What does a 39-day American road trip of 7,600 miles look like? The call to go to Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park and the Black Hills of South Dakota and everywhere in between was too loud to be denied. I wrote recently about the "how" of the trip, so now I'd like to include you in on the details of Part I - North Carolina to Kansas - where we camped, places we stopped, and things we saw. Hope you enjoy the ride and let it inspire you to make your own road trip adventure!

If you've spent any time planning a vacation in Yellowstone National Park, you'll realize that it is too massive to take in all at once. With over 400 miles of paved roads, our camping strategy was to break the park into three sections and build an itinerary for each. Madison Campground, near the West Yellowstone entrance, served as our basecamp to explore the awe-inspiring thermal area of Yellowstone National Park.

A one-day urban adventure to one of America's most popular cities, Boston! The Boston Minuteman Campground is just 30 miles away and serves as a great jumping off point for a budget escape to the city and Boston's Freedom Trail.

When you think of great places in Florida, we'd encourage you to throw camping into the mix at Anastasia State Park. Proximity to St. Augustine's waterfront, history, and charm might be the first draw, but it’s not the only attraction that makes this Northeast Florida destination a keeper.

There is a good reason that the Avalanche Peak Trail makes the short list of must do hikes on a visit to Yellowstone National Park. Situated on the eastern border of Yellowstone, the Avalanche Peak Trail is a deceptively short 5-mile roundtrip hike that'll have you forever asking first about elevation gain rather than distance.

There are multiple parts to the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. The two major locations are Chickamauga Battlefield in Georgia and Lookout Mountain Battlefield in Tennessee. Each played an important role in the history of the Civil War.