Schonesland 2024 Great Western Skies Driving Tour

Great Western Skies Tour 2024 6/21- 6/29 – 8 nights (7 hotels)

This event is open only for Schonesland Porsche Club Members. Only register if you fully intend to attend the drive as this drive is limited to ten cars.

General Tour Information

NOTE: Only one registration by car - note the number of people but do not register separately.

You can review the detailed (preliminary - due to change) routes day by day on Ride with GPS at Great Western Skies Tour 2024 (ridewithgps.com) 

Daily overview:

We will meet Friday Morning at the Kum & Go at 650 W Hickman in Waukee at 8:00 am for 8:30 wheel off departure after signing the Insurance Waivers etc. heading West tracing some of the Loess Hills Drive roads ending in Mitchell, SD for the night. The second day will take us through the Badlands National Park to Rapid City, SD with an obligatory stop at the Wall Drug (after passing about one hundred roadside advertisements for it). On Sunday we will cruise the incredible Black Hills National Forest roads and visit Mount Rushmore before returning back to Rapid city for another night. Monday will have an Encounter of the Porsche Kind at the Devils Tower. Maybe we will even see Richard Dreyfuss there – or not. From there we will continue to Sheridan, WY for the night. Tuesday Morning we will take the drive through Big Horn National Forest on the Northern route to new heights on the Beartooth Pass at almost 11,000 feet from where we will descend through the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway to Wyoming and drive to Cody, WY for the night. Wednesday will take us to Gillette, WY through the Bighorn National Forest utilizing the Southern route. On Thursday morning, we will head to Spearfish. SD for a little break before continuing to Hot Springs, SD where some of us might take the time to take a plunge and soak in the hot waters bubbling from the earth and some may visit the World Fossil Finder Museum. Friday we will start heading towards home and will drive to Norfolk, NE where we will have one more evening together before heading back to Des Moines on Saturday. This is truly a drivers tour with some days quite long. Total mileage is just about 2,400 miles. We will use Ride with GPS to navigate. Some of the National Parks we drive through and Attractions do have an entrance fee. There is a maximum of 10 cars for this event..

Hotel Reservations instructions:

Great Western Skies Tour 2024 6/21- 6/29 – 8 nights (7 hotels) for Schonesland Porsche Club. YOU MUST BOOK BY 5/31/2024 - When calling ask for the Schonesland Porsche Club Group or follow the specific instructions by hotel below. We have 7 rooms with King Beds and 3 rooms with two Queen Beds reserved at each hotel.

Day 1- Friday 6/21:

DSM to Mitchell, SD

Lodging: Hampton Inn Mitchell                                   $189.00

Address: 1920 Highland Way, Mitchell, SD 57301

Phone: (605) 995-1575

Call the hotel or online reservations can made by visiting their website at https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/mitsdhx-hampton-mitchell/ Choose the correct date (6/21-6/22). Click the Special Rates Icon and in the Group Code section, enter SPC. The rooms available will populate for you.

Day 2 and 3 – Saturday/Sunday 6/22 – 6/23:                 

Mitchell, SD to Rapid City, SD                                          

Lodging: Comfort Inn & Suites near Mt Rushmore      $209.00

Address: 1720 Rapp St, Rapid City, SD 57701

Phone: (605) 503-8926

Call the hotel or use this link to book directly: https://bit.ly/3Ijfivt

Day 4- Monday 6/24:

Rapid City to Devil’s Tower to Sheridan, WY

Lodging: Hampton Inn Sheridan, WY                           $194.52

980 Sibley Cir, Sheridan, WY 82801

Phone: (307) 673-2734

Call the hotel directly. NOTE: The hotel booked all the rooms under my name (Skip Hammerman). Call the hotel and ask them to change one of the reservations to your name and provide your credit card information.

Day 5 – Tuesday 6/25:

Sheridan, WY to Beartooth pass (MO) to Cody, WY

Lodging: Hampton Inn and Suites Cody, WY                $289.00

8 Southfork Rd, Cody, WY 82414

Call the Hotel directly and ask for the rooms under the Schonesland Porsche Club Group Block

Phone: (307) 587-4505

Day 6 – Wednesday 6/26:

Cody, WY to Bighorn National Forest Southern Route to Gillette, WY

Lodging: Hampton Inn Gillette, WY                              $139.00

211 Decker Ct, Gillette, WY 82716

Phone (307) 686-2000

Call the hotel or use this link to book directly:  https://group.hamptoninn.com/cb41sd

Day 7 – Thursday 6/27:

Gillette, WY to Black Hills National Forest to Hot Springs, SD

Lodging: Springs Lodge and Café                                $119.99

602 Sulphur Springs St., Hot Springs, SD 57747

Phone (605) 745-4292

Call the hotel directly. NOTE: The hotel booked all the rooms under my name (Skip Hammerman). Call the hotel and ask them to change one of the reservations to your name and provide your credit card information.

Day 8 – Friday 6/28:

Hot Springs, SD to Norfolk, NE

Lodging: Hampton Inn Norfolk, NE                              $179 King / $169 Queen/Queen                           

904 South 20th Street, Norfolk, NE 68701

Call the Hotel directly and ask for the rooms under the Schonesland Porsche Club Group Block

Phone: (402) 379-3585