Our Rocky Mountain Road Trip begins in South Dakota heading west out of Sioux Falls headed toward the Black Hills. Join me as we visit the Badlands, Custer State Park, and Devil’s Tower.
Our first planned stop in South Dakota was in Chamberlain, where I-90 dissects the Missouri River. On the east bank of the Missouri River stands the statue Dignity, erected to honor the Lakota and Dakota culture of South Dakota. This beautiful 50-foot statue stands tall overlooking the river below while holding a quilt covered in diamond patterns. The view and the statue together are quite striking. It’s an easy stop off I-90 at a visitor’s oasis between exits 263 and 2565. Make a stop to enjoy the statue and the view.
We were hungry by this point and stopped on the other side of the Missouri River at Al’s Oasis, one of those places that challenge Wall Drug for roadside shopping attractions in the state. There are few comfort areas available west of the river on I-90 so this is a recommended stop. Their salad bar was quite wonderful and we noticed plenty of whole food options as well as standard American menu. If you have been on the road for a
Evening on the Ranch
After a long stretch on I-90 passing mostly cattle ranches, we pulled off an access road and stopped for the night near Philip, SD at the Triangle Ranch Bed and Breakfast. It was a 10-mile drive through the plains on gravel roads to a ranch house. We passed pronghorn deer, more cattle, and several ICBM missile silos along the way. We passed through the ranch gates to find a delightful turn of the 20th century home standing tall along the rolling hills. We were greeted warmly by our hosts, Kenny and Lyndy.
Lyndy walked us around the house and the property and explained how her ancestors had ordered the components of the house through a Sears & Roebuck catalog in the early 1900s. The house was unique and so was Kenny. He is full of stories to tell.
Breakfast and the Badlands
In the morning, we joined the other 4 rooms of guests at the large table in the Triangle’s dining room. The table contained a couple of gentlemen from the Civil Air Patrol, a couple from Minnesota, and a family from Wisconsin. The breakfast was delightfully cooked to order and enjoyed with other overnight guests. Kenny told us all about those old missile silos while the other guests discussed local attractions like the Minuteman Missile Center and Wounded Knee Memorial. They sounded interesting but we will have to catch them at a later time. We were headed to the Badlands and points west.
The weather was overcast and it was jacket temperature when we reached the Badlands. The dampness made hiking untenable as mud and clay instantly caked to your shoes. The conditions forced us to stay on paved trails or boardwalk. The formations are extremely unique and vary throughout the park. The striations in the formations cover a
Off to the Black Hills
After an obligatory stop at Wall Drug, we headed to Mt. Rushmore full of anticipation for a sight I had not seen since I was 12. We got to the mountain and it was fogged in. Lynne handed me a tissue, and I, regretfully, snapped a few pictures. Part of the reason we drove this whole way was to see Mount Rushmore. Now, that seemed an impossibility. My schedule did not allow us to wait around until the next day. It would put us behind for our accommodations at Yellowstone and beyond.
Custer State Park was on our agenda for the day and it is right next door to Mt. Rushmore so we headed there, hopeful the fog may clear later in the day. We headed down Iron Mountain Road with switchbacks, single-lane tunnels, and pig-tailed roundabouts. Fun driving. Lots of people on motorcycles enjoying the road. We went through the Wildlife Loop in the park and we saw our first bison herd. They were rutting and the males were in a mood. They would head off by themselves to work off some steam. Following the Loop, we went to the top of Mt. Coolidge for some panoramic views of the park, It was starting to clear so we decided to head back to Rushmore. As we headed over, the clouds were at lower levels in that direction, and we were losing hope and daylight quickly.
We got there and we could see the heads, but not clearly but we regained hope. After walking the area trails, we were rewarded with some good views by the time we left. It really is a unique sight you must see in your lifetime. The whole area is well maintained and beautiful. We headed to Lead, South Dakota for the night and stayed at the Dakota Spur Hotel. The hotel was nice, but, if I would do it again, I would stay in Deadwood for the night. You will find more people and more to explore in that area.
Our last stop in this area was Devil’s Tower. It is in eastern Wyoming just across the border from the Black Hills. I had never visited th
It is a truly awesome spectacle! Your drive toward the tower winds you along rolling prairie with very few outcropping of rocks or anything that would predict the view to come. About 10 miles from the tower, you come around the corner and you see it. The rock erupts abruptly from the Earth’s surface straight into the sky amongst these rolling hills. It’s not close to any other tourist destination but if you are within 100 miles, you have to go.
We drove in through the park past a pra
We finished the day with lunch at The Coop rotisserie in Gillette, Wyoming. Chicken Tacos were fresh and delicious. Quick service. From there, we plotted out our approach to Yellowstone for the next exciting part of our Rocky Mountain Road Trip. We made some changes and it turned out to be an exciting drive through the mountains via Bear Tooth Pass to an overnight stay in Cooke City, Montana.
Our next leg picks up in Cooke City, Montana and covers our time in Yellowstone, which was epic. Click here to link to the post!