Background
This was our most ambitious trip yet! We had planned a trip with the kids for the end of the summer to Utah, but Rita was insistent on taking a trip without them for at least a few days. We struggled with where to go, given that we only had a few days and wanted to stay within the country. Last minute, Rita had a crazy idea to fly into Denver and then drive 7 hours to South Dakota (since there are no direct flights from New York to South Dakota). We went with it and had a great trip, albeit one with a lot of driving.
Day 1 – Rocky Mountain National Park
Although our flight Sunday night was delayed a bit and we didn’t get to the hotel until almost 2am MT, we woke up early Monday morning to head to the Rocky Mountains. (Shout out to my sisters Viviane and Rachel for working hard to make sure we got the timed entry tickets! RMNP requires that visitors have a timed entry permit. 60% are sold a month in advance; the remaining 40% go on sale the night before. Since we were supposed to be mid-air, my sisters secured tickets for us.)
We started the day at Bear Lake Trail, an easy 0.8 mile walk around a beautiful serene lake. The views were gorgeous and it was a pleasant way to start the day. We then began the 2 mile out and back trail to Alberta Falls, which was slightly more difficult, but still very manageable. Since the weather was predicting afternoon rain, we decided to skip a 3rd hike in the Bear Lake area and begin the scenic drive so we could reach the Alpine Overlook. Along the way we stopped at several picturesque lookout points until we reached the Alpine Visitor Center. (Note: We had wanted to stop at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, but it was technically outside the park and we were concerned that we wouldn’t be allowed back in because of the timed entry permits. So, we chose to continue until the end of the drive and stop instead at the Alpine Visitor Center.) As we drove up the mountains, we saw the landscape change drastically from forest filled to Alpine tundra with barely any vegetation. Right near the Visitor Center is a short 0.5 mile trail. Despite its brief length, it is an intense hike as you reach 12,005 feet above sea level and can really feel the effects of the higher elevation and how hard it is to breathe up there.
By 2 PM we felt that we had done most of what we planned to do in the park and began our drive towards South Dakota. (Another note: In addition to weather concerns, we also had to factor in Highway 34 being closed due to the Alexander Mountain Forest Fire. This added about an hour to our route.) We headed back to Estes Park, where we found elk in the city center for a brief stop before going to Walmart to pick up our essentials for the week. Since the drive from the Rockies to South Dakota was over 6 hours, we chose to stay in Lusk, Wyoming for the night, which was only supposed to be about 4 hours from the Rockies. It actually ended up being closer to 5.5 because of the road closure.
On the way to Lusk we stopped in Cheyenne, Wyoming and walked a few block, stopping at the Wrangler cowboy store. We then visited the Guernsey Ruts, part of the Oregon Trail, which are the marks left in the ground from the wagons that rode through the Oregon Trail in the 1850s.
Day 2 – Black Hills of South Dakota
We once again had an early start to the day. We needed to make a 9:40 reservation at Jewel Cave National Monument. Luckily, despite getting pulled over by the sheriff for going 82 in a 70 mph highway and driving close to empty, we made it in time. In this hour and a half tour we explored about a half mile into the underground cave. Ideally we would have done this tour at Wind Cave National Park, but unfortunately the elevators were being repaired over the summer, making a tour impossible. During the tour we saw all kinds of natural mineral deposits, including a “runny egg” and “bacon.” Although it was a bit longer than necessary, it was cool to see the unique formations.
Our trip coincided with the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which took place in the nearby city of Sturgis, SD. Therefore, we saw hundreds of motorcycles and riders on our trip, which impacted the experience. After the cave tour, we headed to Crazy Horse Memorial. The native tribes were upset that the Americans took their land and then carved their presidents into the stones. They decided to create their own stone monument and are currently building Crazy Horse’s face and body into the mountain. So far, they have completed most of the face. The entry fee was steep ($30) and included access to a (not so great) museum exhibit and distant view of the memorial. Honestly, we would have been better off viewing this from the highway, instead of visiting the site.
Next up was horseback riding through a part of the Black Hills Forest. It was pretty and serene. Rita was expecting it to be similar to our riding experiences in the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon, but the views were not as spectacular. Nevertheless, it was a nice activity to do since we didn’t have the kids with us.
We then continued to Custer State Park. This was incredible and had many varieties of activities. We began at Sylvan Lake, where Sam took a quick swim. The backdrop was gorgeous and it seemed like a great place to spend the day with kids. We then drove through the windy Needles Road, stopping on the way to do a little hiking and photos. We ended the park by driving along Wildlife Loop Road, where we were lucky to see a herd of bison, antelope, prairie dogs and wild donkeys. Sam even fed the donkeys some carrots.
Our day was still not over!! We ended the day at Mount Rushmore, where Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt are carved into the mountain. It was spectacular – much cooler than anticipated! We did the short walk through the Avenue of the Flag and then the longer (but still short) President’s Trail. We learned about the construction of Mount Rushmore and Rita even became a Junior Ranger. Due to a thunderstorm, the evening presentation was cancelled, but the park still turned the lights on to glow up the presidents’ faces on the mountain.
Day 3 – Badlands National Park
On Wednesday, we began at Wall Drug, a now giant tourist shopping complex that is famous for being the first to offer free ice water with a meal. We did a quick stop at Minutemen Missile Center, but unfortunately missed the spots for Delta 01 and Delta 09, the launch control facility and missile silo. We learned about the nuclear missiles of the US during the Cold War period. We then headed towards Badlands National Park. Interestingly, most of the hikes were located before the Visitor’s Center. Our first hike was Notch Trail, a 1.5 mile out and back trail that required climbing a wooden rung ladder and following a steep windy trail until reaching a notch that had breathtaking views of the area. We then did the Door and Windows hikes, which were shorter trails that allowed us to roam freely through the badlands. There was no specific path that needed to be followed and visitors are able to explore independently. After a few hours of hiking and glorious views, we stopped at the Visitor’s Center for the obligatory passport stamp and some information. We then drove the Badlands Loop Road and stopped at many lookout points, including White River Overlook, Panorama Point, and Yellow Mound. The different colors in the stones represent different time archaeological time periods. We thoroughly enjoyed Badlands National Park and highly recommend it. This also seems like a great park for kids to explore and have fun.
It was now time to head back towards Denver. Rita insisted on stopping at Wind Cave National Park, even though the elevators were being repaired and cave tours were unavailable. We did a brief stop, learned a bit about the native connection to the cave and saw the opening of the cave. Obviously, it would have been better if we would have been able to do the tour, but Rita felt that since we were in the area, we had to stop by.
We then stopped at Carhenge in Alliance, NE on the way to Scottsbluff, NE, where we would spend the night. In the middle of the drive to Carhenge, we got a warning for a severe thunderstorm that would see hail. We were very concerned, but luckily made it to our destination safely. Carhenge is a unique road trip stop; it is a replica of England’s Stonehenge made out of old cars. After a few minutes of selfies in the rain, we headed back in the car for the last portion of our drive to Scottsbluff.
Day 4 – Nebraska, Wyoming & Colorado
Thursday turned out to be a bit of a disappointment due to the rainy weather. We had originally planned to visit Colorado Spring and possibly Pike’s Peak before our midnight flight. Since it was raining, we spent some time at Scotts Bluff National Monument, a site that commemorates a portion of the Oregon Trail. We learned a bit about the history of the trail – did you know that the wagons were only for the elderly and babies? The rest of the people walked hundreds of miles along the wagons. We did a short walk through where the trail passed.
We then stopped at Fort Laramie, an old police station from the times of the Oregon Trail, before heading to Quebec 01 Missile Site. We had learned that this existed at the Minuteman Missile Site and thought it would be a good stop for a rainy day. There, we took a tour of the underground launch facility and saw what it was like for missileers during the Cold War. It was an unexpectedly interesting stop.
We then continued on to the Celestial Seasonings Tea Factory in Boulder, where we toured the factory and tasted many yummy teas. Finally, we arrived in Denver around dinnertime and ate at a vegan sushi spot. Since we still had time before the flight, we ended up at a very cool bowling alley / arcade, where we bowled and played darts. Despite not following the original itinerary, it was a fun way to end the trip.
