Best EW interstate through the great plains

[Roadgeekteen]

Lots of interstates in the great plains have a reputation for being boring. But which one is the best?

[hotdogPi]

I-129?

[Roadgeekteen]

I-129?

should have specified, major 2di, not 3dis.

[ilpt4u]

But which one is the best?

Best for what? Taking a nap behind the wheel???

[oscar]

If you view those Interstates as boring, go with I-90 in South Dakota with the highest speed limit (most of it 80mph). Downside is that services are pretty thin between Rapid City and Mitchell, except for tourist trap Wall (been there, done that, not going back).

[Roadgeekteen]

But which one is the best?

Best for what? Taking a nap behind the wheel???

Most interesting/scenic.

[Max Rockatansky]

I-90 and I-94 at least get you to a National Park each. 

[ilpt4u]

I will not cast a vote

The only one I have driven is I-80 in Nebraska...Not a whole lot of interesting/scenic going on that drive

[ozarkman417]

I-70 has the Flint Hills, though those are basically less extreme and less forested Ozarks.

SM-G965U

[webny99]

If you view those Interstates as boring, go with I-90 in South Dakota with the highest speed limit (most of it 80mph). Downside is that services are pretty thin between Rapid City and Mitchell, except for tourist trap Wall (been there, done that, not going back).

What's wrong with Wall? I liked everything about the I-90 experience in South Dakota. The speed limit, the middle-of-nowhere feeling, approaching the Badlands at sunrise... it was all great.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

70 > 94 = 90 > 80

94's Badlands are better than 90's (and for those who aren't aware, ND's and SD's Badlands are not the same)

[webny99]

94's Badlands are better than 90's (and for those who aren't aware, ND's and SD's Badlands are not the same)

I am quite aware, yes. What you can see from I-90 itself in South Dakota is not exactly jaw-dropping, but the National Park is full of true wonders.
As far as North Dakota, don't remind me that I've never driven I-94 across the state, which is something I've always wanted to do. That and US 2. Hopefully I can get both checked off the bucket list someday.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

90 at the Missouri River is pretty cool too. It's amazing how quickly it changes from corn to ranches.

[SectorZ]

South Park had an opinion, but I guess this would have to be 76 if it were an interstate.

[Max Rockatansky]

70 > 94 = 90 > 80

94's Badlands are better than 90's (and for those who aren't aware, ND's and SD's Badlands are not the same)

It doesn't hurt 94s case that it has actual NPS viewpoints too. 

[Roadgeekteen]

South Park had an opinion, but I guess this would have to be 76 if it were an interstate.

76 is an interstate.

[ozarkman417]

<snipped>

South Park had an opinion, but I guess this would have to be 76 if it were an interstate.

76 is an interstate.

Yes, but all it does is connect Denver to I-80, so it doesn't go through the Great Plains like the ones in the poll.
I-76 is in Nebraska for a whopping two and a half miles.

[kphoger]

I voted, but I'm probably not very qualified to vote.  I've only driven I-70 and I-80 extensively.  I voted for I-40 because, for the relatively short portion I've driven, I enjoyed the opportunity to deviate by only a few miles and see old sections of Route 66 history.

Oh, and I-80 through Nebraska sucks.

[Scott5114]

I-40 is would probably be my choice because it isn't really all that plains-y. Everything east of US-81 is pretty hilly and increasingly forested as you go east. You only really get the real plains experience across the Texas panhandle, and by the time you get sick of it, you're in New Mexico.

I-80 is the only other option I've actually done, and dear God, it's a slog. Although it may have been made worse because the driver of the car I was in insisted on playing nothing but Garrison Keillor the whole way.

[Konza]

I-80 across Nebraska pretty much stays in the Platte River Valley.  I drove across it once when it was foggy and the visibility was far less than optimal.  Definitely not fun.

I haven't driven I-90 or I-94, and prefer I-70 over I-40.

The last time I headed east I took US 54 through Wichita and I-35 from there to Kansas City.  The route includes a small city or two and the heart of the Flint Hills, and is definitely shorter than following the Interstates from Albuquerque to Kansas City.

[csw]

I-80 is the only other option I've actually done, and dear God, it's a slog. Although it may have been made worse because the driver of the car I was in insisted on playing nothing but Garrison Keillor the whole way.

This is what's known as "The Fifth Circle of Hell".

[hbelkins]

Only ones I've done are I-70 through Kansas (going west) and I-94 across most of South Dakota (going east, turned onto I-29 south). I don't really remember much about either trip, other than enjoying I-70 in the Manhattan area because it was nowhere near as flat as I thought it would be.

[deathtopumpkins]

I've only done 40, 70, and 80.

40 has a fairly short stretch of actual plains - as Scott said, by the time it gets truly boring, you're done. It also has the benefit of being broken up by Amarillo - the only route to really have a sizable city between I-25 and I-29/35.

70 is a real snoozefest except for the Flint Hills, and then feeds into the nightmare that is 70 across MO.

80 is pretty comparable to 70 except it has better (for me anyway) connections to the east, and plentiful services across NE. Plus the sandhills provide a bit of visual interest as you go west.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Most of what I know is from either watching a certain trucker on YouTube or by playing around with Mr. Google's things (I've crossed North Dakota on I-94 yesterday and today on Street View).

I have to agree with what has been said of I-40. Just by looking at a map, I-40 is too far South to be really plains. And judging by satellite imagery, I-40 appears to run along the transition zone between the plains and Western Texas.

From what I have seen, I-70 is perhaps the most boring crossing of the plains. Just a looooooong gentle slope from Salina to Denver, without even major rivers on the way.

I think I-80, mostly running along the Platte River, doesn't give a correct impression of Nebraska. One has to get out of the Interstate to see that Nebraska is not that flat and boring, and the further West one deviates, less distance to a landscape change is.

Both I-90 and I-94 at least have the monotony broken by the Missouri river about halfway through (and in the case of I-94 also by Bismarck). I-90 may have the least tedious crossing, as going Westbound it is basically done by the time one reaches Wall. After that, is down and up the Cheyenne River valley, and then it's not that long to the Black Hills (but then again, I haven't seen much of I-90). I was surprised to see I-94 is rather hilly after Bismarck, and also has a decent amount of curves compared to the others. Not to mention the passage through the Badlands. However the hassle can continue well into Montana, despite the Yellowstone River valley.

At least this is only limited to Interstates. US 2 retains a Great Plains (more like Prairies) feeling until well beyond I-15!

[westerninterloper]

Take US 36. It's quick across Missouri and half of Kansas, and nice hills out to Denver with few semis.