Road Trip Highlights: Mount Rushmore to Grand Canyon Scenic Drive

The ~600-mile drive from Mount Rushmore (SD) to Grand Canyon (AZ) traverses the Great Plains, Rockies, and Colorado Plateau. Key stops:

1. Devils Tower NM (WY): Iconic igneous monolith, sacred to Plains tribes.
2. Custer State Park (SD): Bison herds, wildlife loop, Needles Highway.
3. Wind Cave NP (SD): Boxwork cave formations, prairie above.
4. Badlands NP (SD): Eroding spires, fossil beds, dramatic vistas.
5. Black Hills (SD): Deadwood, Spearfish Canyon, Mount Rushmore itself.
6. Theodore Roosevelt NP (ND): Badlands, bison, wild horses, Elkhorn Ranch.
7. Grand Teton NP (WY): Jagged peaks, Jenny Lake, Snake River.
8. Yellowstone NP (WY/MT/ID): Geysers, hot springs, wildlife, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
9. Bryce Canyon NP (UT): Hoodoo amphitheaters.
10. Zion NP (UT): Red cliffs, Narrows, Angels Landing.

Allow 7–10 days for a meaningful loop. Spring/fall optimal.