TRAVEL AWAITS: My 7 Favorite Stops From California To Montana On I-15

 

The full article first appeared in Travel Awaits.

Most people want to take backroads because they are more scenic. They say freeways are boring being the most direct routes, even bypassing landmarks we may want to see. They are constructed for the sake of speed and efficiency. They are the shortest practical distance between two points.  I-15, however, is not like that.

Whoever designed this freeway may have been thinking of me. I often visit family in California and from there go on to visit a daughter in Canada. I-15 traces that route, crossing the border at Sweet Grass, Montana. This route is such an endearing 20-hour route, driving three days. If you add a day or two, it will give you bucket list items to tick off. Here are your great options for stops.  

Las Vegas, Nevada

If you are one of the few who has been to Las Vegas, this is the no-brainer first stop, only five hours from Los Angeles or six hours from San Diego. Have a great lunch at one of the inexpensive buffet options combined with a comfortable overnight stay using one of the many promos always available in Sin City. You can even try your luck at the penny machines before dinner. And roam The Strip, experience High Roller, or see a new show after dinner.

If you have a full day to spare, you can explore the awesome Hoover Dam and the Lake Mead recreational area. If you have been there, opt for the natural side of Vegas: Red Rock Canyon (20 minutes from the Strip), Valley of Fire (45 minutes), and Mt. Charleston (45 minutes). They are near each other so do them all in one day; have lunch at Mt. Charleston.

Salt Lake City, Utah

The logical next stop is Salt Lake City, only five and a half hours from Las Vegas. Touring Temple Square, including the Tabernacle and Mormon Temple, is the best use of your time. There is a massive renovation going on so some of the buildings may not be open. Ask if the Tabernacle Choir rehearsals are already open to the public. It is very relaxing to visit the lovely hallowed grounds and admire the architecture of the buildings, especially in spring and early summer. Great restaurants surround the area, too.

There are some wonderful day trips from the city if you can add a day or two. Go up the mountains and visit Snowbird, Utah if it is summer. If not, stay down in the valley and tour Antelope Island in the middle of the Great Salt Lake. There is a lot to see on the island and so many opportunities to photograph wildlife.   

Helena, Montana

Seven hours from Salt Lake City is the third stop, Helena, Montana, the state capital (population, 31,000, only three hours from the Sweet Grass at the Canadian border (Calgary is just three and a half hours from there). Dine at one of the good restaurants at the Last Chance Gulch Walking Mall, right in the heart of downtown Helena. We were unlucky that Lucca’s, the best Italian restaurant, was fully booked. Walk the mall after dinner; it’s lighted just like San Diego's Gas Lamp district. There are many pieces of art but the best w.as the Bullwhacker Statue As written on the statue: "Driven by noise, the oxen responded to the crack of the whip over their heads and the constant curses of the bullwhacker."

Idaho Falls or Lava Hot Springs, Idaho

On the way back, you don’t have to stop at these same three places. I-15 gives you many options. My suggestion is that you consider Idaho Falls, Idaho, six hours and forty-five minutes from the Sweet Grass border. You may want to pay a visit to the Idaho Potato Museum to find out why Idaho potatoes are the best.

Otherwise, go farther to Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, two more hours away, and stay the night if you have a day to spare. I have previously written about it in this Travel Awaits article. The town of 500 has numerous hot springs that are great for bathing and a mildly turbulent river perfect for tubing. Lots of large yellow tubes, so radiantly bright run all over town for a bright sight.

St. George or Cedar City, Utah

If you are coming from Lava Hot Springs, your next stop can be St. George, Utah,  six hours and 15 minutes away. It is like Sedona, Arizona, with beautiful red rocks surrounding it. It is the closest town to the hoo-doo wonderland of Bryce Canyon National Park and the adventure hiking trails of Zion National Park. 

If you are coming from Idaho Falls, Cedar City, Utah is the other option, just six and a half hours away. Cedar Breaks National Monument is 30 minutes from downtown. It may be smaller than Bryce Canyon National Park, but the hoodoos were much bigger. Actually, we go back to this area in July this year! We want to explore the city and its Shakespeare Theater, the Festival Grounds, and the Mormon Temple on a hillside.

From St. George, it’s only six hours and 45 minutes to Santa Monica. From Cedar City, it’s seven hours and 15 minutes. Both are doable drives so there is no need to stop in Las Vegas unless you haven’t gotten enough of it. I know, a great buffet lunch and a restful, comfy sleep overnight are hard to resist, especially if they are both inexpensive!

And there you are! There is a real smorgasbord of options for stops on a drive from California to Montana or back all on I-15. In summer, it makes so much sense to go from the sizzling to the cool climes. And the reverse is true in winter!

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