but Vail, Aspen, Durango, Ouray, and Breckenridge are all places I would want to go in the future.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Like Badlands, I’ve been to Rocky Mountain National Park and still haven’t done anything, not even one hike! I did get to see elk here though, so I guess that’s exciting. There are a whopping 355 miles of hiking trails here so you’ll be able to stay busy, for sure.

But as far as hikes go that I would like to do, Emerald Lake Trail, Sky Pond, Gem Lake, Dream Lake, and Alberta Falls. This is just a few, but they’re some of the more popular/easier hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park and a great place to start on a visit here.

Stanley Hotel

Next up is my favorite, the Stanley Hotel! If you want a really cool place to stay in Estes Park, this would be my choice. I can’t wait to stay here. And you can even stay in the haunted rooms!

If you want to visit but can’t/aren’t staying here, you can do a Stanley Hotel ghost tour. I did this and I loved it so much! We got to learn about the hotels spooky history and it’s ties to Stephen King and The Shining. You can do tours at night or during the day depending on when you’ll be there. I went at night and it was perfect.

Estes Park hotels

If you want to visit both of the above, Estes Park is the perfect place to stay. You won’t have to drive as far as if you were staying closer to Denver and if you’re staying close to downtown Estes Park, then you don’t have to fight traffic if you want to walk around there.

• Sonnenhof Lakewood Manor Bed and Breakfast
• The Inn on Fall River
• Streamside on Fall River
• Swiftcurrent Lodge
• The Historic Crag’s Lodge

Denver

I probably wouldn’t spend tons of time in Denver, but I’m not a big city person (small towns, yes, big cities, less). That said, there are some great things to do in Denver if you do want to spend a day or two there.

The Denver Art Museum, Meow Wolf, breweries for days, 16th Street Mall, MCA Denver (Museum of Contemporary Art), Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and Mount Evens Scenic Byway are just a few things I would love to do there.

Denver hotels

• Moxy Hotel
• The Ramble Hotel
• The Art Hotel
• Warwick Denver Hotel
• Kimpton Hotel Born
• Ember Hostel

Garden of the Gods

These next two you could either do as day trips from Denver or spend a night in Colorado Springs. First up is Garden of the Gods, probably one of the most popular outdoor places in Colorado. It’s for good reason though.

There are tons of hiking trails here, rock climbing options, and even bike trails. While it’s not every outdoor activity, there are plenty of great things to do here. It is busy, but it’s beautiful.

Pikes Peak

Next up is the scenic drive to the top of Pikes Peak. It’s a 19-mile paved road that takes 2-3 hours with stops (but no hikes). There are hikes you can do along the way, no hiking on the highway, and if you’re really determined and physically prepared for it, you can hike to Pikes Peak via Barr Trail instead.

Colorado Springs hotels

• Mecca Motel
• Garden of the Gods Club and Resort
• Best Western Plus Peak Vista Inn & Suites
• The Lodge at Flying Horse

Great Sand Dunes National Park

The next national park we’ve got here is Great Sand Dunes National Park kind of in the middle of nowhere. There are, obviously, the sand dunes here which are the main attraction, but there are mountains, too! They’re no Denver area rockies, but they still look great.

While you’re here, be sure to climb the sand dunes. If you want something a little different, you can do some sand boarding or sand sledding! The two highest dunes in the park, Hidden and Star, are tied at 741 feet tall.

High Dune on First Ridge is 693 feet tall and the most common destination from the main parking area. You can climb all over the dunes, just remember, if you go out really far, you have to go all the way back. And in the warmer months, Medano Creek will likely be flowing at the base of the dunes and you can cool off there.

A warning directly form the park service website: “Summer air temperatures are pleasant at this high elevation, but during afternoon hours the sand surface can reach 150F degrees, and dangerous thunderstorms can develop. Plan to hike the dunes in early morning or evening to avoid heat exhaustion, burned feet, or fatal lightning strikes.”

Alamosa hotels

This is the closest town to Great Sand Dunes National Park. When we visited, we didn’t stay here, we just stopped at the park as we were driving through, I think from Utah to Florida but it’s a good option if you’re spending a whole day here.

• Fairfield Inn & Suites
• Hampton Inn
• The Sunset Inn

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is incredible and underrated. I’ve been here three times and love it more every time. But I still haven”t hiked here, either! Except for the really short hikes to overlooks.

This is just one of those parks that is so hard to fathom from pictures, you just have to see it in person. If you do want to hike here, try the Oak Flat Loop Trail, the Exclamation Point Trail, or, if you’re properly prepared and physically capable, the strenuous Gunnison Route Trail.

Just know weather can change here quickly. All three times we visited, it would be cloudy and foggy and we couldn’t see anything, then clear (but not sunny) and it would rain on and off and was windy. Just be prepared for changing weather if you’re doing any hiking.

Colorado National Monument

Colorado National Monument is just a short drive from Grand Junction or Fruita. The scenic drive actually has an entrance in Fruita and one in Grand Junction. It’s basically just a nice loop.

It’s a beautiful drive through the park and if you’re there in the spring, you can see the prickly pear cactus blooming! We got to see them and I loved it.

While you’re here, be sure to hike the Coke Ovens Trail and the Devils Kitchen trail. It will be a very culinary day here. I think this is a great way to spend a day in this area and it’s often overlooked by people road tripping through here.

Grand Junction hotels

Grand Junction isn’t my favorite city ever but it’s a good place to base yourself for visiting Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Colorado National Monument. You can easily visit the Trail Through Time on I70 from here or on your way to Moab.

• Econo Lodge
• Quality Inn
• Willow Pond Bed and Breakfast

Mesa Verde National Park

Mesa Verde National Park is like, the best place in the US to go see ancient cliff dwellings. There are easy to get to cliff dwellings, tour-only sites, and pueblo sites on the tops of the mesas that require little to no hiking.

And in the winter, they have a Luminaria where they put lanterns in some of the cliff dwellings and you can drive/walk around to see them glowing in the evening light.

They don’t usually announce this until a few weeks before it’s happening and it can be cancelled because of weather. We tried going in 2021 but snow cancelled it and it wasn’t rescheduled before we moved.

Cortez hotels

If you’re visiting Mesa Verde and want to spend a night nearby, Cortez is definitely going to be your best bet, especially since the drive from the fee booth to anywhere in the park is no less than 30 minutes. You have to go kind of far (relatively) to get to the sights in the park.

• Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch
• Retro Inn
• White Eagle Inn

Colorado tours

• Foothills and Garden of the Gods Jeep tour
• Denver haunted walking tour
• Rocky Mountains zip line tour
• LoDo craft beer guided walking tour
• Denver 3-hour walking brewery tour
• Rocky Mountain National Park snowshoeing tour

Utah

Moab

Finally, you’ve made it! To the end of this post and to Utah, your final destination. Or at least the beginning of the final destination. I won’t go into tons of detail on Utah itself but you can see all the helpful Utah and national park posts below.

But for Moab, my favorite Moab, get your adventure pants on and hit the trails! While you’re here, be sure to visit Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. Dead Horse Point State Park is a good stop on the way to Canyonlands.

In Arches, be sure to hike to at least Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch. If you want a more adventurous hike, Fiery Furnace and Devils Garden Loop are amazing options.

If you like history, you could venture off the beaten path a bit to see tons of rock art in Moab (and nearby). There are dinosaur tracks galore and so many other amazing hikes.

Moab hotels

• Moab Under Canvas
• Quality Inn
• Lazy Lizard Hostel
• Sleep Inn

Moab tours

• Hell’s Revenge
• Half-day Colorado River rafting
• Sunset boat tour with dinner
• Canyonlands and Arches scenic flight
• Rafting and 4×4 Canyonlands adventure
• Moab rappelling half-day tour
• Full-day climbing experience
• Horseshoe Canyon day-trip
• Hurrah Pass 4×4 tour

I hope this was helpful to you if you’re looking for stops on a Wisconsin to Utah Road trip (or a Utah to Wisconsin road trip!) There are so many other amazing place to go and as I visit more of them, I’ll definitely update this. Until then, enjoy your trip!

What to bring on a Wisconsin to Utah road trip

NatGeo National Parks Book – This is one of the best national park guidebooks and I take it on all my park trips.  Plus, it’s got the nice glossy pages.  Buy the book here.

Hiking poles – These will be helpful on longer hikes that are on the steeper side.  They’ll be good if you have bad knees for when you’re going downhill and will give you something to lean on going up the hills.

Water bottle – It’ll be hot and you’ll need to stay hydrated.  Even if it’s not hot you need to stay hydrated.  A Hydro Flask will keep your water ice cold all day long.

Sunscreen – If you plan on being outside, you’ll want sunscreen.  I like the Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch a lot AND it’s reef safe! If you’re sensitive to fragrance though, it’s not a good choice. I also like the same one but specifically for your face.

Hat – You’ll want some kind of hat to keep the sun out of your eyes, or a visor.  A baseball hat should be fine but I like my giant sun hat, too.

Sunglasses – This is a must no matter where you are.

Light Jacket – Because you just never know.  Weather can change quickly depending on where you are, time of day, and season.  I usually use my rain jacket for this.

Headlamp – I tend to carry my headlamp around all the time when we’re hiking, just in case. 

What to bring camping on a Utah to Wisconsin road trip

Kammok hammock – I have a Roo single that I love. It’s the color of mac and cheese and pretty light weight. I don’t think as light as Eno if that matters though. But it’s perfect for just regular camping.

RTIC cooler – We have one of those giant coffin sized Yetis, which is great, but this 20 can soft RTIC cooler is a lot more convenient for small trips with easy access to a fridge and ice.

REI Passage 2 Tent – Our tent isn’t available anymore but this one is similar.  We’ve used it quite a few times and it’s been great.  It’s good for two people, but can be a little cramped if you move around too much.

NEMO Viola sleeping bag – Mine isn’t available anymore but this one is similar.  It’s very good in cold weather, not freezing, but in the 40s with leggings on, I was totally fine.  It has zipper vent things on the top that are supposed to help it cool down when it’s hot.  I don’t know if it really did that.  When we camped in south Florida, I was still pretty warm with them open and it was probably in the 60s. 

LuminAID lantern – I love this lantern.  It’s great for getting around your campsite in the dark, lighting up campground bathrooms at night, and even during power outages at home.  You can plug it in to charge it or just let the sun do the work. 

REI Ruckpack 18 – This is the daypack I have and it’s awesome.  It’s lightweight, has water bottle pockets that my 40-ounce Hydro Flask fits in, and it comes in nice colors. 

REI Camp Wrap – This is totally unnecessary, but I love it.  It’s basically a blanket poncho and it doubles as a good blanket for sleeping in warmer weather.  I used it two nights in south Florida and it was perfect for when my sleeping bag was too hot.

Puffy quilt – If you’re a really warm sleeper and visiting in the summer, a puffy quilt might be a better option.  I prefer this for hotter nights.  Check out the Rumpl camp quilts here.

Pillow – If you’re just driving, I’d just bring a regular pillow, but if you’re flying then renting a car, you might want a smaller pillow.  This is a good non-inflatible option.  Here is a good inflatable option.

Camp chairs – If you plan on doing a lot of camping outside of this trip, and backpacking especially, the REI Flexlite chairs are great choices.  Check out the camp chairs here.

Dramamine – this is a must if you get carsick.

Utah posts you may also like:

Have you done a Wisconsin to Utah road trip before? Where did you go? Do you want to do a Wisconsin to Utah road trip? Is there a road trip you do all the time?