There's something undeniably magical about a road trip-the sense of boundless freedom, the ever-changing scenery, and the thrill of the unknown. It's not just about reaching a destination; it's about the experiences along the way. The hum of the engine, the wind rushing through open windows, and the endless stretch of asphalt ahead create a rhythm that lulls you into a state of adventure.
The Beginning: Anticipation and Excitement
Every road trip starts with anticipation. The night before departure is filled with last-minute packing, checking maps (or GPS), and that giddy excitement that makes sleep elusive. The car is loaded with snacks, playlists, and a mix of essentials and just-in-case items. As the engine starts the next morning, the journey truly begins-windows down, music up, and the open road calling.
The first miles are electric. The cityscape fades into suburbs, then into open countryside. The world feels full of possibilities. Conversations flow easily-plans, memories, jokes, and comfortable silences. The road is a companion, always moving forward, urging you to see what's around the next bend.
The Middle: Unexpected Discoveries
A road trip is never just about the highway. It's the detours that make it unforgettable. A hand-painted sign for a roadside attraction, a local diner with the best pie you've ever tasted, or a scenic overlook that wasn't on the itinerary-these unplanned moments become the heart of the journey.
Small towns welcome you with their quirks-a vintage gas station, a Main Street frozen in time, or a friendly waitress who calls you "hon." The landscape shifts: rolling hills give way to deserts, forests morph into plains, and mountains rise in the distance. Each mile brings new textures, colors, and stories.
There are challenges, too-wrong turns, sudden rainstorms, or that one rest stop with questionable bathrooms. But even these become part of the lore, the tales you'll laugh about later. A flat tire in the middle of nowhere leads to an encounter with a kind stranger. A missed exit becomes a chance to explore a hidden gem.
The Rhythm of the Road
Hours blend together in the best way. The playlist shifts from upbeat anthems to mellow tunes as the sun dips low. Golden hour bathes everything in warmth, and the world feels slower, softer. Conversations deepen as the miles pass-dreams, fears, and the kind of talks that only happen when you're untethered from daily life.
Night driving has its own magic. The road is quieter, lit only by headlights and the occasional glow of a distant town. The stars seem brighter out here, away from city lights. A 24-hour truck stop becomes a beacon of coffee and greasy comfort food, the neon sign a welcome sight in the darkness.
The Destination-and the Journey Home
Eventually, the destination appears, whether it's a national park, a coastal town, or a loved one's doorstep. There's satisfaction in arriving, but also a quiet longing for the road itself. Because the truth is, the trip isn't just about where you're going-it's about who you become along the way.
And then, there's the return. The road back is different-familiar yet changed. You're wiser, wearier, but full of stories. The car smells like adventure: sunscreen, fast food wrappers, and the faint scent of pine from that hike days ago. Home feels both comforting and strange after so much movement.
Why We Keep Going Back
A road trip is more than travel; it's a reminder of life's spontaneity. It's about control and surrender-planning the route but embracing the detours. It's about connection-to the people beside you, the strangers you meet, and the land unfolding outside your window.
And when it's over, you'll find yourself dreaming of the next one-because the road never really leaves you. It whispers in the everyday, calling you back to where the horizon never ends, and the journey is everything.
In the report below, the county's county seat is used as a starting point for a county. From there, all county seats within 250 straight-line miles from that county seat orgination point are shown. In those instances where a county does not have a county seat, than the largest city within that county is used as a reference point. There are a few cases where a county has two county seats, in that case, one is arbitrarily selected.
Seattle (King County, WA) |
Dallas (Dallas County, TX) |
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Manhattan (New York County, NY) |
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Hysham (Treasure County, MT) |
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Billings (Yellowstone County, MT) |
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Chicago (Cook County, IL) |
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Atlanta (Fulton County, GA) |
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Los Angeles (Los Angeles County, CA) |
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Baker (Fallon County, MT)
Big Timber (Sweet Grass County, MT)
Billings (Yellowstone County, MT)
Boulder (Jefferson County, MT)
Bozeman (Gallatin County, MT)
Broadus (Powder River County, MT)
Chester (Liberty County, MT)
Chinook (Blaine County, MT)
Circle (McCone County, MT)
Columbus (Stillwater County, MT)
Ekalaka (Carter County, MT)
Forsyth (Rosebud County, MT)
Fort Benton (Chouteau County, MT)
Glasgow (Valley County, MT)
Glendive (Dawson County, MT)
Great Falls (Cascade County, MT)
Hardin (Big Horn County, MT)
Harlowton (Wheatland County, MT)
Havre (Hill County, MT)
Helena (Lewis and Clark County, MT)
Hysham (Treasure County, MT)
Jordan (Garfield County, MT)
Lewistown (Fergus County, MT)
Livingston (Park County, MT)
Malta (Phillips County, MT)
Miles City (Custer County, MT)
Plentywood (Sheridan County, MT)
Red Lodge (Carbon County, MT)
Roundup (Musselshell County, MT)
Ryegate (Golden Valley County, MT)
Scobey (Daniels County, MT)
Sidney (Richland County, MT)
Stanford (Judith Basin County, MT)
Terry (Prairie County, MT)
Townsend (Broadwater County, MT)
Virginia City (Madison County, MT)
White Sulphur Springs (Meagher County, MT)
Wibaux (Wibaux County, MT)
Winnett (Petroleum County, MT)
Wolf Point (Roosevelt County, MT)
Amidon (Slope County, ND)
Beach (Golden Valley County, ND)
Bowman (Bowman County, ND)
Dickinson (Stark County, ND)
Hettinger (Adams County, ND)
Manning (Dunn County, ND)
Medora (Billings County, ND)
Mott (Hettinger County, ND)
Watford City (McKenzie County, ND)
Williston (Williams County, ND)
Belle Fourche (Butte County, SD)
Bison (Perkins County, SD)
Buffalo (Harding County, SD)
Custer (Custer County, SD)
Deadwood (Lawrence County, SD)
Rapid City (Pennington County, SD)
Sturgis (Meade County, SD)
Basin (Big Horn County, WY)
Buffalo (Johnson County, WY)
Casper (Natrona County, WY)
Cody (Park County, WY)
Gillette (Campbell County, WY)
Lander (Fremont County, WY)
Newcastle (Weston County, WY)
Sheridan (Sheridan County, WY)
Sundance (Crook County, WY)
Thermopolis (Hot Springs County, WY)
Worland (Washakie County, WY)
|
1130
930
965
906
894
1046
1072
1112
1140
937
1097
1047
1035
1153
1152
1002
990
969
1099
931
1031
1096
1014
905
1130
1080
1243
912
1002
975
1219
1200
1003
1117
924
851
951
1163
1039
1175
1168
1166
1152
1206
1172
1223
1181
1200
1233
1240
1067
1157
1120
1040
1061
1068
1070
904
947
893
880
988
801
1020
961
1037
861
888
|
1357
1581
1518
1688
1626
1371
1702
1635
1449
1544
1351
1452
1668
1519
1402
1686
1475
1592
1651
1692
1476
1498
1594
1603
1573
1422
1464
1532
1537
1563
1496
1406
1629
1414
1663
1657
1642
1378
1546
1477
1324
1368
1315
1320
1278
1333
1349
1281
1376
1406
1279
1253
1299
1238
1264
1231
1255
1456
1395
1337
1506
1338
1454
1267
1419
1292
1446
1443
|
878
1139
1072
1246
1191
918
1218
1143
958
1104
884
988
1194
1021
913
1219
1027
1139
1162
1243
1015
1016
1128
1167
1078
952
947
1102
1078
1110
983
902
1165
934
1218
1232
1191
887
1076
975
837
877
835
822
796
829
855
789
866
892
836
780
832
816
826
799
816
1039
973
952
1089
913
1076
846
988
858
1047
1034
|
209
67
0
174
121
154
220
196
180
35
193
96
172
189
204
176
46
76
197
175
72
131
97
97
180
137
279
53
46
49
254
247
123
169
147
167
124
224
85
210
255
230
249
285
285
292
252
301
286
284
241
294
242
280
255
287
264
100
134
232
91
182
205
252
103
225
149
126
|
141
134
72
234
188
105
232
184
110
107
131
27
193
135
132
210
42
125
193
229
0
73
118
165
146
67
212
123
63
97
192
175
154
98
205
237
176
152
72
145
187
159
183
215
221
221
181
234
214
213
198
235
184
249
215
248
223
138
137
242
151
163
251
224
104
191
189
161
|
1555
1826
1759
1929
1880
1607
1875
1796
1622
1793
1567
1669
1859
1675
1579
1889
1714
1820
1816
1924
1696
1683
1802
1856
1733
1630
1586
1794
1758
1792
1625
1558
1838
1606
1900
1924
1871
1554
1750
1629
1510
1545
1513
1488
1475
1490
1523
1462
1518
1538
1532
1465
1517
1521
1525
1501
1514
1739
1673
1662
1788
1613
1785
1550
1684
1557
1751
1736
|
1018
1141
1094
1233
1170
988
1312
1268
1111
1108
995
1068
1266
1182
1073
1269
1064
1168
1277
1247
1084
1136
1189
1152
1220
1056
1176
1085
1130
1143
1193
1101
1218
1067
1217
1183
1208
1055
1155
1154
1007
1048
990
1025
964
1046
1038
983
1091
1122
904
930
955
843
884
853
880
1004
960
867
1045
922
952
863
993
900
972
982
|
854
600
665
492
552
818
529
608
781
636
849
744
543
728
825
515
710
594
588
491
718
720
605
575
671
781
822
645
655
624
782
844
568
800
518
521
543
850
657
774
897
859
898
916
936
913
882
945
885
866
906
953
902
941
919
950
929
721
783
845
671
840
738
911
760
889
735
735
|
Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus
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