Traveler
Jason Gross
Dates
Jul 4, 2026 – Jul 13, 2026
Stops
0 visited · 36 planned
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A focused 10-day crossing that burns efficiently through Pittsburgh and Chicago before swinging north toward Glacier's wild backcountry — two full nights under the stars in the park. Skip the over-trodden I-90 corridor in favor of Montana's Hi-Line and a handful of genuinely odd small-town detours most families never find.
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Sat, Jul 4
Your launch pad on the Jersey Shore — fill a cooler at the Acme or a local produce stand before hitting I-95 north. The boardwalk is free and the teenagers will want one last funnel cake (the powdered sugar kind is accidentally vegan).
Sat, Jul 4
KOA Pittsburgh North in Cranberry Township is clean, reasonably priced, and keeps you positioned for an early I-76 departure. Tent sites run around $35-45 — a rare budget win in a metro area.
Sun, Jul 5
Base yourself in Logan Square — Airbnb or budget hotels here are cheaper than the Loop and you're steps from the Logan Square Farmers Market (Sundays, vegan-loaded), Revolution Brewing's free taproom tour, and the Graymatter bookshop. Two teenagers will not be bored.
Mon, Jul 6
Perrot State Park on the Mississippi bluffs is one of Wisconsin's most scenically dramatic state parks and costs just $15-23/night for a tent site. Trempealeau Mountain rises straight from the river — an easy evening hike with big sunset payoff.
Tue, Jul 7
Clausen Springs is a free/very-low-cost ND state recreation area campground tucked into the Sheyenne River Valley — rolling hills appear out of nowhere in the flat prairie, and it's almost always uncrowded. The sound of frogs and meadowlarks at night is the real Plains experience.
Wed, Jul 8
Billings Community Food Co-op has a solid hot bar and deli that reliably stocks plant-based options — a welcome meal after the long prairie push. Stock the cooler for the Glacier days: bulk nuts, dried fruit, and grab-and-go vegan items travel well.
Thu, Jul 9 – Sat, Jul 11
Apgar Campground on Lake McDonald's western shore is the logical base for two nights — book far in advance on Recreation.gov. Falling asleep to the sound of the lake with the Swan Range glowing pink at dusk is a legitimate life experience.
Sat, Jul 11
Cross the Columbia into Portland — you've earned it. The Alberta Arts District, Food Fight Grocery, and a dozen vegan cart pods are all waiting, and you've still got budget left because you cooked your own food most of the way across the continent.
Sun, Jul 12 – Mon, Jul 13
Washington's official state waterfall plunges 198 feet into a basalt canyon carved by the same Missoula Floods that shaped the Columbia Gorge — it's free, dramatic, and almost completely off the tourist circuit. The canyon geology here is literally biology and earth history textbook material.