7-Day Trip: Billings, Montana to Bismarck, North Dakota

Seven days from Billings, Montana to Bismarck, North Dakota — four national parks, the nation’s first national monument, and a string of Western towns that carry the frontier history Theodore Roosevelt lived. The route runs through Yellowstone, over the Beartooth Highway, past Devils Tower and Mount Rushmore, and into the North Dakota Badlands that made him.

Here is a day-by-day plan. Distances and drive times are approximate; check seasonal road closures before you go, particularly the Beartooth Highway.

The Yellowstone River winding through open valley below snow-capped mountains near West Yellowstone, Montana

Day 1: Billings, MT → West Yellowstone

  • Arrive in Billings, MT and pick up a rental car if needed.
  • Optional stop: Pompeys Pillar National Monument, a historic Lewis & Clark site.
  • Drive to West Yellowstone, the gateway to Yellowstone National Park.
  • Stop in Livingston, MT, a railroad town with western art galleries — a good lunch or coffee break.
  • Check in and explore town, or visit the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center.

~3.5–4 hours, 215 miles · Overnight in Yellowstone

Aerial view of Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park, its blue centre ringed with orange bacterial mats

Day 2: Explore Yellowstone National Park

  • Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin in the morning.
  • Grand Prismatic Spring and Midway Geyser Basin.
  • Drive through Hayden Valley for wildlife viewing.
  • Visit Yellowstone Lake or Mammoth Hot Springs.
  • Explore Norris Geyser Basin, the park’s hottest thermal area, home to Steamboat Geyser.
  • Stop at the Artist Paint Pots trail, a short loop of bubbling mud and vibrant springs.
  • Optional: a short hike to Artist Point above the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
  • Return to West Yellowstone for the night.

Overnight in Yellowstone

Weathered log cabins and horse-drawn wagons at Old Trail Town, a preserved frontier village in Cody, Wyoming

Day 3: West Yellowstone → Cody, WY

  • Drive through Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley, the park’s best wildlife viewing.
  • Exit via the Northeast Entrance and take the Beartooth Highway (if open) — one of the most scenic drives in the country.
  • Arrive in Cody, WY and visit the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.
  • Explore Old Trail Town, an authentic Western village.
  • Tour the Heart Mountain WWII Interpretive Center.
  • Take the one-hour Cody Trolley Tour for an overview of the town’s western history.
  • Optional: the Cody Night Rodeo (seasonal).

~3.5 hours, 130 miles · Overnight in Cody, WY

A carved stone monument behind an iron fence at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood, South Dakota

Day 4: Cody → Crazy Horse → Mount Rushmore → Deadwood

  • Early start for a long but scenic day.
  • Drive east to the Crazy Horse Memorial (about 4 hours).
  • Visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial, about 30 minutes from Crazy Horse.
  • Drive to Deadwood, a historic Old West town.
  • Explore Main Street and Saloon No. 10, where Wild Bill Hickok was shot.
  • Visit Mount Moriah Cemetery, where Hickok and Calamity Jane are buried.
  • Optional: Deadwood’s casinos and entertainment.

~6.5–7 hours, 400 miles · Overnight in Deadwood

Performers on the outdoor stage of the Medora Musical at the Burning Hills Amphitheatre in Medora, North Dakota

Day 5: Deadwood → Devils Tower → Medora, ND

  • Visit Devils Tower National Monument, about 1.5 hours from Deadwood — the nation’s first national monument, established by Theodore Roosevelt in 1906.
  • Drive to Medora, ND (~3 hours).
  • Explore the shops and museums, including the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame.
  • Enjoy the Pitchfork Steak Fondue, served on a bluff overlooking the Badlands.
  • End the night with the Medora Musical at the Burning Hills Amphitheatre.

~4.5 hours, 240 miles · Overnight in Medora

The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library on the butte above Medora, with the badlands below and storm clouds overhead

Day 6: Medora, ND → Bismarck, ND

  • Spend the morning in Theodore Roosevelt National Park: drive the South Unit scenic loop (~1.5 hours) and hike the Wind Canyon Trail or Painted Canyon for wide Badlands views.
  • Visit the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library — exhibits, trails and sweeping views above the Little Missouri.
  • Afternoon drive to Bismarck, ND (~2 hours).
  • Explore Bismarck: the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum, or a walk along the Missouri River.

~2.5–3 hours, 135 miles · Overnight in Bismarck

The glass and stone entrance of the North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum in Bismarck, with large boulders in the plaza

Day 7: Travel home

  • Depart from Bismarck Airport (BIS) or drive home.
  • If time allows, visit the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum or browse downtown Bismarck’s shops and cafés for last-minute souvenirs and local flavors before departure.

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