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Gordon Stockade & Gold Panning
Custer State Park, SD, July 2025 We spent the morning completing chores around the trailer, making calls, etc. In the afternoon, we went gold rushing. The park naturalists offer a wide variety of free programs that anyone can attend – animals talks, nature walks, archery, gold panning, etc. The 2 pm event at the Gordon…
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Jewel Cave National Monument & Canyon Hike
Jewel Cave National Monument, SD, July 2025 There are 3 national monuments within an hour of Custer State Park. The monuments are Jewel Cave National Monument, Wind Cave National Monument and Mount Rushmore National Monument. Jewel Cave has a .25 mile, 3.5 mile, and 5.5 mile hike near it. The .25 miles hike starts and…
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Bighorn National Forest (North)
Burgess Junction, WY, July 2025 We stayed at Garryowen, MT because Kate wanted to drive the Northern Route through Bighorn National Forest on Route 14. Route 14 through the forest is almost 60 miles south of Garryowen and about 35 miles long. In total, it is about 2 hours of driving, each way, due to…
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Yellowstone National Park Day 29
Yellowstone National Park, MT & WY, June 2025 Nez Perce Picnic Area A couple days ago we went to Nez Perce Picnic Area and saw a Great Blue Heron nest in the far distance. Today, we decided to use a pull off that was closer to the trees in which we saw the nest. (John…
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Yellowstone National Park Day 27
Yellowstone National Park, WY, June 2025 Today, we planned to sit somewhere and watch. We had talked about this a few times, but we had not done it. In Yellowstone, there is a problem with FOMO – Fear Of Missing Out. Not matter where you are in the park, there is something interesting happening somewhere…
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Million Dollar Toilet
Guernsey State Park, Wyoming, April 2025 Guernsey State Park was a CCC park. One of the structures created was a stone toilet that soon became known as the “Million Dollar Biffy” because of the amount of time it took to finish the project. These are pit toilets, still functional and now maintained by the Wyoming…
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Oregon Trail Ruts
Guersney, WY, April 2025 Guernsey has some of the best trail ruts I have seen so far. The wheels created about 3-foot-high ridges in the rock. I feel sorry for the animals that had to pull the wagons. The area had many signs about what was like and history of traveling west. I thought you…
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The Kansas Capital Building
Topeka, KS There is No Place Like Dome Kate found out that you are allowed to attend a free tour that takes you up to the cupola and balcony at the top of the Kansas Capital Building. John found out that he is still afraid of heights. Kate came out ahead in this deal. Most…
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Oleson Music Pavilion Park in Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge, IA, October 2024 One of the sights to see near Brushy Creek State Park is the Oleson Music Pavilion in Fort Dodge, Iowa. It was built in 1938 in a Modernist style with Art Deco overtones. Its construction was part of the Federal Works Progress Administration’s attempt to create jobs and stimulate the…
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Danville, Looking for Lincoln and Vermillion County Museum IL
Danville, Illinois Danville Illinois started out as a hub for 3 Native American Tribes – Kickapoo, Miami, and Potawatomi. In 1827, 80 acres of land was donated and lots sold which started Danville. In 1838, the Potawatomi Trail of Death camped and passed through Danville. Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer with the 8th Judicial Court.…