This approximately 20-hour trip covers 1,290 miles and has detours to the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, and the Mount Rushmore National drift hunters Memorial. It's the ideal weeklong family road vacation since it includes time spent outdoors, in the vehicle together, and learning about American history.

Your adventure begins in Flagstaff, Arizona, an hour and a half away from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, which is accessible every day of the year. Drive down Desert View Drive and work off some of your excess energy by ascending the tower's 85 steps to the summit, where you'll be rewarded with a panoramic view of the park's canyon.

Keep going north from here until you reach Salt Lake City, Utah. Stop in Park City for some mountain town charm, whitewater rafting, bicycling, and hiking before resupplying in Salt Lake City. Check out the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge north of Ogden, Utah, or take a break from the automobile and explore the beaches and trails on Antelope Island.

Traveling south from West Yellowstone, Montana, you may enter Yellowstone National Park through the west entrance, which is accessible from April to November if you start off in northern Utah and drive via Idaho. Just over an hour will get you to the Old Faithful geyser from the west gate, and another 40 minutes will get you to Grant Village along the scenic Yellowstone Lake.

Travel north from West Yellowstone into Bozeman, Montana, a pleasant spot to stretch your legs and enjoy some fresh air. The route to Billings from Bozeman is east. Travel through the Crow Reservation on your way to the Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming, one of the first national forests to be preserved by the federal government. The Black Hills National Forest and Mount Rushmore are your ultimate destination after crossing into North Dakota from here.