Just on a whim.

Seriously, though....my husband and I are travelling and we crossed into Montana from North Dakota, and I said, Hey, if we see this rest area, we have to stop! So, much to my surprise, we saw it and stopped. I took some photos and walked around a bit. It looks different now than it did in the segment.

What surprised me most it that it's RIGHT off the freeway. It looked like it was totally off the beaten path, but nope - it's right there. I'll try to post pictures - might have to wait until I'm home.

Poor Dexter. Hadn't he just lost his wife on a significant day the year before (I'm thinking Christmas Eve)? This case is one that, for inexplicable reasons, sticks with me from seeing the original broadcast. I remember being struck by how there was zero dialogue from the man portraying Stefonek.

wasn't the bad area rest stop where that man and his wife were in their RV and they were attacked...his wife was shot...he dived under the RV and lived....but his life was ruined anyway :(

wasn't the bad area rest stop where that man and his wife were in their RV and they were attacked...his wife was shot...he dived under the RV and lived....but his life was ruined anyway :(

No, that was a rest stop near Blind River, Ontario.

Is it still called "Bad Route Rest Area"? BTW, the title of this thread has got to be the greatest of all time.

Poor Dexter. Hadn't he just lost his wife on a significant day the year before (I'm thinking Christmas Eve)? This case is one that, for inexplicable reasons, sticks with me from seeing the original broadcast. I remember being struck by how there was zero dialogue from the man portraying Stefonek.

Actually, the actor portraying Stefonek had dialogue with the man portraying Stefonek's son, right before he left on the trip back to Wisconsin. He said he needed to get back home for a little while, but would eventually be back in visiting his son and grandchildren more often.

The exit is called Bad Route Road. Somebody had a picture of the road sign as their avatar on here at some point.

It's not that far away from civilization. I mean, there's not a ton of houses or buildings, but there's a town about 5 miles west. It's within an hour of Theodore Roosevelt national park in North Dakota.

I kind of think that Dexter witnessed some other crime committed by the man with the white truck. The AZ license plates are puzzling. Was this person from AZ? Did he flee for some other reason? Was Dexter even abducted from the rest stop? His body was found 17 miles away. How did the person even know where the landfill was (especially if he was from out of state)? This is all really puzzling and just SAD.

The exit is called Bad Route Road. Somebody had a picture of the road sign as their avatar on here at some point.

It's not that far away from civilization. I mean, there's not a ton of houses or buildings, but there's a town about 5 miles west. It's within an hour of Theodore Roosevelt national park in North Dakota.

I kind of think that Dexter witnessed some other crime committed by the man with the white truck. The AZ license plates are puzzling. Was this person from AZ? Did he flee for some other reason? Was Dexter even abducted from the rest stop? His body was found 17 miles away. How did the person even know where the landfill was (especially if he was from out of state)? This is all really puzzling and just SAD.

You need to post some pics!!

It's good that you are able to live to tell of it, OP. props:

It seems like the northwest had a lot of serial killers doing their horrible things in the '80's. I wouldn't be surprised if Stefonek's killer was someone like Charles Sinclair (who died of a heart attack in 1991). That guy literally would drive anywhere in the west portion of the US to do his inexplicable deeds (from Washington state down to Arizona or New Mexico).

This thread is useless without pictures...You're killing us! haha.. I seriously am eager to see some real life pictures of this place.

This thread is useless without pictures...You're killing us! haha.. I seriously am eager to see some real life pictures of this place.
Man, you guys are impatient. Cut the lady some slack! ;)

I'd love to do a tour of Unsolved Mysteries crime scenes :)

I will post pictures - I promise! I'm on the road right now, so I'd prefer to wait until I get home, but I will see what I can do from here. You guys might have to wait almost 2 weeks!

Anyone willing to help out with some screen captures from the episode for comparison purposes?

Here's the view of the rest stop from the side closest to the road. This building looks like it's been rebuilt since the UM segment. The tree in the middle is blocking most of the building - sorry!

http://tinyurl.com/3um6r3m

This is the rest stop from the backside. Car traffic is directed to the back now - semi parking is on the front side where it appeared Dexter's car and the white/blue truck were parked.

http://tinyurl.com/3dx5z73

This is the view over to the freeway. The bridge in the background goes over Interstate 94. I can't remember where this picnic shelter is located in relation to the main rest area building.

http://tinyurl.com/6jpwqfm

This view of the rest area is from the west bound entrance ramp to the freeway.

http://tinyurl.com/3u4q4th

If someone saw you taking these pictures they'd think you were some kind of crazy rest stop junkie (like a trainspotter...but rest stops) if they only knew what you were REALLY up to!!! :)

There was another couple there, and I could have sworn they were doing the same thing. I don't think they were taking pictures, but I kind of thought they knew it was an UM site. But yeah, I felt kind of weird taking these pictures with other people around. There were a few semi trucks in the lot too.

When I think of this rest stop, I think of a cold, dark, lonely and creepy place covered with lots of snow and a strong wind chill that hurts your face. The UM reenactment has that image frozen in my brain. Your pictures combined with the nice weather makes it look like a place where a family would have a picnic lunch.

It's too bad there's no small cross or wreath now where Dexter's car was found.

Yeah, it looks like a nice place for a picnic or something similar. On a purely personal level though, I wouldn't want to pull in there for an overnight stop. I imagine that rest stops at night could be a bit unsettling.

When I think of this rest stop, I think of a cold, dark, lonely and creepy place covered with lots of snow and a strong wind chill that hurts your face. The UM reenactment has that image frozen in my brain. Your pictures combined with the nice weather makes it look like a place where a family would have a picnic lunch.

It's too bad there's no small cross or wreath now where Dexter's car was found.

Yeah, the place looks so cheerfull, with the green grass and modern looking building. A far cry from the cold, dreary place that was featured on UM over 20 years ago. I doubt many people know the horror that took place there.

When I think of this rest stop, I think of a cold, dark, lonely and creepy place covered with lots of snow and a strong wind chill that hurts your face. The UM reenactment has that image frozen in my brain. Your pictures combined with the nice weather makes it look like a place where a family would have a picnic lunch.

It's too bad there's no small cross or wreath now where Dexter's car was found.

Agree 100%.

...the place looks so cheerfull, with the green grass and modern looking building. A far cry from the cold, dreary place that was featured on UM over 20 years ago. I doubt many people know the horror that took place there.

I totally agree with you on that. The images I have in my head from the UM segment is 100% opposite of what it looks like now. Kind of creepy.

Yeah, it looks like a nice place for a picnic or something similar. On a purely personal level though, I wouldn't want to pull in there for an overnight stop. I imagine that rest stops at night could be a bit unsettling.

Ah yes I remember someone telling me rest stops were the bathhouses of the 1990s for creepy looking gay and bi men.

Ah yes I remember someone telling me rest stops were the bathhouses of the 1990s for creepy looking gay and bi men.

I believe that was from the movie There's Something About Mary. :)

I'd love to do a tour of Unsolved Mysteries crime scenes :)

What a kewl idea for a cross-country or even international tour!

Ah yes I remember someone telling me rest stops were the bathhouses of the 1990s for creepy looking gay and bi men.

A local English teacher was busted near here under such circumstances at a city park where he went after taking the day off for a dental appointment. The replacement teacher had to hear the story from about 20 different people the first week! :lol:

A local English teacher was busted near here under such circumstances at a city park where he went after taking the day off for a dental appointment. The replacement teacher had to hear the story from about 20 different people the first week! :lol:

In the 90s, the rest area (within walking distance of my brother in law's house) was well known for it. At least one of the guys who got busted was a local school principal who was married with a family. It was a pretty big scandal back then. I wonder if would have made the news if the guy was a mailman or a fast food worker. Seems like they only talk about it when a politician or someone with an "important" job gets caught.

In the 90s, the rest area (within walking distance of my brother in law's house) was well known for it. At least one of the guys who got busted was a local school principal who was married with a family. It was a pretty big scandal back then. I wonder if would have made the news if the guy was a mailman or a fast food worker. Seems like they only talk about it when a politician or someone with an "important" job gets caught.

Most likely they would mention the activities going on at the spot. I don't think they would ever say who it was if they have a job that isn't of great importance like a cashier or fast food worker. You know some people the busybodies they would want to know no matter who it is.

"There's Something About Mary" taught us alot about things that UM were already pounding into our heads.

Don't forget, don't pick up hitchhikers!

http://m.c.lnkd.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/p/1/005/065/231/270a7f0.jpg