Little Bighorn NM & Cooke City-Beartooth Pass

View over Little Bighorn Battlefield

We came across Little Bighorn Battlefield on accident on our adventure west towards Yellowstone. As we were driving along Highway 212 we noticed cars on the ridge to our left and it looked like there may have been a statue. We were curious. After a little investigation with our Garmin we realized that abutting the road was Little Bighorn NM. Both of us voiced some interest in visiting the site and it seemed perfect that we happen to be driving by.

Marking the Calvary's Mass Grave

Here's a little history: At the Battle of Little Bighorn, late June 1876, George Armstrong Custer and 12 companies of the 7th Calvary went up against Cheyenne, Sioux and Arapaho warriors. It was a culminating moment in the  Native Americans struggle against the European invasion. Custer and his men were defeated and buried in a mass grave. The fallen warriors were removed by their tribes and given proper Native American burials. Within a few years the area became a national cemetery and a monument was erected on the knoll where Custer made his "last stand'. Stones now mark where soldiers and warriors fell.

From the parking lot it is a short walk through the museum to the knoll where the monument lies. As you walk slowly uphill it's impossible not to think back to what the battle must have been like. The prairie dominates the landscape for as far as you can see like an ocean of grass and woody shrubs. The sun was beating down upon our face and shoulders, warning us to seek shade and drink more water. I couldn't help but wonder if the battle was on a day like that and what it really was like.

The stones that marked where soldiers fell were white granite, all except for Custer, who's stone had a black front. Where each Native American warrior had fallen there was a dark granite stone that informed the reader that he had died 'defending the Cheyenne way of life'. We thought that was quite beautiful.

Little Bighorn NM, Walking Tour

The path lead us into a circular area with stone walls reaching 6-7 feet. Dark plaques displayed the names of the warriors lost in battle and of famous warriors who had changed the history of the people. Along one edge there was an iron statue of warriors riding into battle and through the iron the prairie flowed below. The circular construction of the area helped us to feel the place. It felt like a memorial. Silent yet intense and somehow peaceful.

This was a great surprise for us on our journey. I think that we had been so focused on what we could do in Yellowstone that we may have overlooked some things to do along the way! From here we continued to head west, getting closer to Yellowstone with each moment.

The shortest route from the Black Hills to Yellowstone is straight East to Cody and in through the East Entrance. We wanted to leave the park that way so we decided on the Northeast Entrance. This meant that most of our drive was through Montana, a state I'd never seen before. It was beautiful.

Rock Creek Vista Point Rest Area

It turns out that Highway 212 would lead us all the way to Yellowstone's doorstep. In Red Lodge, MT we stopped to fill our cooler and stretch our legs. After looking around a bit, we thought that we could definitely live there. The town is nestled in a valley and felt like a outdoor paradise. It's the end of the line during the winter months when the Cooke City-Beartooth Pass is closed. It seemed like a fun little town.

As soon as we headed south on 212 there was a change in scenery. We were entering into the Shoshone National Forest and approaching the beginning of the Pass. The mountains on both sides of us nestled closer and seemed to climb higher. We followed the valley floor for miles before we began the slow climb up the mountain side. There were so many switchbacks that I lost count before we were at the first viewpoint. As we rose out of the valley we had spectacular views to take in. The mountain peaks were covered with snow and though they had felt far away, we were suddenly on the plateau cruising on top of the world.

Gardner Lake Overlook

Josh was doing most of the driving and I was envious. The road was narrow, constantly curvy and rarely had a guardrail. I wish I could have driven to distract me from the huge drop that we were coasting along. My toes were constantly tingling.

We stopped at each overlook and gushed at the views. As we had rose in elevation the temperature dropped significantly. In Red Lodge we couldn't escape the heat but on the high plateau it was in the 60's and the wind was howling and we needed sweatshirts. The lakes were edged in ice and snow still dominated the ravines. It was like stepping back into spring.

We began to look for a place to camp that night. Originally, we thought that we were going to make it into Yellowstone the first night but we talked about it and decided that we would like to make our entrance in the morning. We checked out few camping areas but none of them seemed to be what we were looking for.

It's a odd thing to be driving to a destination but to have no plans at all. Our schedule was up in the air and our time was our own. We eventually came to a campground called Crazy Creek and decided to spend our first night in Site 11. It was far away from the mosquitoes, had a view of rocky ledges and had a path that led down to a roaring stream.

Josh on Crazy Creek

We pitched our tent, blew up the air mattress, made the bed, started a fire and set to cooking dinner. This was the first time that Josh and I had actually been camping together and we were having a lot of fun. For dinner, I think I made beans and hot dogs with bread and cheese. It was definitely a cowboy dinner. We brought our dishes to the creek and washed them the best we could. The recent rain had left the creeks at record highs and it was a sight to see with the water rushing through the rocks and debris.

With the sun beginning to set we took the opportunity to glass the rocky ridge and try to spot Bighorn sheep. We didn't have any luck but it was incredibly peaceful to be sitting under a setting sun, in the middle of the forest next to my husband. It was a great start to our greatest adventure yet.

The Road East

9.11 Effigy Mounds, Josh & Wu

We were facing a 30+ hour drive with our cat, TomTom and our infamous dog, Wu. It was going to be an intense and long drive but we were determined to make it fun. Josh and I planned out a few stops across the country that were in National Parks, Monuments and Forests. Why not see the back road beauty of our country as we make our way halfway across the nation?

The first night we planned our stop in Decorah, Iowa. Neither of us had seen Iowa before and this was a great opportunity. It looked incredibly similar to Nebraska or Kansas or Indiana until we came to the Mississippi River valley. The hills were green and the trees were just beginning their fall change.

As early as we could manage we were on our way to Effigy Mounds National Monument. It's located in Harpers Ferry, Iowa with the Effigy Mounds nestled along the mighty Mississippi River. The road was very country and wound for miles through the hills.

The National Monument, itself, spread out along the terrace overlooking the river. It cost $3 per person for us to hike the trails and after paying the fee we headed to the northern area. There are miles of walking paths that follow the course of the river and meander to various groupings of mounds.

9.11 Fire Point Overlook

We stopped at several overlooks and enjoyed the leaves which were starting to turn. The overlooks were breathtaking and our favorite was Fire Point. The Mississippi had risen above it's banks and from Fire Point we watched the water race through the drowning treetops. At each stop we had a bird's eye view of the Mississippi River and surrounding woodlands.

It's easy to see why this area has been sacred for thousands of years and why past peoples created the earthen mounds that populate this area. The most popular mound shape we saw was conical. There were numerous mounds in other shapes like bears and birds which could be found too. Most of the mounds are raised just a few feet and wild grasses are allowed to grow nearly unhampered on their tops. The groundkeepers trim up to the edge of the mounds and help to outline and pronounce the mounds shape.

9.11 Effigy Mounds NM, Iowa

Since their discovery several of the mounds groupings have been excavated but still there is little known about the people that built them. The mounds themselves can be dated to be 1000-1200 years old with the conical mounds being the oldest. Most of the time the mounds held the burials of several individuals but there's no way to tell if it's family groups or otherwise. The history here was very interesting and there's still so much to be learned!

The mounds were well preserved and as we followed the path through the forest it felt peaceful and serene. It turned out to be a beautiful morning stroll with the sun just risen and the air still crisp and we were completely alone most of the time. It's moments like that when I realize how lucky we are. 

The rest of our morning was spent exploring and we made sure to get checked in at the Visitor's Center. The Effigy Mounds NM was another stamp for our National Parks Passport. As our adventure here came to an end we packed up Wu and headed east with only 1400 miles left to go...

Devil's Tower, Revisited.

Devil's Tower NM, WY 9.25.10

Today with our visiting family we tackled Devil's Tower. It's about 80 miles NE from Deadwood, just on the eastern side of the Wyoming Black Hills. The weather was amazing; 75°, blue skies and little wind. We made it there around 11:30 this morning. It's Public Lands Day and so there was no entrance fee. Ten dollars saved and everything keeps getting better!

First things first, we went into the Visitors Center and stamped out National Parks passports. We are slightly obsessed with collecting these cancellations. They're usually very pretty stamps and I like that the date you visited is usually included.

The Family! Devil's Tower NM, 9.25.10

Roughlock Falls, 9.25.10

Then the majority of the group took off on the loop that circles the base of the tower. It's just over a mile long, tarred and incredibly peaceful. The rocks that have fallen from the tower are called talus and the path follows just along the edge of the pile. On the other side is open forest with little underbrush and a few fallen trees. We walked taking a few photos along the way. We saw about 10 climbers. More than on any of our previous visits.  Over the course of the trail we spread out quite a bit. The youngest was the first all the way around and Josh and I nearly brought up the rear. It was just what I needed. Then we hit up the free cookies and water and headed back.

As a detour we went through Spearfish Canyon. The leaves here are in their peak colors and it was spectacular. Greens, yellows and oranges popped along the canyon. There was a lot of traffic but that didn't seem to take from the scenery. 26 miles of changing leaves, exposed peaks, occasional caves and a perfect stream to follow.

We stopped into Roughlock Falls where our wedding ceremony was going to take place. It was busting with people. So many people. The water was clear and the air was warm. It's a very beautiful place.We enjoyed every waterfall, each little bridge and overlook. There wasn't one overlook that wasn't already occupied but we managed alright. Some beautiful photos were taken. Everyone seemed to enjoy it despite the amount of people. So many Leaf Peepers.

Roughlock Falls, 9.25.10

We eventually made it home. The fresh mountain air is exhausting. It was great day and we are so happy that our family was here to enjoy it with us. And to see why we've been hanging out in South Dakota for so long!

Southern Black Hills Tour

Mt. Rushmore National Memorial 9.16.10

This morning we hopped in the car and headed south on 385. It was a relaxing ride with our windows down with a warm breeze blowing around us.

We were on course for Custer State Park when we realized that we had taken a turn for Mt. Rushmore. The road winds, climbs and drops its way through the southern hills until you come up to Mount Rushmore. It was a perfect day for the faces. They glowed against the blue sky. From every perspective they are spectacular. Carved so precisely into the hills.

A burrow foal, Custer State Park 9.16.10

Custer is usually a hotspot for antelopes, bighorn sheep, elk, buffalos and burros but today we had little luck. The antelope were out in force. We saw several groupings of bulls, cows and calfs. The racks on the bulls are beautiful. Black and rigid. This past spring we saw two young bulls play fighting with their racks. It was awesome. There were a few calfs- each one cuter than the last.
      
Not one buffalo was seen. This was the first time that this has ever happened. We did the whole Wildlife Loop Road and a few offshoots but still didn't see anything. Both Josh and myself were incredibly disappointed but are still hopeful that we can make it there for the Annual Buffalo Round-up on the 27th of September (also Josh's Birthday)!

Heddy Draw Lookout Point, Custer State Park 9.16.10

Though there was a distinct shortage of buffalo we encountered plenty of burros. Fairly aggressive burros at that. There were three burro "encampments" that we had to travel through and in each one both of us had to guard ourselves. They stuck their heads in the windows and poked around for food. Sniffing everything with great intent and lipping most of the surfaces. We were able to scratch there faces and love on them a bit but they were nothing short of demanding.

I was hoping to see a mountain goat or elk but even though it didn't happen it felt incredible just to be on another adventure with Josh.