I didn’t have much of a plan today besides having fun on our way to an overnight in North Dakota. I figured that we wouldn’t see all of Custer State Park and the Black Hills yesterday and that it would be nice to have some extra time to look around and possibly go on a hike or two.
We started off with a scenic drive through the Black Hills, not too far from Mount Rushmore. The drive was beautiful and when we saw a trailhead for Cathedral Spires, we pulled over. I thought we might hike up the trail 15 minutes and back, but the older boys and I made it all the way to the top before we had to return.
Mark and Bethany with the Pinnacles
The view from the top was worth the climb. I think a dream vacation for me would call for a backpack of books on some mountain trails.
View from Cathedral Spires
Something caught my eye yesterday about a place called “Devil’s Tower” and I ran the calculations to see how much time it would take to sneak into the northeastern corner of Wyoming before heading north. We decided to go for it.
Devil’s Tower
This igneous intrusion is one of the most impressive geological formations I have ever seen. The site was and is sacred to Native Americans and today is a favorite spot for rock climbers.
Devil’s Tower with the kids
We didn’t climb the rock, but we did enjoy a 1.5 mile hike around the base. It was a warm day and the wrong time for Jonathan (nap time kept Kelli off the trail with him), but everyone else enjoyed the varied views from below.
The park also includes a prairie dog village, and the little creatures first observed by Lewis and Clark were not afraid to come up close.
The girls with the little rodents
It might look like Luke is out in the middle of nowhere, but he’s actually in the officially designated “geographical center of the United States” outside Belle Fourche, South Dakota.
The center of the United States
We ended the day in Bowman, North Dakota, the first of three planned nights in this state. With my arrival here, I’ve now been to 49 states. Since 2009, our family has traveled to all but two states in the lower 48.
Which 1 have you, and 2 have your kids not been to? Nevada?!
Yep! We figure it’s no loss, though they’re anxious to get to Washington :-). I’ve not been to the one state you can’t drive to.
“We figure it’s no loss”!!!!!!! *Sigh* If you think the Badlands are beautiful, than you are missing out on the REAL beauty of NV!
Ilena – I certainly appreciate your passion. Have you seen this webpage on the “5 Ugliest States in the Nation”?
http://www.examiner.com/article/the-5-ugliest-states-the-nation
The guy says, “Sorry Las Vegas and Reno, your state is a furnace; a desolate and forbidding wasteland. I like desert as much as the next man but you can drive for hours and hours without seeing anything of interest. You could die in Nevada and no one would notice or care.”
I didn’t write that!
The author of said article is 1st- from NAPA, 2nd- from CALIFORNIA, and 3rd- a blogger about WINE (3 things I dislike and are dislikable in general). Also, as to his quote: “You could die in Nevada and no one would notice or care” is not totally true: people would care and would send out the NAS Fallon Longhorns to find you, or what is left of you. But, it is true that people may not notice- we like our space and the lyrics “fences make good neighbors” and “don’t fence me in” are quite applicable here! They both could be our 2nd or 3rd motto. I’ll suggest it at the next Legislative session. ;) SPACIOUSNESS is why people live here (along with the freedom to “get lost” when and where they want to, without the nuisance of people bothering them). :)
I’ll take my SPACIOUSNESS in a mountain forest rather than in a barren wilderness :-).
But don’t you know that Nevada has the most North/South mountain ranges in the whole United States?! And the greatest number of mountain ranges in the U.S.?!
I had no idea. The nice thing is that in a year we’ll be neighbors with Nevada and can come check it out! (And, if you ever need a job, I bet that these folks will hire you in an instant!)
Hahaha! That’s great! So glad we’ll be (7 hr. away) neighbors! Funny thing about “these folks”: their main office is 5 blocks from my house!