There’s an old road that runs through the Chicago area of Illinois, and few people know about it. Known as the Yellowstone Trail, this ancient and extensive road spans the entire country.

People were using yellow stones and landmarks as well as getting directions from whoever would give them before roads like this. Scroll on for more details.

Known as the Yellowstone Trail, this 3,719-mile highway stretches coast to coast from Seatle, Washington to Plymouth, Massachusetts, passing right through northern Illinois.
Wikimedia Commons/John W. Ridge
It was established in 1912 as the first transcontinental automobile highway and is named for Yellowstone National Park as it follows the trail that many used to take to get to the park before there was a road.
Wikimedia Commons/GFDL
Automobiles were becoming more popular around the turn of the century, but roads were mostly made of dirt, making long-distance travel difficult and mostly accessible only by train.
Wikimedia Commons/Buch-t

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Originally designed to be a 25-mile stretch of road in South Dakota, the Yellowstone Trail made it possible for tourists to travel this portion of the United States without depending on guidebooks, landmarks, and colored rocks.
Wikimedia Commons/Royalbroil
The road's slogan was "A Good Road from Plymouth Rock to Puget Sound," and there are several route markers along the way.
Wikimedia Commons/Brandonrush
The road passes through many small towns and big cities. In Illinois, it passes through Chicago and its suburbs such as Evanston, Glencoe, Waukegan, Lake Forest, and South Chicago.
Wikimedia Commons/Floydian
The road essentially enters the state from Wisconsin and skims Lake Michigan before exiting into Indiana. In general, the road keeps to the north and touches many communities near the Great Lakes.
Wikimedia Commons/Steven C. Varner

If you’ve ever driven the Yellowstone Trail, we’d love to hear from you. Please share your experiences and photos with us below in the comments.

For more like this, check out these 10 scenic backroads in Illinois that are great for a Sunday drive.

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