So my wife and I want to plan a 3-4 week trip cross country. We would start in Maryland.

Drive across the US across the northern half.
Drive back across the southern half.

I want to see Mt. Rushmore, and we would end up in Arizona before we head back to visit my wife's brother and the Grand Canyon.

What tips can you guys provide for a trip like this?
How should we prep the jeep for a trip like this?

We would be taking a tent for camping and our two dogs.

 

Make sure you budget more money than you think... like 2x. And be prepared to have the trip go longer than planned. I drove from Atlanta to Vegas to Olympia and it took 14 days. We spent 2 days in Amarillo after the tranny blew in my friend's truck

Get your oil changed halfway through the trip. You may not hit it mileage-wise, but if you're driving nonstop for 3-4 weeks you should consider the extended heat your engine is subjected to.

Also, don't forget flip flops and underwear

When are you going? Soon, or after it warms up? If soon, plan on icy roads and ugly mountain passes that require chains

 

We would be going sometime between end of June and august.

Thanks for the money tip.

 

You may not need it. But I've never heard anyone complain from not spending all their money

 

Find off the grid destinations. There is a lot of fun places to stop. Last trip I did was NC to PA, then north route to WA, with a small trip into Canada then down to San Diego. I took pictures of my jeep on east coast and each broader crossing, covering 4 corners of the country.

 

One of the best vacations we ever had was when my wife and I took three weeks to get from the west coast to the east coast. I was in the military then and was being transferred. We made the trip a 3 week holiday.

Camped some nights, particularly "out west" and stayed in a lot of smaller, out-of-the-way places. Cabins and such.

That trip was the first time I'd ever been to the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone and Mt Rushmore. Great places to visit. Plan on spending some time at places you want to be, rather than just turning it into a massive driving exercise, churning out the miles.

I don't think I'd do it with dogs, but they're likely important to you. On a trip, they can be a trial.

In those "old days" when we made our trip, we made sure to get lots of paper maps and looked ahead of time to interesting places & routes. These days with GPS and the internet, much more information is available to the traveler.

A stock Jeep is fine for your trip. Pack some extra food, water, camping gear, a good tent, sleeping pads & bags, and have fun! It could well be a wonderful experience. Take your time. Be flexible. Line out a few things you'd like to do and things you'd like to see along the way. Have fun!

Regards, CW