Daily Miles Driven?

J

JohnC

Ranger
I know this is very subjective and dependent on many factors. But I’m wondering......when you know you will be driving all day, is there an average amount of miles you normally expect or try to cover?

I’m trying to get a general idea in order to plan my 2,000 mile trip home from Wisconsin. While I won’t be in a hurry to get home, I’ll still need to understand how long it may take me to get from point A to point B when I consider where I might choose to stop.

Thanks!
 
If your goal is just to get home, and not stop to smell the roses along the way, we have found that 600 miles is about as much as we care to cover in a day, but then Kris doesn't really care to share the driving duties with me either ( she no longer feels very comfortable with manual transmissions, even though that is what she learned to drive with), so if there are two drivers sharing the load, you may be able to do a bit more.
It's such a subjective question however, because there are so many variables that can make significant differences, with weather being a major one, and route probably being the second biggest with freeways obviously being usually significantly quicker than the scenic routes. This is one of those things where the saying "your mileage may vary" really applies!;)
 
We travelcamp (TM):p more than anything else.
When we are travelling in Canada, our driving days tend to be longer because of the sometimes great expanse between campgrounds.
This has changed quite a bit since the popularity explosion of boondocking, and I confess that this type of camping never occurred to me, nor do I really care for it.
I love a good campground.
When we travel in the US it's different because it feels like there are campgrounds of all kinds every 140ft, and I love travelling in the US for that reason.
To answer the question though, I prefer to think of time more than distance. 6 hours is usually what we shoot for if we want to be comfortable. If we're trying to make miles, then all bets are off.
Driving from Saskatchewan to Hidalgo Mexico (near Monterrey) in February, the goal was to put as many miles behind us as fast as possible so we could enjoy as much of the sun, warmth, and rock climbing as our allotted time allowed.
Our first day started at 5am and we drove all the way from Saskatoon to Fargo North Dakota, on slippery icy roads. Long day. Most of the days on that trip were long.
Driving to California though, we stopped and stayed everywhere, and didn't really spend much time in any one place. So, driving days were short and easy.
I guess, the long and short of it is, it depends where you're going, what your goals are, and how much time you have.
You'll figure out what works for you!
 
We would typically drive 8-10 hrs a day or 500 miles maximum. Most of the time we would do around 400 miles a day just so we wouldn't be finding our camping spot in the dark. We are kind of in Jim's mindset.
 
Thanks for the responses.

To address Dustin's question, I'm definitely not going to be in a hurry to get home. I have plans to take my time in conjunction with wanting to stop in some specific areas. But as I look at the map I find myself wondering how far I can comfortably go in one day. Do I try and stretch it out or do I find an in between spot and spend the night? For the record I'll be heading back through South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah, a tiny corner of Arizona, and Nevada before hitting home in SoCal.

As some of you have mentioned, hours per day sounds like a good way to go. But sometimes that leaves you in the middle of nowhere, so you either stop sooner or force yourself to drive further. When I travel now (no trailer) I look at the map and make my commitment before I leave. I like having that much of a plan.

Never having trailer camped before I'm thinking it isn't as easy to find a last minute RV park as it is a last minute hotel. Other than my "fear" of needing to stop for the day and having no idea where I can overnight, I'm quite looking forward to having no firm plan.

Oh and Dawn/Trevor, how about getting that border open please? I'm really wanting to visit above the 49th parallel. ;-)
 
Our longest day was 803 miles, but we probably average 500 miles for days of churning out miles. Longer mileage days are easiest in the West generally, more open roads & fewer towns. We switch drivers every 2-2.5 hours.
 
JohnC said:
Thanks for the responses.

To address Dustin's question, I'm definitely not going to be in a hurry to get home. I have plans to take my time in conjunction with wanting to stop in some specific areas. But as I look at the map I find myself wondering how far I can comfortably go in one day. Do I try and stretch it out or do I find an in between spot and spend the night? For the record I'll be heading back through South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah, a tiny corner of Arizona, and Nevada before hitting home in SoCal.

As some of you have mentioned, hours per day sounds like a good way to go. But sometimes that leaves you in the middle of nowhere, so you either stop sooner or force yourself to drive further. When I travel now (no trailer) I look at the map and make my commitment before I leave. I like having that much of a plan.

Never having trailer camped before I'm thinking it isn't as easy to find a last minute RV park as it is a last minute hotel. Other than my "fear" of needing to stop for the day and having no idea where I can overnight, I'm quite looking forward to having no firm plan.

Oh and Dawn/Trevor, how about getting that border open please? I'm really wanting to visit above the 49th parallel. ;-)
Click to expand...
We are working on it!!
 
What can you drive a day normally? Towing a campinn is a non event... I can cover just about the same time...but at 65 mph and no faster.

Inn addition is you’ll likely need an extra gas stop....but the gas stops in generally will all take twice as long.
 
Sweeney said:
What can you drive a day normally? Towing a campinn is a non event... I can cover just about the same time...but at 65 mph and no faster.

Inn addition is you’ll likely need an extra gas stop....but the gas stops in generally will all take twice as long.
Click to expand...

I'm a bit of a lead foot on long trips. (Remind me to tell you the time a cop called in reinforcements and pulled a gun on me for speeding LoL! ). That's something I do not want to do while towing. I know I will get places slower than before (and that's OK) but it will be a new experience going slower for hours at a time. :)

The other thing is, the older I get, the less I like driving all day. That's why I try to plan my overnight stops before I depart.

I'm OK taking whatever time it takes to get somewhere. I'm just a bit nervous about seeing the sun go down and having no idea where I can park/camp for the night in an unfamiliar area. Or, knowing I still have another 100-150 miles or 2-3 hours to get somewhere I've never been, in the dark.
 
No comment on speeding :) I'm the other extreme by nature....posted speeds are usually fine :)

You'll find pulling a camp inn is a trivial matter. They frankly disappear. One my of my first trips I literally forgot it was there, then scared the he@#$ out of myself by noticing it in the rear vew mirror. Litteraly...non issue. As for gas stations and routine stops, I can drive in and out effortlessly. So really, just take your personal speed limit (65-70 for me) and multiply it by the time you want to drive then subtract time for stops and places where you know you'll be traveling slower.

For me, I'd plan 6 days for the 2000 mike trek. Thats 325 miles a day or so...slow down, see some things and enjoy the pace. I know people who would say that is too fast.

Gas stations are trivial, even tight parking lots are easy. Just watch out for the delays added by curious people. Backing up is easy too...I got to the point where I could paralell park with mine ...they pull incredibly well.

But in gneral...I'm with you --- I hate setting up in the dark. Nothing worse than feeling rushed.
 
Sweeney said:
For me, I'd plan 6 days for the 2000 mike trek. Thats 325 miles a day or so...slow down, see some things and enjoy the pace. I know people who would say that is too fast.
Click to expand...

Well, I don't want to hurry back or plan a specific amount of time to get back. I'm fine with taking as long as it takes.

But I do have a general route planned across South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Utah, I know where I want to stop along the way. But I also know I will need to make other stops along the way and am just trying to look at maps and distances in order to guesstimate where it might make sense to plan a stop for the night.

I'm kinda thinking 6 hours or 300-350 miles for a day sounds like it might be a comfortable segment.

For the record my current planned stops would include Badlands NP, Custer State Park, Yellowstone NP (NE entrance), Coeur d'Alene ID, McCall ID, Stanley ID, Sun Valley ID, and somewhere in north/central Utah. After that, it would probably just be heading for home in SoCal with stops to sleep/eat only.

All of those stops would be long enough to spend at least a whole day in the area or more (probably at least 2 days), and for sure there will need to be some in between overnight stops too. (And I'm already working on a fall colors trip. ;) )

Thank you to all who have responded. All feedback is very helpful in planning a trip like this. I'm pretty much used to one destination trips that just go out and back. This one will be more than that and I want to enjoy it to the fullest. :-)
 
If you havn't been through SD before, make _sure_ to add Crazy Horse to your trip ... its a fantastic stop. Its a couple hours at least. See it after you see Rushmore, if you havn't. Rushmore is TINY in comparison to Crazy Horse, and it will hurt your experience if you do that the other way around.

IF you go to Rushmore, the best approach by using the Needles Parkway....this will take you right past Custer State Park's campground --- which is where we spent a couple weeks. The views of Rushmore just off Needles are amazing. Make sure you see this before you see Crazy Horse Monument....as impressive as Rushmore is...crazy horse is even more so.

EDIT: The campground is Sylvan Lake --- Sylvan Lake (Custer) - 2021 All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor --- not a mega-park. Bath houses were clean though a little 'steamy' in the summer, the lake is about a 1/4 walk. Get groceries before you go up the mountain, the closest town is Custer and its a little bit of a drive.

One note, if you use a GPS...use common sense. My garmin tried to take me down a logging trail. This is where I kicked myself for not using common sense with a GPS. However I did learn how tightly my Subaru with a trailer attached could turn around :D
 
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Sweeney said:
If you havn't been through SD before, make _sure_ to add Crazy Horse to your trip ... its a fantastic stop. Its a couple hours at least. See it after you see Rushmore, if you havn't. Rushmore is TINY in comparison to Crazy Horse, and it will hurt your experience if you do that the other way around.

IF you go to Rushmore, the best approach by using the Needles Parkway....this will take you right past Custer State Park's campground --- which is where we spent a couple weeks. The views of Rushmore just off Needles are amazing. Make sure you see this before you see Crazy Horse Monument....as impressive as Rushmore is...crazy horse is even more so.

EDIT: The campground is Sylvan Lake --- Sylvan Lake (Custer) - 2021 All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor --- not a mega-park. Bath houses were clean though a little 'steamy' in the summer, the lake is about a 1/4 walk. Get groceries before you go up the mountain, the closest town is Custer and its a little bit of a drive.

One note, if you use a GPS...use common sense. My garmin tried to take me down a logging trail. This is where I kicked myself for not using common sense with a GPS. However I did learn how tightly my Subaru with a trailer attached could turn around :D
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip. Sounds like a great idea. And a great example of why I won't be in a hurry to get home. If and when things come up, I want to enjoy taking them in. I think there's a train museum somewhere in SD that I may include as well.

I know what you mean about using a gps. I've had a few episodes of regret, following one down dead ends.
 
Sweeney said:
No comment on speeding :) I'm the other extreme by nature....posted speeds are usually fine :)

You'll find pulling a camp inn is a trivial matter. They frankly disappear. One my of my first trips I literally forgot it was there, then scared the he@#$ out of myself by noticing it in the rear vew mirror. Litteraly...non issue. As for gas stations and routine stops, I can drive in and out effortlessly. So really, just take your personal speed limit (65-70 for me) and multiply it by the time you want to drive then subtract time for stops and places where you know you'll be traveling slower.

For me, I'd plan 6 days for the 2000 mike trek. Thats 325 miles a day or so...slow down, see some things and enjoy the pace. I know people who would say that is too fast.

Gas stations are trivial, even tight parking lots are easy. Just watch out for the delays added by curious people. Backing up is easy too...I got to the point where I could paralell park with mine ...they pull incredibly well.

But in gneral...I'm with you --- I hate setting up in the dark. Nothing worse than feeling rushed.
Click to expand...
Love this!!!
 
JohnC said:
Thanks for the tip. Sounds like a great idea. And a great example of why I won't be in a hurry to get home. If and when things come up, I want to enjoy taking them in. I think there's a train museum somewhere in SD that I may include as well.

I know what you mean about using a gps. I've had a few episodes of regret, following one down dead ends.
Click to expand...


New
Crazy Horse is awesome and worth a visit. There is also great Native American Museum on the grounds. Much more moving and meaningful to me than Rushmore.
 
We are making the trek from Alaska to the Midwest this summer. I’ve yet to actually plan out the route stop by stop (accounting for the campgrounds we will stay at) but the general goal for us is also time-based less than mileage based.

Since we deploy a roof top tent from the 560 every time we stop and we rely on the 560 to haul a lot of cargo that the tow vehicle’s payload limit can’t handle, it takes us a bit to set up and tear down camp. Plus, cooking a camp breakfast and a camp dinner takes a lot longer than the fast food meals that might come with hotel-sleeping arrangements on a road trip. Therefore, we are generally going to plan to be waking up at 7 and breaking camp down in order to start driving by 830. Eight hours later - by 430p - we want to be stopped so we have time to set camp up and prepare a meal. So the mileage question becomes a matter of how much ground we will cover in 8 hours, accounting for stops/gas/etc.

I figure in Alaska and Canada we will probably average 425 miles or less in that 8 hour window, particularly when on 2 lane roads and in areas with summer construction/gravel breaks. Once we consistently hit major 4 lane divided highways we may make as much as 525 miles a day in that 8 hour window. Those are my general planning factors.

I’m sure I’ll carefully build a route only to throw it out the window the first time we have to change a tire.
 
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