kimilseung

I just got back from 3,500 mile road trip across the Northern expanse of America. Flew to Chicago and drove through South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana plus a few other states.

Started off driving to Sioux Falls, then the next day the sightseeing started. First stop was the Corn Palace in Mitchel, SD. I'd seen this on some TV show sometime, and just happened to see a sign for it on the Freeway. Its a great bit of odd tourist kitsch. Then on to Wounded Knee, through some none park Badlands, the Wounded Knee sight is not sign posted until very near to it, there is not much to mark it either, a small monument and a text info board. It was one of the places I was determined to get to given its role in American history, I always appreciate just being in places of historic importance, I find it helps as a peg to hang other information on. But for anyone just wanting to see a sight, then its probably not worth it. On our way North to the Badlands National Park we passed the small town of Scenic, which now is a ghost town, hinting at the ranching old days, with just a few residents, bought up by a Philippense church. After a drive through Badlands we stopped off at Wall Drug, a famous tourist stop off that I am no wiser why it is famous than I was before seeing it. Though it does have drinkable 5 cent coffee.

We used Rapid City as a base for touring the Black Hills. The Big Giant Heads of Mt Rushmore and the more ambitious carving of Crazy Horse that after over 50 years of work is still only a head. We went to Deadwood, and South to a Mammoth dig sight that has uncovered over sixty Mammoth bodies. Wind Cave National Park had interesting "box" formations, but the highlight was Custer State Park and the Bison herd.

Cody had two good museums, The Old Trail Town, composed of relocated period cabins, including the Hole in the Wall cabin used by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (We had also stopped near Sundance (where the Kid had been arrested in an early crime in his career) to see the Devils Tower, that was used in the movie "Close Encounters") The other museum was the excellent Buffalo Bill Museum, which is five museums in one, we didnt have time to explore it all.

A long detour drive got us to the Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument.

We used a cabin in the Paradise valley, Emigrant, MT to explore Yellowstone and the Tetons. Two National parks right next to each other, Yellowstone has the Geysers and the Tetons has those iconic mountains. Yellowstone is big and has a lot to see, even driving is slow, slow roads but lots to park up and see on the way. We stopped at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman on the way to Coeur D'alene. Then it was just a stop of at Spokane for lunch on the way home to Seattle.

The journey was a lot of driving, a lot of miles for just a few weeks, we had three drivers to share the load, but it has given my a sense of America, or at least an America, it has also given me a sense of American history.

The Plains Indians was probably the linking theme, the old tracts of land that many of them travelled and lives through, several contemporary reservations and places of importance to them, but also places that are important in the ending of their way of life.

I was surprised how much I was reminded of Tibet driving through the plains and grasslands interspersed with mountain ranges. And until recently a similarity in a way of life for those living in both places. There is so much empty space in this part of America.

ian-mstm

Wow - that sounds like a grand adventure.

Sheila and I are doing a similar trip next summer... driving to Sioux Falls, then up to ND for no reason at all, then to Rapid City as the base for trips to the Big Heads and to Devil's Tower. Both are on our bucket list. We did Yellowstone, Old Faithful, and the Grand Tetons a few years ago!

Ian

KK85

Wow! What a dream trip! I was speaking to my father only yesterday about how I'd love to see Yellowstone one day, and incorporate it into a grand road-trip across a few states. Little did I know, he's already done that himself, several decades ago. One day, I'd like to do something very similar to what you've just done, perhaps (maybe, hopefully) even with him in tow.

Sounds like you had an incredible and quite stunning time.

Ian, your trip also sounds glorious - enjoy! I hope it's wonderful!

jkeller

Thanks for sharing your road trip! The black hills around Rapid City are beautiful. I had always wanted to go there ever since I saw North by Northwest. Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint being chased by James Mason on top of Mt Rushmore. I finally made it there in 2004.

Giantaxe

Always interesting to hear about others' road trips. I'm planning something a little different - Gulf to the Great Lakes - start in New Orleans, head a little to the west of the Appalachians, then through Ohio and Michigan before looping Lakes Michigan and Superior into Canada.

moneypenny20

Loved reading that, all places I've read about but will probably never see. Thanks.

Anian

It's weird how there are these random famous landmarks, but nothing between them for hundreds of miles except the odd rather ordinary town.

petitefrancaise

Thanks for sharing your trip! So jealous!!