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The Great Plains, Our Summer Trip in 2021

The Great Plains

Our 2021 summer trip was to the Great Plains and focused on six states in which we have never camped. Those states are Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming. It was a long trip—five and a half weeks and over six thousand miles in our vehicle.

We were traveling in our NuCamp T@B 400. It is a fine camper and I am happy to say it performed beautifully. The only issue we had was that the air conditioner did not cool as much as we would like when in direct sun and 100 plus degrees in high altitudes.

Mountain View Campground in Sundance, Wyoming

It was a long trip, but was worth the effort because each state was beautiful and a joy to experience. Also, our map of states we have camped in is filling up nicely. So, we now have thirty-eight states.

National Parks

This Great Plains trip included four major National Parks: Theodore Roosevelt, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and Badlands. These iconic parks have been on my bucket list for a long time.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

North Dakota’s Theodore Roosevelt National Park was our first encounter with the Badlands. The desolate landscape of the Badlands was exquisite and was filled with creatures, great and small. For example, we saw hundreds of bison and thousands of prairie dogs.

While in Medora visiting the Roosevelt National Park, we saw the Medora Musical. It was a fantastic show and the best evening of our entire trip! I am so glad we were able to see it.

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone in Wyoming was the pinnacle of National Parks for us. The park is enormous, encompassing 3,471 miles. It has an abundance of wildlife, geysers, a Grand Canyon, rolling hills, rivers, and lakes. We completed the south loop, but did not have time to see the north loop.

Grand Tetons National Park

Grand Tetons is a much smaller National Park at 485 square miles. It is located directly south of Yellowstone in Wyoming . We stayed in a Jackson Hole campground, which is in a deep valley surrounded by mountains. There was not an abundance of wildlife, but it was breathtakingly beautiful.

Grand Tetons in the Great Plains — Grand Tetons Jackson Lake

Custer State Park

Custer State Park in South Dakota is large for a state park at 114 square miles and has all sorts of wildlife. Two of the most exciting times on our trip occurred while at Custer. Firstly, we had an up close and personal encounter with many bison when at the dump station. After we left, they were all over the spot as you can see in the photo below.

Secondly, we traveled through Needles Highway. It is considered one of the most epic routes in South Dakota. Portions of the highway only exist because workers in 1922 blasted holes through several solid granite “needles”. The road is extremely twisty with multiple narrow tunnels. I was on pins and “needles”, but my husband loved it.

Great Plains Memorials and Monuments

The Great Plains has many iconic memorials and monuments. So, we tried to see as many as possible.

It was so cool to see Mount Rushmore in South Dakota after seeing it in in photos or prints for so many years.

Mount Rushmore in the Great Plains — Mount Rushmore National Memorial

I hiked the 1.3 miles around the Devils Tower in Wyoming and was able to enjoy some astonishing views.

Devils Tower in the Great Plains — Devils Tower

Wyoming’s Little Bighorn Battlefield was a sobering place to visit. The countryside is very beautiful and it is sad to imagine all the lives lost in that famous battle.

The Crazy Horse Monument is near Mount Rushmore and is a work in process. The vision for the completed monument is of epic proportions.

Crazy Horse Monument in the Great Plains — Crazy Horse Monument

Presidential Libraries

We tried to visit the Truman Library last year, but it was closed because of Covid and renovations. While in Topeka, Kansas, we made a day trip to Independence, Missouri to see the library. Truman was an amazing president and the newly renovated library was wonderful to visit.

Abilene, Kansas was a stop for us to see our next presidential library, the Eisenhower Library. Unfortunately , it closed before we arrived because of a spike in Covid cases. We did, however, walk the grounds. Ike was an incredible president and I would love to know more about him.

Great Plains Capital Buildings and Museums

I love visiting capital buildings because of the history and architecture. We saw the outside of three state capitals and toured one while in the Great Plains.

The museums we visited were all compelling in different ways. Each contributed to an understanding of those earlier times in our history.

Capital Buildings

We took a tour of Nebraska’s capital building in Lincoln, which was completed in 1932. It is a beautiful building with a very ornate foyer with arches, mosaics on the walls, and magnificent marble.

We checked out two other capital buildings (Bismarck, North Dakota and Topeka, Kansas), but it was on weekends and they were closed.

Moss Mansion

Moss Mansion Museum showcases a house built in 1903. The cost of the home was $105,00 at a time when the national average cost was $5,000. The home was extremely opulent and there is a room in the house that looks much like the Palace of Versailles. It was used exclusively as the home of Preston Boyd Moss and his family until it became a museum.

Seelye Mansion

Seelye Mansion is an impressive old home built in 1904 in Abilene, Kansas. It is still intact with all the original furnishings. Most importantly, it has connections to a young Dwight D. Eisenhower. The story of the home, its residents, and current ownership is fascinating.

Durham Museum

The Durham Museum in Omaha, Nebraska was delightful! It is an old train station and has some actual old trains inside. It was like a walk back in time to old movies I have seem.

Hjemkomst Center

The Hjemkomst Center is actually in Moorhead, Minnesota. But, it was less than ten miles from our campground in Fargo, North Dakota. The centerpiece of the museum is a replica of an actual Viking ship dating back to 800 AD. The ship was actually sailed to Norway and at great risk to those on board. This museum is a must see, if in the area.

Fort Casper Museum

Fort Casper Museum is a replica of an actual fort and the original was key to the westward movement in the 1800s. The fort is furnished as it was in those days. It is an educational and extremely interesting place to visit. Also, check out those mountains in the background. The area is so beautiful!

Challenges of a Long Trip with a Puppy

Sophie, our puppy has been on several camping trips with us and is a great little traveler. But, those trips were only two weeks long and did not involve more than two or three stops This trip was five and a half weeks and twenty-two different campgrounds.

Sophie was wonderful on the trip, but there was very little room in our camper. As you can see in the photo above, dog and crate leave very little room for other inhabitants. It was very, very close in our camper, but we managed.

Also, we were traveling during a terrible heat wave. Most days it was quite hot, but we encountered highs between 100-105 degrees a few days. On one of the hottest days, we couldn’t let our pup walk on the ground because we were afraid it would burn her feet. So, on stops that day, my husband had to carry her.

Dogs hiking in the Great Plains — Sophie with a Rover Sitter

Lastly, some of our activities could not include a dog. We needed a dog sitter three times on our trip because we had to be away longer than we could leave her in the crate. Fortunately, we had three excellent Rover sitters and our girl had some fun times.

Great Plains State Posts

Lastly, there is a separate post for each of our new states in the Great Plains. If traveling to any of these areas, you might want to review.

Kansas, A New State on Our Long Summer Trip

Montana, a New State on our Long Summer Trip

Nebraska, a New State on Our Long Summer Trip

North Dakota, a New State on Our Summer Trip

South Dakota, a New State in Our Long Summer Trip

Wyoming, a New State on Our Long Summer Trip

In Conclusion

This was a trip of a lifetime for us and we thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a long trip, but we saw so many beautiful and interesting places.

Happy Camping!

South Dakota, a New State in Our Long Summer Trip

South Dakota

We were excited to visit South Dakota and it did not disappoint. We stopped at Sioux Falls early in our trip and circled back to the southwestern portion as we were heading towards home. Both areas were awesome, yet quite different.

Sioux Falls South Dakota

Sioux Falls is by far South Dakota’s largest city. For instance, Rapid city is next largest and is less than half its size. While we were there, daytime temperatures were quite comfortable, which was not true for most of our trip. We loved the city, but are not sure how we would feel about visiting in the winter.

Sioux Falls KOA

This was one of two KOAs on our journey and was by far our favorite. The staff was amazing and everything about it was great. We had a level, shaded site. While there, we utilized its heated pool, laundry, and dog park. So, we had a very comfortable stay!

Downtown

Downtown Sioux Falls was charming and offered lots of cultural entertainment. I especially loved Sculpture Walk, which features fifty different sculptures each year in the heart of downtown.

The Washington Pavilion is another cool spot downtown. It has art galleries, science exhibits, and theater performances. We walked around inside, but didn’t have time for anything else.

A landmark downtown establishment is Minerva’s and our lunch there was outstanding. I loved my salad with grilled salmon so much that I ordered the same thing at two other restaurants later in our trip. However, neither came close to the delicious dish at Minerva’s.

Falls Park

Falls Park was a beautiful way to spend an afternoon. We took our puppy with us and walked around the multiple viewing options for the falls. The park covers 128 acres and includes the 1908 Light and Power Company building. The building is now the Falls Overlook Cafe. We were able to take our dog inside to enjoy some delicious, locally made ice cream. My cherry cone was to die for!

Traveling to Custer State Park

We had an unusual situation at Custer. I booked it four months prior, but could only get three separate sites. That meant that we would have to move twice and did not have a lot of control over the time of day because check in and out time was noon. Also, as we traveled to Custer, we were fairly near some places we wanted to see. So, we decided to arrive later at Custer and make the relatively short trip longer because of side trips.

Deadwood/Lead

Firstly, we went through Deadwood and into Lead. We drove through the main street of Old Deadwood and it was hopping. Parking nearby was impossible because we were pulling the camper, but it was good to get a visual on the town.

Lead was very close and much less crowded. It is a very old mining town, dating back to 1876. Today it is a very charming town with many historic buildings.

Sturgis

Sturgis was next on our route and it is a much larger town. We had lunch at the Knuckle Saloon. It has a restaurant, craft beers, a gift shop, and an entertainment venue. We were interested in the covered outdoor seating because we had our dog with us. So, we had a nice lunch and were able to take in the atmosphere of this iconic place. I can only imagine what it would be like next week when all the motorcycle riders arrive.

Wall Drugs

Wall Drugs has been around since 1931 and is more of an attraction than a drug store. We saw about a dozen signs for it along the highway. Long ago, it received a big boost in sales by its offer of free ice water. Today it has a variety of gifts and souvenirs, the free ice water, ice cream, and fresh baked donuts. It also has a restaurant. Though it is in the middle of nowhere, it was as crowded as any place I have ever visited. The website says it has over 2 million visitors a year.

It was certainly hot the day we visited. Out SUV showed an outside temperature of 105 degrees. It was so hot that my husband carried our pup to the drugstore because we feared the road would burn her feet. We had ice cream!

Wall Drug Store in South Dakota — Ice cream at Wall Drugs

Badlands National Park

I really wanted to see Badlands National Park, but wasn’t sure we could fit it in as it was quite a drive from Custer and having to be at the park to switch sites every day. We spent about an hour in the park, which wasn’t enough. But, it was the best we could do.

We were towing our camper and it made me quite nervous through the twists and turns of the mountains.

Badlands National Park in South Dakota — Badlands National Park

It was very windy at this beautiful overlook. This park has a completely different look and feel from the other parks on our trip. It is so vast and rugged!

Custer State Park

Custer State Park is certainly a South Dakota gem! It seems more like a National Park than a State Park. It is enormous, covering 71,000 acres. There are multiple campgrounds and lodges and a sophisticated Visitor Center. I wanted to stay there so much that I was willing to move to three different sites.

We arrived around six at the Blue Bell campground after our drive all over the area and did not unhitch.

Custer State Park in South Dakota — One of our three sites

After a delicious breakfast at the Blue Bell Restaurant across the street the next morning, we drove to our next campground, Legion Lake.

Custer State Park has such an abundance of wildlife.

Every time we left our campsite, we saw animals and birds.

The Buffalo were up close and personal when we were at the dump site right before leaving. It was a bit disconcerting.

Lastly, we made the drive through Needles Eye Tunnel. It is only 8 feet wide and going through it was very close in our big SUV.

Needles Eye Tunnel in South Dakota — He drove Needles Eye Tunnel

Mount Rushmore

While at Custer State Park, we visited nearby Mount Rushmore. I have seen images of it for years, but it was great to see it in person.

Crazy Horse Monument

We also visited the nearby Crazy Horse Monument. It is enormous, but still a work in progress.

This model below shows the vision for the monument in the future.

In Conclusion

South Dakota was a whirlwind of activity for us, but it was such a great time! The three sites at Custer was not as much trouble as I feared. Check out other posts for states at States Visited, a Campsite Resource.

Wyoming, a New State on Our Long Summer Trip

Wyoming

We had was an incredible experience visiting Wyoming. It is the least populated state in the U.S. and dominated by wide-open spaces. The population is sparse because most of the state is either mountain or desert. A significant amount of the land has been preserved and Wyoming is home to two major National Parks, Yellowstone and Grand Tetons. We visited both parks and so much more.

Fireside Resort

Fireside Resort was our home base for Grand Tetons National Park. While not in the city of Jackson, it is considered a Jackson Hole establishment. We wanted hookups and a good location. It met the criteria, but was expensive at almost $160 a night with taxes. I was expecting something elegant and that was not what we got. The campground had no pool, dog park, recreation room, nor fancy landscaping. However, there was a bathhouse and laundry, plus cute rental cabins. We understand that everything in Jackson Hole is expensive, so perhaps it was to be expected.

But, we had a nice, long, full hookup site with lots of shade. There was also a creek behind it where moose are sometimes seen. All things considered, I was happy with what we had, especially the shade.

Fireside Resort in Wilson Wyoming — Site # 93

Yellowstone National Park

Old Faithful Geyser is Yellowstone’s most well-known feature. Crowds were heavy while we were at the park, but I am happy to say we had an opportunity to see the geyser spew. We were there around five pm and were able to get a seat for the show. Old Faithful performs about twenty times a day, so eruptions are a little more than an hour apart.

I was not expecting to be so awed by the incredible beauty of Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon. It is between 800 and 1,200 feet deep and between 1,500 and 4,000 feet wide and 24 miles long.

The park also has plenty of buffalo. In addition to buffalo, we saw horses, deer, geese, and prairie dogs.

Lastly, there is the beautiful Yellowstone River and an enormous lake. I have seen only a few National Parks, but Yellowstone is my current favorite.

Grand Tetons National Park

The Grand Tetons Park is significantly smaller than Yellowstone, but it is very beautiful. We drove the loop with our puppy and made lots of stops along the way.

Four elk antler arches at each of the corners of the park in Jackson are popular for photos. Unfortunately, Jackson was extremely crowded when we were there and we had our puppy with us. So, we just drove through and snapped a picture.

Casper Wyoming

Casper is the second largest city in Wyoming. It was a one-night stop for us on this long trip, but we saw more of the city than planned. My husband’s new phone was having SIM card issues and we didn’t want to be without a phone while so far from home.

We found an open Verizon store and they took care of our issue. The parts of the city that we saw driving there were very impressive. Beautiful scenery, lots of useful commerce, and nice neighborhoods. All the conveniences of home and a gorgeous backdrop.

Fort Casper Campground

The gravel sites were very close at this campground, but the view was amazing. The campground had a dog park, laundry, and very nice bathhouse. So, the $42 a night price for full hookups seemed fair.

Fort Casper Museum

Nearby Fort Casper Museum was so worth the time to see. It is a reconstructed 1865 military post and the location was linked to the river crossing related to Oregon, California, Pony Express, and transcontinental trails. We were fortunate to have a tour provided by the curator. The history of the fort was fascinating and the way the fort was furnished made it easy to envision those frontier times.

A reconstruction of the Mormon Ferry is below. Crossing the river was a major obstacle in the push westward and viable methods to cross did much to fuel the tremendous migration west.

A man named Guinard constructed a bridge. The photo below is a replica of a portion the bridge that was built in 1859. It was 810 feet long and they estimated the cost to be approximately $40,000. The toll to cross the river was from $1.00 to $6.00 based on the height of the river.

A replica of a portion of the Guinard Bridge

Sundance Wyoming

Sundance is a very small town that dates back to 1875. We wanted to get breakfast before heading out to Devil’s Tower, but were surprised that nothing was open. It is definitely not a big tourism town. But, we had a delicious steak that afternoon at the Longhorn Saloon, which was populated mostly by locals.

Mountain View Campground

Mountain View Campground was my favorite on this trip. It is surrounded by lovely mountains, but its greatest asset is its owners who take exceptional care of it and its guests.

Our hosts provided fresh baked cookies at check in. The sites were nice with many trees. A very nice pool and dog park greatly enhanced our stay. The bathhouse was immaculate and the laundry was the nicest I have ever seen. All this for $44 a night!

The heat was the only negative for our stay because it hovered around 100 degrees.

Devil’s Tower

Devil’s Tower was about an hour away and is impressive. It was our country’s first National Monument. I made the 1.3 mile hike around the monument and took a photo of the three people actively working to climb it.

Downtown Sundance

Sundance has a really nice museum with artifacts from its past.

Crook County Museum in Wyoming — Crook County Museum

The park has a life-sized Sundance Kid to honor the famous outlaw who served some time in the local jail. So, I paid him a visit.

Sundance Kid monument in Wyoming — Hanging out in Jail with the Sundance Kid

Lastly, we stopped at Vore Buffalo Jump in Beulah, a natural sinkhole used by ancient tribes to obtain buffalo for the winter. They discovered Buffalo remains dating to 1500 AD in the 1970s when the interstate was being built. Archaeologists estimate that over 20,000 buffalo were stampeded over the banks.

Vore Buffalo Jump in Wyoming — Vore Buffalo Jump

In Conclusion

Wyoming was the most beautiful state on our trip. It has abundant mountains, rivers, and wildlife. I am so glad we got to see it! Check out posts for other states at States Visited, a Campsite Resource.

Happy Camping!

Montana, a New State on our Long Summer Trip

Montana

Montana is so beautiful! It is called Big Sky County for good reason. The sky seems so big because it is very sparsely populated and absent of tall buildings. We were fortunate to be able to camp in three different areas in the southern portion of the state and loved the big sky views.

Traveling in Montana

Driving through Montana certainly was lovely. The area we traversed was very mountainous. We drove through Bozeman, but didn’t stop. However, it was very nice and seemed like a great city in which to live.

The roads in Montana surprised us though. We took a Google maps shortcut on Fly Creek Road. It looked curvy, but it would save eight minutes. About four miles in, it became a gravel road. We had twelve miles to go and hoped the gravel was temporary. It was not! We traveled at 5-10 miles an hour because it was shaking our car and trailer so much. We saw a few farms and some cows. The gavel road connected directly with the interstate at the end of our very long twelve-mile drive.

Garryowen

Our campground was in the tiny town of Garryowen. It is located just a few miles from Little Bighorn Battlefield. Also, Billings was roughly an hour away.

7th Ranch RV

We loved 7th Ranch RV! Our full hookup site was in the shade with actual green grass with the help of a sprinkler system. The shade was such a blessing because of the extreme heat in the area. We were also welcomed with free ice cream. The campground bathhouse and laundry were nice, but the views were spectacular.

Little Bighorn Monument

We listened to two very knowledgeable park rangers talk about the famous Little Bighorn battle and provide information about the monument area.

Markers indicate where soldiers were thought to have fallen in the battle.

The beautiful rolling hills look much like they looked during that famous battle. A cemetery that is an extension of Arlington is also located on the land now.

Little Bighorn Battlefield in Montana — View of the cemetery

Billings

Billings is the largest city in Montana. However, its 2020 population was only 109,868. We were there for one of our days in the area.

Moss Mansion

Moss Mansion was the home of one of the important founders of the city, Preston Boyd Moss. It was built in 1903 and was designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, the designer of the original Waldorf Astoria and Plaza Hotels. The mansion was in two movies, Son of the Morning Star and Return to Lonesome Dove.

The dining room below shows some of the exquisite details in this elegant home.

Yellowstone Museum

We visited the Yellowstone Museum while in Billings. It is a small museum with a very friendly staff and several interesting works of art. It was a nice part of our day.

A Rover Sitter

We had a Rover sitter while we were in Billings. Eryn, the sitter, has a house in the foothills of the mountain. She took Sophie and some other dogs on a mountain hike. Sophie seemed to enjoy it and was one tired pup when we returned to the camper.

Doggie mountain hiking in Billings Montana — Sophie’s hike on the mountain

Livingston

Livingston was a one night stop for us. The campground was very nice with flowers, nice landscaping, and an amazing view. I especially appreciated the large dog park. Our puppy really needed to run and get rid of some energy.

West Yellowstone

West Yellowstone is an access point to Yellowstone National Park. It is a small town that is right at the entrance to the park. The bulk of Yellowstone National Park is in Wyoming, but the entrance from the west is the park’s busiest with many restaurants and shopping opportunities.

Rainbow Point Campground

I booked our Yellowstone camping site about four months earlier and all electric sites were already taken. So, I booked a non electric site and we brought a generator. Thankfully, when we arrived someone had cancelled which meant that we did not have to roast in the extreme heat. The site was very large (AND ELECTRIC), so we were happy.

Hebgen Lake was a short walk from our campsite and it was absolutely gorgeous! I waded in the water with our pup because she got very dirty playing with another dog. The water was a very comfortable temperature, but we did not go far because our pup has not learned to swim yet.

The Lake water was so amazingly clear.

We went to the Yellowstone Visitor’s Center the afternoon we arrived and the ranger said we should head to Old Faithful right away and then do the southern loop clockwise very early the next day. The park was very crowded, but this strategy worked well.

Montana Food

While traveling, we stopped in Miles City for an excellent lunch at Black Iron Grill Rotisserie. The food and service were stellar! It has very nice outdoor seating, so we could take our dog. Without an outdoor seating option, we have to eat in our car when traveling.

Chislic at Black Iron Grill Rotisserie in Miles City

In Billings, we had a fabulous meal at Jake’s Downtown. The restaurant is very nice and we were surprised to learn it was owned by a lady named Kathy from Alabama. She came out to chat with us and we enjoyed our conversation.

In Conclusion

Montana was a fantastic time for us! But, photos and films do not do it justice. You just have to see it! Posts of other states we have visited can be seen on our page, States Visited, a Campsite Resource.

Happy Camping!

North Dakota, a New State on Our Summer Trip

North Dakota

North Dakota is a beautiful state with much to offer and we tried to hit the highlights. The two largest cities, Fargo and Bismarck, were stops on our journey. We also stopped in Medora to visit the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I was hoping for some cool weather, but only Fargo gave us that. Bismarck and Medora had highs 90 and above. Not exactly what we expected.

Driving in North Dakota brought some challenges as well. For instance, the speed limit on highways was 80 mph. As we were towing a camper and it was windy, we kept our speed around 65. It felt as if the big trucks passing us on the road were moving us all over the place. Additionally, the wind as we traveled east to west was brutal.

Fargo

Downtown Fargo was nice. We had lunch in an area with many restaurants. There was some kind of festival occurring with vendors and music. However, our puppy was in our camper so we just had lunch and kept our time there short.

Lindenwood Campground

Lindenwood is a city park and its campground was our favorite in the state! We had two nights in a water and electric site that was right on the river for only $30 a night. Most importantly, there was shade on our site and a huge wooded park to walk or ride bikes.

The river is the Red River and we were camping in the Red River Valley. This dates me, but I remember a song from my childhood, “The Red River Valley.” I had always thought it was about an area in the southwest. Not so though! We saw many fishing while we we there and one person caught a really big fish.

A trip Across the River

The Red River separates North Dakota and Minnesota and the land just beyond the river from our campsite is Moorhead, Minnesota. A fellow camper at a previous campground suggested we check out the Hjemkomst Center there.

The center houses a vessel that is a full sized replica of an actual Viking boat which was constructed over many years by Robert Asp. Asp was a guidance counselor and Moorhead resident of Scandinavian descent. There is a large population of Scandinavians in Minnesota. He built the ship in an abandoned potato warehouse. His dream was to sail it to Norway.

Asp died before it could be sailed, but some of his family members pulled together a crew of twelve and made the dangerous 6,000 mile journey from Lake Superior to Norway. They were hailed as heros when they reached their destination. The ship is magnificent and the story fascinating.

There is also a reproduction of a an ancient Norwegian church and a tour that explained a lot about the actual church and how it was used in ancient times. It was so worth the time to visit this center.

Along the Road to Bismarck

I marked my map to be sure we visited the world’s largest buffalo, which was right along the path to Bismarck. It was worth the stop in Jamestown for the buffalo and especially for the Frontier Village. More photos are on our Big Guy Tiny Trailer Facebook page for anyone interested.

The North Dakota countryside traveling west was beautiful, but extremely windy.

Bismark

Bismark was a one-night stop. I love to see the architecture of capital buildings, so we checked it out before heading to our campground. It was the weekend and it was closed, but I walked the grounds. It is an impressive building and more modern looking than most. Tours are offered when it is open and I wish we could have taken one.

General Sibley Campground

General Sibley is a city park and it was great for our one night stay. We had a very large electric only site near a very nice bathhouse and it was only $25 a night. It was quite hot, but very windy in Bismarck.

Medora

Medora was the highlight of our trip to North Dakota. It is a teeny, tiny, town that appears to be exclusively dedicated to serving visitors to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We loved the Fudge and Ice Cream Depot with its local ice cream flavors of Juneberry and Huckleberry. It has large patio seating so we could take our dog.

As the photo below from the hill by the amphitheater shows, Medora is very small.

The Medora Musical

A major highlight of our trip was the Medora Musical. Frankly, I was not expecting much, but it was excellent! We have seen several Broadway shows and this equaled them in talent and professionalism. An added plus was that it was outside on an evening that was beautiful and a comfortable temperature. It was magical!

Medora Musical in North Dakota — Medora Musical Stage

The guest performer that night was Markus Monroe, a very funny young man from New York. He would do a little of his comedy routine and then he would juggle. The juggling became progressively more difficult. It was an engaging routine.

Medora Campground

We had a little shade at the campground and overall it was nice, but the sites were very small and dusty.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Our campground was a five minute drive to the National Park gate, so it was very convenient. We visited late one afternoon and early the next day so we avoided the extreme heat and crowds.

We saw our first buffalo in the wild at this park. They were at several different areas of the park.

I finally have an understanding of the term, “badlands”. Before, I always thought it was an area that was dangerous because of the people there. I had no idea it was land that was so treacherous to cross.

Prairie dogs were in several areas of the park and they were interesting to watch.

We were in the park for an incredibly beautiful sunset!

North Dakota Food

We had several great meals, including pizza pictured below from Dempsey’s Brewery and Pub. It has nice outdoor seating, so it worked while traveling with our dog. Additionally, we had excellent meals with outdoor seating at Boots Bar and Grill and the Farmhouse Cafe in Medora. Sadly, we waited too long for reservations for Medora’s Pitchfork Steak Fondue. But, everyone we spoke to who tried it, loved it. So, if we are there in the future, we will be sure to try it.

Dempsey’s Brewery and Pub in North Dakota — Dempsey’s Brewery & Pub Sweet Sicilian Pizza

In conclusion

Lastly, North Dakota was a blast! Hopefully, we will make it back there sometime. If interested in posts for other states, check out States Visited, a Campsite Resource.

Happy trails!

Kansas, A New State on Our Long Summer Trip

Kansas Camping

Kansas is one of six new states for us in our 2021 summer trip. We spent three days in Topeka, early in our trip, and two days in Abilene on our way towards home. It is a beautiful state and the people we encountered were very warm and friendly.

Topeka

Our three nights in Topeka was over the Fourth of July weekend. Everything about our stay was great except it was quite hot. Temperatures reached 88- 90 degree highs while we were there. We had no shade except for our awning, so it was a lifesaver!

Deer Creek Valley Campground

Deer Creek Valley, near Topeka, is a wonderful campground and such a bargain! With an AARP discount, it was only $40 a night. The sites have full hookups and concrete pads. Also, the bathhouse and laundry were nice. The only downside was the absence of shade.

There is also a very large dog park, which has become important to us since we began traveling with a puppy. It was great because it gave her a great place to run and an opportunity to play with a cute little dog.

Deer Creek Valley dog park in Kansas — Nice dog park

We spent the 4th of July afternoon at the pool, so we’re able to get a reprieve from the heat. We met a very nice lady, Linda, who is a strong animal lover. She really connected with our puppy, Sophie.

The fireworks nearby were abundant and loud, but our puppy did not seem too bothered by them.

Pool in Kansas campground — Deer Creek Valley Pool

Truman Library and Museum

I really wanted to visit the Truman Library last year when we visited Missouri and were just a few miles away. But, it was closed for renovations and also likely closed because of Covid. I wasn’t sure it would be open while we were in Topeka, but discovered it was opening July 2nd while we were on our trip. It was so worth the hour-drive to Independence, Missouri. We left our puppy with a Rover sitter for the first time and it was a very good experience.

Topeka Sight Seeing

Topeka is the capital of Kansas and has a beautiful capital building. We would have loved to tour the inside, but it was the weekend and the building was closed.

So, we just checked out the local sites. For example, we saw a monument for Harry W. Colmery, a Topekan who was the author of the GI Bill. The GI Bill provides a magnitude of benefits to service members and veterans.

Arthur of GI Bill — Harry W. Colmery, Author of GI Bill

Topeka is also home to the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site.

Brown V Board of Education Monument — Brown v. Board of Education Historic Site

We were unable to enter the Visitor Center located in Moore Elementary School because it was also closed for the weekend.

Monroe Elementary School Topeka — Monroe Elementary School houses the Park Visitor Center

Kansas Food

We had some incredible meals while in Kansas. Lonnie Qs BBQ was very memorable for excellent barbecue, but also because of the kindness of its owner in serving us after closing and providing such generous portions. Lonnie’s is right outside Deer Creek Valley Campground and is a must have if you’re in the area.

We also stumbled upon a very popular downtown breakfast spot, The Pancake House. It was packed, but the wait was minimal. I loved my breakfast, but my husband was not fond of his spinach omelet.

Abilene

Abilene is a small town with links to some very famous and accomplished people. It was also important in the history of the old west.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower, our 35th president, grew up in Abilene. His Presidential Library is there along with his family home. He was an extraordinary president and I was eager to learn more about him.

We included Abilene in our trip primarily to visit the library. It was open when our trip began, but closed a couple of weeks before we arrived because of an increase of Covid cases. We did, however, walk the grounds and take some photos.

The family home normally allows tours, but it was closed as well. I would have loved to taken one of them.

A Successful Seller of Elixers

I was astounded to learn the history of the Seelye Mansion. The man who built the 25-room house in 1905 made his money selling an elixir which was mostly alcohol and ether. Evidently, he was an extraordinary salesman. The Georgian style home cost $55 thousand in 1905 and the furnishings cost more than the house. It was beautiful with all original furnishings.

The home hosted many famous people including Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, John Phillip Sousa, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Bob Dole. Unfortunately, Abilene’s most famous son, Dwight Eisenhower, was never a guest in the home.

The bowling alley in the basement was quite interesting. It came from the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis and is now one of only four in the world. Someone offered the owner of the mansion $1 million for it. I was amazed that they allowed tour members to bowl on it. I did three gutter balls.

Abilene’s Famous Marshal

The legendary Wild Bill Hickok became marshal in Abilene in 1871. We saw several images of him throughout the city. The town certainly embraces him and his colorful past.

Old Town Abilene

Abilene was significant in the old west because it was the end of the Chisholm Trail, which was used to drive cattle north. An estimated 10 million longhorns were taken to Abilene’s Railhead between 1867 and 1871.

Several buildings from Abilene’s frontier times are preserved in Old Town. Gunfighters and saloon hall dancers perform on weekends. So, we hung out with some of the performers in the saloon for awhile with our puppy.

Old Town Abilene Kansas — Old Town Abilene

Covered Wagon Campground

We certainly welcomed the shade and cooler temperatures that Covered Wagon Campground offered. It was a very pleasant two nights there. The pool also provided some relief from the summer heat.

In Conclusion

Kansas was a great time for us. Look for posts regarding other states we have visited on our page, States Visited, a Campsite Resource.

Happy Camping!

Nebraska, a New State on Our Long Summer Trip

Nebraska

Nebraska was an entirely new state for us. We visited the eastern portion and the cities, Omaha and Lincoln, early in our trip out west. Later, we traveled through the western and southern sides of the state as we traveled home.

Omaha/ Lincoln

So, we spent two nights at the West Omaha KOA. Our site was nicely shaded and there was a pool and laundry. We took advantage of the opportunity to utilize both.

Nebraska State Capital Building

We made the relatively short drive into Lincoln and checked out the Capital Building. Fortunately, there was a tour starting while we were there. So, we learned a lot about that beautiful building. The $10 million building was constructed from 1922-1932 and was totally debt free upon completion.

Visitors can take an elevator to the top of the 437’ base to the 14th floor and are awarded with an amazing view of the city.

The Foyer’s theme is the “Life of Man” and has beautiful mosaics and ornate arches.

The Lincoln Monument at the front of the building was commissioned in 1909 and predates the building.

Anniversary Lunch

We were in Lincoln for our thirty-fifth wedding anniversary. Incidentally, I am one lucky woman to be married to my guy!

After touring the capital, we had a delicious lunch at The Green Gateau to celebrate. Gateau means cake and we did have some cake, but carrot cake, not their specialty which does have some green decorations. However, everything was wonderful and if ever again in the area, I would definitely seek the Green Gateau.

The Dunham Museum

The Dunham Museum dedicated to Omaha Union Station, was also a stop for us. The Union Station is now a very cool museum with such a rich history. Omaha was the beginning of the central route of the transcontinental railroad and Sacramento, California was the end.

The railroad made cross-country travel much easier and cheaper. Before the railroad, a trip from New York to California required six grueling months and cost $1,000. After the railroad, it took only a week and cost $70. It was a major game changer of its time.

Union Station Omaha Nebraska — Omaha Train Station

The station has multiple life-sized bronze statues depicting travelers and train personnel during the station’s heyday. I sat in on one of their conversations.

The photo below is a restored Pullman Sleeper built in 1956 and is a throwback to a time when the train was the most luxurious way to travel. It certainly made me feel like I was on one of those trains from old movies. Visitors can also walk through sleeper cars, bathrooms, and dining areas.

Best Rover Sitter Ever

Rover is a bit like Uber, except it links pet owners to potential dog services. Our puppy, Sophie, stayed with a Rover sitter in Lincoln while we were seeing the sights in the area. Dode and her husband, Dallen, were amazing! She took our puppy shopping for toys and would not let us reimburse. Dode clearly loves dogs! She sent us photos and videos of Sophie shopping and playing in their beautiful fenced yard. Moreover, Sophie got such a royal treatment we were a little worried she might not want to come back home to us.

Heading Home Through Western Nebraska

Our southward drive through western Nebraska was long and incredibly hot. Highs were over 100 degrees and stayed that way until early evening. Our route was not very populated, but the countryside was lovely.

We made a stop in the town of Gothenburg to see an original Pony Express Station. It is located in a beautiful park with lots of big trees. We were grateful for the shade and enjoyed the museum.

Gothenburg Nebraska — An original Pony Express Building

Meadow Park RV

We stopped for one night at Bridgeport. It was so hot in our camper that it took quite awhile to get cool. Our air conditioner usually freezes us out quickly, but not in the current heat wave. It was too hot to do anything outside, so we just tried to cool off in the camper.

Laurie, who owns the campground gave us some fresh peaches upon arrival. They were delicious!

Bridgeport Nebraska campground — A stop headed home

Kearney

Our last stop in Nebraska was at Kearney Campground. It was a nice concrete sight by the river, but it was still blazing hot.

The thermostat was showing 104 degrees in the camper when we plugged in the electricity. We knew it would take awhile to cool the camper because it was in full sun. So, we sat beside the river under some shade.

Our puppy was really hot, so we waded in the water for a bit. She really liked it.

In Conclusion

We enjoyed our time in Nebraska and the very nice people we met! Everything was great except for the extreme heat. Posts of visits to other states can be accessed on our page, States Visited, a Campsite Resource.

Happy Camping!

Minnesota Camping in a Pandemic

Minnesota Camping

Our Minnesota camping trip included two state parks, Interstate Park, which is near Minneapolis, and Mystery Cave State Park in southern Minnesota.

Interstate Park

We had three nights at Interstate Park, which is just across the Minnesota border. There is also a park on the Wisconsin side. We had a nice shaded electric only site.

Interstate Park is a great campground if you enjoy canoeing or kayaking. They have a large number of each for rent. Also, you can take long trips down the St. Croix River. Because the trips last several hours, they will bring you back to your starting location. Lastly, there is a large paddle boat that provides rides on the river.

We planned to do a little time in a canoe on the river because it looked like so much fun. However, the more I thought about it, I feared it would make my bad shoulder worse. So, we reluctantly abandoned that plan. I really wish we had begun this traveling when we were younger!

We planned to ride the paddle boat trip on our last full day at the campground and also drive into Minneapolis, but it rained all day. So, we stayed inside and binged Netflix, except for a trip to nearby St Croix to do laundry.

Canoe and Kayak Rentals on the St. Croix River

Interstate Park Hiking Trails

Interstate offers some amazing hiking trails, including a rather short one that features over 400 ancient glacial potholes.

Glacial Pothole Trail Interstate Park — Glacial Pothole Trail

Below is a photo of the deepest known pothole, which is sixty feet deep.

We also did a large portion of the River Trail. The day was relatively cool and most of the path was shady. It was a pleasant afternoon.

Hanging in the Campground

We spent several hours at our campsite and some little red squirrels entertained us. That is, until we discovered after some time away that they had eaten a hole in our rug. My husband thinks they were attracted to something below it.

We enjoyed our Leinenkugel’s beer, purchased in Wisconsin. I liked the Grapefruit Shandy the best.

Minnesota Camping at Interstate Campground — Wisconsin Beer

Meals in Minnesota

Our only meals at restaurants on this trip were takeout or at places where they offered outdoor seating.

While at Interstate, we had takeout at Juneberry Cafe and an outdoor meal at the Drive In Restaurant. Both of these Taylors’s Falls restaurants were good, but we really appreciated the outdoor seating at the Drive in. The seats were in the shade and the food was very good. I had very crispy sweet potato fries with a marshmallow dip. Decadent!

Outside Seating at the Drive In Restaurant

Lanesboro

I wanted to stop in Lanesboro because it looked like an interesting place to visit. So, we took a little detour before going to our next campground. It is a pretty 19th century town known for the Root River Bike Trail which runs through it. They have an extensive number of bikes for rent. People come from all over to visit and participate in the trail. Much of the town’s shops, art galleries, and restaurants were closed because of Covid-19.

We had an outdoor lunch at Pedal Pushers Cafe and ice cream at another shop. It was a pleasant stop.

Mystery Cave State Park

Our last Minnesota Camping was one night at Mystery Cave State Park. The campground was very nice with a better than average bathhouse for a State Park. It was a peaceful and relaxing break in our trip.

Forestwood Pioneer Village

Neither the Mystery Cave nor the Pioneer Village was open while we were there. We checked out the Village, but you could not get close because of construction. However, we met a nice lady from Oregon at the village and had a nice discussion.

The Minnesota Countryside

We saw lots of the Minnesota countryside. It entailed cornfields and lots of barns like the one below. It was quite picturesque.

Conclusion

We loved our time in Minnesota. The State Parks were great and the countryside was beautiful. We experienced several small towns, but sadly no larger ones. Considering the pandemic, our Minnesota camping was a good experience.

If you would like to see posts from other states we have visited, check out States Visited, a Campsite Resource.

Happy Camping and stay safe out there!

Wisconsin Camping During Covid-19

Wisconsin Camping

Our Wisconsin camping trip included five nights in two campgrounds, both of which were State Parks. There are a few things to know about camping in Wisconsin during COVID-19. One, the campground offices are not open for check-in. You just drive to your assigned site. Two, you must have a vehicle permit and you are expected to pay online for it before entering.

Kettle Moraine State Forest, Pike Lake Unit

Pike Lake Unit is a pretty, small campground in Hartford on Pike Lake. Though we were there in the middle of the week, it was mostly occupied. We had a large electric site, but the area where our camper and SUV was parked was in full sun. Unfortunately, there was a heat wave while we were there, so air conditioning was a must.

Wisconsin Camping at Pike Lake Unit — Pike Lake Unit Site # 31

However, there was a nice shaded area on one side of our site that provided a nice place to sit in the shade.

Wisconsin camping in the shade — Enjoying the shade

Hiking to the Tower

I was happy that my husband agreed to take a hike to a tower in the campground. I have struggled getting enough exercise and the hike was a good one which required some effort. Fortunately, the trail was totally in the shade, which made it relatively cool. This was one of my favorite parts of the campground, but was probably my husband’s last favorite.

The 60 foot tower is at the top of Powder Hill, which is a Moulin Kane, formed from glacial rocks. They had the tower closed and blocked from climbing. I would have liked to climb it, but not enough to go through their barricades.

Wisconsin Camping at the Pike Lake Tower — Pike Lake Tower

We had a rainy day where we just hung out at the campground, but we did go into Hartford in the rain for ice cream for dinner. We’re old, so who’s to stop us.

Historic Cedarburg

Cedarburg is small town founded in 1885 and is a suburb of Milwaukee. It has some interesting architecture and an old covered bridge.

The town has many buildings that were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Most of the shops in this little town were closed, but we had a nice lunch at the historic Stilt House. The outdoor seating was right by Cedar Creek, a large tributary of the Milwaukee River.

Milwaukee was just twenty miles away, so we drove through the city and stopped briefly at Riverwalk. It was very hot and we were tired, so we headed back to Hartford.

We checked out Pike Lake before we went back to the camper. It was a busy place and the lake was lovely. We weren’t tempted, which I took as proof we are old.

Wisconsin camping at Pike Lake — Pike Lake

Wisconsin Camping in Chippewa Falls

Lake Wissota State Park

Lake Wissota campground is larger than Pike Lake with over a hundred sites. Our site had no electricity and we were planning to use our new generator. But, we discovered that generators are not allowed. I must use a nebulizer twice daily, so it was a health issue for me. Park personnel were working to allow special permission to use the generator when a sweet young lady in the office discovered a cancellation. They were most helpful in solving my problem and moving us to one of the few electric sites.

Wisconsin camping at Wissota State Park — Pull through Site #91

Our site had a large open area at the back. It was too bad that we did not have friends along with us to hang out.

Wisconsin camping at Lake Wissota — Back of Site 91

Chippewa Falls

Chippewa Falls has one of the nicest parks we have ever visited. Because many businesses are closed, we really appreciated being able to enjoy this safe environment. Riverfront Park was one of my favorite stops in Wisconsin in this new pandemic world.

The park has a shady swing where you can sit by the river.

We have never seen solar powered benches before. There were also several places with electrical outlets. This park has so many amenities for its visitors!

Solar Charging benches — Solar Charging Stations on Benches

We were concerned about finding clean and safe bathrooms on this trip because of the virus. The park was great in this area! The building below is an enormous park bathroom that is modern and was exceptionally clean.

Lunch at a Winery

We were more interested in the food truck than the winery. However, they limited the number of people inside the winery and were wearing masks, so we went inside for a tasting. We bought a couple of bottles of wine and some sausage and cheese.

River Bend Vineyard and Winery — River Bend Vineyard & Winery

The Island Vibe jerk chicken was delicious. We had our chairs with us, but there was no available shade. So, we ate in our car, as so many meals are eaten these days.

The Place We Didn’t Go

Leinenkugel’s Brewery is a major Chippewa Falls attraction. The inside tours are not currently occurring, but we thought we might stop and try one of their beers. When we saw the number of people inside and how close together they were, we passed on this. It had me really wanting to try the beer though, so we got some at the local grocery store. It was pretty good.

In Conclusion

This was the first time either of us have visited Wisconsin. The pandemic made it difficult to interact with the people and experience its culture. We logged more time in the campgrounds than our typical trips. The state is beautiful though and our few interactions with its residents were positive. If you are interested in our trips to other states, check out our page, States Visited, a Campsite Resource.

Stay safe out there!

Illinois Camping During a Pandemic

Illinois Camping

Illinois was a new camping state for us. Previously, we visited Chicago, but were not camping. So, we camped five nights at three different campgrounds: one was a state park and the other two were private.

The pandemic was definitely a concern, but we considered the risk and had planned ways to reduce our chance in infection, Travel Amid Covid19 for At-Risk Campers. Covid-19 greatly hampered our ability to do what we most love—taking in the local sights and experiencing local cuisine. However, we still managed to do a few things that were high on our priority list.

Eldon Hazlet State Park

Our first Illinois camping site was in Carlyle. The park was lovely with large sites and lots of shade. Unfortunately, we had one of the few that were in full sun and it was during a heat wave. Setting up our camper in that blistering heat was most unpleasant. We were drenched in sweat in no time.

Our site was very large though, with a shady backyard on the lake. Carlyle Lake is an enormous reservoir which covers 25,000 acres. Carlyle is the largest lake in Illinois and the largest lake located solely in one state. If fishing or boating is your thing, this campground is for you.

We were at Hazlet for two nights and pretty much stayed in the campground. I saw a groundhog for the first time in the wild. There were all over the campground, but they are shy creatures who would not let you get too close. I thought they were kinda cute!

Illinois camping and wildlife — One of the numerous groundhogs in the campground

Nearby Eldon Hazlet State Park

We drove to a nearby beach on the lake, but did not go swimming. I did, however, dip my toes in the water.

After the beach, we drove into nearby Carlyle, a very small town. The town was cute, but pretty much shut down. We got ice cream through the drive through at the local Dairy Queen.

Our camping experience at Hazlet was good overall. Our neighbors on one side were very nice and friendly, but on a Friday night we had very noisy neighbors on the other side that were up till wee hours in the morning. I had to restrain my husband from going to talk to them. You never know what kind a person you might encounter. We wore masks the few times we were briefly indoors and practiced social distancing. I feel we were safe.

The Land of Lincoln

We seek Presidential Libraries in our travels and were very happy that the Lincoln Library was open. For that reason, camping near Springfield was a must.

Illinois Camping at Double J Campground

Our favorite Illinois campground was Double J Campground in Chatham, which is about ten miles south of Springfield. Full hookups with lots of shade trees was nice. Immaculate bathhouses, large pool, well-appointed laundry, and Route 66-themed carpet golf sealed the deal. We loved this campground!

We had an afternoon free to enjoy the pool. Though we kept our distance, we had some nice interactions with some Illinois residents. They were very friendly.

After the pool, we took the opportunity to do a little laundry. So, we were ready to spend the next day in Springfield.

Lincoln Presidential Library

Abraham Lincoln’s life and presidency is probably the best known of all American presidents. It is certainly true for me. Because of this, there were fewer new insights at this library than there would be in one where I did not know very much about the president. I did feel a great sense of sorrow for all he went through and gratitude for what he accomplished.

There were multiple wax figures and portraits and a couple of shows.

The Lincoln Home

The Lincoln home was where he lived for seventeen years while he practiced law. It was where his children were born. I suspect he was very happy during those years. Many of the homes of his neighbors are still standing on the street, which is closed to traffic. There is information provided about his neighbors and their relationships to the Lincolns.

Sadly, the home was not open for tours because of the pandemic. I would have loved to tour it. Hopefully, we will have an opportunity to take the tour one day.

Illinois Camping at Blackhawk Valley Campground

Blackhawk Valley Campground was a one night stopover to break up the miles to our next stop. It was a pleasant campground with full hookups, but no pool.

There is a river and a tiny little beach area.

Meals in Illinois

Most of our meals were in our camper, which is not our norm. We did not eat inside any restaurant, but we did have a couple of meals where they offered outside dining. Our first meal was in Camden at a strip mall. It was hot outside, but still nice to not have to cook. Service was excellent, but we were not crazy about the food.

Our second and favorite meal was at Obed & Issac’s. It is located in the house below and we were able to snag a table on the front porch. There were only two other people on the porch and they were at least twelve feet away.

I had chicken and waffles and my husband had an omelet. The food was very good and the service was excellent. We were grateful to have been able to have this dining experience, given the circumstances.

Illinois Camping Conclusion

Overall, Illinois camping was good for us and the people were friendly and accommodating. I mourn some of the things we were unable to see and do, but am grateful for this opportunity to visit this state and travel with my sweet husband.