Lifelong camper, hiker and outdoor enthusiast here. I am also an inexperienced gumshoe overlander and 1st time forum poster 
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I live in the beautiful state of Wisconsin and will be out in the Grand Teton area this August for a family reunion. I have the rare opportunity to take 5 additional days off to trek back from WY to WI. I would like to make this my first inaugural long-distance overlanding trip. To keep planning simple, I will be driving Sam Correro's TransAmerica Trail (TAT) through the states of WY and western half of SD. I have purchased the GPS tracks through his website. This will be a solo trip. My vehicle is a 2020 JLU Wrangler Rubicon 2.0T on stock suspension. I plan to camp exclusively. I will take the TAT through WY and SD just past the Badlands, and then continue home to WI via major interstates.
Total mileage of the WY leg is 784 miles. Total mileage of the western SD leg is 164 miles (total TAT mileage = 948). Most roads are either USFS or backcountry roads, with the occasional state highway or scenic byway thrown in for access to essential services. I have never driven USFS or backcountry roads in the American West before, so am unsure what to expect.
A couple questions:
- Erik
.I live in the beautiful state of Wisconsin and will be out in the Grand Teton area this August for a family reunion. I have the rare opportunity to take 5 additional days off to trek back from WY to WI. I would like to make this my first inaugural long-distance overlanding trip. To keep planning simple, I will be driving Sam Correro's TransAmerica Trail (TAT) through the states of WY and western half of SD. I have purchased the GPS tracks through his website. This will be a solo trip. My vehicle is a 2020 JLU Wrangler Rubicon 2.0T on stock suspension. I plan to camp exclusively. I will take the TAT through WY and SD just past the Badlands, and then continue home to WI via major interstates.
Total mileage of the WY leg is 784 miles. Total mileage of the western SD leg is 164 miles (total TAT mileage = 948). Most roads are either USFS or backcountry roads, with the occasional state highway or scenic byway thrown in for access to essential services. I have never driven USFS or backcountry roads in the American West before, so am unsure what to expect.
A couple questions:
1.) What mileage can I realistically anticipate covering each day? This will help me plan overnight camping spots.
2.) Are 5 days enough to cover the total 948 miles of the TAT legs? I will still need a spare day to get home after I exit the TAT just east of the Badlands. For those familiar with the TAT in these regions, what would you consider omitting if necessary?
3.) What recovery gear is considered essential for the WY and SD TAT portions of my trip? Sam markets the TAT as being passable by motorbikes and light off-road vehicles; however, as I am going solo I don't want to find myself stuck in any undesirable situations. Based on Gaia map data alone, some of the WY roads look like they might get hairy at times . For those who have done the TAT, will I need recovery gear such as traction boards, winch, etc? I do not currently own these items and need to look into purchasing/mounting options if deemed necessary.
. For those who have done the TAT, will I need recovery gear such as traction boards, winch, etc? I do not currently own these items and need to look into purchasing/mounting options if deemed necessary.4.) I am scared of brown bears in the applicable portions of WY (...somewhat kidding but not really...). Our black bears here in the WI would never hurt a fly.
Thank you all again for your very valuable input!- Erik
